The good news is that this game is actually on, after it seemed very much in doubt with Stewards etc threatening to go on strike after not being paid for weeks.
Bolton were bought out last night and although I have serious doubts about their buyer, Laurence Bassini, who has been previously been banned from the game, it’s good news for the club in the short term at least.
I’ve seen a few comments from other Villa sites that we shouldn’t take the proverbial about the club’s threat of bankruptcy and rightly so.
How close were we, less than a year ago?
So while there is the threat of a “good feeling” type bounce from Bolton, it should be remembered that if we beat them tomorrow, they’ll be relegated.
The simple facts are that Bolton have scored 29 goals all season, which is the lowest in the whole championship.
They’ve also conceded 72, which is the equal lowest in the league.
You should, by now see where I’m going.
Squad news and on our part, Jack Grealish will be back.
Dean Smith quite rightly says no player is guaranteed a place, but you can bet your boots he’ll be straight back in.
Tammy Abraham is ok, after what seemed a worrying knock.
Hause will miss the weekend with a hip problem, but Tuanzebe is fine.
Chester and Elphick are progressing, but the weekend is too early for them and we have Mings back anyway.
As for Bolton, They’re likely to be missing Jack Hobbs and Luke Murphy.
Not that I care much, to be honest.
So while some of you have been understandably too scared to predict the score in case you jinx things for us, I’ve been extremely confident for quite a while now and will continue to be for this game.
I know. I’m leaving myself open for a fall.
But I just can’t see past a two goal victory as a minimum.
We have goals written all over us and we’d have to have a serious off-day to not pick the points up here.
It may be a bit bold, but I’m going for 3-0 to the Villa.
I think that’s the highest I’ve predicted in a very long time, so you can guarantee I’m probably wrong.
We’ll win anyway; I’m confident of that.
Oh, given that I think a 3pm kick-off on a Friday, is totally stupid, even if it’s Good Friday, a few facts;
Bolton are winless in their past eight league matches played on Good Friday (W0 D3 L5) since a 1-0 win at Leyton Orient in April 1963.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has never lost a league game on Good Friday.
This is Aston Villa’s first league match on Good Friday since April 1999, when they drew 0-0 at home to West Ham United.
Would be good to see Keinan get a goal before the end of the season…
Full time 2 0 Villa .
I was listening to Phil Brown on the BBC and he was saying that we belong in the Prem playing football the way we are.
Fingers crossed that we will.
better second half we were in total control. smiths villa are really do move the ball around and that drags the opposition all over the place. we also get good numbers forward and wide areas. we looking good for the exception of injuries. tuanzebe just back went off, he also looked his old self carrying the ball out of defence something we missed last time he was injured. tammy looks like he could be out for a while with a nasty shoulder injury which is a shame for him and it will weaken us.
only 2 nil iam happy we didnt go to town on them, i think tammys injury killed the game off, having just scored, villa players worried for their striker and mate all gathered around him and was a lengthy delay. we still should have finished with more goals davis had a great chance from a decent move involving el ghazi again he was my man of the match.
Anyway Nath I have to say that you were right and we shouldn’t have been so worried.
Still not going to predict any games though 🙂
it will take a good side to beat us pat and bolton are sadly not good enough. i am looking at the table and leeds look like they are about to implode again. i fancied sheff utd all season, leeds will not be relishing the possibilities of meeting villa in the play offs. teams will be all running scared.
this playoffs will be different to last year. our players are more suited to the big games and pitches off which will be final / nine on the bounce bring now, bring on millwall
Not forgetting that we’ve been to the play-off finals so we know what that’s all about. That must be an advantage.
I don’t like Millwall so if we could break our record against them it would make me very happy.
COYL
9 wins on the bounce equals club record – can we? Well can we?
And it’s Milwall – not one of our favourite teams!