Villa – Boro; Nervous ain’t the word

A massive game tonight then and I’m really tense.
We all know what it means to the club if we don’t get promoted and I’m definitely not in the camp that says we might be better doing another season in the Championship.
It’s definitely going to be a tougher league next season, for a start, with Swansea, Stoke and Albion in there too.
No, we need promotion if it’s at all possible.

I’m feeling reasonably confident about this game, but there’s always the nagging doubt that Boro are very capable of getting the first goal from a set-piece, just the same as we did against them.
Even then, I’d expect us to get at least a draw at home to Boro and that would be enough, but it’d make for nervous watching.

Squad news and the only change on our part is Bree coming in for Elmohamady, which is no surprise.
Likewise, Boro have only made the one change, with Ayala out injured and replaced by Dael Fry. Assombalonga keeps his place after being slaughtered by his own fans after Saturday’s game.

So I’m reasonably confident then, but you never know.
Traore is again the big question mark for me and I wonder how we’re going to handle him?
Can Hutton shackle him as well as he did in the last game?
If I was Pulis, I’d give him a totally free role across the front with the expectation that he’ll pull Hutton all over the place.
Which means Bree will have to be on top of his game in keeping an eye on what’s happening.
But what do I know?

There’s been the suggestion that Boro will let us concentrate on Traore, while Pulis has some other plan based around that.

Whatever, I’m looking forward to what should be a great game with a full house roaring us on.
And I’m going for a low scoring game.
1-1 it is.

COYL!


Comments

34 responses to “Villa – Boro; Nervous ain’t the word”

  1. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Come on lads, just get it done.

  2. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    I’ve just heard about Jloyd Samuel.
    RIP fella 🙁

  3. Holte66 avatar
    Holte66

    Gestede on bench

  4. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Team working hard and Grealish well involved.
    Looking ok atm.

  5. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Adomah doesn’t look confident to me.
    He’d have hit that a while back.

  6. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    We’re playing too deep for my liking.

  7. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Blimey, Bree looks young.
    The lad’s doing ok though.

  8. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Hutton booked.
    That’s not good.

  9. Holte66 avatar
    Holte66

    Not pretty. We seem to be set more on defending the lead. Getting too deep as well.

  10. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Interesting.
    Bruce said pre-match that sitting back and hoping to hold doesn’t work.
    Yet we’ve played deeper and deeper as the game’s gone on.
    We need to step it up and push forward or we’re going to concede, imo.

  11. Hitchens60 avatar
    Hitchens60

    OK but not reassuring. Worried we don’t know whether to try and defend the advantage or attack which means we are sitting deeper and Grabben is becoming isolated with us reporting to too many long balls

  12. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    The Holte end 🙂

  13. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Great play then.
    Grabban denied.

  14. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Bamford warming up.
    Swap for Assombalonga, to speed up play?

  15. DSVilla avatar
    DSVilla

    Bamford will give us problems like last match. We need a goal to help ease the nerves – players and fans.

  16. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    yes it was.
    Now Gestede on.

  17. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Kodjia on for Grabban.

  18. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Besic just doen’t know how to play Grealish, like most.
    And he’s booked.

  19. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Fabio on for Shotton.
    All his cards played and I still don’t see a goal as it stands.

  20. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Whelan coming on for Hourihane to tighten it up even more.

  21. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Downing hits the bar after Johnstone handles outside the box.
    Jesus.

  22. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    adomah’s tank is empty and he’s replaced by Bjarnason.

  23. Bum Bum avatar
    Bum Bum

    Yeeesssssssssssss!!!!!

  24. Badger123 avatar
    Badger123

    Thank F*ck for that.

  25. Holte66 avatar
    Holte66

    And breathe 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