Derby – Villa; not at all confident about this one

If you’ve read my replies in previous posts recently, you might have seen that I was invited to attend this game with a Derby workmate.
I’d have had to sit in the Derby seats, but that would have been ok, as the last time I did the same, we beat Derby in their first home defeat at Pride park. Some of you might remember that Dwight Yorke got the 1-0 winner with a penalty, after he might possibly have been sent off.
I can’t say I remember the possible sending-off, but it’s wrankled with the Derby fan, even after all this time and it still makes me chuckle when he reminds me of it. Heh heh.

The invite still applied as of today and I quite fancied it, but have had to decline.
After having been beaten by the snow on Sunday, I also had to take yesterday off work for personal reasons.
Hence my stupidly old-fashioned work ethic tells me that I’ve taken too much time off work already this week, and I’d be taking the proverbial.

There’s also an ulterior motive to be honest, as I don’t see us getting anything at all from this game and the overdue return banter from the Derby fan would probably be more than I could bear straight after the finish.

So what do we know?

On Derby’s part, Gary Rowett has confirmed that Tom Lawrence is out after suffering ankle ligament damage, yet he might be back in a week’s time.
Eh? What does that mean in English then? A bit of a bruise?
Whatever, that’s it and apart from that, they have a full squad to choose from.
Lucky them, I say.

As for us, we all know the score and it seems we have half the squad out at the moment.
The good news is that Mile jedinak might be available and I’d expect him to start, if it’s at all possible.
Hogan’s probably available too.

Oh and Gabby is also close. Hmm.

I’d expect Hogan to start, purely just to take some of the pressure off Young Davis, even though I’m not convinced it’s a good idea. It makes sense that you want someone who can play off the big kid, but is anyone convinced that Hogan is the man to get us goals? I’m afraid I just don’t see it, especially against a very decent Derby side that are going to put us under serious pressure.

Given that I see us under that pressure, there’s a good chance that Steve Bruce will play ultra cautious in playing Jedinak alongside Whelan, which would probably mean we go one up top and try not to concede.
Two hopes, but there you go, in my opinion.

I’m afraid I can’t see anything beyond a defeat and I’m going for a 0-2.

Of course, I live in hope and I’d love to be proved totally wrong.
Even if it’s only so I don’t get bantered to death for the next couple of weeks.

UTV

100 Comments

Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4
  1. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson December 15, 2017 at 9:27 pm . Reply

    Last time I was at Derby was when our Paul McGrath played, in fact after the match in the players lounge I met his son, God he does look like him , we lost 2-1, i almost got into a punch up because I was in the home side seat and when we scored I stud up and cheered, needless to say the daggers and looks I got got me ratty.anyway I’m going for a draw, 1-1 , that would do for me.

  2. originallondonlion
    originallondonlion December 15, 2017 at 10:13 pm . Reply

    If we are going to stay in the play-off places, and if there is any point to it, then we need to start beating the other sides who will be up there. Derby would be a good place to start. If the defence is lacking first choice players then the best way to protect them is to play an attacking side and go for it.

  3. Adam
    Adam December 16, 2017 at 11:27 am . Reply

    We need to be bold and brave.. weve got the quality just hold the ball well and attack at pace..leave 2 up top all the time so their defenders have something to worry about unlike thrle 1st half of Leeds game.

  4. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 12:45 pm . Reply

    i really hope we get hammered 6 nil at derby, this will end the bruce nightmare. allow the real fans to get behind the club again, when we sack bruce and hire what ever manager they decide this week. play brilliant football and get promoted. this isn’t sarcasm i think fans are correct. we are shit and whether bruce gets us promoted,it’s irreverent we would only be shit in premiership. sack bruce and hope we dont finish in top two and playoffs. that way they sack bruce quicker. nobody would moan then i guess.

    how funny it was watching wednesday fans booing their manager. his team played brilliant at vp and again last night played very good. wolves rode their luck and had again another referee which helped them. was a really good game and wolves just won. but reaction by wednesday fans tells me they are clueless. don’t know a good thing until they get another manager and play punt football and finish midtable

  5. B6
    B6 December 16, 2017 at 2:13 pm . Reply

    Onomah starting? Un-fucking-believable!!!

