Having just had a glance at our remaining fixtures, you have to say this is probably the most winnable game we have left.
But is it a “must win”?
I personally don’t think it is really.
Not in a sense of league position anyway, as I think we’ve all pretty much come round to thinking that whatever happens now, our chances of survival are zero.
After the tonking against Citeh, the defeat against West Ham, Ayew’s daft sending off and the lack of any new signings, it’s been a thoroughly depressing week.
But at least the thought of a win cheers me up.
That’s all it is though, as I don’t expect us to actually win a game anymore, such is the state of the club.
But there is pride to play for and we have to carry on, in the belief that anything can happen in footy and it’s not over until we’re 100% confirmed relegated.
The trouble is, it’s difficult to see where the win will come from, isn’t it?
Kozak and Gestede are injured, Sinclair is out of form and Gabby is just…..well, Gabby.
So who’s going to score?
I suppose we do carry a threat at set-pieces, but given that our dead ball efforts are generally shocking, I can’t expect anything from there either.
So, given that we only have Gabby and Sinclair fit, I’ve called for Sellars to come in. It’s not an ideal situation for a kid to start in, but given that the team overall has looked so poor, I don’t believe the expectations of him would be very high, so it’s as good a time as any.
Will Garde put him in? I doubt it, but you never know.
And given that I struggle to see us scoring, how do we go about this game?
It’s got to be a 4-5-1, with a 4-3-3 variant, as Norwich will try to rule the midfield with numbers and hit us on the counter; a tactic that works well against us when we push forward.
Which you can accept we will do, seeing as Garde’s come out and said we must win.
Hmm, that’s an interesting comment from the manager, given that I think most of us have been saying we must win for ages.
Can we expect an all out assault then?
A gung ho approach, where if we lose, at least we’ve gone down fighting?
Again, I doubt it.
I’m on record as saying I think Garde is too cautious.
But it’ll be interesting to find out.
Squad news then and does it really matter who’s out?
None of them are a major loss really, but just in case, I’ll name them.
Ayew’s the big one, having been suspended for 3 matches.
As said, Gestede’s out, Kozak is out for a month and Sanchez is still out too.
There are possibly others, but I’m struggling to see who they are, to be honest, as the internet over here is so poor.
As for Norwich, Alex Tettey’s banned for two games, under the totting up procedure.
Gary O’Neil and Robbie Brady are available and Graham Dorrans is apparently sick.
They also have Patrick Bamford available after his loan move.
What price him scoring after we were supposed to be interested in him?
What to think, then?
I can’t see past a dour game, where Garde’s approach will be interesting, but ultimately there will only be the odd goal in it.
And I’m guessing it’ll come from Norwich, after we go forward too much after the usual achieving nothing in the final third and get countered.
That said, the first goal will be very important and if we can get it (doubtful), you just never know.
So 0-0 at best, but more likely 1-0 to Norwich.
Which says it all doesn’t it, when I don’t believe we can beat another struggling side with really poor form, at home?
My god, what have we become?
On a personal note, I don’t think I’ll be able to watch the game.
I’ve reluctantly promised to take the missus to the Saturday night market and trust me, I detest shopping at the best of times.
I don’t know which’ll be worse, a market full of people haggling or watching the Villa struggle.
Veretout has been diff gravy!
I’ve just woken from a bad dream where Villa were wining 2-0 and Shabby had scored ……. Hollis just pronounced his plan has been vindicated ……… Going back to sleep now!!
Bacuna missed a chance then, Gabby has a new life in the game, defending well Gil the player for me,
6 minutes extra where the fuck do you get that.
Sorry 4 minutes.
Sodding bin dippers
Chuffed to FUCK VILLA winning & harriers winning 2 teams who don’t win often pub is calling me GET IT DOWN YER
Leicester had 17 points at this stage last season, then drew 2 and lost 2 in the next 4.
Confidence and a big bit of luck! Who knows.
Finally we win a must-win game!! Poor first 40 mins, then the goal seem to galvanise us. Could be the turning point!
Thought Gana and Veretout were excellent. Gabby worked hard too, and maybe him and Ayew could be the key. I’m not a fan of Gabby but right now I would rather see him than Kozak or Gestede.
Back 4 looks solid, and Bunn…well I guess he’s better than Guzan!
Benno , thought Gil was the player today, made some good passes Bacuna should have scored, and as for Lescott Good game by him.
What a result Shane about Sunderland and Newcastle tesukt but at least we pulled 2 points bk over Sunderland and Swansea
Yup Bill, you’re right. He did play well. Free role seems to suit him.
I think Ayew in for Bacuna, and thats probably our strongest team.
Leicester had 17 points and managed, let’s hope we can match it.
F*** me pink.
Did we just win a game? Did Gabby actually score?
Really don’t know how to feel about this as I don’t want to actually start hoping again but another win and you never know 🙂
Could gabby be our saviour lol. Loserpool next week at home unfortunately only beaten them once at VP in past 20 years and that was an end of season non event. Sturridge could be bk as well he always bangs them in against us
LOL OS states 47,472 attendance that’s embellishing it a slight tad I know they’d love that figure.
The OS PR machine never fails to take the piss.
