moose Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I think 2draws would be decent enough results!! Anyone agree? I'd take a point away certainly, then again why should be be scared of "top 4" teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan. Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I would have bitten your hand off at the start of the season if you offered me two draws from Arsenal+Plop, I still would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdubber Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Big game for both teams here, could even be the marker for our run in, what with Liverpool comming so soon after. Could be our chance to make a mark on the league this year, and I hope we do it. I`m going for a Villa victory, 1-2 or 0-2, ass we will quash all their midfield intentions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 I would have bitten your hand off at the start of the season if you offered me two draws from Arsenal+Plop, I still would. This for me. Our style will definitely suit Arsenal who will come at us but I think Liverpool would consider a point at VP a good one these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carew_villa Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 I think I'll be disappointed if we get any less than 4 points out of the next 2 games! Don't care who we get the win or draw of, as long as we get 4 points Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan. Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 Jesus christ, no wonder we crumbled last season, the expectations of some of you are comical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milfner Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 I think I'll be disappointed if we get any less than 4 points out of the next 2 games! Don't care who we get the win or draw of, as long as we get 4 points Has someone had a few too many beers? Because that is just crazy talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carew_villa Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 I think I'll be disappointed if we get any less than 4 points out of the next 2 games! Don't care who we get the win or draw of, as long as we get 4 points Has someone had a few too many beers? Because that is just crazy talk. No it isn't crazy at all considering the form of Villa and the form and Arsenal and Liverpool. Over the last few games we've played, we've been the best team in the league performance wise and you just know that the players will pick it up a level for the Arsenal and Liverpool games. Also, players like Coker and Delph will perform very well knowing that this is their big chance to get into the team. Regarding the person who talked about expectations, I don't expect us to get 4 points, I think we should normally be getting 2 points out of these 2 games but considering how well we're starting to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Our style will definitely suit Arsenal who will come at us but I think Liverpool would consider a point at VP a good one these days. Our style didn't suit them very much last year when we were arguably a poorer side (without the back 4 we currently have, DJ or the bulked up Gabby) - 4 points and it probably should have been 6 given the domination at VP. I think this was with the 4-5-1 though so I'd like to see us playing that against the Arsenal and matching their formation. Plop came to VP last year for a point as well with Rafa playing Robbie Keane on the LW in a defensive 4-5-1. My heart says six points is available BUT my head is confused. I think we are better than last year BUT all good runs come to an end at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdubber Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Looking forward to seeing if MON has got his tactics right for this one. As a few have mentioned we are looking better in the defence than last year, and I cannot see a Gallas handling Gabby at all, as he was ripped apart last time around, and this year Gabby is looking even better. Added to that is the way we are pushing opponents further up the pitch, and have now the possibilities to play both wings and through the middle, I can see Arsenal being a bit more cautious than they usually are with visiting teams. Seems to me a few of the top teams no longer have the squad depth/quality they have had in previous seasons. Hence a few of the recent results from such sides. Makings of a great game here..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdubber Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Seems it is being reported that fabregas is out until the 30th, which would suit our game just fine, as he seems to be the one to link up for them. Don´t really want to pin it all on one player or the other though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingGooner Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 safe homies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingGooner Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 ---------Almunia Sagna Gallas Vermaelen Traore/Eboue ----Fabregas Song Nasri Walcott--Arshavin--Eduardo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Jesus christ, no wonder we crumbled last season, the expectations of some of you are comical. Yeah, I'm sure the entire Villa squad regularly reads VT and cracks under the pressure of some of our more enthusiastic posters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 The Arsenal OS says that Traore will be fit to play LB, Fabregas is 50:50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggaman Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Anything less than two points over the next two games would leave me very annoyed. I expect (and think we should get) at least two points. I will take