Southampton Vs Aston Villa – Preview

Aston Villa travel to St Mary’s this Wednesday to face a strong Southampton side. Southampton are currently the surprise of the season with the team sitting in seventh place in the table. It’s been a much improved campaign for the Saints, last season Southampton were in a relegation battle, today they are chasing a spot in Europe. Southampton’s current success is similar to Aston Villa back when Martin O’Neill was in charge of the Villains.

Southampton have lost there last two games to Arsenal and Chelsea, so they should be fired up this evening in an effort to gain some much needed points. Aston Villa have tied their last two games, once coming behind against West Brom to tie 2-2 and most recently a very disappointing draw against last place Sunderland. Aston Villa have been a much better side away and this game could prove to be a little more comfortable.

Mauricio Pochettino: “We don’t have time to dwell on our two consecutive defeats because we are only thinking about tomorrow’s game. We have lost on two very difficult grounds at Arsenalย and Chelsea, so now we will try to impose our values and get the win over Aston Villa. I am expecting a physical game. Aston Villa are a strong side and very good on the counter-attack, especially away from home.”

Paul Lambert: “We are 11th and there are some big clubs below us. The crazy thing is weโ€™re just five points off Tottenham, who are regarded as one of the โ€˜big onesโ€™. The game on Saturday wasnโ€™t great entertainment, put it that way. And we were the home team. But youโ€™ve got to have a bit of realism.โ€

Team News:
Southampton are without number 1 keeper Artur Boruc who broke his hand last weekend. Additionally, back up keeper Kelvin Davies is also out injured soย Pochettino will have to call up third keeperย Paulo Gazzaniga. Morgan Schneiderlin has picked up a groin injury and trioย Gaston Ramirez, Danny Fox and Guly do Prado are also unavailable.

Lambert will assess the fitness of Austrian striker Andreas Weimann after the forward experienced a tight hamstring injury. Paul Lambert has no other fresh injury concerns.

Match Facts:
Rickie Lambert scored three goals in the two Barclays Premier League meetings with Aston Villa last season.
Aston Villa have drawn the most away matches in Premier League history (129) including the last three in a row.
The Saints have lost just one of their last 11 Premier League games at St Maryโ€™s (W6 D4 L1), including winning the last four in a row.
Mauricio Pochettinoโ€™s side have conceded just one goal in their last five Premier League home matches.
In Villaย last 10 Premier League games they have either kept a clean sheet (five times) or conceded exactly two goals (five times)

Predicted Lineups:

Gazzaniga
Clyne-Lovren-Fonte-Shaw
Wanyama-S. Davies
Llana-Osvaldo-Rodriguez
Lambert

Agbonlahor-Kozak-Albrighton
Delph-Westwood-El Ahmadi
Luna-Clark-Vlaar-Bacuna
Guzan

Match Prediction:
Southampton 1-1 Aston Villa
For some reason I think Aston Villa will get another draw. I might be a little too optimistic since we couldn’t even beat Sunderland lsat weekend. But I reckon we could score because last season Gazzaniga wasn’t a good keeper at all, made several mistakes. Still I hope we do better than last season’s 4-1 defeat.

Comments

90 responses to “Southampton Vs Aston Villa – Preview”

  1. Still a terrible performance. 21% possession, look lost if Villa even look to cross the half-way line.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Lowton on for vlaar start of second half. Vlaar must be injured

    2. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      That’s been our season though we concede possession but get the goal and the win away. Nothing wrong with that though we do ride our luck

      1. villa1996 avatar
        villa1996

        Typical vlarr off lowton on 1 1 why do our best players get injured all the time sack the fitness coach

      2. There is something wrong with it though. It’s a small, small upgrade to the pathetic way McLeish played, and it’s not just an away style, we play the exact same way at home. Though Villa got hammered with 48% possession last season, that simply shows the huge change of style Villa are playing.

        1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
          OohAhPaulMcGrath

          I still think we will get something g tonight I’m convinced

    3. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Shit 1.1

  2. Sir Earl Barratt avatar
    Sir Earl Barratt

    Free header. never thought I’d be upset at Vlaar going off but Lowton looked nowhere there and we look like we could concede every time the ball comes in.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Me to I never thought I’d admit vlaar being injured is a disaster. Though we all said we Shoukd of got another ch in summer in case of this. Imagine if Barry was here he would fill in nicely

  3. Calf Injury from what I’ve read.

  4. Here we fucking go.

  5. DSVilla avatar

    Tough game just got a whole lot tougher. We will do well to get something out of this.

  6. DSVilla avatar

    Get sick of seeing possession stats like todays. When did we last have the ability to pass the ball and control games?

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      True but it’s goals that win games not possession. Remember man city at home as classic example

    2. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Get in there I said we’d win 2.1 ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. #HELENIUS avatar
        #HELENIUS

        Thats what happens when you cross into the box instead of hoofing it out from the back…!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Oohahpaulmcgrath avatar
    Oohahpaulmcgrath

    I said 2-1 and knew kojak would score he’s going to be a legend at villa.

