I’m sure none of us need to be told how important this game is.
Quite simply, if Leicester beat Newcastle (very likely), Sunderland beat Southampton (not very likely, but you never know) and we lose, we’re back in the bottom three again.
Prior to the Man City game, I was feeling incredibly upbeat about our chances of survival, but we’ve been dragged back into it somewhat and I’m now feeling just a little nervous again.
I still think we’ll be ok, but getting the points that would move us up the table would just be nice.
Our five previous meetings against Everton at home aren’t very encouraging, with us having won one, drawn two and lost two.
And apparently Everton tore Man Utd a new proverbial last week, so it’s not as though they’ve got their suitcases packed, even though they’re quite safe, with nothing really to play for.
So we know it’s going to be a tough game.
Injury wise, Everton aren’t doing to badly and might be able to field an unchanged side.
Villa, on the other hand, have Clark and Baker out for the rest of the season and Gabby still has a tight Hamstring, if he hasn’t actually been dropped, that is. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, as while I think we actually look a better side without Gabby, he’s actually got more goals against Everton than any other Premier league player. And his pace always makes him a useful asset, even if only as an impact player later in a game.
On the upside, Hutton returned to training this week, but you’d have to think that this game is probably too soon for him.
Sinclair is available again, as is Sendoros, who might well be needed, if Vlaar or Okore get crocked.
Seeing that we didn’t pay Man City much respect last week, I’d expect us to go all out to get the three points.
And given that this fixture often produces goals, I’m going for more than two overall.
Our defence makes me worry, so we’re going to concede at least one in my opinion.
But we have the capability to score now.
Hence I’m going for a 2-1 win to us.
Here’s hoping, eh?
Bollocks to 3-1 bet bit frankly I couldn’t give a shit. Vlaar can do one in the summer – he’s making us look like Kevin Keegan’s first stint at Newcastle. You score 3,we’ll score 4.
Doesn’t matter that Sunderland win, we’re above Newcastle. Big win today, West Ham, Southampton and Burnley are still very much winnable for us.
Gosh we don’t half make hard work of it. Bk to the early Lamberk days where we need 3 goals to get a result. And yet another last min goal conceded. Just hope Bentekes replacement will be as good or we will go down. Bent and Benteke where would we be without them. Vlaar can do one just hope we don’t extend his contract he’s shit
Oohah.. Just enjoy the moment for a change!
Benteke won’t leave.
And Clattenburg was the reason for the 2nd, clear foul on Given yet not given. Was the worst 1 sided performance of a ref I’ve seen. Fortunately not a single Villa player really made a “bad” challenge or they’d have been sent off instantly.
He will if he’s fit, oohah said so.
Ah darn it, forgot who I replied too.
I agree with OohAhh here, i can see Benteke leaving this summer, he’s the best striker in the league at the moment and possibly in Europe, he’s class and i imagine there will be a queue of clubs looking to sign him, i can’t see him going to Liverpool though unless they miraculously make the Champions League.
Don’t be silly, Benteke may go NEXT summer but he certainly won’t leave this summer. Wouldn’t surprise me if he did indeed sign a new contract this summer.
Not a chance especially if rumours that Utd want him are true. We’ve always been their feeder club. Unless there is a take over and new owners offer him a ridiculous amount of money with the promise of signing top players then he is off.
He may go but there’s no chance he’d go to Liverpool, or Tottenham. United if they came in, I could see it but if they’re getting Ings then they won’t go for him.
If there is one thing i am not B6, it is ‘silly’.
You are living in dream land if you think there will not be offers on the table and it’s all very well and good he and his agent saying he is only focusing on our relegation battle but if you read between the lines, the statements from Sherwood are already coming out about his price tag and the calibre of club able to buy him.
You are being ‘silly’ by suggesting he will sign a contract extension.
I do however hope you are right.
Guest…At what point have i said or thought there will be no offers? I’ll help you out….I haven’t…and to say i did is just silly 😉
There may well be offers, in fact i am sure there will be, I’d also add that i think these offers will be rejected, and he will stay with us for AT LEAST one more season.
You say about Sherwood’s statements, they mean nothing, the bloke still has 2 years on his contract and besides, have you seen the relationship Benteke and Sherwood have? If Tim ever thought of trying cock then I’m sure Christian would be his first port of call. 🙂
Did Sherwood ever mention a price tag though? I remember him saying if a team meets his price tag then he can go, but I don’t ever remember a price being mentioned.
£30m seems to be the figure bandied about by most. Sounds about right
He didn’t to me Andrew but may well of to Guest or oohah.
£30m is the number the media makes up every summer he’s supposedly leaving.
It’s about right same price as Bony and they are similar
Oh ok B6, if you say so.
Prick.
Nice one guest
Silly Prick 🙂
Have a day off OohAhh.
