As we approach the FA’s 150 anniversary this weekend, Premier League’s most played fixture thats centre stage on Saturday. Where Everton travel to Villa Park. Aston Villa will be looking to return to winning ways following a defeat to Tottenham last weekend. While Everton will try to win their first away game in 12 attempts, their last away victory dates back to the 3-2 victory over West Ham. Aston Villa have endured a rather inconsistent season, they have beat the likes of Arsenal and Man. City so far this season, but have also failed to beat the likes of Newcastle and Hull.
This fixture has historically produced a lot of goals, last season Everton won this fixture 3-1. That was Everton’s first victory at Villa Park for over 13 games. And we could see goals again this weekend, with both sides possessing a young Belgian striker. Lukaku and Benteke will come face-t0-face again, both forwards have already scored 4 goals this season and will aim to add to their goal tally this weekend.
Team News:
Christian Benteke is set to start for Aston Villa, he came on as a substitute in last weekends 2-0 loss to Tottenham. Clark has recovered from illness that kept him out of last weekends game. Marc Albrighton had a minor throat surgery this week so he may ntot feature. N’Zogbia, Gardner and Okore remain long-term absentee’s.
John Heitinga has suffered soft tissue damage during training this week and is doubt. Alcaraz (hernia) and Darren Gibson (knee) are long-term injuries.
Match Facts:
Seven of the last nine league meetings have been drawn.
The visit of Everton means Villa will have already played six of last season’s top seven sides in their first nine fixtures.
Villa have only won 10 of their 42 league matches at home since the start of 2011-12, averaging a point per game in that time (W10, D12, L20).
Paul Lambert has won more away league games (seven) as manager of Aston Villa than he has at Villa Park (six).
Everton have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 18 Barclays Premier League games against Aston Villa.
Villa have won the most points from losing positions in the 2013-14 Premier League season so far (6).
Fabian Delph has been the most fouled player in the Premier League so far this season (25).
Predicted Lineups
Guzan
Bacuna-Vlaar-Clark-Luna
El Ahmadi-Westwod-Delph
Weimann-Benteke-Agbonlahor
Lukaku
Pienaar-Barkley-Mirallas
McCarthy-Barry
Baines-Distin-Jagielka-Coleman
Howard
Prediction:
Aston Villa 1-1 Everton
I reckon it’ll be a draw, I got it wrong last week and I wouldn’t be surprised if I got it wrong again. I reckon Aston Villa could win this game, if Lambert simply changed formation and took the out of form players out (I’m looking at you Westwood and Weimann). Still, I expect goals in this game and I hope that Villa can turn their home form around. Benteke’s return will definitely help Aston Villa.
I just wanted to share how I’d set up Aston Villa against Everton.
Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Clark-Luna
Sylla-Delph
Bacuna—-Agbonlahor
Benteke-Kozak
I’d predict a win, albeit a 1-0 snoozefest.
My prefered team would be:
Guzan
Bacuna-Vlaar-Clark-Luna
Albrighton-El Ahmadi-Sylla-Delph
Agbonlahor
Benteke
I was wrong… 🙁
Both Benteke and Lukaku will be fired up for this game. I just hope we play anything other than a 4-3-3. Everton are no push overs and we have become far too predictable of late. Anything Lambert can do to take Martínez by surprise he should definitively consider. Personally, based on form, both Westwood and Wiemann should start the bench and I would love to see Sylla and Helenius given a chance to shine.
Both Coleman and Baines love to run forward so if we can keep them from feeding Lukaku up front I think we should have a chance. If not, I hope Gabby will at least be able to expose them on the counter attack. I’m not sure about a scoreline, but it should be a good game.
I agree bar Kuzak over Weimann…even an off-form Weimann offers a lot more threat, esp if he works off Benteke.
I think it will be a draw 2-2 but seriously hope we change it up and stop playing the hit and hope bullshit of late and go back to the last 3 months of last season, my preferred team would be.
Guzan
lowton vlar Clark luna
bacuna sylla Delph gabby
helenius
benteke
a 4-4-1-1 if that’s not clear, i understand why kozak was played when benteke was out because he probably offers more strength than helenius but helenius’s technical ability and eye for a pass is much better and think benteke and him could link up brilliantly if given a chance, Lambert doesn’t seem to see it that way yet though…
I think we will win 25 .0
4-4-1-1 worked well against Norwich. But Agbonlahor played the CF role and was given a bit of freedom. That worked very well.
