This is going to be a quick post as I have a lot on my plate at present.
Villa’s first team squad will not have played for 19 days since the 1-2 reverse at United. Bodymoor Heath was only reopened on Sunday and it would seem that not all the first team squad will be fit for selection tomorrow. Whilst the players will be rested they will be lacking match fitness and the after effects of the Covid outbreak.
Whilst Smith is trying to maintain a positive outlook, pointing to our excellent away form as a marker, the reality is that we’re going to be seriously disadvantaged against a team that is looking to secure its sixth straight win in the EPL and that without Aguero.
Our recent record against Citeh is about as atrocious as it can get and whilst OLL makes a valid point about self belief, I share Adams concerns. Having said that, I have no doubt that whatever team Smith is able to put out, they will give their all for the shirt and no fan can ask for more than that.
Before the Brighton game, Badger put up a poll for forecasting the number of points Villa would get from the ensuing 7 games which, with the Newcastle postponement, became 6. We eventually secured 10 points in what was to become an unbeaten December and a MoTM award for Dean Smith. I’m not able to put up a poll but it would be interesting to get your views on how many points we will get from the next 6 games. It’s a tough run of fixtures and I would guess 6 to 9 points would be a decent return.
On the transfer rumour mill – ignoring the obvious lazy journalism – Phil McNulty wrote a piece on the BBC web site this morning claiming that we had opened talks with Marseille over midfielder Morgan Sanson. Now I don’t profess to know anything about him but reports suggest that a number of premier league clubs are interested in him. It would seem his transfer value has dropped from around £25m to £15m and he’s likely to demand a lower wage than say David Brooks from Bournemouth although it’s interesting that Bournemouth have just resigned Jack Wilshire – is Brooks on his way out?
Whatever the reality, with Smith favouring Jacob Ramsey it seems that Hourihane’s days at the club may be numbered.
It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks.
With our poor record against Citeh, Covid outbreak and the Manager of the Month ‘Sword of Damocles’ hanging over us, I am forced to agree with Lawro (much to my shame).
3-0 to Citeh.
Stop press: Hourihane has agreed to join Swansea on loan to the end of the season – something I predicted (the loan, not Swansea) a couple of weeks ago.
I think this reinforces the probability of Villa signing a new quality midfielder in this transfer window.
Of course it begs the question about whether we are also looking to reinforce our striking options – whether on a permanent or loan deal?
Hitch I don’t know what to think on the points question , we’ve had no information regarding the state of players. I’ll say this your flying the flag well for this blog I can only imagine its stressful to say the least. I don’t want to guess how many points I’d probably put the mockers on us. my next thought is Badger o.k. as it’s unusual for him to not put in an appearance being a person that likes to write on behalf of us Villa fans. The hours of work he puts in is it worth it , health comes first in your life.,
Bill, Badger will be back; he’s taking a break from football.
He still loves the Villa but is disenchanted with football as a whole at present and I can’t say I blame him.
Villa’s in his blood Bill, he’ll be back.
I have checked out our next 6 fixtures and predict 7 points. I’m concerned that the covid outbreak will derail our season just like it seems to have affected Newcastle.
Playing catch-up will do us no favours and we have to be thankful that we have a good haul of points on the board.
Sad to see Hourihane going out on loan although it seems it is against Smith’s wishes, he wants to be playing regularly which we are unable to offer. Hopefully we will get an immediate replacement in Morgan Sanson because we have a relatively small squad regardless of the Covid situation. Also Barkley looks injury prone so we need strength in numbers with such a congested fixture schedule.
As for tomorrow I have no confidence that we will get anything from the game. I agree with Hitch and think 3-0 is realistic. I still look at the game as a free hit though because we are still a long way behind City and Pool. I think our results up to now might cloud some fans opinion of where we are. We are definitely ahead of where we expected to be, so this summer could be another step towards our top six aim.
I see Smith reckons only one Covid affected player will still be unfit on Wednesday.
There are 2 ways of looking at City away first up after convalescence.
One is it is cruel fate – the Geordies at home would have eased us back nicely.
The other is even our best team if it was fully match-fit would be grateful for a point against City in their current form. They have such strength in depth. Therefore if we are comfortably beaten it probably was a good way to give everone a run and not points dropped that we counted on getting.
If we win there – then we have re-written the Medical text-books about long Covid.
tonight game really has me concerned for our players. we are just back, with no training for ten plus days, which players had the covid, which players are lacking in fitness. its all guess work for us. hopefully they have trained well since returning but cant help to worry. city are hitting top gear and if we turn up with 80% fitness we could get hurt.
also this game is start of the 6 games in 16 days nonsense. after the city game they are gonna feel it but no time to recover or train they will be straight into the next game prep.
my city mates have been impressed with villa this season. they are also happy to face us cold and they are hoping we take time to return to our best,
i think we are in for a tough night 4 1 defeat . but i think its unfair advantages to city , i expect them to hit a high tempo from the first whistle. but if they do not play high tempo maybe we can warm into the match
our line up is probably our strongest team possible imo so at least that is a plus.
