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!
Very little faith, I’m afraid.
I honestly think we’ve blown up 🙁
All teams go through a blip in the season – even ManC.
But we do need to get Torres and Digne fit and back in the side which looks unbalanced without them but it looks like they are both two or three weeks away.
Think Emery might resort to playing Konsa at RB this afternoon with Carlos coming back into the centre. I hope he starts Bailey assuming he’s fully fit which, it seems, was the reason he didn’t start against Newcastle.
Plan for the worst, hope for the best – maybe a hat trick of 0-0 ‘s on the cards!
If we score first then I think we’ll win and that’s as far as I’m going with a forecast.
You called it spot on Hitch.
Spuds have drawn so a win takes up above them by 2 points saying that after blowing 3 chances to go top in December I’m not convinced
Come on lads lats get back to champions league place
I understand the pessimism chaps
But just think what you would be talking about if Gerrard was still in charge
I have faith in unai and I think we have seen the summit so close that we could touch it and if we don’t go on a run like man City we are all disappointed
So have we just over achieved upto the arsenal game ?
Me I’m going for a scrappy win today 2 0
Same side, except Bailey in for Diaby.
Not much choice really, I guess.
Oops, Cash benched too. Rightly so, imo.
Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn, Tielemans, Bailey, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Wright, Kesler Hayden, Cash, Chambers, Iroegbunam, Diaby, Ramsey, Rogers.
We need to start well rather than half way into the second half. The incentive of top 4 should be enough motivation to perform.
But it’s going to be another disappointment I think. I can see us losing this because we will be outfought like Newcastle.
I’m going 1-0 to Sheffield Utd. It’s easier to have low expectations so the defeats don’t hurt so much.
Prove me wrong Villa!
Guys, look at the Barcodes game. Football is mental!!!
We will win this one by a good margin.
Nice to see Sheffield have started dirty already…
McGGGGGGGGGGGiiiinnnnnn!!!!
Ollie!!!!!!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Badger could you do Billy a favour, don’t predict the score as you more often than not get it wrong , 😇 we’re two up so far .
Sorry 3 up
We’re back
3-0 Bailey!!!! You bunch of Neg Heads!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😍😍
We’re gonna build our GD up somewhat here!!!!!
(Is anyone here?)…
Feel sorry for the United supporters – we know because we’ve been there ourselves
4!!! 29 minutes in.
Revenge!!!!
I couldn’t have been more wrong about today. Keep it up Villa and get that goal difference up.
Two ridiculous turns by Bailey were out of this world. Just don’t sit down on this lead.
That first goal from McGinn flattened Sheffield Utd and reinvigorated Villa. Suddenly our football was back to our best and they looked scared.
I would like to see us ramp up our goal difference but maybe we need to consider Chelsea and conserve some energy. It could be an opportunity for Diaby to come on and hopefully boost his confidence.
That’s what happens when a team as one plan (A) ‘park the bus” and you get an early goal and it’s game over. Simply then it’s a matter of how many you’re gonna get.
Results went for us today too, happy days.
5 up already!!!!
I can’t believe it’s Teillmannamanns forat Premier League goal for Villa! Or Moreno’s 2nd!
Woo hooo 5 bloody brilliant loving this great show by the lads come onnnn
We are back up the mighty Villaaaa
WELCOME CHESTY MORGAN!!!!!!
Show us yer Ya Ya’s!!!!
🤣
I hope there’s no 72 inches involved 😂🤣
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 .