I’ve left this until the last minute as I’m not sure what to think really. Arsenal are many people’s prediction to win the title and I actually think they’re more likely to win the league than Citeh, in my opinion.
Yet many Villa fans I’ve spoken to are very confident that we’ll win today. I’m not so sure. Apparently Arsenal are making an extra effort to win this one so they can get revenge for us doing the double over them last season. Whatever, we know we’re going to face a very good side and it’ll be difficult.
One conversation involved us agreeing that if you really take it to the Gunners and give them a bit of “treatment” straight from the off, they don’t like it and are likely to back off. Here is where I’m going to be watching Onana very closely, as I think his physicality will contribute massively over this season. McGinn can get stuck in a bit too, although the same conversation led to us agreeing that his is a position that if we’re being ruthless, could do with upgrading. It’s a sacriligious thought really, as I love the bloke, but if we’re being pragmatic, nobody is safe.
Squad news and it’s pretty good. It’s unchanged this week and Unai has spoken about Kamara and Mings coming back. Kamara is a few weeks away from training with the team and Mings too sounds even closer.
As for Arsenal, well, it’s probably easier if I just post the teams;
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Havertz.
Subs: Ramsdale, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Calafiori, Jorginho, Nelson, Nwaneri, Trossard, Nketiah.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Pau, Konsa, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Bailey, Rogers, Watkins.
Subs: Gauci, Carlos, Maatsen, Nedeljkovic, Barkley, Buendia, Jaden, Ramsey, Duran
Same team as last week, I think, which is how Emery likes it and who can blame him? Last week was a good performance after all , so why change it?
As previously mentioned, I think if we get at them we can win this, but they’ll be up for it too and the question will be can can make the better start? Whoever does, will probably get the early goal and it’ll make a very favourable difference.
I predict goals and a 2-2 looks most likely to me.
UTV!
Comments
105 responses to “Villa-Arsenal; Looks very drawish to me”
Beat me to it Gerry.
That’s not too bad a draw and indeed all the groups look daunting.
The BBC were really struggling to get it right because they were trying to guess the computers choice. We got there in the end Badger and I am seriously relieved that our weaker opponents are away games. We can go to the knockout and ……..
The BBC are idiots…
Bloody hell. Just saw the draw. I’d say The Gods may be wearing claret and blue!
Nowt is guaranteed but that draw looks good. Dougie back at VP wearing the black and white stripes of Notts County!!!!!
Let’s hope he gives away a cheap penalty.
John McGinn will be creaming himself playing Celtic at Villa Park in the Champions League!
I was hoping for Real Madrid or Barcelona or both but overall there’s nothing to be fearful of.
Did they say Saturday for when we know the dates for fixtures?
Yes we’ll know the dates on Saturday. Can’t wait.
On the face of it a cracking draw – some big game nights at VP and an even chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
UTMV
It is a cracking draw. All of the tougher teams we play at home and all of the away ties are very winnable. If Emery had sat down and picked the teams himself he wouldn’t have done much better.
The simple question is;
Do we think we will finish on the top 24 out of 36, which would ensure we get to the payoffs at least?
For me, that’s a big ask and it’s in the balance.
I’d bet Celtic get kicked out first round though and we should beat them comfortably, imo.
Bayern playing Villa for the first time since that match; Dougie returning to VP; McGinn and Celtic…all coincidences? All the fixtures, home and away, look mouthwatering, nonetheless…
UTV!
Why wasn’t Mr Heck wearing the (very smart) club tie and blazer like messrs Monchi and Vidagany? Tut tut…
Away from the CL euphoria it seems Villa are going to be thwarted in their pursuit of further strengthening the squad before the window closes.
I’m sure we’ll get the ‘I’m happy with the squad’ comments from Unai but if he was pursuing a versatile defender and another forward is he really?
And we’re left with Dendoncker and Olsen – burdens on wages and not up to the standard we want or need.
