I was laughing as I wrote that title.
So the last time we were at the bungalow in Spain, the TV blew up on the very last day of our trip, giving me no time to sort it out. So a couple of weeks back I booked to come over this weekend to do a few jobs and replace the telly, as it just isn’t worth trying to repair it. But I forgot that it’s a Bank holiday and arranged to come back tomorrow night. How annoying was that, knowing that I could have had an extra day over here at no cost? Not that I’m used to having such luxuries as Bank holidays anyway, but it just goes to show, there’s always something irritating going on, isn’t there?
Anyway, the telly hasn’t arrived yet and Amazon tracking over here is junk. The closest I can get is between 8am and 8pm. So either I’m not going to get it in time for the game or sod’s law, it’ll come in the middle of it. In short, I’m going to have to watch it on my tablet.
The game then and squad news is that Marcus Rashford is probably out for the rest of the season. That seems just a bit too convenient to me, but I can’t say I’m overly bothered anyway. He won’t be here next season and I view it as a short marriage of convenience, where we’ve both helped each other out. Him, in reigniting his game and putting himself in the shop window and us being grateful for another (very useful) body. Disasi is available again and everybody else is available.
As for Fulham, Rodrigo Muniz is probably out for the rest of the season, Reiss Nelson is also out but Antonee Robinson is back.
We have a good record against Fulham at home, with only one lost in the last five or six games. Fortunately that one resulted in Steve Gerrard getting the bullet, which shows that every cloud has a silver lining.
Ah shoot, I’ve just realised the time ! We’re going to kick off shortly, so I’ll make it very brief.
I’m going for a 2-1 win.
UTV!
This should be really simple.
Will it?
Nothing with Villa is ever simple. Though Silva will have noted how Palace routed us, he probably does not have the players to do likewise.
Totally agree!
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Tielemans, Rogers, Asensio, McGinn, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Mings, Digne, Garcia, Barkley, Onana, Ramsey, Bailey, Malen.
Just seen team. We should win, but I don’t like the make up. What has Rmansey and Mjngs done not to be selected.
Is he giving this 11 the chance to right the wrongs of last week?
Sorry Matsen is the change and that I like
Great start and now seem to have gone into complacency mode. Free kick players go forward and Kinda passes to Cash and back to ball goes – drop them if they can’t use their brains!
Rocers first touch today is shocking. Assensio can return to psg end of season.
Youri!!!!!!
I get the Rogers comments, but he can do things too. Beating a couple and putting the ball in the box just then. It’s good stuff.
100 million for him? I’d take that for any of our players. 100 in, 2 times 50 out. No brainer.
I agree about Asensio too. He seems to be adapting very slowly to the intensity of the Prem, but he’s offered nothing for a good while.
I ge the feeling Emery is giving him every chance before deciding what we do with him.
We can’t just keep flogging our best players. It signals weakness.
Utterly fed up with the BBC. According to them this match is irrelevant.
If we snatch 5th and another CL jaunt next season, CL quarters, FA Cup semis, I’d be happy with that! We need that CL cash to maintain our balance sheet stays healthy. Especially considering the injuries up to January.
I know it’s all ifs and buts, but the 3 above us could all drop points this weekend…
We do try and help the opposition with sloppy play at times!
Great play from Cash and Watkins still arriving for the second half. We make so many chances for him his scoring rate is rubbish
You called it Hitch. This is our sloppy side.
End of season tiredness??? What was Konsa effing about at just then…???!!! 😡
Fulham collecting the yellows. Emi seems back on the ball today anyway! JJ and Onana on.
Fulham are dirty as. Ref largely let them get away with it first half too. We look tired again – the belief seems to have gone since that PSG game.
Lots of it going on at many of the teams we play, not least Palace.
Cash putting himself on the line there…
Eight minutes???
As OLL said – Villa never do anything simply!
We had the best chances and probably should have won more easily.
Still 3 points is 3 points
Proper nervy affair that, no good for my ticker!
Don’t think replacing Tielemans with Barkley really worked but hey ho another 3 points in the bag.
The win and 3 points is all that matters at this stage of the season. A clean sheet too is always welcome.
I don’t think the substitutions helped with Barkley being wasteful and sloppy.
The next game away to Bournemouth could be the moment that makes or breaks our chances as they are tough to beat at their place but we need to win.
Barkley short of game time and it showed.