Nothing like the Lambert days you fool, if it were not for some awful refereeing today we would have won at a canter.
We beat the team that battered Utd 3-0 and have been one of the form teams of late, and we did it on a day that Sunderland and Leicester picked up 3 points.
Enjoy the win for crying out loud.
I name the new Royal baby……. Alice Victoria…great initials for the latest Villa arrival!
We fear NOBODY…do you hear me?….NOBODY
Prince William…..have a beer on me!
another great result just slightly tempered by hull leicster sunderland wins this week
vlar shocking again today since he came back into team 3 goals again both manc qpr 2 everton we look a mess defencely
ref was brutal how many times was benteke taken out off ball grealish was fouled all over park no bookings to late on
good points grealish is a star words fail on the beast delph brill cleverly is he a new signing never seen any of this under lambert bacuna like to see him right side mid field
If Hutton’s back, I’d take off N’Zogbia and have Bacuna as the right winger.
Totally agree with this, still not convinced by N’Zogbia.
Me either. At least he’s moving a bit more, but the overall quality’s just not there. He is a bit better than under Lambert but he’s not been the revelation the likes of Delph, Cleverley, Westwood, Sanchez, Benteke, Grealish have become.
my thoughts exactly on Nzogbia, but I would like Gil to be given a spot instead of nzogbia
Andrew…you really dont get it do you? Zoggy, if you watched the game occupied 2 Everton players throughout the whole game. That in turn creates space for others i.e the fabulous Bacuna pass was enabled by Zoggy’s movement. I suggest tgat you DONT just watch the players with the ball but watch those creating the space and Zoggy does that very well!
N’Zogbia isn’t worth his place in the team in my opinion, i think Gil is far better, in fact as others have said, Hutton back in defence and Bacuna on the right would be better.
I watched the players off the ball. N’Zogbia had 1 player on him when Cleverley made the run, Barry didn’t track Cleverley and he was through.
What amazes me is how exactly the same players can go from a bottom 2 team to a top 6 team just because a new manager comes in. I think any manager would of made the difference tbh. However these players like benteke, cleverly etc should take a look at themselves they were a main part of the reason we were in bottom 3 in the first place
Disagree. Sherwood allows them to play with freedom, and he doesn’t look to just sit back after a goal is scored. We constantly attacked at all parts of the games. Any part of the game we look to score, not many manager’s are capable of allowing this.
Bottom line is after lamberk the only way was up. Let’s see what happens next season when we lose benteke and have no cup final to play for. Will Sherwood still be able to motivate them. Juries out on Sherwoid but I won’t judge him till Xmas
I agree oohah, which also means you should look at Benteke and Cleverly now and give them the credit they deserve. You were/are always quick enough to jump on peoples backs when things ain’t going well….you should try dishing out a ounce or two of credit when things are going well.
Yep I do give them credit now but we’re were they for the other 30 or games. We don’t need players who just play when they feel like it. A lot of players suddenly upping their game to get picked for final why don’t they do that every week
“where were they for the other 30 games”? Same place as the rest of squad. In the doldrums unable to play with the freedom that they are now!! Lambert has gone, stop comparing everything and enjoy it you miserable git. 🙂 🙂
Listen a lot of players play for managers they don’t like or agree with. But bottom line is when u put that claret and blue shirt you should still give a 100% that’s what your paid for that’s what the fans come to see. There is no excuse for at least not trying whatever the managers tactics are.
But they did what the manager told them to do, and gave 100% in doing that. Not exactly sure what more they could’ve done playing the way Lambert told them too.
Listen to me oohah 😉 A lot of players are also unable to play certain systems, I’d love you to tell me one, just one single player who was able to play the system that Lambert was instructing them to play, maybe they did play for the manger, but couldn’t play his system. A lot of posters on here have always said we have a decent squad, more than capable of finishing top half of the table. I agree, but that will only happen if they all understand how to play the system that the manager wants to play. Our squad, as proved so far, are far more suited to playing open, attacking football under Sherwood than they ever were playing whatever it was Lambert was trying to play. If you’re losing every week, like we were under Lambert and not seeing any signs of improving then even players would lose faith and give up.
Professional footballers should be able to play in most systems B6. That’s just an excuse. Most of our players are still playing in a similar position than they did with lamberk. Remember this team under lamberk took out man city arsenal Liverpool and Chelsea. So it proves they can play his system.
Andrew….you dont though. Having the ball is only a very small part of the game. Why do you think we have suddenly started scoring. Because of the movement of Delph, Grealish, Cleverley AND Zoggy…..dont just watch the player WITH the ball. Yes, Benteke gets the plaudits, but without good creative passing and movement we would still be goalshy as under PL…..try and get the players movement in focus as well as the player with the ball……you dont get stats on that, and therein lies your problem!
