There’s a remote chance I might go to this game, but sadly, it’s looking very doubtful as there’s too much to do at work and I don’t think I’ll be able to finish early enough. I’m probably one of the very few who actually likes Friday night games.
Whatever, I’ve spoken to my Derby supporting mate and I also spoke to a bluenose mate of mine, who both watched the game between the two last week.
Between the two of them, the opinion was that blues outplayed Derby in the first half, while Derby totally battered blues in the second half. It was apparently some display too.
So it seems to me that it all depends on what Derby side turns up.
My Derby mate knows we have problems in defence, but asked me if we have any pace at the back. I replied “not really, maybe Tuanzebe apart” and he just laughed, saying that if we’re slow at the back, we could be in serious trouble.
I just keep thinking about Neil Taylor and although he’s been better the last couple of games, I still see him as a massive weakness. If Derby target him, we could indeed be in trouble.
It all suggests to me that it’s definitely not a game for Whelan or Jedinak.
Squad news on Derby’s part is that Mason Mount won’t be available.
As for us, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy went off injured after playing for the U-23’s against Derby. He’s not having much luck and it’s doubtful he’d have got a look in anyway.
Birkir Bjarnason is available again and Yannick Bolasie is apparently getting fitter all the time.
I don’t know what to think about this game.
Frank Lampard has got a team of young, hungry players going very well and if they get it together, there’s a good chance they could give us a spanking.
David Prutton, who while I know he’s only another pundit, has seemed to me to be very fair to Villa and often predicts us to win, actually predicts that we’ll lose tomorrow.
I suspect he’s right and it’s more about how many we concede.
I’m going for 0-2, while hoping it isn’t any worse.
Losing won’t be a disgrace though and it’s more about our performance and if things are moving on, for me.
Anything other than a loss would be a very good result.