I know some of you don’t like the posts coming thick and fast, but the recent good run and increased positivity has seen a rise in submitted posts. Given that we like as many views as possible, I’m happy to continue the optimism by posting this submission from MR_CHEESE. And at least it’s better than us having nothing to say. Cheers Mr C;
The 12th Man
There is no need to rehash how many games we have played and the points we have taken from them, we’ve seen it on every media outlet. We know the standings and we are more than happy with them, but can we keep it up?
I am very excited for the Arsenal game, everything about it seems to ooze excitement. I am not deluded enough to think that we are unbeatable, but I am confident in the way our team has presented itself in commitment and passion. We are seeing something that has been missing from the previous dark years, a defence. And now not only do we have it, we also have some sort of selection and competition for those lacking roles! Are the younger players really coming of age (Baker?) or was it a fluke?.
In addition to the defence, we have also bulked out the midfield considerably with the ability to offer players that can change the style of the game. Our forwards have played as admirably as ever, with 2 goals coming from both Wiemann and Gabby; they are both showing their commitment and passion to the badge and now we are being handed another boost with the Belgian returning to training and potentially contending during our back to back fixtures from FIFA hell.
It all seems to be going right, so what else can we do?
I firmly believe that in order for us to win the game tomorrow, the fans have to become the 12th man and play their part like the team have been for the past 4 games. It is clinical that from the get go, the fans are intimidating and unforgiving towards Arsenal; they need to know that we are not hosting a game for them to take 3 points. The stadium needs to be rocked and shattered like the thrilling 6:4 Carling Cup Semi Final against Blackburn in 2010. It almost feels like there could be a pitch invasion, just for winning another game. Our defence are on form, the team is solid and the management duo are making waves. It now comes down to the fans.
I’d like to see the same team as last week (Provided Ron Vlaar is still out) with one change being Richardson for Sanchez.
MR_CHEESE
Comments
51 responses to “The 12th Man”
It appears neither Ooah or myself are going to get to see the game 🙁
Hence I’m asking if someone who is actually going to watch it, fancies submitting a review.
It doesn’t have to be anything special, just an overview of if we played well or not, any stand out or bad performances etc, that sort of thing. Just an opinion.
I’ll edit it, if anyone’s worried about the grammar or English or whatever, no problem.
Cheers chaps 🙂
It looks like Bill is going Badger so he should be able to write a report. I have my ticket for Chelsea next Saturday but I’ll have to watch today’s game on polysports.net en Francais o Espanol (chaine 1) . I have always felt the VP crowd is not as one-eyed as some places about their team. I think that is very difficult to change, but if the team are up for it then the crowd takes it cue from that.
The key tomorrow will be the midfield as I think PL will go with same team as last week apart from I think he may play Cleverley in behind Gabby and Weimann with CNZ out wide. Delph and Westwood to share the middle. Against the Pool we just sat so deep and filled the midfield, so that when the ball went up front Gabby was so isolated as we sat so deep to protect what we had. Tomorrow it will be a bit more attack minded with Cleverley being the link between midfield and attack. If it is not working with CNZ then I can see Grelish getting at least 30 mins as a straight swap.
I have a real good feeling about tomorrow and a renewed optimism, so my heart says Villa to win 2.0 but my head says I would be more than happy with a point, and a good performance.
It could almost be a sell out, so this proves results puts more bums on seats, a full Villa Park with 39000 behind the Villa is spectacle to behold. Last season the players did not look comfortable at home as they always seemed to be on edge and nervous, but with the crowd behind them we should have no fear to take on anyone on our own Manor.
It’s early in the season and we don’t want to get carried away. But, it was always said that the atmosphere was not great because the team was not giving us anything to cheer about. Well we have 10 points, 2nd in the league, tightened up at the back, unbeaten in league. (And before You start Ooh Ah
Don’t know we’re the second part of my comments went. Fuck it I’m off to bed !!! Win tomorrow – happy days. Draw – accept it. Loose – Dust ourselves down and “go again” as Paul would say only this time I would fully agree with him.
Morning all, I’ve never felt like this for ages, going to Villa park, many on here are taking up what I’m saying get behind the team. We all ,except Oohah:-) believe a change in Villa has arrived , is it to early to start crowing that believe, me? no , I see commitment in players, a wanting, and better understanding in our play thats been absent over the past seasons, I sound like Nath don’t I ?how are you mate miss you come back, today its a 2-1 win, and not a drubbing as some fans think. Mr Cheese I’d go for that Richardson for Sanchez, that would give us a wide game and a more attacking line. Up the Villa.
that Belief’, me no.
Bill, I agree with you but I also think the fans will be nervous as well and after the last three seasons who could blame us. We have seen false dawns before and rightly we are trying to be positive without gertting ahead of ourselves! It’s important the crowd get right behind the team from the off, put the nervous fears to one side, don’t expect a ‘Barcelonaesque’ performance and believe in the team; we can win this one 2-1 Villa. UTV
I really don’t buy into to this 12th man bollox, fans cheer something and would be fools to cheer anything.It’s something that stirs the crowd, a tackle, shot, a wonderful piece of skill, the faithful don’t going hurrah for any old shite, it just don’t work like that.
You can cheer like an idiot all day if that floats your boat but if you’re shite you’re shite and no amount of cheering is going to change that.
