Well, the title says it all – the biggest Villa game in my time on this planet. As a Villa fan of the relatively younger generation, who’s heartbreak comes from getting relegated 15/16 and losing the play-off final to Fulham in 17/18, this game is undoubtedly the biggest of my lifetime, and the nerves have been there all week.
As I’m sat here in the sun in Nottingham drinking a large glass of Sangria (weather permitted) I thought I’d come on and write a short article 😉
Forest are without Hudson-Odoi but I still back players like Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White to prove problematic. As we know, Forest are on formidable form but I think at our best we can get past them.
For me, Onana adds a great deal to our side in terms of presence and physicality and missing him today would be a huge loss. Our forwards need to be up for it. I watched Kane on Tuesday and I genuinely believe he is still the best striker in the world, or definitely up there – let’s hope he proves it over in the States in summer.
A huge improvement on Saturday’s performance is required to get past Victor Pereira’s Tricky Trees, and I would take a draw.
For some reason, I am confident. I’m going to predict a 0-1 Aston Villa win. Don’t ask. I know I’m usually confident, but I didn’t think I would be today – maybe it’s the Sangria 😉
UTV!
Bad position but could be worse. Great city Nottingham is. Sat in a bar now waiting for the coach. Limited myself to just a coke, too tired for a beer. We could be in such a worse position tonight, though.
Bill I saw you said about not predicting cup games! Any serial winner would reject that BS in an instant and take the game by the scruff!
Not saying you’re talking BS. I’m saying a serial winner would treat it like BS.
We should well have enough experience to beat the likes of forest Wrexham beat them ffs it’s just not good enough let’s hope we turn it round in the second leg bilut I’m not holding me breath
Unai is clearly suggesting foul play with the VAR Anderson non-decision (pardon the pun).
And his English is much better when he’s angry. Much better.
I stand by the fact that if we don’t qualify to the final we’re serial bottlers. Too many semi-finals on the trot with a manager that’s meant to be the Europa League messiah.
Imagine Villa, Forest, Palace all in European comps and only one doesn’t come out with a trophy.
Agreed Alfie. Villa have an opportunity next Thursday to overturn the 1-0 at VP in front of 40,000 Villa fans, Forest like Villa will have a reduced capacity so it’s up to the fans to make the 12th man we need. If we fail, then we can rightly call them a team of bottlers. Olympiakos, Palace and Forest are all teams we should be beating. The difference so far has been about our failure to FIGHT for victories. We have the advantage of playing at home on Sunday while Forest play away to Chelsea on Monday. NO EXCUSES!! Maybe it would be in our interest for Spurs to win, and put more emphasis on Forest needing to go full strength on Monday. Just a thought! Actually no, i really would like to see Spurs relegated.
It’s not the manager, Alfie. Clearly, it’s not the manager.
For what it’s worth, my opinion is we have to match their physicality and give them something to think about. Therefore, if Onana is out, I would play the following next Thursday:
Martinez
Cash
Maatsen
Mings (won’t be bullied)
Konsa
Lindelof (NOT Bogarde)
Tielemans
Watkins (left)
McGinn (right)
Abraham (extra height and muscle. And passion – which may make the difference)
Someone give Unai the memo…
….and Rogers ‘in the hole’
BFR, like your thinking, you don’t walk onto a game and capitulate, like we did, you play till you drop, they didn’t Rodgers annoys me beginning to think the only reason he’s an England player is that all of the Premier League clubs are like us very few to pick England players. OK ref poor, the only players were Martinez and Maginn the rest should be ashamed and I don’t blame Maginn walking into the dressing room with the opposition shirt on and having a go at his players as captain. Wake up Villa and give us fans the final.
Did McGinn do that??!
Wow. How embarrassing for the players. Let’s see if there’s a reaction…
Apparently yes. He wasn’t happy.
BFR I know it’s not the manager, but you’d think with him and our players combined we’d be able to win something… but the players just don’t have enough fight.
Players in danger of being remembered as a group that just didn’t have the stomach to get over the line
Thursday is HUGE for the legacies of about 40% of this squad
How do you want to be remembered lads?
[Via @avfc_stef on X]
Great post imo.
True. The weight of expectation is practically zero for Forest. This is the problem for Villa and the only way through it is what Alan Hansen used to refer to as ‘grit and determination.’ In other words, FIGHT! Hence my suggested line up for Thursday. Abraham and Mings must play, in my opinion. And if there’s no Onana, a more experienced head than Bogarde. Otherwise, Unai will have to take some redonsibility.
Dropped points for both Brighton and Sunderland. Brentford close to 7 points though. Three points from Spurs becomes more important.
Definitely. Spuds will be up for this game with the Hammers losing…
And that’s exactly why we’ll lose. Minds wandering to Thursday. Spurs more than fired-up to haul their sorry arses out of the drop zone. AND…Villa WILL qualify, mathematically, for the Champions League, IF they take the 3 points, at home, against a team so pathetic, and so decimated by injuries to ‘star’ players, that it should be beyond a formality. And that’s exactly why we won’t. Place your bets…
Oh, and expect Spurs to roll out some rough treatment. If memory serves correctly, De Zerbi’s teams play like c****.
Dear Unai,
If, for whatever reason, you are struggling to prepare your team-talk for Thursday evening, please find attached:
https://x.com/talkSPORT/status/2049970116373233843?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
If this doesn’t do the trick, nothing will.
Regards
BFR
Pretty sure if Bournemouth lose and we win tomorrow Champions League is confirmed.
Mathematically signed and sealed, Alfie. Likewise if Bournemouth draw. In other words, Bournemouth have to win their last 5 and overturn a 5 goal difference to take 5th, assuming we only get 3 points (or less) from the last 4 games, starting tomorrow. We just have to win tomorrow! But with Spurs bagging their first win of the year, and West Ham losing today, and the change of manager, I predict it will be another horrible day at Villa Park…
I think- rather stupidly – I’m going to take a more positive attitude.
My SIL who’s a ‘Pool fan (but a super bloke) can’t understand why we Villa fans are being so negative. He reckons our squad are more than good enough to beat Spuds and Forest.
I suppose we’re scared that history will revisit us again.
So, b***ocks to it I’m going for two Villa wins and if doesn’t happen so he it – but I’m fed up of fearing the worst!
Slightly pi**ed elderly Villa fanatic.
UTFV
🙂
I hope you’re right and I’m wrong, Hitch…
Should we be worried about Bentancur and Paulinha. We lost Kamara thanks to the thug tactics and he tried to take out Rogers too. The Villa fans need to give him some stick tomorrow and make him as uncomfortable as possible.
I don’t expect anything tomorrow. Results are usually determined by a team wanting it more. Spurs definitely need it more and our players will have one eye on Thursday. It’s probably why it might be better to rest the key players who can help us win against Forest rather risk losing them through aggressive De Zerbi tactics. Remember what his Marseille team were like in that pre season friendly!!
Spurs are going to play shin kicking football like always. I hope we make their time here torrid, as much as I generally like them as a club… their current group of players want to hurt our players to satisfy individual grudges.
Tomorrow night is the time to hide behind the sofa i think,west ham defeat as given spurs a lifeline and I can’t see villa being up for this match unfortunately. They will have Thursday to much on mind.
Be good if they came out of traps flying
I’m hoping we win tomorrow for momentum. Villa Park will be rocking preparing and practising for Thursday.
With the World Cup coming into view, I worry Villa players will shy away from challenges with shit-heads like Palinha around. But instead, Villa players should be looking to help relegate Spurs as some revenge for Kamara. Get stuck in and bury these arseholes!
Good point. We have no stomach.