Aston Villa vs Fulham Championship Play-Off Final Pre-Match Thread

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

My team would be;
.......................................Johnston.............................................
Hutton..............Chester................Terry................Elhomady.........
.......................Jedinak................Bjarnson..................................
....Snodgrass..................Grealish.................Adomah....................
....................................Grabban................................................

It's harsh on Hourinhaninho who doesn't deserve to be left out but I think we need Grealish having a freer role and could do with Bjarnson holding with Jedinak

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Good post, Bronté. I want to see us bring the ball forward not only through Albert and Snoddy but through the middle. We're very predictable and we need to add to relying on those two and Jack, who normally spends the first half very deep. I expect Bruce to keep a tight back line so we need all the midfield to work together. Assuming Jedi plays, I'd still be tempted to bring in BB in place of Hourihane. He always looks for a forward ball where as Connor slows things down.

Whoever plays, we've got to increase the number of shots on goal. We can't be looking to do an Arsenal and play the ball into the net, or the perfect ball for Grabban, we need to let them feel constantly under pressure. Fulham like to sit back first half, passing it around and tire teams out chasing the ball before stepping it up second half. We'll have a strong bench and players there that should be able to slot in so I'm not too concerned about tiring legs.

Uncle Albert needs to up his game. He's been relatively quiet this year but again we have options. Jack and Snoddy must maintain their brilliant link up play, oh and it's about time Snoddy let Jedi take a free kick once in a while. That said, the game will be decided in midfield. We're good enough, we just have to go out and deliver. Bruce seems delighted with preparations, so let's just go out there and smash our way back to the PL.

FTF

[Bad English]

Elmo is injured PMcGN5S!

[brontebilly]

Good post, Bronté. I want to see us bring the ball forward not only through Albert and Snoddy but through the middle. We're very predictable and we need to add to relying on those two and Jack, who normally spends the first half very deep. I expect Bruce to keep a tight back line so we need all the midfield to work together. Assuming Jedi plays, I'd still be tempted to bring in BB in place of Hourihane. He always looks for a forward ball where as Connor slows things down.

Whoever plays, we've got to increase the number of shots on goal. We can't be looking to do an Arsenal and play the ball into the net, or the perfect ball for Grabban, we need to let them feel constantly under pressure. Fulham like to sit back first half, passing it around and tire teams out chasing the ball before stepping it up second half. We'll have a strong bench and players there that should be able to slot in so I'm not too concerned about tiring legs.

Uncle Albert needs to up his game. He's been relatively quiet this year but again we have options. Jack and Snoddy must maintain their brilliant link up play, oh and it's about time Snoddy let Jedi take a free kick once in a while. That said, the game will be decided in midfield. We're good enough, we just have to go out and deliver. Bruce seems delighted with preparations, so let's just go out there and smash our way back to the PL.

FTF

Hourihane is one of our mostly likely sources of a goal though. None of our other players have his ability to break into the box or shoot from distance. I accept he can be a passenger without the ball, is horribly one sided and can hide a bit from getting the ball off the back...

Tough one

[mallo]

I really hope we win in 90 as we are older and Bruce will have considered that (apologies if written elsewhere as I am new to the thread. I’d say 2-1 as we know how to beat them and I think we can take villa park to Wembley more than they can take craven to Wembley edit - they’re not as good away. That said it’s always going to be close especially first half so I expect a nail biter. I’m saying nothing more and I put my trust in JT to spell it out to everyone and try and counteract nerves and occasion - if anyone can he can. For every worry about every player we have, Fulham like for like have never come through the struggle - I’m pinning my hat on that. Weather a 15 minute storm of Adrenalin on their part and we should win. Score first and I’d put something smaller than my house on it.

Actually we got 2 points more than they did (49 to 47). They had a much better away record than we did.

I meant two more Home points

You're right - apologies, not sure where I got the Fulham away not great thing from. 49-47 home / 34-41 away. God help us ;-) I think the experience over youth will win out. Our players will back themselves to win based on experience (well some of them) whereas Fulham are going on trust, which can be fragile.