Benteke had his fair share of chances under lamberk but couldn’t or wouldn’t score!! Amazing how he finds the net the minute lamberk goes and a transfer window coming up.
Been taking how to argue classes from Oohah? Baseless argument bringing up my like for using Stats, especially seeing I’ve used them twice all season, both cases you have to use them to prove or disprove a point, like the point Sinclair’s creative which I proved he wasn’t and Sanchez can’t pass which I proved he could. Can’t do that without stats. I’ve used stats maybe a dozen times since I joined this blog over 6 years ago.
So now that we got that stupid argument out of the way, I praised Cleverley for his run, I praised Delph and Grealish and I don’t believe either scored, and I haven’t praised Benteke in any game other than for scoring, because I know he’s not overall world class. Incredible goal scorer, great on the ball or in the air, but I know he’s never been our man of the match. Reading comprehension goes a long way mate. In fact during our Sinclair argument I praised him for his runs and getting into better positions than anyone else on the pitch, he just can’t finish either, but I’ll forgive you for not remembering that either.
Now for the actual argument which you seem to go off course on, which is fine and expected. N’Zogbia doesn’t get doubled, ever, unless on the ball, because most of our players do. Cleverley’s run worked for 2 reasons, Barry was ball watching and Stones was out of position, not covering N’Zogbia in any way, but out of position as it was a great counter. I’ve missed 2 games under Sherwood due to work and not in a single game have I ever seen N’Zogbia doubled off the ball. Now on the ball is far more important under Sherwood, while it’s not far more important in the game, Sherwood’s shown he can teach anyone to make runs, Cleverley, Westwood, Delph, Gabby, etc have all gotten better at doing them because of Sherwood. N’Zogbia’s on the ball game counts too, and he’s absolutely awful with it. His passing is poor, crossing is no better, decision making sucks, shooting is terrible, rarely beats a man when dribbling and lost a lot of his pace from when he was at Wigan. He hasn’t earned his place in the squad and if Sherwood didn’t have something against Gil, N’Zogbia would never play.
eerily enough, I strongly agree with Oohaah on his points, Where have they been for 30 games, I do believe the manager has a big say obviously, but still, that much of a say?
That is eery C81 no one agrees with me ever
Yeeeeeesssss cant wait to take the piss out of my everton mates .Aaaaah villa shirt on for work on monday. have a great weekend my blogger pals and raise a glass to TIMBO for his immense contribution to the cause.
Villa v Everton, only game without a sending off today from 6 Prem games so far.
I think this could be the crucial win. Really fancy us against a drifting West Ham. They’ve nothing to fight for and they know their manager’s on his way out.
3 more points and I reckon we’ll be there. Really starting to fancy Newcastle to join Burnley and QPR. Two players sent off, so they won’t be contributing much to the fight, plus the manager slanging the whole team off on TV. Not exactly giving the team much motivation to fight for him.
Well one thing I’m pretty sure of – it won’t be us. To think that that just ten matches ago I was totally sure we were dead ducks. Well done Tim!
UTV
Good result, fully deserved.
Just seen TS interview on Sky – absolutely brilliant.
OohAh; mate enjoy it. We won, who cares whether it’s 1-0 or 3-2;no, on reflection I’d prefer an exciting 3-2. Again we didn’t get the ‘rub of the green’ with decisions. TS several time referred to the ‘calming influence’ of Given. Can see him keeping the jersey to the end of the season.
The only downside today was Sunderland’s win; by all accounts they benefitted from some terrible decisions by the ref.
Il tell u why the GD between bottom 6 is neck and neck that late goal conceded could cost us. Still very tight
Check Sunderlands & hulls remaining fixtures, can’t see many points there but a load more for us we won cheer up FFS
Ps incl the barcodes there a club totally fucked up they couldn’t buy a win
They are like us before Sherwood
AGREED
That’s a fair point OohAh and I would agree that GD could well come into play. Credit where credit’s due though and we are playing at a different level under TS. You can hold the players to account but the manager has to take responsibility and TS is showing that he has the ability to be successful. Only time will tell
Thanks
Tremendous win today. I was concerned, but Everton are much better at home than away (Martinez trait?). Sunderland got lucky today, but I can see them failing to get another point. We should beat West Ham for reasons others have said. As for the players stepping up, it’s down to the manager and the style. The players played exactly as Lambert asked, sitting behind the ball and containing the opposition, now we take risks and force other teams on the back foot. Midfield players get ahead of the forwards and so on.
i don’t know how Sherwood will fare across a full season, but I will always thank him for turning this team around, whether we stay up (which I now expect) or go down (which I was certain was our fate under Lambert).
Hats off to him for a tremendous job so far, and I was one of the doubters.
I’m still a doubter the proof of the pudding is next season but he’s done better than I thought so far.