  6. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 2:17 pm . Reply

    must be written in his contract. spuds manager only cares about him progressing not about the villa results. thing with onomah is he in not productive in creating chances or scoring goals and he doesn’t get close to davis so end result we cant progress in the opposition half. he does look to have the ability to play the role but not this season

  7. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 2:20 pm . Reply

    wow no davis and no real centre forwards. they cant play the normal long ball. more expert fans hate. grealish and onomah will have to work together and in tandem.

  8. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 2:26 pm . Reply

    or it could be onomah on the left and adomah up front with grealish just behind supporting him. this would be how i would set up. i liked onomah on the left against millwall he linked up well with grealish

  9. DSVilla
    DSVilla December 16, 2017 at 2:31 pm . Reply

    We need a decent manager. You don’t get out of the Championship playing crap football (OK Warnock proves that statement isn’t 100% correct). Doesn’t make me happy to say that. I’m sick of Villa being in the state they are in.

    Bruce has steadied the ship. That is the only good thing he has brought, so in a way it’s contrary to get rid of him. It needs to happen though. It will be at the end of the season and I guess that’s fair enough. It needs to be straight away though, with a clear plan to get the replacement in so he has the summer to get to grips and a full pre season to get the team playing to the pattern he wants. Before anyone asks I don’t know who I want. The thing about FFP is we can’t spend loads on players, so spend the money to bring in a top overseas manager who will get us playing football. I still maintain that the squads good enough.

    I’m not expecting a result for us at Derby. I would just like to see us have a proper go.

  10. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 3:04 pm . Reply

    great start from derby

  11. VillaAwayInDiv3
    VillaAwayInDiv3 December 16, 2017 at 3:04 pm . Reply

    2mins…christ this could be 10-0

  12. DSVilla
    DSVilla December 16, 2017 at 3:05 pm . Reply

    I don’t get Hogan not being on the field. Bruce signed him. Why sign him if you are not going to play to suit him? He had a lot of injuries, but before coming to Villa he scored 11 in 18 appearances for Brentford (and 7 in 7 at the end of the previous season).

    1. nath
      nath December 16, 2017 at 3:07 pm . Reply

      just guessing but it probably because he isn’t match fit

      1. DSVilla
        DSVilla December 16, 2017 at 3:11 pm . Reply

        You get match fit playing matches. He could have been given a run out in the Millwall game, but didn’t get off the bench. Agree he isn’t match fit but something very wrong there.

        1. nath
          nath December 16, 2017 at 3:14 pm . Reply

          he cant last 45 mins hes just back from injury so guessing he will be a 30 min sub not point starting with a player lasting 30mins

          1. DSVilla
            DSVilla December 16, 2017 at 3:16 pm . Reply

            Fair point but he could have had 30 mins against Millwall. It’s not as if we were providing any threat without him.

          2. nath
            nath December 16, 2017 at 3:16 pm . Reply

            he was coming on against millwall but samba got injured

          3. DSVilla
            DSVilla December 16, 2017 at 3:31 pm . Reply

            That was about 10 mins left.

  13. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 3:09 pm . Reply

    grealish looks like hes up for this

  14. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 3:17 pm . Reply

    our defence is all over the place

  15. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 3:22 pm . Reply

    derby are trying to press. its now villa need to used the ball. make derby work hard. we look good with the ball we are compact but without the ball we look dodgy. grealish is on fire sofar

  16. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 3:26 pm . Reply

    wiemann scores whelen great through ball

  17. VillaAwayInDiv3
    VillaAwayInDiv3 December 16, 2017 at 3:26 pm . Reply

    fantastc pass for the goal…1 nil

  18. nath
    nath December 16, 2017 at 3:28 pm . Reply

    we are gonna be in for a big score against us if they continue to play like they are without the ball all over the place

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath December 16, 2017 at 3:29 pm . Reply

      What was Whelan doing ffs. No chance of even a point now

Leave a Reply to nath Click here to cancel reply.