[mallo]

BronteBilly - Mitrovic has had a rich vein of form recently but he is prone to the red rag so I imagine Terry will be doing his level best there. We live in hope...

[andyh]

I honestly think we will win far more comfortably than we imagine.
We will hit top form and cruise to a 3-1 win in normal time and we’ll all wonder what the fuss was about.

[LeeB]

Good post, Bronté. I want to see us bring the ball forward not only through Albert and Snoddy but through the middle. We're very predictable and we need to add to relying on those two and Jack, who normally spends the first half very deep. I expect Bruce to keep a tight back line so we need all the midfield to work together. Assuming Jedi plays, I'd still be tempted to bring in BB in place of Hourihane. He always looks for a forward ball where as Connor slows things down.

Whoever plays, we've got to increase the number of shots on goal. We can't be looking to do an Arsenal and play the ball into the net, or the perfect ball for Grabban, we need to let them feel constantly under pressure. Fulham like to sit back first half, passing it around and tire teams out chasing the ball before stepping it up second half. We'll have a strong bench and players there that should be able to slot in so I'm not too concerned about tiring legs.

Uncle Albert needs to up his game. He's been relatively quiet this year but again we have options. Jack and Snoddy must maintain their brilliant link up play, oh and it's about time Snoddy let Jedi take a free kick once in a while. That said, the game will be decided in midfield. We're good enough, we just have to go out and deliver. Bruce seems delighted with preparations, so let's just go out there and smash our way back to the PL.

FTF

Hourihane is one of our mostly likely sources of a goal though. None of our other players have his ability to break into the box or shoot from distance. I accept he can be a passenger without the ball, is horribly one sided and can hide a bit from getting the ball off the back...

Tough one

I agree, but will say he was like a man possesed against Boro at home. I think he made more tackles than everybody else on the pitch together.

[walsall villain]

I really hope we win in 90 as we are older and Bruce will have considered that (apologies if written elsewhere as I am new to the thread. I’d say 2-1 as we know how to beat them and I think we can take villa park to Wembley more than they can take craven to Wembley edit - they’re not as good away. That said it’s always going to be close especially first half so I expect a nail biter. I’m saying nothing more and I put my trust in JT to spell it out to everyone and try and counteract nerves and occasion - if anyone can he can. For every worry about every player we have, Fulham like for like have never come through the struggle - I’m pinning my hat on that. Weather a 15 minute storm of Adrenalin on their part and we should win. Score first and I’d put something smaller than my house on it.

Actually we got 2 points more than they did (49 to 47). They had a much better away record than we did.

I meant two more Home points

You're right - apologies, not sure where I got the Fulham away not great thing from. 49-47 home / 34-41 away. God help us ;-) I think the experience over youth will win out. Our players will back themselves to win based on experience (well some of them) whereas Fulham are going on trust, which can be fragile.

I’m holding on to the thought that if Small Heath can beat them then we must have a chance

[tomd2103]

Trying to be somewhat rational here but is our best chance dependent on Fulham freezing?

Concerns

- Snodgrass won't be as well suited to covering their dangerman (Sessegnon) as AA did in the semi with Traore
- Fulham are far more mobile in the middle than any of our options, particularly the likely duo of Jedinak and Hourihane
- leadership aside is there any technical reason for playing Jedinak, Fulham won't be hoofing too many long balls onto Mitrovic. Would Bjarnasson offer us a bit more and help keep the ball better
- have we anyone likely to stop Cairney dictating the play
- lack of options maybe but Grabban isn't likely to offer too much as an option for getting us up the pitch, we don't seem overly suited to a counter attacking game
- Bree/Elmo at left back for most of the game won't be ideal in terms of keeping the ball or defensively.

