Thank God it’s back to proper footy and I can’t wait for this one, although I am nervous about it.
I don’t know what it is, but suspect it’s simply down to the fact that many other fans have missed Villa Park as a venue, but there seems to have been a lot of love for the grand old stadium in the papers over the last couple of days.
Phil Neville says it’s his favourite away ground anywhere and others, including one of the West Ham players, have talked about the atmosphere and the fans.
Which is surprising if you consider many of us fans have complained about the lack of atmosphere over the last few years, but totally justified if there’s some entertaining footy on display.
Quite simply, play decent footy and the support is awesome.
And the fans will turn up too.
I was wondering yesterday,what sort of crowd we might get tonight, given that the game is on Sky. So I had a mooch on the ticket selector on the OS to check availability.
It’s a total sellout from what I could see, apart from a solitary seat in A8.
Impressive, but imagine if we were doing really well in the league. You can see why our owners want to increase capacity and I’ve no doubt we will if we continue to progress.
Which brings us to tonight’s game, where while I’m nowhere near worrying just yet, it would be nice to pick up the points.
Squad news first and from what I’m seeing Trezuguet is of course suspended after his double yellow last time out.
Kodjia has had surgery to repair a fractured cheekbone and will be out for three weeks, which is incredibly bad luck, given his previous injury just beforehand or stinks to high heaven. Take your choice.
Chester isn’t ready, but Matt Targett might be available.
As for West Ham, they are in pretty good shape apart from Michail Antonio (hamstring) and Winston Reid (knee).
I can’t say I’ve seen much of West Ham, but the main point for me is that if they win tonight, they will go second. Of course it’s very early days and it doesn’t mean much.
But it’s a good indicator of how they’ve started the season.
Whereas we’ve done ok, but just haven’t got the points our game has justified overall.
Which for me is all that the Premier league is about. It’s even more important to get results now than it was last season, as daft as that might sound.
After all, we’ve often seen examples of teams that “are too good to go down”, yet they still have.
My point is, that playing well on it’s own, isn’t good enough.
You need something extra; some sort of edge that just digs out the win.
So what does that leave me thinking about tonight?
Dean Smith will retain his 4-3-3 and will probably bring El Ghazi back in for Trezuguet. I don’t see much else changing, as we all know the team needs more time to gel.
I just wonder if we’ll have enough to get the points?
I’m going for a 1-0 win, but the truth is it’s coming from the heart.
West Ham are a fairly well established mid-table side now, after all and my usual “expect the worst and anything else is a bonus” thinking applies.
Really hoping for a good atmosphere, with the crowd roaring us on to a win.
COYL!
El Ghazi comes in, as suspected and Nkamba comes in for Luiz.
Otherwise, it’s the same.
Nakamba in for Luiz is a bit of a surprise, although I think our midfield has looked too frail so far. Hopefully he will beef up the spine of the team. El Ghazi was always an obvious choice given Trezeguets suspension.
I’m not confident to be honest and it is vital we don’t gift the opposition any early chances as we did against Bournemouth. A rocking VP is important but they need a performance to lift them.
Like you guys not really that confident. I think a draw will be a decent result. We can’t really afford another defeat as we need to show that we can eek out points – exactly as you said Badger
.
Yep, I’d happily take a draw too Hitch.
Noble targeting Grealish.
Decent enough start.
Guilbert seriously clattered.
Not malicious, but a West Ham booking.
Hammers looking classier, but we’re working hard.
Strong support from the fans.
McGinn shoots from 30 yards.
Good period for us here.
We’re taking it to them and it’s what’s needed.
Typical, I go for a leak and the missus tells me Mings and El Ghazi had a clash of heads, in a moany way, while bitching at each other.
You can sense the fans are itching for something to sing about.
Shit. good shot from McGinn, good save.
HT 0-0
West Ham look the classier side, but we’ve had the better chances.
It’s a funny old game.
What the f%£k just happened with Mings and El Gaz ?
I’d be furious if I was a West Ham fan by the way. They just haven’t turned up. Of side or not Wesley should have put the ball in the net at least once by now. Mings has been brilliant, McGinn looking his usual self, Gilbert also having a good show along side Jota.
Players I feel are letting us down and should give us a little more are Grealish and Wesley.
Should have put a few chances away by now but we also should have conceded a few of West Ham could be arsed
Some people are seeing a different game to me, or I’m missing something. Who had the most chances? All this ball possession is in the game, getting the ball back is what you have to do. Sorry the better side for a goal is Villa.
Apart from a 10 minute spell for West Ham, I thought we were the better team. We look much better when Jack gets into the final third. I don’t mind the spat between Mings and El Ghazi. It shows they care. Deano and JT just need to smooth things over at HT. The game is there to be won if we start the 2nd half on the front foot.
I think we look tentative and we give the ball away too easily. If we score I’m sure our confidence will soar and we will play better. If they score it’s a long way back.
It’s hard to call.
To me, West Ham look more calmer in their approach play.
We have to keep our heads and keep up the workrate.
I’m not sure if our players bitching at each other is a good or bad thing, given our apparent strong changing room.
McGinn turns on a tanner and shoots. Good effort.
Which reminds me, we’re just not getting Wesley into the game. Again.
Great block by Grealish, but to my mind he really shouldn’t be defending.
Where’s the out ball?
Wesley still not strong enough for me. Goes to ground to easily looking for a foul. i want to see him bossing defenders.
I sense a goal coming. Not sure who for.
Crowd much more subdued now and you can see why.
I’m bored shitless.