  8. #HELENIUS avatar
    #HELENIUS

    AGAIN a cross from the left comes in without anyone near him…!!!! SHOCKING!!!

    1. #HELENIUS avatar
      #HELENIUS

      By near him I mean there was nobody anywhere near closing down the cross

    2. villa1996 avatar
      villa1996

      Fucking defence again why is no one there

  9. Im pleasantly gobsmacked,get in there.i hope your right ooha

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Shit I spoke to soon 2.2. Why the fuck did lambert take Kozac off straight after scoring. Appalling decision

  10. Sir Earl Barratt avatar
    Sir Earl Barratt

    If we last out here I’ll be amazed. Can’t deal with any balls into the box

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Get in there 3.2 Delph I said we’d win saints were knocked after Chelsea

    2. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Looks like wev mugged them

  11. Oohahpaulmcgrath avatar
    Oohahpaulmcgrath

    I said 2-2 and I also said kojak would be subbed straight after scoring.

  12. #HELENIUS avatar
    #HELENIUS

    Lambert said we would play worse than we did Saturday and win…….Guess he was right..!!!

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      What i result I knew we’d win though very lucky yet again but who cares

  13. Jay Dee avatar

    3-2 Villa well done Aston Villa 19 points get in UTV

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      We won’t go down now lol

  14. Im chuffed to fuck,well done lads.onwards & upwards.UTV

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Were gonna win the league lol. I told u we’d win giddy just knew it they had injuries and were exhausted lady 20 mins at Chelsea.

  15. Oohahpaulmcgrath avatar
    Oohahpaulmcgrath

    Imagine if we had Barry and Shawcross. I’d be in some public toilets wacking one off. It’s save me a fortune on Viagra if we signed those 2 I’d have a permanent erection.

  16. guts~y performance ๐Ÿ™‚ iam happy, hope vlaar isn’t long out ~ goals from midfielder again well deserved delph ๐Ÿ™‚ roll on Fulham

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Yep and showed Benteke he’s not quite as important as he thinks it is lol

  17. Well done lads..and for all those harping on about possesion..that means fuck all…..here is the only stat that matters..Saints 2 Villa 3…

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Yep it’s goals that win matches not possession. And we showed Benteke that he’s not as imp as he thinks he is.

  18. MarkDraperNumber8 avatar
    MarkDraperNumber8

    I’m having a problem lads, I don’t want to support Villa anymore. I thinks it’s affecting me mentally. Any other teams you can suggest?

    1. You could move across the city mate their looking for a supporter.

  19. I couldn’t give a fuck how we won, it’s 3pts that’ll do nicely.

  20. DSVilla avatar

    Wow. Fair play that is a great 3 points. You can’t fault the effort/determination. A couple of hard fought wins maybe the confidence will improve enough to play some decent football.

  21. Great win!! Really surprised, thought we were going to throw it a away once vlaar had gone off!! Also it would be great to see kozac playing with 2 out and out wingers whipping in crosses for him to feed off. Was getting really sick of the constant hoof ball that was just coming back at us time and time again but a really good win fair play it worked

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Maybe were a better team without Benteke worth a debate at some point

  22. Great win. Shows we can score away from home with ease. All three goals were excellent stuff. Vlaar were badly missed second half, hopefully he will be fit soon. Once again a midfielder scores and that’s so important. 3 pts against Fulham and we could speak about a nice run who could last a little bit longer.

  23. Lionheart avatar
    Lionheart

    Fecking hell… ooohahh showing positivity.. lol

    Performance wasn’t good but you can’t knock the spirit or the players playing for the manager..

    You add Barry McCarthy and Lukaku to our team and we would be higher up… we are not far away.. it’s down to you Lerner…

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Yep I’m always positive away from home and could see us winning there. We do ok at the good teams but saints are in free fall IMO so we played them at the right time.

  24. Lionheart avatar
    Lionheart

    OOh aah.. i think saints will be fine.. they lost to Arsenal and Chelsea.. in both games they played well…

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath avatar
      OohAhPaulMcGrath

      Yep they will finish comfortably in mid table as will we by the looks of things

  25. Naughtius Maximus avatar
    Naughtius Maximus

    great win guys, really didn’t expect it, Southampton had lost their last 2 but that was against Chelsea and arsenal away, they’d won their last 4 home games on the bounce!
    shouldn’t be underestimated what a good result that was.
    possession stats were shocking but 2-3 is the main stat.
    really pleased for the goal scorers, always a pleasure to see gabby score, he was never gonna pass that ball was he, eyes for goal, fair play. great to see kozack score again, 1st decent cross and he’s on it, we and kozac need more of that delivery if he’s playing.
    and delph, well what can you say, even better than westwood in last week, great strike and well deserved.