Q & A vs. Manchester United

[PeterWithesShin]

4: Alan Hutton. If I was Mr Premier Reague i'd snap him up for £10million right now.

[rob_bridge]

Got to love question 4. Makes me feel like a sheep in a pen.

Don't tell him Pike

[Risso]

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

2. What are your thoughts on Villa’s start to the 2012-13 season? What are you expectations for the season?

3. What are your thoughts on Lambert? What were your thoughts on his appointment and is he the man to take Villa forward? What brand/style of football does he prefer?

4. Who are the young (U21s & U18s) Villa players worth keeping any eye on?

1)  We've got so used to losing to Man U that I don't think many Villa fans are expecting very much from the game, especially given our poor start to the season.  However, at least we're coming in off a much needed win, and so confidence should be high.  I hope he'll pick the same team that played so well against Sunderland.  It was easily our best performance of the season, but I fear he'll revert to playing the hopeless Fabian Delph because of his perceived (but in reality non-existent) ball winning abilities.  Our summer signing Benteke is big and strong and in a rich vein of form, so I think he'll look to bully the United central defenders, and leave space for the likes of Agbonlahor and Ireland to exploit.  If he leaves Bent on the Bench again, then he'd be used in the last half an hour to try and nick a goal.

2) Our start to the season has been very disappointing.  Last season was an absolute disaster thanks mainly to the most stupid managerial appointment in the history of football, and while I don't think anybody was expecting miracles from Lambert, I certainly hoped that having a new manager who had a few quid to spend would lead to a better start than we've made.  The worry is that although we're generally playing much better than last year, we haven't put enough points on the board, and now have three extremely difficult games starting with you lot.

3) As stated above, the start under Lambert hasn't been very good, but although there have been a few mutterings, most fans are prepared to give him time, as he does at least seem to have a plan, which sets him apart from the previous managers.  He was always going to get a decent honeymoon period after the sacking of the abysmal McLeish.  He seems to want to play a passing game, based on a team full of young, mainly lower league players who have a big appetite to do well.  He showed this at Norwich of course, but I think it's a very risky strategy and so far the results haven't been great.  If we stay up this season, then hopefully he'll push on and take us back towards the top 6 where we feel we belong.

4) You'll probably see most of them playing or on the bench tomorrow!  Gary Gardner (brother of Craig) is rated very highly, but is out with a long term injury at the moment.  My favourite young player is Weimann, the Austrian striker who will hopefully play some part tomorrow.  That lad is quality, and will go on to be a real star I reckon.

[dave.woodhall]

4) Alan Hutton. I doubt he'll be playing tomorrow but he's one for the future. Tell Sirallix to keep an eye on him. In fact, don't mess around else you'll lose him. Snap him up immediately. 

[Risso]

Likewise, Stephen W. Arnock is a cracking up and coming left back.  We sent him on loan to a Championship team, not because he's crap, but just to give him some much needed experience.  We did the same with Gary Cahill and look how good he is now.....

[MonsXI]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Paul Lambert likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will Lambert look to exploit?
I think all the realists in our support know that there's very little chance of us getting anything from the game due to the gulf in class.

Hopefully PL goes with the team that battled up at the SOL last weekend.

I don't see any real weaknesses in your team but hopefully if Benteke is up for it he may cause Ferdinand a few problems.

2. What are your thoughts on Villa’s start to the 2012-13 season? What are you expectations for the season?

It's a transitional season for us, obviously some games we just haven't been good enough but there a few things that leave me feeling optimistic about the future.

3. What are your thoughts on Lambert? What were your thoughts on his appointment and is he the man to take Villa forward? What brand/style of football does he prefer?

Overjoyed when he got the job I like his philosophy and I think he represents the club well which is important! I would definitely say he is the man to take us forward and hopefully Randy Lerner does too and backs him.

After last season it is nice to see us trying to play decent football it's a gradual thing but with a few additions I think we may be ready to challenge for Europa spots in a year or two.