Typical of Emery – show me you’re resdy; no excuses
Solid performance. 3 highly important points!!! Well done lads!!!
Unai absolutely bollocked Konsa for dawdling on the ball and losing it high up the pitch. That was the highlight for me. I wonder how many times they’ve pissed him off this season with their stupid decision making.
3 points. Job done.
I thought we played well with patches of “sloppy” ( the new forum word). McGinn was our best player. We tore them apart at times and we defended our mistakes well. Cash was outstanding but also careless. It’s all we can do to win our matches and watch the others fail. CL is so important for the club and the improvement of our squad. Never make plans on hope but I feel we can do it. Ollie will not be our CF next year.
Agree on Ollie. Imagine Mateta up there with all the ammo those behind could supply him. He would be my first choice…
I bet ‘Forum’ was one of your favourite mags back in the day Gerry 😁
I think Malen deserves more game time…
I suspect he will get it, no worries.
Ipswich x4 points
Bournemouth x2
Brighton x2
Forest x1
City x1
= 10 points.
We should be 2nd on 70 points. Comfortably. I know we all keep saying it but, strangely, it makes me feel better.
Forum, yes I do recall the educational qualities of that publication. I also found pictures of my next door neighbour (a poodle clipper) in the amatuer housewifes section. Put me right off for years.
Really annoying that there is no movement in our table position after another win and clean sheet. Goal difference will be a major issue for us as if we are level we will fail. Just another nail in Ollie’s coffin. Malen may be answer. He is seriously quick.
😆🙈
Amatuer housewifes?
What was actual profession?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Regarding the positioning, i think it’ll be tight up until the last day of the season. Hopefully Spuds and ManUre will be focusing on the Europa Cup Final!!!
This blog is a treasure trove of unrelated-to-football gems from the varied histories of Villa fans. A Poodle Clipper is crying out to be a double entendre – given the entry in Forum. And put you off what Gerry? Taking your pooch for a short back and sides?
I had tried to raise the tone by describing Ollie’s finishing as ‘profligate’ only to be castigated. OK, I’ll settle for ‘Sloppy’ after today.
I very much doubt this here ‘Poodle Clipper’ was for the grooming of canines?
😆
Impotent?
“We can’t just keep flogging our best players. It signals weakness.”
Bum bum, Yes, we can, imo.
You flog your best players at silly money and improve the squad. Grealish is the perfect example. Ok, he went on to win all sorts in a money side, but would be have done much for us? I honestly doubt it with the way Unai works.
Would we be selling one of our best players or selling a player we’ve had the best of?
He ain’t getting any younger.
Rogers?
I really like him, as you know. But everyone has his price and I’d say 100 mill is good business. 50 mill players in Europe tend to be very good, remember.
Take the stupid prices the Prem pays for young players all day long, imo,
I’d sell Rogers in a heartbeat,
So overstated, so inconsistent and so often goes missing.
Hype personified.
Interesting POV.
Meanwhile, he’s in the running for young player of the year.
Just goes to show. It’s all about opinions.
I was a believer first half of the season but honestly it feels like every game I learn something new about him I don’t like. There’s no doubt Unai has instructed him to hold on to the ball and run it out of midfield or has at least encouraged it.I don’t believe holding onto the ball should be what he does every bloody time. Now he does it close to our own box and loses possession. I’d say 4 times out of 5 his runs end in giving away the ball. Today I learnt his first touch isn’t all that. If £100mill is on the table I’d honestly find it laughable.
Have to disagree RSS.
Yes, at times, he overplays but some of his runs, aggression. ball control and ability to pick a pass is scintillating. He’s exciting to watch and he’s just 22 with only a years experience of the EPL.
If it was Foden or Rahfotd the comms would be creaming themselves!
Football
Agree, Hitch. At 22, I don’t think it’ll be difficult to coach him to play a through ball at the right moment rather than hold onto it and lose it. If he starts doing that, he’ll be close to unplayable. We’re talking about a one second tweak to his game. Over to you, Unai…
But who would you replace him with, RSS. And how much would he cost? And how much older would he be?
But when we sold Jack, we were much lower down the food chain. But could we part with Kamara, even for silly money????
No.
We’ve got our work cut out at Bournemouth next week…
Yep, that’s not “in the bag” like it used to be.
They’re a very decent side.
Have we ever won there, Badger? Very hard fought 2-2 last season.
Wouldn’t read to much into today’s result, Arsenal have one eye on Wednesday.