Are people on here STILL thinking we can stay up???? Lol! Nice win, but nowhere near enough.
No but hope is what dreams are made of.
Hope is also what cripples realism. A bit like standing in the Post Office queue surrounded by people harping on about winning the lottery when that £25 a week would be better spent on fresh food and meat…or even beer!!!!
I bet Randy Lerner is splashing out on a posh wank tonight…!
True too little to late. But they’ve season tickets to sell soon
Based on today’s performance I will be purchasing a season ticket as well as spending around £2000 on official club merchandise. Then again I may change my mind next week if we lose to Liverpool.
Only because I am fickle. 🙂
Well I’m thinking about it, we have some easy games coming up, Liverpool, Stoke, Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd, might do it, ????????
Blimey won’t get much change of that lot be lucky to get 4 points imo. We never best Utd the best of times so no chance there and man city away will hammer us. May sneak a win at Stoke and a draw somewhere that’s about it
That’s the reality check. I think Leicester won 7 of their last 9 games and that included beating teams of that quality – lightning doesn’t strike twice!
The final run in to the season you do find some freak results by struggling teams against the top,not saying we will but you never know & before anyone says it no I’m not hoping that would be daft.
Gabby celebration………..about time he just scored and ran back for the kick off.It pisses me off when he gets his only goal of a season and does that silly Can I hear you run around with the look of ” arnt I wonderful on his mug…and I like him…LOL
Let’s see how he does rest of season he’s never been prolific the best of times
Just looking at the table. Eight points is better than the eleven we were looking at a few weeks ago.
If Newcastle would’ve lost we’d have been just five points from safety. ????
Another misinformed article in The Mirror today claiming our plight isn’t because of Lerner’s lack of investment. Where do these twats get their information from???
Now Lescott is our joint top scorer on the pitch yesterday by matching Gil’s two goals.
It still strikes me that we have a core of potentially very good players, but they’ll never fully prosper because of the environment at our club.
Please hurry up and sell our club Randy, you complete cretin.
If Newcastle would of lost we’d be 7 points from safety as Newcastle would of had 21 points and Norwich would be above them and 4th bottom on 23 points. With us on 16 that’s a difference of 7.
I know, it’s Sunday. 😉
Ah! Gotcha…
The money has been spent,but wasted as moxley pointed out Sinclair got 50 k wages ,zog its all old ground Lambert spent nearly 50 m in 3 years never mind signing Cole sendross and Richardson for free paying them 75/90 a week ,moxley right Hollis has to go through villa like diarrhoea clean all white out staff players
Well I’ve woken up this morning believing we are going to stay up!! Didn’t even have a drink yesterday………or this morning. The goals were soft yesterday but who cares? I think we’d have beaten West Ham had it not been for Ayew’s red card…………..and the picture would have looked very very different .
……….. It really is ridiculous what a win will do for confidence and optimism. UTV
What do you all think of Bunn…scares me…cant catch and he almost ballsed it up passing it out instead of booting it up field.
Bunn is only just an improvement on Guzan. Better postioning and anticipation, sounder but not great distribution. He is at the other end of the scale for athleticism though, I have seen 2 good shots hit the post or a defender on the line where Bunn hadn’t bothered to move because he knew he would not get there.
In all honesty I’m totally underwhelmed by that piece by Moxley in the Mirror, talk about being one eyed and suffering from selective amnesia.
Who sanctioned these huge pay days for at best average players?
Who employed Tom Fox, Paddy Reilly and Henrik Almstadt?
Who had the final yea or nea on Reilly and Almstadt purchasing unknown and untested players from the French league?
So who, which ever way you look at it, is ultimately resposible for the mess we are in?
No sorry Mr Moxley but I ain’t having it, it can’t be every one elses fault.
Must be something to do with ‘not upsetting the Yanks!’ Spot on BWS – the problem has been a combination of insufficient funds poorly invested and that’s down to bad management decisions which are rooted in Lerner’s poor business acumen. He’s appointed the wrong men to the wrong position at the wrong time and whilst MON showed poor decision making at times, the worst of Lerner’s catastrophic decisions have come since MON left.
There has been speculation about the timing if the Hollis / King appointments. Lerner has probably just realised that selling an English football club is not like selling a NFL franchise and is now rushing to bolt the stable door etc. Hollis may well be in as the hatchet man possibly not for the long term and if so then King’s appointment may well be with a view to him following Hollis as Chairman – actually that would be pretty good strategy in my book as long as Hollis is sharpening that hatchet right now.
H60 – King eventually replacing Fred Elliot, would be a great commercial decision… But then this is Lerner so doubt it has even crossed his mind !
🙂 🙂
Hitchen
Best post read in a long time blame all solely at Lerner appointing yes men in position not fit for,Mon was never a yes man
Do you think people from the club still come on this site and give thumbs down to sensible comments? Remember a couple of yrs back when it was leaked pro-Lerner comments were from AVFC staff? Lol!
You got a dislike which probably proves the point 🙂
I’m not saying anything, I might get some.
I friging knew it, don’t have to speak and they pop in giving out dislikes. Anyway badger got a knew post up he’s dying to come home.