I think the headline sums it up doesn’t it?
I watched most of the Man City-West Ham game and City are just scarily good at times. They had the ball for minutes at a time because West Ham literally couldn’t get hold of it. And when they did, it was more often than not because a City pass had gone astray.
In fairness, their possession wasn’t matched by the amount of chances they created, but it’s very difficult to win when you can’t get hold of the ball, is my point.
If Man City score first and the chances are they will, it’s hard to see how a team can come back, as they have to chase and burn themselves out.
Still, nothing is impossible.
Squad news and nothing much has changed. Traore is weeks away with his thigh problem, Trezeguet is in his second week’s training.
Ings has had a flare up of his injury. I don’t believe it.
Let me restate that. I really don’t believe it. The conspiracist in me says that’s a load of rubbish and I’m guessing he’s been stamping his feet.
But then, I know many of you don’t like my conspiracy theories and are happier to take things at face value, which is fair enough. So I’ll just leave it there.
Otherwise, we’re all good and Kienan Davis will come into the squad to replace Ings. I don’t get that move, because while I don’t think there’s a chance in hell Davis will start, I’d much prefer to see Archer as back up.
I suppose Gerrard and the coaches know how the players are doing in training and we don’t have much choice but to trust them.
As for Man City, Pep Guardiola is crying wolf because he said;
“the fact is we are in trouble because we have few players. We have just 15 or 14 players and we are in a difficult position because a lot of players play a lot of minutes.”
Hmm, that’s a shame isn’t it? The fact that those players are on average way better than almost any other team doesn’t matter, I suppose.
Come to think of it, how many other club’s fans would be well happy if the top 6 were limited to 15 players for a month or two, just to level things up? I’d probably ultimately decide against that, but at first glance it sounds pretty good to me.
Kevin De Bruyne has had covid and is doubtful. Jack Grealish and Phil Foden have apparently yet to prove their fitness, whatever that is supposed to mean. Pep says they might be able to do minutes, but I smell shennanigans and am guessing they’ll be available.
And of course, the big story is going to be about “he who shall not be named” playing against his boyhood club: the club he supports.
Oh, I can’t be doing with that refusing to say his name stuff. I’m sorry, but I think it’s childish.
It’s Grealish for me, simple. He’s just a player and none are bigger than the club.
Whatever you think of him, he’s just gone ballistic, hasn’t he? His love life is making headlines, he’s advertising some clothing range on telly and even his calfs are featuring on a calendar.
I wonder how he’s coping with the mental side of things?
Personally, I think he’ll be able to handle it and when things settle down he’ll go on to be excellent for City.
Do I care much? Not really and it is what it is. I agree with others who have previously said it; he’ll be back down the Villa eventually. Hence I’m not going to slate him.
The big question is will he actually want to play against us?
I very much think he’d prefer not to feature at all, but he’s a professional and I’ve no doubt if he was to come on he’d do his utmost best.
But I’ll bet he’d be terrified at the thought of assisting or even worse, scoring against us.
Oh well, give me £230k a week and I’ll happily worry about that sort of problem
So what to think?
Well, I didn’t think we’d beat Brighton and my Palace win prediction was a very half-hearted one.
Yet we won both.
On the face of it, it’s going to be an almost impossible task getting anything out of this game.
But in keeping with the new found enthusiasm and confidence that’s running through the fans, I don’t think we’ve lost this before we kick a ball.
I can’t bring myself to predict a win. That’s pushing it a little bit too far.
But I can see us scratching a draw, particularly if we get the first goal.
I’m going for an optimistic 1-1
UTV!
It’s actually why I think I gave Naka motm last game and Luiz motm this game.
They both got stuck in. But not nastily, which as you’ve both hinted, Gerrard should be able to teach.
I’m convinced top sides make sneaky fouling a part of the game, along with falling over and looking like you’re dying when someone breathes in your direction.
Oh, while I think about it, 2 points.
I found it fascinating that the press universally said that Grealish was welcomed back and clapped.
You could have fooled me. While there was some clapping, the booing was miles louder, from what I heard.
It was also notable that the fans launched into “I’m Villa till I die” and maintained it for a good while, just to prove the point.
Hardly a welcome and I say that as someone who wouldn’t boo him.
It would seem in this woke world it’s not the done thing to have the hump with someone.
And when they scored, there was a shot of Grealish laughing.
I actually fell for that at the time. It was pure instinct and the bad feeling of having conceded a goal and led to me calling him all sorts.
But on reflection, I realise that there is no way on earth Grealish would have laughed at us conceding.
So that clip must have been filmed earlier and dropped in when they scored.
That is despicable, simple as and shows how there’s a massive agenda.
(sigh)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10268785/Aston-Villa-star-Kortney-Hause-crashes-180k-Lamborghini-school-fence-yards-gate.html
I’m not commenting, because I don’t have a clue what happened, but it’s just bad publicity isn’t it?
What a plonker! Footballers buying these high powered sports cars just because they can, doesn’t mean they should! We hear regularly about them crashing simply because they underestimate the acceleration etc. Maybe JG has been giving him driving tips! Seriously though, shouldn’t there be a test for driving these kind of cars in the same way you need to drive a HGV.
Holte a good theory that, if they do it on motor bikes which they do it should be a practice on high powered vehicles as well. I’ve driven high powered motor and we dont have the roads to use that power. Looking at that damage he wasn’t doing a legal speed . Questions should be asked. ..
I’ve owned two extreme cars in terms of power and acceleration (and still have a pretty powerful car) but didn’t buy the first until I was 50 and that, I think, is the issue here – lack of experience.
I don’t believe a ‘special test’ would actually change anything. I would advocate a higher age limit for a licence to drive these super cars and a mandatory driving course run and funded either by the companies in question or by the purchaser of the car.
Actually a number of these companies do offer such a course but it’s not mandatory,
With Jack, fans have to accept he signed a contract extension that brought the club in £100 million quid. He did not have to sign that but he gave the club a massive payday. He could have walked way for nowt.
Secondly, when a hero returns you have to accept the fact there will be an element of theatre, or booing and heckling. You don’t want to me it comfortable for them. Jack, don’t take it personally!
God bless though lad, but the Villa take priority.
…make it comfortable…
The over Xmas fixtures on tv lads.. utv. .
Our home clash at Villa Park against Leicester City has moved to Sunday, December 5 (ko 4.30pm), live on Sky Sports.
The club’s December trip to Anfield to face Liverpool remains unchanged before Dean Smith’s side travel to Norwich City on Tuesday, December 14 (ko 7.45pm), live on BT Sport.
The Villans follow that up with an unchanged encounter against Burnley ahead of a Boxing Day test at home to Chelsea, which is now a 5.30pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports.
Villa’s trip to Elland Road to take on Leeds United will now get underway at 5.30pm on Tuesday, December 28, live on Amazon Prime Video.
Before Villa wrap up their festive fixture schedule with the club’s first-ever trip to Brentford Community Stadium to face the Bees, which now takes place on Sunday, January 2 (ko 2pm), live on Sky Sports.
Anyone watching????
McGinn seems quiet again…