Positives

- Davies did a great job of containing Mitrovic in the first leg. Terry and Chester should be capable of the same.
- Hutton to dominate Sessegnon, though he is a far better player than Traore..
- We have Grealish and plenty of goal threat in midfield.
- Grabban will always get a chance or two.
- We might have the edge on them for attacking set pieces.
- Far more experienced side

I'm not sure it is our full-backs who will have to worry about their full-backs.  From the times I have seen them this season, their wide attackers seem to try and pull the defending full-backs out wide and their full-backs look to exploit the spaces inside  hence Sessegnon ending up with so many goals.  It's the wingers who will have to track the runs of their full-backs and while Adomah is pretty sound defensively, Snodgrass showed in the semi-final game at Middlesbrough that he isn't.

[chrisw1]

There's a difference between being a small(ish) club and being small time. Small time is invading the pitch after Boro

or Derby perhaps, or looking to maximism sales when you know you've got what 18000 fans.

That is such an arrogant comment.  Just because they have an average attendance of 18-20k home fans it doesn't mean they only have 18k supporters.  If they can fill their end with casual fans who will wear white and cheer for them then why the fuck wouldn't they do that?  Should they say hands up Villa you are far bigger we wont even bother turning up?  Or should they be doing all they can to give their team the best possible advantage?

If the boot was on the other foot you would be furious at suggestions we offer the opposition any small advantage and would be suggesting we do all we can to keep the other sides allocation down.  A thousand or so scattered Villa fans in Fulham areas will make no tangible difference to the support on the day.  Offering us another block ok 10-15,000 tickets for a bigger sea of claret and blue would.

We used to pride ourselves on being classy.  I can see why other fans often thing we're just self entitled and arrogant.   

[eamonn]

Ouch!

[walsall villain]

There's a difference between being a small(ish) club and being small time. Small time is invading the pitch after Boro

or Derby perhaps, or looking to maximism sales when you know you've got what 18000 fans.

That is such an arrogant comment.  Just because they have an average attendance of 18-20k home fans it doesn't mean they only have 18k supporters.  If they can fill their end with casual fans who will wear white and cheer for them then why the fuck wouldn't they do that?  Should they say hands up Villa you are far bigger we wont even bother turning up?  Or should they be doing all they can to give their team the best possible advantage?

If the boot was on the other foot you would be furious at suggestions we offer the opposition any small advantage and would be suggesting we do all we can to keep the other sides allocation down.  A thousand or so scattered Villa fans in Fulham areas will make no tangible difference to the support on the day.  Offering us another block ok 10-15,000 tickets for a bigger sea of claret and blue would.

We used to pride ourselves on being classy.  I can see why other fans often thing we're just self entitled and arrogant.   

Well said. We’d be first to complain if Man united supporters were saying that about us (we are taking more than we average etc etc). Wembley is a great day out for all*, let both sets of fans enjoy it.

* well it should be, for some teams repeated visits mean its lost it’s magic

[Tony Erdington]

There's a difference between being a small(ish) club and being small time. Small time is invading the pitch after Boro

or Derby perhaps, or looking to maximism sales when you know you've got what 18000 fans.

They are fully entitled to sell their allocation how they like. I don't necessarily agree with it but they are a smaller club maximising their sales from an allocation they are entitled to, which is very different to being small time.

Really.

the selling of the tickets had nothing to do with them sending them back so as to stop the ground having more Villa in it? so sell on the basis they did. which left it open to exactly what's going on now.
the stewarding at Wembley will be more active than if Fulham acted more responsibly, But the proof will be seen Saturday.

we obviously have different opinions as to what small time is.

[amfy]

I think it was the bit when they offered tickets to people that'd been in the neutral end was the bit that was annoying.

If we had enough tickets, we do all have family, friends and neighbours who are at least nominally Villa, that might come along for the day out - and I would love that if we could do it! Even my brother expressed an interest in this game and he doesn't even like football - but it would have given me a chance to bring my nephew.

It's not so much Season Ticket holders getting 5 I have an issue with, I can even go with 5 for a Fulham booking history  - but people who have been in Fulham's neutral end, should be buying neutral tickets - and just like at Craven Cottage - if those ended up being mostly Villa, that would be fair - and safer.

Even when I went with PNE I needed to have some kind of booking history of my own - so I am amazed to see Fulham tickets offered to 'neutrals' in the way they have been - not just one each either!