I’ve actually had a good few hours to think about this one, but I’m finding it difficult to make a call.
Team news first and we know Jedinak is unlikely to play after all the flying he’s done lately.
Or is he?
The player has apparently said he feels ok and Steve Bruce has intimated that he wants him to play and he’s been assessed today.
Kodjia should be ready and in further good news, Jordan Amavi should be ok too after suffering a cut on his foot.
Ayew is back from his suspension.
Bacuna has been passed fit, but Richards is still suffering a calf problem.
McCormack is suspended for picking up his fifth booking against Blackburn.
So all in all, we’re not in too bad shape.
Brighton have defender Liam Rosenior and midfielder Beram Kayal out, both with ankle injuries.
Villa and Brighton have quite a few links lately.
Steve Sidwell plays for them, Gary Gardner had a loan spell there and Tommy Elphick used to play for them.
And now it seems we’ve nicked their assistant manager, Colin Calderwood, who of course used to play for the Villa.
I wonder if that might fire up the Seagulls somewhat?
The team will be supported by another sell-out allocation of 2700 of our away support.
This seems a real tough test, as Brighton are a very decent side who were up there in the promotion betting from the off and are in good form (second over the last five games) having only lost two games up to now.
But then we’ve only lost three games, which means we’re tough to beat too. Couple that with the fact that we’ve seemed more resilient since Bruce came in and things look quite rosy really.
We’ve got to beat or at least get something from the teams above us and up to now we haven’t done too badly, so it would be nice to see that continue if we want to demonstrate our credentials for promotion.
And part of me thinks we can.
I think a lot will revolve around how our midfield looks. Jedinak is beginning to look very important in the middle and if he doesn’t start, or suffers after his international efforts, I’d be a bit concerned.
But if he plays well, he could make all the difference.
Will Ayew come straight back in place of McCormack? I’d like to think so as he does provide something, as much as I appreciate many think he’s too greedy. Surely Bruce will be drumming it into him to look to his team-mates?
It’s not a bad position to be in for Bruce, as he could go for Gestede or even Gabby, but I doubt it myself.
I’d venture Bacuna is decent backup for the midfield or of course right back.
Otherwise it’s a case of don’t change a winning side really and I don’t think Bruce will, McCormack apart. And he hasn’t really shown yet, so that’s no major loss in my opinion.
After still thinking about the outcome as I type, I still don’t know what to say.
I’m somewhat optimistic, but I see this as as tough a test we’ll face all season.
I see goals, but not too many and my heart says we can win this 2-1.
But we have to play well for the whole game, which is where I have my doubts.
Hence my head says a 1-1 draw might be more realistic.
And I’d be pretty happy with that.
Couldn’t beat a Brighton side with one of their worst performances of the season.
And ppl think we could handle it in the prem. Ahahahahaha
Undefeated under Bruce and all you can do is find something to be negative about. You are one of the posters that Podge was complaining about.
Perhaps you would be happier if we were at the other end othe table with RDM as manager
Well thats the best ive seen Villa for a long time, well done them lads.
We are starting to look a cohesive side. There will be very few teams who take more than a point from Brighton away.
Keep it going. Proves what a good manager can do for a club. I still fancy us for top six finish. I rally like Adomah.
Ps Helenius there player on Sky said Villa were the best at their ground this year.
The change that Bruce has made is quite dramatic: players prepared to actually tackle, and then tackle-back and fight; plus the discipline in defence that was non-existent before he arrived.
We should have won this game by 2 or 3 goals, but a point against one of the current top-two, away from home, suggests that we’ll be in the play-off mix come the New Year…
Agree I think we will finish in the top 6 it’s just whether we can win play offs that’s a big ask. I think next season will see us finish top 2 though and maybe one more season in this division maybe a blessing in disguise gives us a chance to rebuild at our own pace
Good result, but we should have won that game. Really unlucky not to. Some good football second hlaf though, we were much the better team.
Adomah was quality as were the 2 x CBs and Amavi. Jedinak covered well too. Esp considering he was supposed to be jetlagged.
Grealish and Ayew need to be starting next game. Enough of this Gabby nonsense.
Hutton is also a waste of a shirt, we’d be better playing Bacuna there…or even trying someone like Jordan Lyden. They cant be any worse.
Benno – that’s the point; Villa really haven’t had the luck with them so far this season.
Can grealish do it for 90 mins week in week out or is he a luxury player? No ones knows yet
Reckon that’s a fair point in the Championship being it’s mainly ‘blood and guts’; different thing completely in the Prem – we will need players like Grealish.