(courtesy of Avillafan.com and just to remind the lads what they should be fighting for)
I suspect you know what’s coming in this one and the brutal truth is I’ve had to debate with myself if I should even bother offering my thoughts on this game.
Another truth is that I’ll be at work again and have to work out some devilishly sneaky way of getting to watch the game.
Part of me asks why I bother, but we all know how it is: We follow blindly, because we can’t resist and typical of football, you just never know.
Unfortunately, for this game, I think I do know and the sad fact is that we don’t have a hope in hell of beating the mighty Crystal palace, in my opinion.
That’s not to decry Glenn Pardew’s side though.
He’s done a brilliant job and Palace are the antithesis of Aston Villa (just goes to show the difference between an equally poorly run club as us, in Newcastle, as opposed to Palace, in my opinion).
They’re organised and look like they know what there aims are and what they’re doing.
No, it’s more that I look back and see the gulf that has existed between the clubs over the fairly long time I’ve supported the Villa and it makes me want to cry at how far we’ve fallen.
The sad fact is, that over the years, we’d generally have been expected to beat Palace, it’s as simple as that.
Squads then and again I’m not really sure why I’m bothering, as I suspect Palace’s second string would beat us, no problem.
But, Palace have Connor Wickham in contention and Yohan Cabaye is a maybe. Yannick Bolasie is definitely out, which is good for us, as I rate the player.
As for us, Gabby is doubtful, but it matters not. He has less chance of getting a game than I do.
Micah Richards, who showed some balls in speaking to the fans against Wycombe, should be ok.
Jack Grealish is still suffering the back-end of tonsillitis and Sanchez and Hutton are both still out.
So we face the team with one of, if not the best, away records in the Prem this season.
While we’ve won erm, how many, at home?
I could talk about tactics, but it’s pointless, as apparently the players don’t listen to what they’re being told anyway, according to Garde.
And even if they did, we’re simply not good enough.
How we’re over a third of the way through the window without having bought anyone in, is just beyond me.
And why have we only just held crisis talks, when they should have happened weeks ago?
Was Randy really so naive to think that we might not need strengthening?
I really suspect he was, which just sums it all up, doesn’t it?
It’s actually hard to predict this one, as instinct tells me that we’ll lose by at least 2, probably 3 and maybe even more goals.
In short, I see a major thrashing coming up sometime soon and Palace could be the team to do it, especially if the players just throw the towel in after the weekend’s events.
But if Palace take the lead, I don’t think they’ll have to work too hard to stay in front and might contain us easily, hence not having to go for the jugular.
Conversely, if we score first, we might at least make a game of it.
But I’m still going for a 2 goal home defeat.
In fact, I’m not sure the score really matters that much and it’s a funny old game, isn’t it?
I’ll just go for the home loss, as that’s nailed on, I reckon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbsuAbTTsV8
Holy crap, Villa win!!!!!!
The good news is we have won. The bad news is Lerner will see this result and decide we are now good enough to stay up without spending.
That’s my worry but I don’t think we would get more than a couple of average loans anyway
FUCK me we won we’re in double figures I’ve got to pinch myself.VTID
Can we schedule all our games for Tuesday night? 🙂
Sign up Hennessey Remi!
THE COMEBACK IS ON!!!
I don’t what to do now, I have this strange feeling and I think it’s happiness. At last, bunn gets a clean sheet as well, f**k you guzan. Well done remi, I doff my cap to you!!
They’ve shown they can play like that, now go and do it again, and again!!!!! That Veretout has an engine. Boy did we need that lucky goal!!
The manager picked the team because the useless board wankers are in the states talking shite.
Hennessey is class – I said we should have got him when he wasn’t getting picked for Palace. What would he want to come to us now?!
One down. Nine more wins needed. Luck was on our side tonight. I got the feeling palace thought they only had to turn up, wait for us to fuck it up and take the points. Fair play to Bunn. He done alright and a clean sheet.
Are you Guzan in a wig? Nope. Despite the Muppet’s thankful absence from our goal he had not been lent with a prop to Palace. This was a genuine Hennessey VSOP (virtually scored on purpose) howler. He patted down Lescott’s header but instead of the ball bouncing up into his gloves it hit him on the left knee, bounced down onto his right ankle and through his legs.
It wasn’t a pretty performance, but everyone out there for Villa wanted it more than Palace and eventually got it. I saw only the second half on a feed. In that, Budd and Cissoko inspired more confidence in their colleagues. Ayew wasted a good chance to pass to Kozak for a score on one of the many occasions we broke well out of defence.
Well done to Remi for FINALLY picking a decent side with Clark, Guzan, Hutton or Gestede! He tried to throw it away in the 91st minute though by bringing Clark on! Have to say, Lescott has looked good alongside Okore. I seem to recall Okore even looking Clark look good!
* making not looking
* without not with!!!
The only change I’d probably make is brining Richards in at right back instead of Bacuna. Might bring Sanchez in instead of Westwood, but having said that, he does give possession away sloppily at times.
and Westwood doesn’t?
Is it the same Wayne Hennessey who used to play for us a few years back and went to Wolves?
So I got it wrong – we actually won and I’m like the heady schoolboy discovering how nice t*ts feel!
Luck – yes we got a lucky goal and maybe that’s what we needed but don’t get carried away – it’s just one win.
Still with Villa winning maybe I’ll get lucky as well – nah that’s just being silly!
I feel sorry for Badger: he went and predicted in print what most of us expected, and then Villa actually manage to beat one of this season’s more consistent PL teams – and at VP of all places!
Still, we’re only on 11 points, which is still prime relegation fodder; we have to keep hoping that Swansea and Bournemouth keep falling along with Sunderland and Newcastle, but at least from what I gather of tonight’s performance maybe Leicester won’t come to VP expecting to win by a cricket-score…
Same again next game, they won and deserve to start the next one, everyone else wait your chance and take it!! Fight for your position, prove your better than the man in your place.
Just saw that goal! Thanks Hennessey!