Hope not Nath, Bartley in and Triore, so the only thing against us is games and not trained. I think we will give them a game tonight let’s keep the faith,
hey iam with you hoping iam wrong bill, but we are facing city when they are really hitting top form and we are starting from scratch hardly fair. i crossing everything like i said we have a strong team out hopefully they have been training individually to high standards. those that could
And then add Jonathan Moss into the mix – not good!
Here you go lads, https://www.facebook.com/groups/astonvillafcATCB/permalink/2865197947058518/
It’s pre match now.
well we survived the early stages and we gave it a go too. but city have had some really good chances but villa blocked well. still nervous
Looks like we’re being overrun
excellent first half from villa. defending was first class, cash konsa and targett all with last ditch blocks and goalie blocked one certain goal. we have decided to not press to save energy i expect. we have also countered well but nothing clear cut,
second half if we have the stamina we might catch them on the break. they looked frustrated at h/t they definitely tried to up the tempo all half and we tried to take our time , paced ourselves through to half time.
maybe the plan was to make it a 45 minute game. but the more the time ticks more city will commit and more chance we can counter them
Daft Minngs again. Ok saved us a few times but one silly moment and we are done.
The goal was offside – I told you Jonathan Moss would screw us.
John moss and VAR. an absolute disgrace
Why is it we never get the run of the green.
I can fully understand why Badger is completely fed up with football. It’s all designed to protect the favoured few, refereed by idiots and backed up by the completely useless VAR.
Absolute bo**ocks
If that was the other way round and it was Watkins that had done that it would have been looked at and deemed offside. VAR is a fix ridiculous decision. Brave performance now just need to smash Newcastle to make up for it.
totally pissed off.
i give up how cums no fucker knows what is hand ball these days and off fooking side, referee is a prick i would hand him his p45 if you dont know offisde by your fooking age its time too give the fuck up. var is daft and its wrong polish it up any way you want he was offside .
Jonathan Moss is a complete idiot – and shouldn’t be refereeing kids let alone in the Premier League.
What’s the point of even bothering; how many times have Villa been fu**ed over by a combination of sh*t refereeing a a completely useless VAR system.
Football has become a mockery of itself.
100% hitch he is a knob and you are spot on its a mockery we got robbed
Just farcical how all the people on the TV trying to justify it as not offside…..Mings knew their bloke couldn’t interfere as he was 10 yards offside…I am sending Dion over there to finish off Savage….
Hope Deano comes out and gets himself banned because its going on too much now….as Graham Taylor said “its costing me my job”
you can not beat these manure shitty pool cause they have get out of jail free parking whatver b/s is called they have the referee in their pockets and if that failed they have var for backups.
of the game it was a good no brilliant back to the wall showing from villa and the input they put in the game, they will be annoyed to be robbed again in manchester.. but unless we up our back handed bribes we will not get the decisions they fooking get.
we had plenty chances too on the break alittle rusty with our breaking and shooting. will be better for this game. targett was man of the match for me and cities was definitely the referee. gave us nothing all game except the mcgin freekick but it was a foul and grelish got fouled plenty and never got a single decision
just heard the excuses on bt sport making up rules about the guy was offside but became onside when mings touched the ball. thats b/s he was offside full stop,
If he came from an offside position he’s offside – simple.
Add the pundits and the TV companies to the slavering idiots that worship the golden ones.
What a fu**ing joke football has become.
Give them hell Dean and we’ll set up a crowd funding page to pay the fine.
SUE The corrupt Premier League. How easy would it be for the cheating ‘officials’ of a match to tell all their family members to put lots of money on a game before they officiate it, knowing full well that they will ensure the result comes up now that they can take their time and make bent decisions while hiding behind VAR? Moreover, how difficult would it be for the ‘officials’ hiding at Stockley Park to have their smartphones at their side while taking 5 minutes to check a goal, or not, like tonight, then place a bet before making the decision accordingly? Answers: PISS EASY. Make these pricks do an interview after the match. Hold them accountable.
The highest level of the game has been corrupted and it’s tragic. FUCK THEM ALL. No honesty or integrity to be found. Take them to the fucking cleaners and teach the corrupt bastards a lesson. Football used to be the game for people, for the working man. Not any more.
Smith should have punched the prick’s lights out.
Fuck it.
BFR – your comments were cleared by the moderator but there is no evidence that any person involved with VAR is using their position to profit or bet illegally on the outcome of a review.
Whilst VAR needs to be accountable and should explain and defend their decisions by reference to the laws of the game it’s the protocols and their application that is failing football.
OLL makes a valid point about how the offside law is interpreted – is the player inadvertently played onside or is he interfering with play?
The issue is that the interpretation of the law all to often seems to favour a few sides in the EPL to the disadvantage of others – there is no consistency.
As it happens Villa appear to be a side that have suffered most from that inconsistency.
Is football still a ‘working man’s game’? That’s a good question but first one woukd probably have to define ‘working man’ in today’s society.