It appears we’ll end this window on a broadly neutral spend which seems to me to be more a comment on the financial regulations rather than the ambition of the owners. In the meantime Chelsea seem able to spend without any financial restraint!
A quick update – this from Sky
Dendonker likely to leave on loan today but no new incomings because of PSR which only confirms what was becoming more obvious and is the prime reason why we had to sell Luiz and Diaby.
A level playing field the EPL is not and unless the financial regulations are changed fundamentally it will be impossible for any club to break through the glass ceiling of the ‘Sky top six’. Even the barcodes, for all their wealth, are struggling with it.
F***ing cheating, bent, corrupt, cartel tossers!
Ah, feel much better now.
Enzo and Dendonker leaving means only Barkley available to play one of the pivots, with Bouba still months away, and I’d argue that’s not Ross’s position either. I guess McGinn can do it but that takes a lot away from his game. How is any of that a good thing???
Abraham of to AC Milan on loan for the season. What makes is so unattractive
Gerry, BFR – at the risk of being utterly boring and repetitive 🙂 we are restricted by EPL PSR and EUFA’s squad cost ratio.
Having said that I’ve no idea how Chelsea are getting away with their spending / wages unless by forming a ‘bomb squad’ they are somehow circumventing the rules?
Hitch, your never boring or repetitive. Is there a value number that is acceptable for us to spend. I worry at just how light we are up front. We now also have two forwards (Jaden Philogene and Morgan Rogers) playing extra games in the Under 21’s.
My main concern is Lenglet hasn’t been replaced and Mings isn’t ready. Is Bogarde ready to be the 4th CB? And don’t we need 5 anyway?
We are light in depth in defence and up front. I’m very disappointed with the lack of quality coming in. The sale of Luiz with two coming in and almost immediately going out on loan! Yet Chel$ea obviously have different rules to everyone else as they are trying to sign possibly another 3 with Sancho and talk of Toney going to Stamford Bridge on Sky Sports news. I dare say they will avoid punishment just like Citeh.
Emery talks about Mings and Kamara coming back but there is a big risk that they won’t be the same or even suffer injury relapses due to the seriousness of ACL’s. Matty Cash is out for a month minimum and that’s just after two games. What happens if Torres gets injured or Watkins? Our season could be over before it even gets started.
Carlos misses tomorrow’s game because of a small injury. Shocked not 😳
So down to bare bones in a critical position, as per my concerns weeks ago. Asking for serious trouble. Regardless how ‘small’ the injury is, Carlos has never been able to get through a season without missing significant periods. If we don’t get another CB we may well be f*****, come Christmas.
While I’m in moaning mood, just looking for bargains on the Villa store and what a monstrosity last year’s home shirt actually is – f****** ‘ell, dreadful.
Yeah I’m not happy. Maatsen Great and is an upgrade on an area of the pitch that wasn’t so important with Digne and Moreno. I don’t think Onana is quite the same alrounder as Dougy Luis either. Yes he may be better winning the ball back but dougy was outstanding at playing out from deep and then of course there is the set piece responsibilities he had. So that’s not an improvement there, not yet anyway. We have lost Zaniolo, who let’s for arguments say has been replaced by Barkley. We have also lost Langlet. The squad in my opinion is smaller, less versatile and in all fairness short of what we looked last season. Just remember Diaby has gone too! I don’t get why we didn’t go for Chiesa either. 12.5 mill Liverpool paid for him. If all we did was replace dougy , add a right back to battle with cash for and maybe a back up keeper. Then I would have been happy. I can’t believe we have another bloody left back!!!!!
Need a centre back! Ideally, two!
We’ve done what we can under the current (crap) financial rules!
Overall our transfer activity in this window shows a small profit of £7m but this is split between two accounting periods.
I think there may be room in January to strengthen the squad dependent on how we are doing in the CL. We have to realistic – this season is about consolidation and driving revenue upwards.
It’s frustrating but we are not the only club being stymied.
Is ‘stymied’ a posh word for buttf*****?