Welcoming a struggling side to Villa Park isn’t always as straight forward as it seems. To be honest, I’d say that it only occurs with Villa, but let’s be honest, any side can struggle when their opponent desperately needs the points the climb out of the relegation zone – I am not going to sit here and say that we are the only victims of this.
Now, the title of this article will stand providing two outcomes today;
Bournemouth DRAW or LOSE today (Kick-off 14:00)
Aston Villa WIN today (Kick-off 19:00)
So, Champions League football next season can be secured by late tonight, and we know exactly what we are playing for if Bournemouth do not win. That would be some great momentum to take into the second leg against Nottingham Forest on Thursday. On that note, apologies for not getting a post-match article out in time.
After Thursdays unproductive display, there are several changes I would make. I would, firstly, rest Watkins and start Abraham simply because I can see Watkins starting again on Thursday, I would bring Barkley into the team to replace Onana because he is ineligible for Europe, and I would bring Sancho in, maybe even for Rogers.
Onana and Kamara are out for us, whilst Spurs have an injury list that you cannot fit on one page – the only reason they’re in 18th, by the way; I firmly believe they would be comfortably safe if they didn’t have the rate of injuries that they have – Kulusevski, Solanke, and Kudus to name a few.
Well, the entire nation are relying on us to beat Tottenham tonight. Personally, I am not fussed. I generally like Spurs, I prefer them to Arsenal by a mile – however this current group of Spurs players I really detest, they have always played shin-kicking football against us, which has been reciprocated at times, in all fairness.
I think this has potential to be a tough one tonight, at a very awkward kick-off time. Spurs should travel fairly well considering it is bank holiday Monday tomorrow, but I feel we may have enough to get this one over the line given the injuries Spurs are dealing with. I am going to go for a tight 2-1 victory, but anything like the last two games in all competitions, we will not get a sniff in front of goal.
Come on lads, seal the deal! – UTV!
After Palinha and Kamara, I effing hate Spurs. The fact that he shoved Watkins when Ollie was celebrating in front of the Villa fans at the end, despite destroying Kamara’s season, is unforgettable and unforgivable. And we got a fine for it.
I hope the Villa team and crowd remember and bury these idiots. Look up ‘delusions of grandeur’ and you will find Tottenham Hotspur. Please punish these dicks. Personally, I will be delighted if they go down, for the reasons explained.
Fair enough BFR, as I said, I detest this group of players at Tottenham so want them to go down, but in general over the years I have always liked Spurs.
Fair point, Alfie. Separating the club from the current squad. Nevertheless,…
Bournemouth lead 2-0. Can’t confirm it tonight as it stands.
Martinez
Cash
Lindelof
Mings
Maatsen
Bogarde
Barkley
Tielemans
Sancho
Abraham
Rogers
Emery has rotated the XI.
Resting players with Thursday in mind.
Emery might say the EPL is priority but he also wants to win the Europa League.
Rolling the dice – is this side good enough to beat Spuds?
And Watkins not starting has well and truly f’d up my fantasy football 😂😂
I can bet at the minute the Europa League is Emery’s outspoken priority.
Are you at the game Alfie?
Dinner with the family so we’ll watch together – sadly we don’t have a good record when watching the Villa together 🥲
If that’s the team, Emery is banking on Burnley away. We will lose tonight. Barkley will be key as Bogarde will be bullied…
Will Barkley hold with Bogarde and Tielemans moving further forward? Or will he simply take McGinn’s role? If he has a good game, I believe he can cover the skipper; there’s a very talented player there…
But he can’t cover McGinn on Thursday. Sancho can – officially – but he can’t technically, mentally, physically…stupid UEFA rules that cost Malen last year as well.
It doesn’t look a bad side and maybe they will play differently, something we need. We have looked stale and devoid of ideas. The only weakness seems to be Tammy and that’s because we have seen so little of him. Problem is that playing the “full” team has not been working so why not.
Is McGinn on the bench? Not seen his name listed.
Just read a John Townley article that he has a hamstring injury 😩
If McGinn is out on Thursday, forget it. Unless it’s a ‘smokescreen’…
Macinally and Hendry both saying we’ll win to nil, because Spurs don’t create chances and won’t be able to score. Hmmm…
I recall a Brighton player being interviewed after working with Graham Potter and then with De Zerbi after Potter left. He stated that Potter showed them how to ‘control’ games, but De Zerbi showed them how to ‘hurt’ teams…
Will Villa be naive and play into De Zerbi’s hands. I would suggest we need a fast start and a few crunching tackles to shit Spurs up and get the Villa Park crowd going. And an early goal – follow the Manure playbook from earlier on…
Look dreadful already.
ZERO BOTTLE, ZERO STOMACH! Utterly spineless, every single one of them.
Shit.
Yes, we are.
This is what I mean saying we’re the weakest side in the league. Just look at what’s happened to Sancho there. He didn’t even know where the ball was.
Sancho is a joke. A fraud.
And there it is. I really really should be a betting man. And guess who? The knob who rejected Villa. You could, easily, write this script.
Yep. We look so pathetic.
Apparently, Jamie Vardy drinks Red Bulls before matches. You see it. What do Villa players drink? Hot cocoa?
Sick of the whole country wanting us to beat Tottenham. Beat them yourselves, ffs.
😆
We won’t beat Tottenham. Because it’s now De Zerbi’s Tottenham. With a plan. Which includes shooting from range.
What the hell was Emery thinking? The moment I seen the team my heart dropped. We got Martinez prating about a weak midfield, Rodgers losing the ball and we think we going to win, fucking daft move this.
When Emery’s style of play isn’t working we look completely useless. We waved the white flag before kick off.
I said we needed a fast start for this very reason. Some fakin intensity. But no.
Did you see Sancho just pull out of a 50-50? Clown. He should be crunching his opponent. Joke player. Shouldn’t be anywhere near Villa Park. And Elliot can’t get a sniff on the right. Utter bollocks. 😡
Nice. Terrible show.
I may go home, seriously.
I can see another 0-4 battering, I said it just before the second went in.
Disgraceful and Emery doesn’t look bothered.
He’s bothered. The clowns on the pitch aren’t.
Unprofessional. Sack them all.
Like I said, De Zerbi shows his teams how to hurt the opponent. Where’s the prep? Why aren’t we prepared for this? Without Konsa, McGinn and Watkins, there’s nothing.
I’m disgusted.
He’s a total idiot is Emery 2 down, already, he believes he knows and rips a team to pieces, this is the third time he’s collapsed not knowing how to solve a position of players needed to win. The bleeding dope.
Bill, why are this players employed by the club? Why were they signed? Perhaps Monchi could fill us in.
I said it before but if Dean Smith is ready to leave the dugout, Villa could do a lot worse for a chief scout/DoF role.
This is not the Tottenham of the season. Just like Forest aren’t. Things have changed. We should have been prepared for this.
Post match article is going to be interesting…
Villa BETTER win on Thursday after the shit show they are serving up. I can see us losing against Forest and Bournemouth getting 5th.
We will scrape a draw at Burnley and Bournemouth will drop points to City, which will be enough.
And we’ll exit the Europa on Thursday. Congratulations to Forest and Gibbs-White in advance.
Bournemouth looked very good to me and well capable of getting at least 6 points. They also play a better style of football than us. IF Emery fails in his objective of getting Champions League, we need to get Iraola.