Pre-match thread

[villa89]

2 hours ago, TheMelvillan said:

would y'all take a draw now if offered?

just trying to gauge confidence

Anyone who says no would be insane. 

I fully expect a loss tonight and hopefully a draw on Saturday. 

Edited December 6, 2023 by villa89

[oishiiniku_uk]

19 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said:

I certainly hope so. He's like adama traore with a brain. Scary player

He's more like Grealish before Pep made him a 'technically better player' and erased all the fun and excitement out of his game .

[Enda]

We haven’t kept a clean sheet in about 5 years. Of course I’d take a draw.

I expect us to get at them though. We’ll probably score too. But realistically they’ll likely just score a bit more more than us. 3-1 loss is my prediction. They are the best team in Europe, after all.

(Prove me wrong, Ollie.)

[Enda]

19 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

People going out of their way coming up with hypothetical reasons why City will. Pathetic but par for the course. Negative chicken littles. Does it make people feel better to say I told you so if we lose?

We’re just giving our actual assessments of reality. Sober judgment of the facts on the ground. Would you prefer willfully biased, blind optimism??

[Stevo985]

18 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

They've lost both games when Rodri was out. There's post Foden always good for a goal against us. He scored once against us 2 and a half years ago. It was the same shit in the Spurs pre match thread and actually just regular occurrence it seems

It's a bit weird to get annoyed about people saying the reigning European and English champions could beat us.

I guess it's a good indication of how far we've come though

[ender4]

2 hours ago, TheMelvillan said:

would y'all take a draw now if offered?

 

just trying to gauge confidence

Yes 100% would snatch your hand off for a draw right now.  
 

We probably have a 5% chance of a win, 25% chance of a draw, and 70% chance of a loss. 

[useless]

The only reason that some are pointing out that we will likely lose is because there's too much optimism, which will lead to a ridiculous overreaction if we do lose, with the spoilt pathetic rable of dramatic brats declaring that if we can't beat Man City now we shall never ever beat them. If things go right we can get a result, but also they're capable of not just winning, but winning comfortably, as they are against any team in the league.

 

[useless]

I wish for a win, but remain cool whatever the result

[WallisFrizz]

3 minutes ago, useless said:

The only reason that some are pointing out that we will likely lose is because there's too much optimism, which will lead to a ridiculous overreaction if we do lose, with the spoilt pathetic rable of dramatic brats declaring that if we can't beat Man City now we shall never ever beat them. If things go right we can get a result, but also they're capable of not just winning, but winning comfortably, as they are against any team in the league.

 

I was just thinking this! I’ve just had a scroll through Twitter and Villa fans are sooo optimistic and hopeful, talk of it being our biggest game in ages etc. Unreal amounts of expectation. There’s going to be absolute devastation if we get beat and outplayed by probably the best team in the world which isn’t  exactly fair on the players or Emery for that matter. 

[MWARLEY2]

Just now, useless said:

The only reason that some are pointing out that we will likely lose is because there's too much optimism, which will lead to a ridiculous overreaction if we do lose, with the spoilt pathetic rable of dramatic brats declaring that if we can't beat Man City now we shall never ever beat them. If things go right we can get a result, but also they're capable of not just winning, but winning comfortably, as they are against any team in the league.

 

Exactly this. Nerves are really kicking in now.

Its been 3 months since we got a thorough beating and you start believing that we are that good. Man City can offer a huge reality check if we arent at our very best. In fact they could even if we are at our best. 

But these are the games you should want.  Test yourself and have the chance to go above the treble winning team of last season.  And no matter the outcome realise we are a good team still in the building phase.

Emery is still only getting 4 of his own players on the pitch at maximum. There is a long way to go.  Win lose or draw we are in the best place we have been in 15 years. 

 

[VILLAMARV]

I got all excited for the Newcastle and Liverpool games. So I'll temper it a little bit for these next two. I think they're all the obvious competition for the top 4 so it would be nice to think we can mix it with the very top sides by taking at least a point from one of them. I think we can beat them both but I'm not sure we will. As others have said no Rodri and no Grealish, No DeBruyne it doesn't tip the scales in our favour but you'd rather it than not. I'll find somewhere with the match on later but I'm mentally prepared to lose the next two and still remain happy/upbeat about it all. Anything more is a real bonus.

My Uncle took me to my first match at Maine Road so I've always had an affinity for City and it's my most watched fixture over the years. I always remember the banner wishing us luck that wound up my uncle the year we were pushing Manyoo for the title. They weren't always oil rich etc etc

But I think the pressure is off us in the next two games. No one expects us to win either of them. Except Unai perhaps.

[duke313]

11 hours ago, Frodo said:

Front 3 of Watkins, Diaby & Bailey.

Midfield 3 of Mcginn, Dougie & Kamara.

Back 4 Cash, Konsa, Pau & Digne. 

Best goalkeeper in the world in goal, Martinez. 

Can't call this City could very well spank us & we could very well give them a going over. Have had this feeling we will beat City tonight & lose to Arsenal weekend, think this will take alot out of us tonight, would be brilliant if we went above them tonight if only for a few days.

This is the exact team i'd go for.

[smg]

1 hour ago, VillaJ100 said:

Officials will absolutely be looking to give them something due to the weekend cock up

So we are moaning about referees even before kick off now we really should be better than that.

[Tomaszk]

McGinn starts right mid we've got a chance.

Can't see anything if he doesn't.

[Keyblade]

1 minute ago, Tomaszk said:

McGinn starts right mid we've got a chance.

Can't see anything if he doesn't.

But we need him for left mid. Zaniolo can't start this, and JJ isn't ready. Leon played well in this fixture last year 

[Hank Scorpio]

They will score. Question is can.we outscore them?

A draw would be good.

[HKP90]

I'm kinda nervous, but at the same time I think this is a bit of a free hit. I don't expect anything at all from this, so a draw+ would be incredible. 

I'm not holding my breath tho'.

[bobzy]

I love the people who find the stats - even if it's not people, it's some computer.  Whatever, it's amazing.  These have stunned me:

-  Aston Villa's tally of 29 points equals their highest after 14 games of a Premier League season, first achieved in 1998-99. They drew their 15th match that season.
-  The Villans are the only club not to have dropped a Premier League point from a winning position this season, winning all nine games in which they have led.
-  They can become the third team to score at least three goals in each of their opening seven top-flight home fixtures in a season, emulating Blackburn Rovers from 1889-90 and Villa themselves in 1897-98).

The dates on that last one! 

[fightoffyour]

3 hours ago, TheMelvillan said:

would y'all take a draw now if offered?

Nah **** that

[MaVilla]

19 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

But we need him for left mid. Zaniolo can't start this, and JJ isn't ready. Leon played well in this fixture last year 

Tielemans on the left, McGinn on the right, Ramsey to come on for Tielemans at some point imo.

then we have Bailey, Zaniolo, Moreno etc off the bench if we need them also.