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Match Thread - PLEASE DO NOT TALK ABOUT STREAMS IN THIS THREAD


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I'd return to the 5-3-2 formation for this one, First game for a while that we've had 3 centre halfs fit, think this system has covered our frailties the best of all this season, regardless of the Chelsea pumping before that we looked better.

---------------Guzan----------------

-------Vlaar--Clark--Baker-------

Lowton-----------------------Lichaj

--------Westwood-Delph----------

--------------Holman----------------

------Benteke------Weimann-----

Blessing that Mulumbu is off at African Nations. might have half a chance if we get our tails up.

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I predict a bumming. 3/4 nil. The ground to be all but empty by the 85 minute.

i also predict a thorough bumming, they will get an early goal, and then they wont quit pounding on us until its probably 3 or 4.

i also predict quite a lary atmosphere - evening kick off are they mental!

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I know most people say there isn't a real rivalry between us and Baggies or that 'they're obsessed with us and we don't care about them', but growing up and living where I do I know plenty of Baggies fans and hardly any bluenoses, so I never usually dismiss this derby as easily as others.

But right now I couldn't care less. I'm not really hoping for 'bragging rights' or having banter with the tesco boys. I'm not bothered who were playing, I just want the three points.

For what its worth, I have a sneaky feeling we could do them.

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If we have a typical lifeless performance where we coast through matches then you could probably end up "doing the job" on us and leaving with a victory.

I expect changes to be made again after last night with hopefully the reintroduction of Claudio Yacob. He is unbelievably important to us.

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Liam, where would you say are the current weaknesses in the WBA team ?

This might sound stupid, but the real weakness is now our season is more or less finished, we have nothing to play for and our players will coast their way to the end of the season. Last season and season prior to that are following the trend of the last five or six matches.

On the pitch, we've generally looked OK defensively and there aren't that many glaring weaknesses. There appears to be a mentality with us defending in the last ten minutes, the amount of goals we have given away is worrying and that will eventually start playing on the lads mind. Especially if we can't hold onto a 2-0 lead for Christ sake! Another slightly worrying aspect is whether our 'wide midfielders' are bothered enough to get back and cover our fullbacks who at times have been left exposed.

The other weakness for me is our ball retention. A lack of movement and failure to keep hold of the ball means lately we have been aimlessly hoofing the ball in any direction in hope that one of our forwards can weave some magic.

The other weakness is the fact that without Mulumbu & Yacob we've been relying on Brunt and Thorne in the middle to provide the defensive cover. Thorne has done very well since his emergence but Brunt is out of position and it's showing, primarily because his positioning and ability in the tackle isn't as good and that for me is one of the main reasons why our form has dropped.

The importance of that Mulumbu/Yacob axis is crucial.

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Just seen on twitter:

Prior to kick off will be a minutes applause for Derek Kevan who passed away a week or two ago and also on the 19th minute, a picture of Petrov will be displayed on the big screen for those Albion fans which wish to take part in the 19th minute applause.

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This might sound stupid, but the real weakness is now our season is more or less finished, we have nothing to play for and our players will coast their way to the end of the season. Last season and season prior to that are following the trend of the last five or six matches.

On the pitch, we've generally looked OK defensively and there aren't that many glaring weaknesses. There appears to be a mentality with us defending in the last ten minutes, the amount of goals we have given away is worrying and that will eventually start playing on the lads mind. Especially if we can't hold onto a 2-0 lead for Christ sake! Another slightly worrying aspect is whether our 'wide midfielders' are bothered enough to get back and cover our fullbacks who at times have been left exposed.

The other weakness for me is our ball retention. A lack of movement and failure to keep hold of the ball means lately we have been aimlessly hoofing the ball in any direction in hope that one of our forwards can weave some magic.

The other weakness is the fact that without Mulumbu & Yacob we've been relying on Brunt and Thorne in the middle to provide the defensive cover. Thorne has done very well since his emergence but Brunt is out of position and it's showing, primarily because his positioning and ability in the tackle isn't as good and that for me is one of the main reasons why our form has dropped.

The importance of that Mulumbu/Yacob axis is crucial.

Those are our two biggest problems at the moment. Fullbacks overexposed with barely any cover and not an ounce of presence in midfield.

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Just seen on twitter:

Prior to kick off will be a minutes applause for Derek Kevan who passed away a week or two ago and also on the 19th minute, a picture of Petrov will be displayed on the big screen for those Albion fans which wish to take part in the 19th minute applause.

That's a very nice and classy touch from WBA . I'm sure most villa fans will respect and join in with the tribute to Derek

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I doubt Dunne is back, but I hope Vlaar is at least. If he is, I would go...

Guzan

Lowton - Vlaar - Clark -- Stevens

----------Westwood--Delph---------

------CNZ-------------------Agbonlahor

---------Weimann-------Benteke-----

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That's a very nice and classy touch from WBA . I'm sure most villa fans will respect and join in with the tribute to Derek

Its a shame that WBA couldn't have shown the same class a few weeks ago, when they're official twitter account was openly promoting they're own 8th minute applause. **** rocket polishers.

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Lads, it's quite likely that this match will be postponed. At the moment I would say there was a 60-70% chance of this happening. It's forecast snow through all of Friday and Friday night and into Saturday morning in the Birmingham area. The met office have said could be upto 30 centimeters. This will probably favor us injury wise but we are going to be facing an almighty fixture pile-up if it does (as i suspect) get postponed.

I am a bit of a weather geek and it's going to be pretty bad out there.

Edited by supernova26
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