the points however they come. Perhaps a draw against Arsenal and a win against Liverpool. Or two draws. I would even accept a defeat against Arsenal if we go on to beat Liverpool. It all depends on which Arsenal show up when we play them and which Villa show up. The fact is that we can beat them on our day and that could possibly be the case tomorrow. They certainly aren't unbeatable and the lads should go in quite confident of turning them over. I'm going for 1-1 though. It's a result that I would be more than happy with aswell. Anything more would be a bonus. UTV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Arsenal match presents Martin O'Neill with sternest test as Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is an indisputably talented manager but, as he peers into 2010, he knows he faces the sternest test of his time in charge of Aston Villa. By Duncan White Published: 4:40PM GMT 26 Dec 2009 Make or break: Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill will be hoping his side can maintain their top-four challenge this season after last year's disappointment. Despite the loss of his two most influential players – Martin Laursen to injury-enforced retirement and Gareth Barry to Manchester City – his side have, for a second season running, ruffled the peacock feathers of the big four. If they win at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon, they will rise to third and, impressively, complete a clean sweep of English football's elite quartet. Everton tie Jack Rodwell to five-year deal at Goodison Park The achievement is all the more laudable when one considers the heavy investment by Manchester City to achieve the same goal and the depth and quality of Tottenham's squad. Carlo Ancelotti, who has jousted with the best European football has had to offer in the last decade has described the intensity of Villa's play as the biggest "surprise" he has experienced since arriving in English football. O'Neill has been here before, though, as his side were unable to maintain that intensity in the second half of last season. He was left to watch as a purposeful and remorseless Arsenal took advantage of the crumbling confidence in his thin, young squad to march into the Champions League. Sunday afternoon's game will be full of reminders of last season's ultimate disappointment. Villa played the same opponents on Boxing Day last year, coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 in the last minute, thanks to Zat Knight's goal. Villa had been the better side and it looked as if their assault on Champions League qualification was going to be too strong for an inconsistent Arsenal. An impressive January only increased the growing expectation at Villa Park. In mid-February, though, O'Neill's team hit the wall. They were eliminated from the FA Cup and the Uefa Cup within a fortnight of each other and defeat against Chelsea at home initiated a nine-game winless streak that would take them through to May. Arsenal came surging back and claimed that crucial fourth place. Villa's crash and Arsenal's resurgence was reflected in the success of their two big January window signings. Emile Heskey's arrival at Villa Park from Wigan seemed to disrupt the fluidity of O'Neill's team while, in contrast, Andrei Arshavin's unpredictable and explosive interventions gave Arsenal a late-season swagger. Arshavin will be central to the action again this afternoon but the guileful Russian will find it hard to prise open one of the tightest defences in the league, a defence that O'Neill redeveloped in the summer. Richard Dunne has been one of the signings of the season – just look at City's defence without him – and he is now developing a strong partnership with Carlos Cuellar, a supposed target of Real Madrid. It is that strong foundation that must give O'Neill hope that his team can sustain their top-four challenge. Add to that, of course, that the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young have an extra year of experience. However, if you were to isolate one player who epitomises the difference between the Villa of this season and last, it is James Milner. Much admired by Fabio Capello, the versatile midfielder has begun playing more centrally and continues to be the driving force behind his side. Humble, technical gifted, with the ability to play off both feet and a developed sense of tactical responsibility – very much a player after Wenger's own heart. If Cesc Fabregas is fit this afternoon, it should be make an intriguing tussle. Clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedge Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 What are the chances that Fabregas will be fit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malachite Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Guy's-This is it, A massive game, Chelsea have screwed up v Blues, they will take that as a loss, Wenger will now look at this as a must win, so 2 powerhouses of the premiership will clash Arsenal v Aston Villa, for me. Aston Villa have arrived. James, we need a masterful midfield performance Gabby, oh Gabby, we need a world class performance, we need a performance that leaves Wenger thinking what the f***. C'mon you Villa boys, lets be havin ya. ( Pirates of the Caribbean and all that, cough!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maradona10 Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Fabregas will play, I'd say it's a cert! We just need toget stuck into them! Get as many corners and free kicks in at their defence! I think this'll be a test for the defence as it'll be all about movement but we have players who can hurt them! Think this one maybe for Ashleyto take centre stage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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