The Cherries (it’s a dangerous thing to say, I know) are another one of those meh clubs, totally nondescript and with a ground that wouldn’t be seen as very big in League One.
That is absolutely not to say that they don’t deserve our respect though. They’re seriously punching above their weight. Andoni Iraola has them going okay and they currently sit in 12th place, although they’ll no doubt be looking to improve on that tomorrow.
Squad news is mildly good, because Ollie Watkins is available again after his Hamstring niggle. That’s going to be interesting, because I don’t see the remotest chance that (Kevin) Tammy Abraham is going to be dropped after his reasonable showing and disallowed goal last week. Neither do I see Unai playing both together up top. Of course, we could always put Ollie out on the left, which is not his favorite position, but it is one that he’s effective at. It also gives us someone who should be better at running into the box than Maatson or Digne.
What am I saying? I don’t do tactics. Leave that to the manager Badger. Kevin up top on his own, it is then, I think.
And then we have the news that Amadou Onana feels like playing in this one has recovered from his “muscle stiffness”. Mmmm. Still, he definitely contributes when he’s on it and we do need the legs, so it’s a welcome return.
In other news, it’s been said that Alysson has been training so perhaps we’ll see him get a few minutes? It’d certainly be nice to see another right sided specialist, but we have Bailey. If the Brazilian is fit, we might see him come for a cameo. I do like a good winger and it seems Emery is keen on him playing.
As for Bournemouth, they might see David Brooks back, but they are without Julio Soler, Tyler Adams, Ben Gannon-Doak, Marcus Tavernier and Justin Kluivert. Some useful players there, I’d suggest.
Still, as per usual, I don’t care about them. It’s all about us.
And what do I think then? I’m scared. Just like the Brentford game and the Everton game before it, this should be a Villa win. Yet the circumstances look far too similar meaning the game goes down the same path and we lose.
Given that I think this next month or so looks like it could make or break our season, a loss would be a disaster. Losing three of our ‘easier” games consecutively at this stage of the season just doesn’t bear thinking about.
I’m tempted to say we’ll win this. Probably easily too. But the reality is thinking it doesn’t mean it will happen. I said we’d beat Everton and I said we’d beat Brentford.
Einstein supposedly said ” Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”, except, fact of the day, he didn’t.
Anyway, its a saying I very much agree with.
I’m going for a 2-2 draw. Because we need to break this run and I’d take a point.
UTV!
Who said this site isn’t informative? 🙂
Every day’s a school day Badger 🫣
Iraola is a very good coach and, even with those players out, Bournemouth are still a good side, extremely well organised and dangerous.
They score a lot of goals but also concede a lot – we don’t want to get sucked into an end to end game which the fans love and Emery hates. Control is his byword!
With our decimated midfield I’m pinning my hat on your prediction Badger – a draw it is then.
Duran off to Russia!
Going to be a career that might have been!
I’m nervous for this one – just like the Brentford game. I think the injuries have really affected our play, especially in midfield where we look a shadow without our key 3. There were positive signs for me with Dougie, but I think it’s Kamara we miss the most and just don’t see Bogarde filling his boots (yet). I hope to be proven wrong though! I think it’s time to see if Ross has got any legs left.
Trouble is Tex, Ross can’t be relied on. We seem to have a few of those in the squad.
Not going today stadium too small so tickets mainly for those who have been going years and years, but to be quite honest I’m really looking forward to watching it on the TV, and I could’ve got a spare ticket if I really wanted, but didnt bother.
We’ll win today, we generally bounce back – watch what happens to the league table if we don’t win today, it’s quite scary and it will hit like a smack in the face if you don’t prepare for it to happen now. First time we’ve not had to double up on Semenyo in ages, but Iraola is a good coach and is one of the ones I think we should go for if we did lose Unai – another Spanish manager who could flourish with the resources that we have… or are meant to have.
0-2 Villa today, we’ll win don’t worry – looking forward to posting here during the match so you can all hear my reactionary in-game delusional opinions. 😂 UTV
Always love your optimism Alfie.
Us oldies still struggle with the weight of years of disappointment since 1982.
I’ve been really negative recently, especially after the Brentford game, but I am just going off the basis that we generally don’t lose consecutive PL games often.
Today could be a draw, but we generally do OK on the South Coast.
Slightly tangential – Villa have confirmed their Europa League Squad where they are allowed to make three alterations – as expected Luiz, Bailey and Abraham come on for Malen, Guessand and Kamara.
We have to retain Elliott so Barkely misses out. This raises an interesting question – if Elliott was Monchi’s purchase and Emery didn’t fancy him, why was he included instead of Barkley in the first instance; was there a contractual obligation or promise to secure his signature?
Alysson can’t be included in the B List (Bogarde is) because he hasn’t been with the club for 2 years.
Our squad is limited to 21 as, since selling Ramsey, we don’t have any players that qualify as club trained for an additional 4 squad places – yet another (but hidden) aspect of PSR.
I really never look into all that kind of stuff, so very informative, thank you.
