Another stupid kick off time means it has to be another Villa game.
I think the headline sums this one up pretty well actually.
I don’t mean I don’t have a clue in general (although some might think that), but it’s more that we’re capable of any result possible and we’re already showing major inconsistency.
My points prediction for the games up to christmas have already gone out of the window, after all.
We’re just so hard to predict aren’t we?
Look at the teams we’ve beaten and then the teams we’ve lost to and you’d pretty much say that it’s 100% the opposite of what you’d expect.
Add in the fact that we’ve lost three games at home and won three games away already and well, what chance have you got?
I think I’ve given up with predictions for a while and anything now will be more based on hope.
Squad news and Guilbert and Hause are both training, but won’t be ready.
Keinan Davis is apparently fit, so will almost certainly make the bench, but it’s doubtful he’ll start, although questions have been asked about Smith going with two up front. I just don’t see it.
I’ve just seens a report that Traore is doubtful, but I’m not seeing anything to back that up.
The main news(?) is that Ross Barkley is out and the question is who comes in to replace him?
The clever money says it’ll be Conor Hourihane, but it was interesting that Dean Smith preferred Traore over him when Barkley went off last week.
It makes you wonder how much the manager rates the Irishman, but there’s no other logical starter.
Lansbury was notable for his absence when the Mail did a training ground article and there may have been a simple explanation for that, but I don’t think he’d be in the frame anyway.
Our squad is horrendously thin isn’t it? and the question will inevitably be will we be entering the market for reinforcements in the window? but that’s for another day.
As for the Hammers, Michail Antonio could return tonight having missed three matches due to a hamstring problem.
Andriy Yarmolenko has been in self-isolation because of a positive Covid-19 test and it’s not known if he’ll be ready.
They’re fully fit otherwise.
So no predictions based on logic then and it’s purely heart-based.
Where, even so, I’ve got us to lose this one, 0-1.
Well, I might as well. Everytime I say draw or win, I invariably get it wrong.
UTV!
We’ll probably win 4-0 now.
This season’s just mad all round.
I don’t have a clue what the score will be either. Our formation seems better suited to away games these days. Losing Barkley does make us weaker in the middle. He is the box to box physical presence we have been craving for. Unfortunately we don’t have any back ups and that is a major concern. In fact we don’t have back ups for any of our first eleven!
Let’s hope we get something from tonight because we are only 2 points off 15th!
Wasn’t Lansbury omitted from the registered squad so can’t play anyway.
Badger, I totally agree that we just don’t have the quality in depth in the squad and more work / investment from our owners will be needed in the summer as I don’t really see the January window as other than a ‘sticking plaster’ opportunity.
12 points from our first 4 games and 3 points from the next 4 – which says more about the team – top six form to relegation worries already.
Whilst I don’t think we will be in the relegation battle this season (famous last words) but neither do I see us as top 10. Lower middle is a more realistic aspiration.
I’m going for a draw tonight – purely on the non scientific basis that we haven’t drawn a game yet this season. That wouldn’t be a bad result for us against a much improved West Spam side.
Bloody hell Hitch, I think you’re right about Lansbury. I totally forgot about that.
Yes, I’d take a draw too.
Bl**dy hell – Fulham 2 up at Leicester after 42 minutes. What a silly season.
just watching fulham now and this is another case of getting your tactics right. fulham are deep denying foxes chances to counter them. seems like the teams that love to counter cant dictate the play and create chances when teams sit behind the ball. watched arsenal last night get caught similar fashion against wolves. arsenal had 50 passes before a shot and wolves had like 2 or 3 passes and shots.
i fancy villa tonight if they can keep antonio quiet. its gonna be a good game two teams that will be thinking of the three points. we will be able to play our natural game. i think we will see grealish inside behind watkins i also thing thats his best position. i hope traore can find his form and trez both will be wide of watkins. we will just sneak this game 1 2 grealish and watkins goals 45 and 69 mins
Leicester playing the trendy “keep possession at the back” and nearly conceding twice.
Talk about Kamikaze football.
How on earth has that utter crap become fashionable?
Probably another “keep ’em on the edge of their seats” tactic.
It annoys the hell out of me and I don’t know how managers tolerate it, myself.
A predictable first eleven with Hourihane replacing Barkley. No Davis on the bench so assume he is injured as we don’t have a recognised striker on the bench
You would think we’ll have to get a player or two in, in the window.
And not the likes of Drinkwater or Baston.
I’m guessing whoever sanctioned those was on a nice earner.
Holte – I read he was back in training but not yet ready to return. I’m becoming concerned he’s the new ‘sick note’ and there’s been some notable names in that department. That’s not to suggest he’s maligning, more that he’s injury prone.
hourihane starts so grealish will be left and trez right it will be either hourihane or mcgin behind watkins.
you have to give credit to fulham making foxes pass it aimlessly at back. fulham denied any space for foxes, they need to speed up the passing and get it wide quicker to barnes.
Credit to Fulham, Nath, yes.
But surely it has to be row Z from the defence?
Any kind of a win would do me. Not looking forward to the game. We really need at least a point. 3 defeats in 4 is a wobble. 4 in 5 would look ominous.
Home draw against Pool in the cup.
That’s lucky, with all the minnows left in there.
Let’s hope we whup them like we did last time.
Hmm.
Why do I worry about our defence even more than normal?
Back to old ways
Haha. That’s pathetic 🙁
Pathetic
Hands up, Conor is pulling the strings for us.
Everybody else is meh.
And then Grealish goes stright down the middle and makes his own goal.
Quality.
1-1
Sounds like we’re pressing well. Come on Villa!!!
We need this. The Brighton defeat was painful.
It’s like watching a friendly, Bum Bum.
Yesssss!!!!
Looking better after a sluggish start. Mings poor decision making just before half time – just whack it out!
McGinn still looks off the pace though.