I don’t know if I should even bother trying to guess what’s going to happen here, as you can bet it will probably be wrong.
Still I’ve nothing better to do and we can at least talk about the game.
We beat Wolves away by a penalty scored by El Ghazi at their place and hence it would be logical to think we can do similar at home.
This is nothing like a normal season though and it was perfectly logical for me to suggest that we’d lose to Leeds and beat Sheffield Utd.
How just like the Villa to do the opposite and win the tough game and lose to a ten man Sheffield that had only won four games all season.
It’s results like that Sheffield game that disgust me. It’s probably unfair, because those are the vagouries of Football which make it the game it is.
But if you’ve had a terrible run, lost the vast majority of your games or go down to ten men, you can rely on the Villa to sort things for you and hand you the three points.
It’s that consistency with which we lose those stupid games that ought to be easy on paper that really annoys me.
is there anyone else that’s been as good as us at throwing points away over the last few years?
I seriously doubt it and it’ll probably cost us European qualification that is so near our grasp.
It would be fair to say we weren’t expecting Europe and probably don’t have the squad for it anyway, but you shouldn’t look at these sort of chances lightly.
You can bet if we did qualify for Europe, our owners would feel obliged to dig deep again.
Anyway, that may or may not come at the end of the season and it’s onto today’s game.
Wolves.
I’m not sure what to think of them. Have they been found out?
I’m not sure what there was to find out to be honest. Last season they worked incredibly hard for each other and played with fluidity, pace and incisiveness.
They still do the same, but are seriously missing Raúl Jiménez who got 17 goals last season and seven in fifteen games this season before his skull injury a while back.
They still seem okay but they’re not doing as well as us. Which probably shows what such a good season we’re having.
Squad news and there’s nothing new on our part. Grealish is most likely out, as some of us suspected, although it’s entirely possible with Dean Smith’s doublespeak that he might actually play. It’s doubtful though, as the last I heard is that he hadn’t trained this week. I expect him to be out for a few more games yet, for what it’s worth.
Matt Cash is out as is Hause and Wesley, although the striker is supposed to be getting nearer.
As for Wolves, they’re without Jimenez, Marcal and Podence.
I think this game mostly depends on what Villa team turn up. If it’s the same sort of performance we saw in midfield midweek, we’ve no chance of getting the points.
Traore, Ramsey and even McGinn were nowhere near good enough. In fact it hurts me to say it, but I think it’s about time John McGinn was rested. Saying that just seems wrong somehow, but we have to face the fact that the Scot has been poor for weeks now and it doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
Sanson’s supposed to play with plenty of energy, although I can’t say I’ve seen it in the minutes he’s played.
Would he be good enough to come in for McGinn?
I know we’re supposed to have taken advantage of the situation and signed Sanson too early, with him originally being planned for the summer, but what was supposed to change then? Were we going to sign a load of players to revolve around Sanson and play to some different plan, or something?
Of course not. To suggest so is stupid.
So what then? Was he expected to improve another 50% in the next few months? That’s ridiculous too.
So he’s either good enough as it is, or he isn’t.
And if he isn’t you really have to wonder if Smith wanted him at all, as quite a few rumours have suggested.
Not that I expect Smith to change things up anyway, as he probably had a major panic attack changing things against Sheffield.
That said, this will be a different type of game to the Sheffield one, where Ramsay wasn’t suited at all.
Choosing the kid just looked like favouritism and not pragmatism at all to me, but Smith is the one who sees them training every day, I suppose.
Which reminds me.
I hope we’ve been putting plenty of practise into our crossing, because it’s frankly shocking in open play and set pieces.
Wolves to win 2-1, purely because we’re at home.
UTV
I hope it’s better than what we witnessed midweek or I can see me switching it off.
I think I’ll put this down as a draw.
When’s Jack back????
Fair and to the point Badger.
Frankly, I can’t see us getting anything from this game. Wolves have been much better of late and are hard to break down so I expect us to see plenty of the ball with Wolves relying on fast counter attacks – something of an Achilles heel for us!
Qualifying for Europe this season would, in my view, be too soon and therefore counter productive. We’ve seen a number of teams qualifying for Europe when not ready and it’s created real problems result wise in the league. You might add Wolves to that list.
Expect Barkley to start in place of Ramsey, Nakamba was excellent against Sheff U and deserves to start, otherwise it seems the team picks itself!
Going with your prediction 1-2
0-3 I’m afraid. We’re bang out of form, so unless something’s changed since Wednesday, either tactics, starting 11 or general intensity to our play – or all three, it’s going to be wretched again. I hope I’m wrong.
Ah well – what do I know!
Luiz and Sanson in for Nakamba and Ramsey. Barkley on the bench – otherwise as you were.
El Ghazi not even on the bench.
Hmm
Interesting lineup Sanson starting so will get to see him a bit more. Not sure on the result heart says a win head says a defeat so a draw it is! Philogene-Bidace is on the bench. That’s intriguing and I’d like to see if he has got that spark/energy that had linked him with the biggest clubs in Europe.
El Ghazi has an infected toe.
Hit the woodwork twice now.
Not another re-run of Sheffield I hope.
We seem to have enough about us to win this, but need a goal sooner rather than later.
Crossbar twice already, Ollie should have shot instead of trying to find Traore. When are we going to start taking our chances ffs.
You do worry that they’ll score first and it’ll be all over. Again.
Not too bad a first half, just no cutting edge.
I’m not sure what you do about it either.
Davis on to help Olly out perhaps?
Not yet though.
Decent first half without being exceptional. Just not quite the cutting edge we need. Traore disappointing again.
Agreed.
He’s too hot and cold for me.
Barkley had a workout on the pitch at HT.
Smith has just had a word with him and he’s gone up the tunnel.
I wonder why?
Ollie – 7 x woodwork – most in Prem. unlucky or needs to be more clinical? From what I’ve seen unlucky.
McGinn more involved and Sanson neat (also noticed he seems to be two footed – always a big plus).
Decent first half
Fine line isn’t it Hitch?
Because of his workrate he gets the benefit from me.
If he was bone, he wouldn’t.
How did they miss that?
Jeez, how did Wolves not score then?
Wow!
We’ve not really been in the game since half time
Barkley on for Sanson.
And leaves Traore on, who’s been pants?
I really wonder what Smith thinks at times.
Sanson injured apparently?
Seems so but we have been rubbish since half time
Luiz is poor as well