Q & A vs. Manchester United

[S_E_A]

Hello all, I come in peace.

I am the creator of a Manchester United website called Stretford End Arising.

I am currently in the process of putting together a match preview for Aston Villa vs. Manchester United. Normally match previews on Stretford End Arising include the thoughts of an opposition fan with the aim of offering a balanced view. Here is an example preview for the game vs. Newcastle: http://www.stretfordendarising.com/2011/11/25/match-preview-manchester-united-vs-newcastle-united/

To the site owner and mods, can I ask several questions to forum members? A link to this forum will be included in the published article.

We did something similar last season: http://www.stretfordendarising.com/2010/11/12/other-side-of-coin-villa-fans-on-o%E2%80%99neill-saturday%E2%80%99s-match-and-more/

Cheers,
Andrew

[DBTW]

If you need to email, mine is davidbytheway@gmail.com

Always willing to chat to the opposition.

Cheers Pal

[Chipsticks]

I'd be up for offering my opinions, PM me if you like.

[supertommykN'iba]

Same, happy to answer your questions. Drop me a PM if needs be.

[S_E_A]

Hello all, thank you for the kind response.

Here are questions:

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?
2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?
3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?
4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?
5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?

[Dave Cooper please]

Expect some right misery arsed replies to questions 1-4!

[olaftab]

On assumption that you are from Manchester than I will respect you  and answer your question

Hello all, thank you for the kind response.

Here are questions:

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game?
I think you are doable this year however if Eck selects the right team. SAF may not select Ash Young. I hate all  player once they leave us however  on a scale of 1-10 (10 moste hated) Ash is 4 and Downing is 10.
What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt?
Don't go there. I am very disappointed with this man and his very negative approach. he thinks Spurs  were Barca and lost the game easily by poor selection and tactics. If he does the same on Saturday it will be 0-0 because you are currently not as good as Spurs.What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?
This united team is weak in midfield with no real class. This could be exploited by a progressive coach however Eck will not do that. He will select Heskey and try to kill the game.
2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?
Start is OK  with only 3 losses however far too many draws. We should have won at Sunderland and QPR and won some of the home games  with a bit more open approach.  I would like us to finish at least 7th and get into Europa league.
3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?
Being ex Blues has no bearing. Being a rubbish coach does. We have appointed a man who is responsible for two relgations from the PL. No need to say anything else.
4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?
There was a "private" problem that has now been dealt with so I expect him to be ...well on the bench on saturday with Heskey on the pitch...and my heart sinks! Bannan is class.
5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?
I put that down to Gabby himself. He is growing up and developing his game.

[Dave Cooper please]

Oh go on then:

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?

We will adopt a 9-0-1 formation and try to exploit your defence falling about laughing at our inept 'hoof it to Heskey and hope' tactic allowing Bent to nick one near the end.

2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?

We are mid-table obscurity by both method and ability. We'll finish 9th and bore the arse of everyone doing it.

3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?

First part, he was a safe appointment for the board's new fiscal policies, he won't demand money for transfers and he won't get us relegated. I don't care that he was at Small Heath but plenty of others do. Second part, do you need to ask?

4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?

Because he's been a very naughty boy. He'll start against you though I reckon.

5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?

He is the hardest working player we have, he will have looked at his form last season, worked out what he was doing wrong and worked his bollocks off to correct them.

[pauliewalnuts]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?

It'll be staggeringly defensive. I won't be surprised if we play an extra defender and stick two on Ashley Young for 90 minutes, even if he's on the bench.

The weakness he'll exploit is that the match only lasts 90 mins, so a good chance to keep the score down.

2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?

Thus far, reasonable results, largely rubbish opponents, delivered with no flair. We could finish about 8th, but only if we tried, which we won't.

3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?

Was utterly gobsmacked. Not because he used to manage them, but that our board thought it was a good idea. Nothing in his record suggests it would be.

What brand of football? The brand that involves cacking your pants every time you play a team in the top half, showing next to no ambition to actually win, and which involves centre halves lumping the ball up to an expensive striker who is usually in a different post code, he's so detached from the game.

4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?

He won't be playing on Saturday because Emile Heskey offers so much more in midfield. Oh yes. It's like watching Roberto Baggio in his prime as he sprays passes around. The big man really is a legend.

5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?

Last year he was played out of position a fair amount, and also bulked up with too much gym work, which seemed to cost him some of his pace. He's doing very well indeed this year.