I’m not sure if Helenius could fill in that role if I’m honest. I reckon he’d be more affective in a 4-4-2 formation
Oohah would you care to re phrase that mate should it not be the other way round.lol.
No we will win 25.0 lol
It will probably be the same old shit today and whats all this 442 bollocks its not the 90s you know
Villa team news. Clarke in bench Ffs
Aston Villa team: Guzan, Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Westwood, Weimann, Luna, Delph, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Tonev. Subs: Steer, Clark, El Ahmadi, Helenius, Sylla, Kozak, Lowton.
No kae that’s good but no sylla tonev playing
Tonev instead of KEA, westwood still playing, what are u at Lambert? Hopefully westwood proves me wrong but KEA has been far better than him this season, and tonev cannot play in a 3 man midfield or maybe its a 4-2-3-1 with tonev behind the beast? I certainly hope so but if so i would drop westwood for sylla definitely, somethin must definitely have happened between Lambert and lowton it can’t be just form cause westwood has been atrocious and still isn’t dropped but lowton had a couple bad games and can’t get near da team.
What the fuck was that. Just awful. First 25 mins we did well then run out if ideas made mistakes at the back same il same old. Looks like lamberk is giving us another unwanted record going a year without scoring Ffs. Lamberk fuck of now
Intriguing first half. Everton probably the slightly better team but not a whole lot in it. Both teams with similar opportunities to score and both teams can thank their goal keeps they havn’t conceded. As far as Villa players go, Luna was terrible, always out of position and consistently beaten. May be a blessing that he injured himself and Clarke is now on and Baker has been moved to LB. Baker has been playing well at CB. Bacuna has once again been solid so far, forward and defensively. Tonev and Gaby have struggled to get into the game consistently and Weimann all though working really hard is struggling and had an easy goal he couldn’t convert. Benteke has wasted chances, not just a penalty but when on goal should have squared to Bacuna for a tap in but took on Howard and lost. Guzan sensational. Howard sensational. A game of who’s the better keeper? Go Guzan!
I’m not going to have a knee jerk reaction and start going off on one but Lambert needs to start winning at home.Starting to see similarities to last season.Pull ya fuckin socks up Lambert sort it out….UTV
5 home games and one win – and this win was pure luck against Man City. Lost at home in Carling cup too. That’s 6 home games and 5 lost. That´s not acceptable.
Our strikers are absolutely poor atm. Benteke had a disastrous game, the same with Weimann who is completely out of form. Gabby isn´t involved. It looks, we are in a relegation fight once more. Hopefully our away form will save us. Our summer acquisitions didn´t improve our quality standard. I am completely disappointed.
What a load if crap. Lamberk out. Why wasn’t Clarke playing instead if baker, why was Westwood and weimann playing why was Alfie moon playing. Iv had enough the club is a shambles from top to bottom. Rant over
4 home defeats out of 5 and not scoring in 3 of those games! Not good enough Lambert. The system isnt working, its time to start figuring out why.
If anyone comes on and says give em time in going to scream
Give em time looooooool
Not funny !
Why the hell would you take Tonev off when he was actually creating chances? I like the sub of Helenius but the absolute wrong choice.
Benteke needs to stop taking penalties, he’s become worse and worse and worse and taking them. His decision making even as a striker to shoot instead of passing it off for a better chance is what makes you great to world class and he’s not there yet. Passing it off to Bacuna was the much easier and smarter decision but just didn’t take it.
Weimann…
Sylla needs to start. Lambert even said Sylla’s proving in training he should be and yet… Westwood, the worst corner taker we’ve had in years is still playing.
Most will call it a knee jerk reaction and maybe so as Villa should’ve been 3-0 up after 25 but the fact we weren’t, and Lambert’s then changes got it all wrong. It’s not his fault Villa missed so many chances but it is his fault he made the wrong changes at the completely wrong times.
