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 😁