Sheffield Utd – Villa; Very doubtful about this one.

It all seems so illogical.
Sheffield currently sit on ten points. No team with less than thirteen points at this stage has survived relegation in Premier league history. They’ve kept one clean sheet all season and have conceded 54 goals. They’ve lost 30 out of 39 games under Wilder in the Prem and quite simply are looking absolute certainties to go down.
Because they’re rubbish. These facts are totally objective and that’s what they tell us.
Hence we should be beat them easily and there’s nothing more to be said.

So why do I feel so uneasy?

Well, it seems to me Chris Wilder knows how to play against us.
You probably remember the Villa park fixture. We were poor, they played a low block and Archer scored (typical Villa) only for Zaniolo to equalise in the 97th minute.
Sheffield defended well, we looked lightweight and the Blades beat us with a bit of physicality.

Team news and Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia and Jhon Duran remain out.
We can also add Zaniolo to that list after he suffered an injury in training.
It really seems like players are made of straw these days, but whatever, so much for the backup striker thing. It’s all just typical Villa and you have to laugh, I suppose.

There is one difference and that’s Morgan Rogers who joined us on deadline day.
He plays wide left or right or behind the striker, I believe, so should be a handy addition. If Emery thinks he’s ready and actually plays him, that is. I personally think he’ll get minutes at best, particularly as I saw an article where the pundit said he was surprised we signed him because he’s decent, but not proven yet. I can’t say I was at all encouraged by that, but we know Emery improves players.

As for Sheffield, goalkeeper Ivo Grbic will be replaced by Wes Foderingham after the Croatian suffered a concussion midweek.
Ben Brereton Diaz should be available after suffering a tight hammy. Deadline day signing Mason Holgate is also available, but Rhian Brewster is still suspended.

So there we have it then.
3 or 4-1, I’m thinking.

Except I’m not at all. My confidence has pretty much disappeared and it’s not just because of the Newcastle game. We’ve been poor for weeks and don’t look anything like shaking it off just yet.
Which means we’re just going to have to play through it and hope for the best.
It’s annoying, because I believe this is another massive game. If we win, we go back into 4th place, 2 points above Spurs, after Everton did us a favour in holding them to a draw this afternoon.
Lose and we’re losing even more ground with other teams catching us up.

How do I think it’s going to go then?
Well, you’d expect Wilder to come at us seeing as they’re at home, but that won’t happen, because he knows that will be playing into our hands. So I think it’s going to be a repeat of the VP fixture, where we huff and puff, trying to break down a defensive side and they out-muscle us all over the park. And then add in a continuation of us creating next to nothing as we constantly give the ball to their defenders. Again.

So where I really ought to be saying this will be an easy win, I’m going for another 1-1.
Although I strongly suspect they’re going to beat us.

I hope not and I shouldn’t even be thinking like that, should I?

UTV!

36 Comments

Page 2 of 2 1 2
  1. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum February 3, 2024 at 6:40 pm . Reply

    5 up already!!!!

    I can’t believe it’s Teillmannamanns forat Premier League goal for Villa! Or Moreno’s 2nd!

  2. little8
    little8 February 3, 2024 at 6:47 pm . Reply

    Woo hooo 5 bloody brilliant loving this great show by the lads come onnnn

  3. little8
    little8 February 3, 2024 at 6:50 pm . Reply

    We are back up the mighty Villaaaa

  4. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum February 3, 2024 at 7:12 pm . Reply

    WELCOME CHESTY MORGAN!!!!!!

    Show us yer Ya Ya’s!!!!

    1. BFR
      BFR February 3, 2024 at 7:38 pm . Reply

      🤣

    2. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand February 3, 2024 at 8:11 pm . Reply

      I hope there’s no 72 inches involved 😂🤣

  5. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson February 3, 2024 at 7:13 pm . Reply

    I’m still not convinced, why have we took the foot off the gas ? This so called high line gets us in trouble so why do we persist it pissing about in defence. Just count how many times we lose the ball , we need the goal average because it’s so tight at the top .

  6. Sidforever
    Sidforever February 3, 2024 at 7:16 pm . Reply

    Bill
    I reckon because of Chelsea on Wednesday and Manure next weekend.

  7. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum February 3, 2024 at 7:17 pm . Reply

    That should have been Morgan’s debut goal…!

  8. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson February 3, 2024 at 7:24 pm . Reply

    I knew it , why do they do it fuck about and give goals away why oh why . Shit it’s ruled out .

  9. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum February 3, 2024 at 7:33 pm . Reply

    VAR sucks. Good for us but bad for the game.

    Wow. That was a mightly fine win. 2nd on GD. Can’t wait for the Ch$ls$a game and another revenge game with ManU next week.

    Well done AVFC!!!!

    1. OLL again
      OLL again February 3, 2024 at 8:47 pm . Reply

      Bum Bum it is CH€£$€A who are in t’ROUBLE with FFP. Bring them on!

      I think that performance against a woeful Sheffield will have restored some confidence in the Villa. New managers aren’t supposed to be dickheads, however Chris Wilder proved he does not know his Archer from his Osula by leaving Cam on the bench until it was game over. Archer created more for the Blades in the short time he was on than any player they had who started.

  10. Holte
    Holte February 3, 2024 at 8:09 pm . Reply

    Great result after a poor run of performances. The substitutions were necessary although we lost our spark because of it. I hope Konsa was okay after whacking his leg against the post.

Post Comment