Aston Villa v Norwich City Pre-Match Thread

[paul richard]

Aston Villa 1 Norwich City 4. Goalscorer: Simon Stainrod

[AV5nobs]

The Miracle, we need Elevation so 3:1 Villa.

[TheMalandro]

The slow, painful exit of Steve Bruce continued.

Sacked Monday 21st August 2017.

[TheTimVilla]

1-0 win.

Gareth Barry leaves West Brom Unsworth style because of too long a commute to Smethwick due to M5 roadworks and signs for Villa in time to start against Norwich. John Terry battering Barry out the way leaving him unconscious has a header tipped round the post with a blatant handball by a Norwich defender. While Barry is off the pitch for treatment, the penalty is taken, it's saved by the keeper but comes off the post and Barry sprints on the pitch to knock in the rebound Graydon style. 30,000 Villa fans have just one question. 

Have you seen Andrew Greaves lately?

[ozzjim]

1 all. Team selection should be interesting though.  I would throw Davis in from the start because he has presence and might give us more of an outlet with Adomah right and Green left, Hourihane in behind. Then Whelan and Lyden sitting in front of the back 4. Lyden is a worker and can cover some of the ground Whelan can't.  Bree has to play right back too.

[Axl Rose]

1-2

Poisonous atmosphere.

Lance the boil (potato) and move forward with a better manager, whoever that may be.

[Lsvilla]

First game of the season for me - tickets still not arrived - is it bad that part of me is thinking f*@k it if they don't come rather than queue up before the game I'll go to Edgbaston instead (where 4 mates have a spare that I was going to use after the game anyway)

[Skerra]

With a fair wind behind us, lots of finger crossing and, a little help from the referee, I'm going for a 1-1 draw... possibly!!

[Chris Smith]

I am dreading it. Unless we get off to a good start the mood will quickly turn with fans competing with each other to see who can be the most outraged and then the inevitable arguments that follow. Being mightily pissed off is understandable, using it as an excuse to have a go at others is not.

[KRS]

Pretty sure Bruce will approach this with a must not lose mentality so expect an even more defensive lineup than usual especially with our lack of options up front. Norwich will be coming here full of confidence after their win last night so it's essential that we get off to a solid start and get an early goal. If we concede first then the atmosphere could turn as equally dire and toxic as the remaining minutes on the pitch. It's not going to be pretty.

[RussellC]

Changes are needed. And not just rotating Lansbury and Hourihane again.

I'd throw Jordan Lyden in. Whelan was anonymous on Tuesday night and Lyden looked good for the U23s the other night.  I'd play Onomah where he was against Colchester, allowing us to play out through midfield, and I'd keep Hourihane. I know he was far from great on Tuesday, but he does carry a goal-threat and half-decent set-piece.

I'd keep De laet in, as I think he'll be our best right-back with a few more games under his belt. Up top I'd give Keinan Davis a start (assuming that Hogan's still injured). Therefore a 4-3-3 as follows;

Johnstone; De Laet, Chester, Terry, Taylor; Lyden, Onomah, Hourihane; Adomah, Davis, Green

Subs: Steer, Samba, Lansbury, Agbonlahor, O'Hare, Whelan, Hepburn-Murphy

That should be enough to get a nil-nil.

[Clampy]

Changes are needed. And not just rotating Lansbury and Hourihane again.

I'd throw Jordan Lyden in. Whelan was anonymous on Tuesday night and Lyden looked good for the U23s the other night.  I'd play Onomah where he was against Colchester, allowing us to play out through midfield, and I'd keep Hourihane. I know he was far from great on Tuesday, but he does carry a goal-threat and half-decent set-piece.

I'd keep De laet in, as I think he'll be our best right-back with a few more games under his belt. Up top I'd give Keinan Davis a start (assuming that Hogan's still injured). Therefore a 4-3-3 as follows;

Johnstone; De Laet, Chester, Terry, Taylor; Lyden, Onomah, Hourihane; Adomah, Davis, Green

Subs: Steer, Samba, Lansbury, Agbonlahor, O'Hare, Whelan, Hepburn-Murphy

That should be enough to get a nil-nil.

From that, I'd have Bjork for Lyden and RHM for Davis. Bjork wasn't great the other night but if Lansbury can get a run in the side, then so should he.

[Jimbo]

They're going to bum us back to an agrarian society.

[JUAN PABLO]

i think we sneaked a win against these when we were going on an awful run before.

so Bruce has to win this .   1-1      another slow death and bruce blaming everyone but himself 'It's the fans fault we did not win for getting hyped about Callum starting '

[RussellC]

Changes are needed. And not just rotating Lansbury and Hourihane again.

I'd throw Jordan Lyden in. Whelan was anonymous on Tuesday night and Lyden looked good for the U23s the other night.  I'd play Onomah where he was against Colchester, allowing us to play out through midfield, and I'd keep Hourihane. I know he was far from great on Tuesday, but he does carry a goal-threat and half-decent set-piece.

I'd keep De laet in, as I think he'll be our best right-back with a few more games under his belt. Up top I'd give Keinan Davis a start (assuming that Hogan's still injured). Therefore a 4-3-3 as follows;

Johnstone; De Laet, Chester, Terry, Taylor; Lyden, Onomah, Hourihane; Adomah, Davis, Green

Subs: Steer, Samba, Lansbury, Agbonlahor, O'Hare, Whelan, Hepburn-Murphy

That should be enough to get a nil-nil.

From that, I'd have Bjork for Lyden and RHM for Davis. Bjork wasn't great the other night but if Lansbury can get a run in the side, then so should he.

I’ve got to be honest. I’ve not seen anything from BB to even warrant a place in the squad. With Lansbury, he’s clearly a good footballer, capable of having an impact at this level. He’s proven that, albeit at other clubs.

That’s much, much more than I can say for Bjarnasson who doesn’t seem to offer anything at all. The way he was so comfortably and frequently eased-off the ball on Tuesday, by a reading side who are far from being the most physical in the division, was highly alarming. He doesn’t seem to have the pace to compensate for his lack of strength either. That said, he doesn’t seem to be particularly adept at anything football-related. Harsh, I know, but how many how many chances should you afford somebody who’s yet to anything even remotely good?

He needs a couple of games for the U23s in my opinion. If he fails to have an impact in these he should be moved on asap.