4. Who are the young (U21s & U18s) Villa players worth keeping any eye on?

Personally I like the look of Grealish, Drennan and Carruthers. The latter broke into the first team last year due to a lack of bodies and didn't do badly I just hope that him having to go back to reserve football isn't going to harm his development as a player.

[Billy Walker]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Paul Lambert likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will Lambert look to exploit?
I think all the realists in our support know that there's very little chance of us getting anything from the game due to the gulf in class.

I don't think there's a gulf in class over most areas of the pitch.  There's a gulf in confidence, at the moment, by all means, but we've got some very talented players, too.  As an example they have Smalling at the back - if he was still at Fulham would we even have noticed him?  Ciaran Clark, for my money, is the far better prospect and all round player.  We also have Ron Vlaar who plays centre half for Holland!  He must be a half decent player, surely?  Like I say, the gulf is not in terms of class, it's attitude and confidence.  Villa are a young side with plenty of potential - I don't think some of our players even know their own potential yet. 

[Billy Walker]

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

2. What are your thoughts on Villa’s start to the 2012-13 season? What are you expectations for the season?

3. What are your thoughts on Lambert? What were your thoughts on his appointment and is he the man to take Villa forward? What brand/style of football does he prefer?

4. Who are the young (U21s & U18s) Villa players worth keeping any eye on?

Any young Man Utd players worth keeping an eye on?  Apart from the lad, Brady, is there anybody else?

[Holtenderinthesky]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Paul Lambert likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will Lambert look to exploit?
I think all the realists in our support know that there's very little chance of us getting anything from the game due to the gulf in class.

I don't think there's a gulf in class over most areas of the pitch.

I have to say that is an incredible statement.

[Billy Walker]

1. What are your thoughts on Saturday’s game? What team is Paul Lambert likely to select and what formation will he adopt? What weaknesses in United’s team will Lambert look to exploit?
I think all the realists in our support know that there's very little chance of us getting anything from the game due to the gulf in class.

I don't think there's a gulf in class over most areas of the pitch.

I have to say that is an incredible statement.

It's my belief.  If we were doing this kind of thing four years ago, and we had a team with Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, Milner etc in the side, we would still have Villa supporters stating Man Utd's players are far, far better.  It seems you stick someone in one of their shirts and all of a sudden they are a million times better than a Villa player.  I don't buy into that.  Aside from RVP and Rooney I'm not quite sure how we can say Man Utd are overflowing with class.  Is there a huge gulf between Benteke and Hernandez?  Is there a huge gulf between Gabby (on form) and Young (on form)?  I don't think so.  Johnny Evans of Northern Ireland - is he class? 

Just to add, this is the ridiculous mindset we seem to have lumbered ourselves with when playing this lot these past fifteen years.   

[S_E_A]

Here's the match preview: http://www.stretfordendarising.com/2012/11/09/match-preview-aston-villa-vs-manchester-united-2/?

Thank you for participating.

[silhillvilla]

The worst thing we could potentially do is take an early lead.

[Lambert and Payne]

The worst thing we could potentially do is take an early lead.

Yep, I remember a game against them in MONs 2nd season I think it was when Gabby scored the 1st for us and I felt for certain it was the year. They ended up winning 4-1 and I remember their fans singing throughout half time. Last year was the 1st time in my life I didn't think it was the year to beat them. I don't think we'll win tomorrow, but it wouldn't surprise me...

[PeterWithesShin]

The worst thing we could potentially do is take an early lead.

Yep, I remember a game against them in MONs 2nd season I think it was when Gabby scored the 1st for us and I felt for certain it was the year. They ended up winning 4-1 and I remember their fans singing throughout half time. Last year was the 1st time in my life I didn't think it was the year to beat them. I don't think we'll win tomorrow, but it wouldn't surprise me...

Was that the game we ended with 9 men?

[Risso]

The worst thing we could potentially do is take an early lead.

I don't know, being 4-0 down after 10 minutes would be pretty shit as well!