PSR was introduced with the aim to prevent clubs from going under. Unfortunately, with the way the football pyramid is now, they see certain clubs like Spurs and Man Utd as always finding a way out of turmoil so do not feel like they need to regulate them as much.
As for Utd, they just do it every single time, always dig their way out of trouble and pick up a trophy along the way and I cannot argue with it – tried for years, so have given up now.
Everton, Brentford and now Bournemouth. Three games where we expected 7-9 points. The current situation feels like our first five games, which were Newcastle (H), Brentford (A), Palace (H), Everton (A), and Sunderland (A) where we got three points and one goal.
It’s almost like we screw up the easier games. Losing 3 out of 4 of our best midfielders is definitely hampering us right now but the last two home games we should have won regardless. Conceding first against teams who are then happy to shut up shop is proving a problem for us.
Bournemouth have 10 out of 12 points from their last 4 games including a win against Liverpool. They are full of confidence and that’s why I think we will lose again today. We don’t usually lose successive games but I think it will happen without our best midfielders. Luiz is a welcome addition but he’s not as good as Tielemans and we definitely don’t have a replacement for Kamara. McGinn as well just adds that extra spark no other player has.
The fact is SCR / PSR / VAR has ruined our season and I’m losing faith with the game in general.
I always liked Bournemouth. It goes back to the 3rd division days when Villa, Bournemouth and Brighton tussled for 2 promotion places – and Ted McDougall. First sat in their stand hearing someone shout ‘Come On Boscombe!’ Who?
Bournemouth have a tradition of good managers and bad goal-keepers. Can we beat them today? Yes, but maybe with a late turn-around. Finishing as good as Ted’s was by Villa’s attack today would ensure it.
I was one of those 48,000 at the Villa-Bournemouth game in 1972.
What a game that was.
Definitely one of the best atmospheres I remember, well up there with the old Villa-Blues games and I reckon the crowd was way higher than the official figure. 55,000 at least, imo.
In the third division too! Unbelievable (geoff).
Well it’s happened, Michael Oliver in the middle just sent Casenero off, 30 minutes into the game, I said to myself Tottenham you’ve lost the game as the biggest fiddling ref at your game, we didn’t want Man utd to win did we, well they will now.
It was a blatant Red Bill. Real danger of a broken ankle and totally reckless mate, imo.
Get the name right for gods sake Bill 😁 Romero of Tottenham,
Emery being mote cautious?
Martinez, Cash. Konsa, Mings, Digne, Onana, Luiz, Sancho, Rogers, Buendia, Watkins
Bench – Bizot, Proctor, Pau, Barkley, Bailey, Maatson, Abraham, Bogarde.
Oops ‘more cautious’ plus I missed Lindelof – naughty me!
Its the best side we can produce today. Good enough to win.
23, Martínez, Goalkeeper
12, Digne, Defender
5, Mings, Defender
4, Konsa, Defender
2, Cash, Defender
24, Onana, Defensive Midfielder
21, Douglas Luiz, Defensive Midfielder
27, Rogers, Attacking Midfielder
10, Buendía, Attacking Midfielder
19, Sancho, Attacking Midfielder
11, Watkins, Striker
Number
31
31, Bailey, Substitute
18, Abraham, Substitute
6, Barkley, Substitute
40, Bizot, Substitute
26, Bogarde, Substitute
14, Torres, Substitute
22, Maatsen, Substitute
3, Lindelöf, Substitute
52, Proctor, Substitute
Too much time on our hands Hitch.
2-0 to United. If we don’t win today, stare at the table for a few minutes and get the reality check out the way.
Which is it? 2-0 Villa or 2-0 to United?
Or are you just a bit mixed up? 🙂
It is 2-0 to Man Utd. Putting them 2 points below us if we lose, I wasn’t mixed up.
The reality is that we are in 3rd place with 2 points more than Utd no matter how that game finishes. Of course it could be even better.
One win off us they are, and they’ll likely beat us at Old Trafford – and that’s not even negative, it’s just usual service.
Chesty!!!!!!
Rogers!!!
1-0 Stonking finish
Get in! That was an easy goal.
Dougie that was immense.
No penalty? Yellow for Buendia? I’m about to check myself into the f****** looney bin. I can’t take much more of this absolute horseshit.
I’ve accepted we’ll get nothing until we stop challenging or make the PL more money.
Another blatant foul not given, JOKE! 😡🤬
Watkins looks poor. Again.
Why would you when Kevin looked okay last week?
Tells me everything about who the top dog is.
Kevin 🤣 Can I take credit for that one too???
We’re second. Keep it up lads!!!
Absolutely (tips hat)
Some decent performances there once we woke up.
Sancho starting to get it and linking up with Rogers beautifully. Luiz, Onana and Buendia looking good. Martinez looks on form.
Maybe things are looking up.
B@mouth have some very dangerous players mind and we have to stay aware.
Special mention to Sancho who is now looking like an Emery style player. Great goal by Rogers after great work by Sancho.
Chelsea winning easily makes it extra important to maintain the lead.
Bloody hell, the space we gave them then.
1-1
Absolute JOKE!