I hate colds and while I haven’t even had one at all since the Covid period, I’ve got a cracker at the moment. Just as I’m about to start a job in a hospital on Monday. What should I do, not turn in on my first day or plod on as usual? With me being old school, I don’t do days off and will be going.
Onto more important stuff and this is yet another tough game, away to a club that’s challenging for the same aims as us. Well, not quite, as they’re seven points behind us, but immediately below us in the league.
They also don’t have current form as good as ours, with us having won four and lost one in our last five games. Meanwhile, Bournemouth have won two and drawn three. Not great, but it does indicate that they’re very difficult to actually beat. And we do need to beat them. A draw won’t be good enough, in my opinion and I know that everyone is saying that things are going to run to the last day of the season, but anything less than three points will mean it’s a step too far to achieve Euro qualification. Then again, Forest seem to have blown up, so I suppose it’s always possible we can leapfrog them.
The point is, we’re running out of time to be losing.
Team news is that Youri Tielemens is out and that’s a loss again, as he’s been excellent an an ever-present this season, which is a very decent achievement these days. It certainly shows what Unai makes of him. Rashford is also out and I don’t think we’ll see him again at Villa park. That’s okay, he’d be too expensive to buy anyway. Otherwise, the lads all in decent nick, if maybe mentally jaded.
Bournemouth’s big news is that winger Dango Ouattara is out for the rest of the season with an abducter injury. I’ve never even heard of him. Sinisterra (thigh), Ryan Christie (groin) and Enes Unal are all out too.
I’m almost scared to predict a win here. I think it’s likely, but we should remember that they turned Arsenal over on their own patch last week. A great win or have Arsenal basically given up? Who knows, but it shows anything is possible. And then I look at those three draws in their last five games, which makes me think another one is very likely.
And that’s what I’m going for. 2-2 it is then.
UTV!
Comments
49 responses to “Bournemouth – Villa; What to say?”
Fingers crossed.
Ha, I forgot to give the post a title, because I couldn’t think of one! Sorted now.
Very enigmatic Badger!
No idea – without Tielemans I doubt us winning – is that an indictment of the rest of the side or just being a realist. Look at Man C without Rodri!
I think it just shows how good a playmaker he is.
Ye champions league might be a bridge too far but europa league gives us a good chance given the dross manure and spuds have had to play this season
Tbh, I’m not convinced xxx of the worth of being in the Europa. Yes, it’s Europe and it gets you CL qually if you win it. But it puts a massive drain on your resources, reducing your chances in the prem, imo.
That’s always the rub Badger – but we should aspire to be in Europe every season, ideally on the CL, because it substantially increases revenue which, in turn, allows us to build a better, deeper squad to cope.
The classic chicken and egg conundrum!
Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey all start with Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen and John McGinn on the bench
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Asensio, Ramsey, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Disasi, Torres, Maatsen, Garcia, Barkley, Bailey, Malen, McGinn.
As it stands now we are in the Conference League. I think we need to finish 6th to get Europa. I don’t know what the ramifications of the FA Cup winners. Does a Citeh win mean 7th place gets Europa?
Whatever happens, I wouldn’t want Conference League unless Emery intends to play a second team like Chelsea have this season.
Today is simply win to keep Champions League hopes alive. Draw or lose, then it’s one of the other two competitions.
I don’t have a good feeling about today’s game. We might scrape a draw and Mings starting gives me more hope that we will be stronger defensively. Without Tielemans I would have liked McGinn to start for the leadership role. Onana hopefully will start paying back the huge transfer fee.
Starting with your cold, Badger. I hope you are soon better. But, writing as a man who spent 4 months in Intensive Care in a weakened state and caught everything going in addition to the surgery I was there for, may I suggest that if your hospital job involves you being in an in-patients ward that you don’t go there while still infectious.
Now to the team: Emery has obviously thought hard and the changes bar one make sense. For me the only surprise is McGinn dropped for Onana, because I don’t think Onana has yet justified his transfer cost.
Blimey. Glad you’re okay mate. I won’t be anywhere near patients, fortunately, otherwise there’s no way I’d be going in.
Asensio starting over McGinn is also disappointing. I haven’t seen anything positive from him for quite a while now. He’s a luxury player IMO.
Asensio will be playing a clear 10 role tonight, something he wanted when he agreed to join Villa on loan – we’ll see.
Still likely to play narrow with Ramsey and Rogers.
A win tonight and we’re guaranteed 7th place at worst – a loss and Europe next season is at risk.
My understanding is that if Citeh win the Cup then the Europa place goes to 7th in the league and the Conference place to 8th. Not sure what Chelsea winning the Conference means but I only think it matters if Chelsea do not qualify for the CL.
That seems a team to contain Bournemouth for 60 minutes and then Malen, McGinn and Mattsen coming on to win 2-0. Easy as……
I’m not so confident with the team selected. I can’t see how our backs are going to bring the ball forward. Further, Ascensio at no. 10 he needs to put in performance today- he owes us one.
Watkins, Ramsey, Roger’s, and Assencio all look terrible today
Boring
Rogers is having a mare.
And then supplies Olliiieeee!!!!!
The weather is too nice. Watkinnnsssss!!!!!!!!!
Rogers woke up 🤣
That was a very solid first half. I take back my worry. Ramsey and Watkins have been great and Ascensio seems to be starting to knit things together – he was unlucky not to have scored.
Asensio coming more into the game. Deserved to go in one up.
Congratulations to Ollie breaking Gabby’s record.
I was criticising Asensio just before he hit the post. Now he’s getting into the game more. The referee is annoying me with free kicks given every time there’s a challenge.
All we need to do now is keep a clean sheet!
A testing 45 minutes coming up…Put those flip flops bag in the locker!!!!
What is it with poor refs in villa matches, we always seem to get refs that make poor decisions ( i am trying not to say biased) why did he book emi, he is captain and is supposed to be able to approach the ref, let alone all the one sided decisions throughout the first half .
i am so glad we took the lead after all that
Pleeezzze win boys commmeee onnnn
I can’t believe they’re debating the Mings ‘elbow’. Players may as well have both arms surgically removed at this rate…
Come on Villa!!!!
Bournemouth have ‘avoided’ at least two bookings – Attwell isn’t the greatest of ref’s and we don’t have a good record when he’s officiating
Stick Malen on for Rogers now! Malen has loads of energy!!!
Why oh why is Mings being taken off? I fear the worst with this change.
If your centre half is having a good game I don’t get it at this stage. You risk Torres not tuning in to the game quick enough