It is his fault as apart from benteke no one else is capable of scoring. Krapjack, gabby weimann etc aren’t chipping in. I think anyone with half a brain will say now that city result papered over the cracks. We are 2 points of the bottom and lose next week we could be back in the bottom 3 where we belong. Going to be very similar to last season
I don’t think it’s really papered over the cracks with fans, most fans still know our problems and were fortunate against City, clearly. Fans are still chanting for Lambert to get sacked, all over the Villa page he’s getting hammered and want him gone.
We all know we have to outscore our opponents because we can´t keep clean sheets. So we need goals. Atm they don´t come because our strike force isn´t converting the chances. Yes, Benteke should have squared for Bacuna, we should have scored from the penalty spot (Benteke was lucky against Arsenal too), Weimann must deliver in a one one situation with Everton keeper and Gabby had a glorious chance 8 yards out. It would be great to have a goascoring midfielder but we don´t have. And our set pieces are really poor. We had 7 or 8 corners which were completely wasted.
And who’s fault is it we don’t have an am. Lamberk of course he should of signed one instead if krapjack. Lamberk has to go he is no better than mcclown
Still can’t believe Lambert baulked at the 8m fee for Popov who would have been the difference maker today, against Hull and so on. Tonev, Popov, Gabby and Benteke, the first two know each other so well and so do the latter two. Get those 4 playing football and we would be in a much better position offensively.
What about wanyama ffs
10m for Wanyama would have been well worth it. How McLeish passed him up for 1m… 1m is beyond me, but then he passed on Bradley too who would’ve made our midfield so much better.
We’re definitely missing an attacking midfielder. If N’Zogbia wasn’t injured, I think we could’ve managed till January.
Next game, play with 2 wingers. Tonev and Bacuna, crosses creates a threat out wide.
Tonev and Bacuna out wide, Gabby behind Benteke. I do think that could work well.
Agree about the setpieces, they are dreadful. For the last year, we have just floated corners in aimlessly hoping benteke may be able to outjump everyone and power in a header. Its like we dont even practice them. Surely Tonev, Bacuna, etc can take better corners than westwood?
IMO we need Weimann playing down the middle off Benteke. We also need Lowton back in the team, which means pushing Bacuna further up the field. At least we could get some crosses into the box that way.
Benno if you look at the team today there is no quality. To rub it in Barry was arguably the difference today he set up the second goal and kept the team ticking over all through the game. Lamberk had a chance to get him in loan he is a stubborn twat like mon and should be sacked. He’s had long enough now he has to go.
There’s quality, but unless you have Messi or Higuain, the top 2 players with the best goals to shots ratio of any big striker in this team who averaged a goal every 4 and 3 shots respectively, we’re screwed. I mean clearly the front 4 have quality, though Weimann’s yet to find it this season, as does Bacuna, but our Midfield’s so terrible that if we don’t take at least 3-4 chances, we’re going to get hit, and hit hard, and that proved it.
Managers are only human and make mistakes.This losing at home thing is becoming regular but this is Everton and they are better at the moment than AVFC.Im not making excuses for Lambert or the team and I also think that certain players should be dropped.We were in the game even though we lost.We can’t win every week because we arnt good enough and we are not champions.I hope for improvement….UTV
No one expects us to win every week but don’t expect to lose every week either. We havnt scored for 3 games now looks like another unwanted lamberk record is on its way. I say sack him now before it’s too late as we don’t look like beating anyone at the moment. Forget the city game it was a freak result and if we’d have lost that we would have had our worse start to a season since 1946 ffs
Shite seems to be a new problem every week when benteke struggles were fucked ,im from Wirral as you may know bloggers and my phone is already red hot from my everton mates.gutted .
There was a time when Everton never won at vp same as spurs now it’s a formality for them. We are crap like you say if Benteke dosnt do the business then we are fucked
Parp
Fucking shit…. Nuff said.
The Villa is OURS, the Villa is OURS, fuck off Lerner, the Villa is OURS
We will NOT be relegated, but that is NOWHERE NEAR good enough for this great club!
Saints manager has stated that if his players raise every aspect of their game by 15 percent they could challenge the best ,they have see its all about confidence ,look at Stoke today flying awayto mu and bottled it as so many do at o Trafford .Do not think lambert can give inspiration as he is dour and looks totally bored shitless do any of you agree/? ps have a great weekend guys and girls.