Baker coming of age? Perhaps the lad got some decent experienced pros round him to show him the ropes?
Ya I can’t wait for the game either, but its just so, so important for fans to get the balance between expectation and belief right! A loss here means nothing for us really in the scope of an entire season, but equally a win could mean 6 or 10 points in terms of having the confidence to take on the next 3/4 teams and cementing that belief in the players.
I don’t expect an absolute spectacle of 1970’s total dutch football from Villa over the next few games – I would be happy to settle for counter attacking clinical live/die as a unit type performances
Arsenal are beatable today, they very susceptible to the counter and are a little thin on quality at the back as well support, their idea of a DM is Michel arteta ..! they rely on ball retention as a defence. They have not been doing that all that well lately though and didn’t do it at all against Dortmund.
my one criticism of Wenger is he is not a tactician, He seems to opt for one system – its been a variant of 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 for the last decade whether he has the players or not and persists with it regardless. I Think it could be the difference between him and the likes of mourinho ferguson and the man city managers (who in fairness change systems when they came in)
I think even if Arsenal are off colour from midweek they will still try to play a possession based game with very little midfield defensive cover and the full backs bombing on
Perfect for a Villa counter attack game
My worry will be if they get on top early, then we could struggle as they will just retain the ball in the middle for ever and a day.
Great season so far lads! So excited about today’s game, if we win top of the league simple as, I think if we play the way we’ve been playing so far this season we’re more than capable of beating this current Arsenal side. If we can control the midfield the game is ours.
Well guted I live abroad, would love to be down Villa Park today, lack of activity on here and other blogs tells me it’s gonna be a full house down there!
I can see the gooners scoring early in this one
Up the fucking Villa, 2-1 coming from behind !!!!
Clark starts, see so many are worried on facebook. He’s had a few good games before, no reason he can’t do it again. Biggest thing is keeping Ramsey quiet, Ozil will likely be out wide as per usual where he’s no where near affective so I think Hutton will have his way and hopefully Cissokho can give Sanchez his problems. Way Arteta’s been playing, I can see us running the midfield better than when facing Pool and their defense looks sketchy and their goal keeper’s not near as good as some make out. They’re not the incredibly dangerous team and are there for the taking on the counter.
I remember the opening game of last season, Clark actually played a blinder against Arsenal, in my opinion anyway… can’t see why he can have a great game again today. Especially with this being a rare chance for him, hopefully he will take it.
I’m also hearing that Sanchez has been removed from their starting line-up at the last minute, an injury during the warm up perhaps? No matter, it’s Welbeck we really have to look out for, he always seems to get a goal against up… Is Randy at the game? Some blogs saying he’s in attendance!!
Where in the hell was Hutton on Ozil for their 2nd? Terrible.
Back to reality
Lol. Cissokho, Chamberlain was never gonna get there. Should’ve been told.
Very much the Villa way though, go down, heads go down, everyone gets scared and they lack any concentration.
Hahaha 3 goals in 3 minutes that’s more like it!! Wankfest for the doom mongers!
Clark back in defence and this happens again he should never play again
Yeah I blame clark missed a sitter then just makes the whole defence shit.
Anyone still want to disagree with my 1-4 prediction? Was inevitable. We were probs the better side till then tho. On the plus side, oohaah, badger n followers will be having a party
Why oh why is Clark even in the squad?!
Looking like another humiliation at home! And we’ve got next to nothing up front.
aaargh Clark! I tuned in after the start so do not know why Baker was absent. Baker turned from ugly duckling to swan last week but it was expecting too much to see Clark repeat the trick. He was 100% at fault for the second goal and in the frame for the first as Ozil outpaced a flat back four on the half way line. Just to make sure Clark felt better Cissoko rammed the ball into his own net under no pressure.
Half time as I write but difficult to see why the tight defensive tactics of last week have been thrown to the wind. Our Sanchez started – and so far has confirmed what we saw in his sub appearances – he isn’t up to the EPL mentally. He has had the ball taken off him several times by a forward coming from behind him as he dawdled in possession.
It could be a hiding.
He wasn’t 100% at fault for the 2nd. Hutton was nowhere to be found when Ozil received the ball and had ample time to put a cross in.
Andrew. Watch it on MOTD. Clark was marking Wellbeck, and ball watched as Wellbeck drifted into space.
That is true, but Hutton should be doing his job and not 10 yards up, drawing Senderos out of CB to cover Ozil. Leaving Clark alone. Shouldn’t happen.
Held our own for half hour fell apart for 3min. Cant see us score nothing happening up front.
At the game and contemplating to go home at half time, To me 2nd goal looked off side, the back line fell to pieces, no way back as I can see give it 30 min off home to Nuneaton lots of empty seats, grealish is on
A winger on for a striker, with no forwards on bench…..hmmm… Seem happy to keep it a 3
Back to reality then!!! Losing both Baker and Westwood to sickness bug just before kick off can’t have helped; also Bent sent home with same problem. What do we do now then – stick or twist?
Law of averages – load of bo**ox 🙂
last post just completeley disappeared – bit like the villa defence! Can’t understand why they don’t give Okore a run out instead of Clarke – can’t be any worse….can it?
Even at 25% fit, Okore must be better.