[Lambert and Payne]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?
As much as I'd like a 4 2 3 1 with a good fast counter attack it will be as Coops says, 9-0-1. Your lack of creativity is a worry and I dont rate Ferdinand any more, but we won't get over the half-way line except for Collins lumping the high ball to Bent
2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?
Pretty un-inspiring, extremely dull and frustratingly boring. Should have picked up more wins and that defeat to Baggies really does still hurt. Should have beat QPR, Sunderland and Newcastle to name just a few
3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?
I said from the start if Eck wins against manure he'll win the fans over, but he's taken shite to a new level so it's gunna be a long dark road until anything changes. Being from SHA really doesn't bother me, but other than a record in Scotland he's got nothing. And the football, not to put too fine a point on it: Its shite
4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?
He had a bit of trouble a few weeks back you may be aware of and hopefully he's learned a valuable lesson, I can actually agree with Eck over why he's been left out although he maybe could have tried a different player than the big man
5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?
Alot more confidence in his ability and I believe he gets on well with Eck, Gabby needs someone to put an arm around his shoulder every now and again to remind him how good he is. He's a Villa man and he loves us, potentially he can be up there with all time great strikers

[supertommykN'iba]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?
I think that if we played a proper team, we'd have a chance of at least getting a draw. However I think most Villa fans at the moment are quite aware that Heskey somehow is almost guaranteed a spot in midfield, even though he has contributed nothing this season, once again. We will play a 4-5-1, transforming into 4-3-2-1. The main weaknesses I can see I believe have been pointed out - Creativity & Rio Ferdinand. Will McLeish look to exploit these? Probably not.
2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?
Hmmm, we haven't lost many, which is a good sign, but we've only won 3 games, which is an awful sign. 8th is a false position, in fact I'm not even sure how we got there. We won't finish higher and won't finish much lower, the PL this season has some shocking teams.
3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?
I was delighted with Eck coming in as I had wanted him for a fair while. However, I thought that the better quality of players he has here would have changed his infamous brand of rubbish football. He certainly prefers not losing to winning, and you will likely see the Villa fans showing their anger during the game on Saturday.
4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?
The Drink Driving thing got him a suspension from the club, but he is back in the fold now. I think another reason why he isn't playing is the same with Stephen Ireland. McLeish's tactics don't tend to hold a place for players like these two. Not big enough, not dirty enough.
5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?
I think McLeish, like O'Neill did, has really taken care of Gabby. He loves the Villa and has recently expressed his desire to stay for the rest of his career. I think the fact he hasn't got Downing and Young in front of him as Automatic Starters will have meant he will want to grab his chance this time round and hopefully not get replaced anywhere in the squad, whether playing left, right or centre.

[Dave Clark Five]

Stretford End Arising. Is there any Creedence to this?

[TheSandman]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Alex McLeish likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will McLeish look to exploit?

I anticipate we will set out quite defensively. Against Spurs we went with Alan Hutton in wide midfield ahead of Carlos Cuellar and I wouldn't be too surprised if we went with something like that again. Emile Heskey will definitely start too. This season our tactics seem to be based more on stopping the oppositions strengths rather than targeting their weaknesses so unless your side have a weakness for being bored to death or cannot deal with aimless long punts from the centre half I doubt we will be exploiting many weaknesses.

2. What are your thoughts on Aston Villa’s start to the season? Where can Villa finish in the league this season?

We're not doing too badly. We're currently eighth which is where we are about ability wise in the squad. My main issue is with the fact we've had a pretty easy run so far and next month we face a pretty tough run of fixtures so we probably won't be 8th come christmas. By the end of the season I expect we will be in midtable. Eighth at best and maybe twelfth at worst. Anything below that and it will be a poor season IMO. It definitely won't be an exciting season though.

3. Thoughts on Alex McLeish's appointment, given he was previously at Birmingham? What brand of football does he prefer?

At the time, I was not really concerned about where he had came from but rather his brand of football. Last season, I felt Blues were by far the worst footballing side in the league (Whatever the wrongs of Stoke's football at least they aimed to score goals). However, I did think at the time that could have been down to the small budget he had to deal with and had he been backed more he could have built a better side that played better football. So far we are playing a pretty poor standard of football which is pretty poor. I do think McLeish likes to play negative football due to a deep fear of losing. Hopefully, we will get better as time goes on.
 
4. Barry Bannan has the potential to become a very good player. Why isn't he playing?

He did start to get some regular football prior to his suspension by the club due to the drink driving incident but since he has came back he's not been getting regular starts. I'm hopeful that in the coming weeks that will be rectified. The thing is I don't think McLeish likes picking young players partly due to his fear of losing. In spite of some poor performances from players who have been given multiple chances (Hutton, Heskey, Collins, Warnock and N'Zogbia being the standout examples) youngsters like Bannan, Albrighton, Gardner and Clark haven't been getting chances.

5. Agbonlahor has been much better this season than last, what do you put this down to?

A number of reasons. First of all, he was never happy under Gerard Houllier who seemed to have a novel approach to man management which involved alienating half the first team squad (though in all honesty Gabby would have been the only player who you would consider any great loss) and is benefiting from playing under McLeish a manager who clearly rates him. Gabby has always been a great player and he has got better each season and we're seeing that again now that he's got over the confidence and injury issues that dogged him last season. I also think that without Ashley Young and Stewart Downing Gabbs has been able to become our key player by playing the roles that they would have played in the past as he has moved into wider positions this season.

[S_E_A]

Some brilliant answers lads... ha ha. Thank you!

[S_E_A]

Stretford End Arising. Is there any Creedence to this?

Aye. Bad Moon Rising.