Sunderland preview

[Godfrey Brian]

1. It'll be a 1-1 draw about which I'll moan until I remember I'd have paid for that result a few weeks ago!

2. Not turned a corner fully but certainly happy to be going round the bend about the club again.

3.No, I think the players know that the manager hasn't settled on his first picks yet so will be focussed on  claiming their own places and avoiding relegation.

[silhillvilla]

Trying to decide what CD's to load in the car for the 8 hour round trip.
Boy , October, war, Joshua tree.
Perhaps some Coldplay.
Anyone want a lift

[BC54 VFC]

Trying to decide what CD's to load in the car for the 8 hour round trip.
Boy , October, war, Joshua tree.

Don't let Chris see this.

[pauliewalnuts]

Trying to decide what CD's to load in the car for the 8 hour round trip.
Boy , October, war, Joshua tree.

Well, it's a pretty decent way of ensuring the Villa performance isn't the most depressing part of the day, I'll give you that.

[pauliewalnuts]

Sunderland seem determined to get relegated.

I don't know what is happening there, I always assumed Ellis Short was quite a switched-on owner, but he seems to make some poor appointments.

When they appointed Di Canio, was there genuinely a single person in the entire world who didn't think that would end fairly quickly, and in tears?

[DB]

I think the FA cup will have players raising their game so they are in the team at Wembley. But Tim is doing that anyway. No way is it a negative distraction though.

[peter w]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're well and congratulations on beating West Brom to get to Wembley!

My name's Sam Lightle and I'm just getting in touch regarding a preview article I'm writing about Aston Villa for Sportsbyte ahead of their clash with Sunderland on Saturday.

Our site mainly focuses on Sunderland news so it's always good to get the views of opposing teams. I've listed the questions below if you wouldn't mind answering them for me.

1. Unbeaten in your last two games - are you confident of continuing that against Sunderland this weekend and why?

2. You haven't won on the road in your last six matches - do you feel Villa have turned a corner since Sherwood has taken over?

3. With Wembley coming up for you - do you feel the side might be side tracked by that ahead of this huge match against Sunderland and why?

It would be great to hear back from you.

Cheers,

Sam Lightle

Villa have had a great week and I've been out tonight so these answers will be somewhat skewed from reality but;

1. Yes. Because we've no confidence for most of the season so two games with a 4-1 aggregate win means I'n delirious.

2. The Villa you're seeing is not the sleepwalking to relegation Villa we were under Lambert. We really could still go but at least we look like we want it now.

3. No. We want this. "e want the 3 points because we know what a defeat means. We're coming for you and will go for it. If we lose it will be a reality check I don't want for at least a month.

[tomd2103]

1- This is undoubtedly a game that Villa need to target for a win. It's absolutely essential we win this because Sunderland are in a bit of a mess right now. From our point of view we've got to win this. Of course Sunderland will feel the same too. I fancy us to win it though. We're in a run of form, confidence is high and our attacking players have suddenly woken up.
2- It seems that way. I didn't think we were too bad against Newcastle before their goal. Sherwood has pretty quickly drilled into this side some attacking intent. We've given West Brom a couple of sound beatings. Particularly the first game we could have been 3-4 up at half time. Paul Lambert sent out his sides to take up space on the pitch and nothing more. No ambition. No competitiveness. Just a sigh. Sherwood certainly has a winning mentality that seems infectious. He won't stand for what Lambert (for far too long) deemed acceptable.
3- No I don't think so. For a start Sherwood has shown he's not afraid to chop and change. Players will want to make damn sure they earn a place in the Wembley game. Likewise survival is essential.

At least there now seems to be genuine competition for places in the starting XI.  If Kozak and Senderos can get back to full fitness in the next couple of weeks, then they will add extra competition. 

[ChicagoLion]

Hi Sam

I hope you're well and congratulations on beating West Brom to get to Wembley! Thanks


1. Unbeaten in your last two games - are you confident of continuing that against Sunderland this weekend and why?
No not at al, it will be a tough match and I think a draw.

2. You haven't won on the road in your last six matches - do you feel Villa have turned a corner since Sherwood has taken over?
It could not have been any worse before, if Lambert was still in charge we would almot certainly would have lost. The difference is that we now have hope.

3. With Wembley coming up for you - do you feel the side might be side tracked by that ahead of this huge match against Sunderland and why?

No I don't think this will be the case, more likely we have expended a lot of energy this week

It would be great to hear back from you.

Back to being OK with Mackams since you got rid of Judas

Cheers,

Sam Lightle

[Richard E]

Is any sort of tribute being planned for before the game on Saturday for the people who tragically lost their lives in the carnage at Villa Park last Saturday night?

[Phil from the upper holte]

1. Unbeaten in your last two games - are you confident of continuing that against Sunderland this weekend and why?

Yes confidence is growing and I believe Sherwood will have them pumped up. We suddenly look like scoring

2. You haven't won on the road in your last six matches - do you feel Villa have turned a corner since Sherwood has taken over?

We are mistakingly described as a counter attacking team, we haven't been for a while now, I believe we'll try and play on the front foot. I think with Sunderland low on confidence we can get something even if it's a point

3. With Wembley coming up for you - do you feel the side might be side tracked by that ahead of this huge match against Sunderland and why?

No, Sherwood has said there is no point in getting relegated and winning the cup, he'll tell them to forget it and look to the league game ahead

[AVH87]

1. Unbeaten in your last two games - are you confident of continuing that against Sunderland this weekend and why?

Yes I'm confident of avoiding defeat, although I feel a draw is the most likely outcome.

2. You haven't won on the road in your last six matches - do you feel Villa have turned a corner since Sherwood has taken over?

Too early to say turned a corner as we've won one league game in months and are in the thick of a relegation battle which we need to win.

3. With Wembley coming up for you - do you feel the side might be side tracked by that ahead of this huge match against Sunderland and why?

Not ahead of this game, no. I'll be slightly worried about league games close to the Semi-Final date though.

[ChicagoLion]

Is Johnson in charge of the Mascots?

[silhillvilla]

Is this the pre match thread