WBA v Aston Villa. Play Off Semi Final Second Leg Pre-Match Thread

[brontebilly]

AA played himself out of the team on Sat I thought. Was getting in Elmos way for a lot of it. There might be a goal in Green, had another decent half chance late on Saturday.

Think Hourihane has to start. Two games in 4 days is a long way past Whelans capabilities. Hause for me comes in for Taylor too. Better on ball and crucially far better in air which WBA are going to target all game.

I think this game suits us and am confident we will do it. 2-1 win again with a vastly improved display from McGinn being key.

--------------'Steer
Elmo, Axel, Mings, Hause
--McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish
Green, Abraham, El Ghazi

Seems like they will have to go with a front 3 of Phillips, Rodriguez and Murphy. Rest of their team is very much injury dependent but I'll be delighted if Johansen doesn't make it.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Great post itmustbe_it is. I won't be there Tuesday, but I want the Villa fans who will be there to bring it home for the rest of us. I was in L1 Saturday and I couldnt see the bitters and I didnt hear a single sound from them. I know our fans will be loud and proud. UTV!

[PeterWithesShin]

Beat the Albion and go to Wembley? Humiliate Leeds at Wembley?

[Dazvillain]

AA played himself out of the team on Sat I thought. Was getting in Elmos way for a lot of it. There might be a goal in Green, had another decent half chance late on Saturday.

Think Hourihane has to start. Two games in 4 days is a long way past Whelans capabilities. Hause for me comes in for Taylor too. Better on ball and crucially far better in air which WBA are going to target all game.

I think this game suits us and am confident we will do it. 2-1 win again with a vastly improved display from McGinn being key.

--------------'Steer
Elmo, Axel, Mings, Hause
--McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish
Green, Abraham, El Ghazi

Seems like they will have to go with a front 3 of Phillips, Rodriguez and Murphy. Rest of their team is very much injury dependent but I'll be delighted if Johansen doesn't make it.

Agree with pretty much everything you say, inc team selection . It sounds much better if we say we score first and then they’ll need to reply with 3 to win, with a depleted attack

[tony scott]

I’m nervous it’s only halfway I’m hoping hoping Gayles replacement doesn’t become a hero ,Villa to make it on pens.

[mallo]

This is effectively us playing a Bruce side - lack of tactics and mobility relying on a spark of genius to edge it - they’re a decent side having come from the prem but much like a Bruce side they don’t have an inherent attacking philosophy. They might scrape one and sit on it like we did under Bruce, but they’re more likely to open up - but we have to take our chances - no more fluffed volleys or loose play. Having said all that, McGinn  has to come into the game and create at least 2 and have 2  Scoring chances!

[itmustbe_it is!]

Beat the Albion and go to Wembley? Humiliate Leeds at Wembley?

Love it !

[andyh]

AA played himself out of the team on Sat I thought. Was getting in Elmos way for a lot of it. There might be a goal in Green, had another decent half chance late on Saturday.

Think Hourihane has to start. Two games in 4 days is a long way past Whelans capabilities. Hause for me comes in for Taylor too. Better on ball and crucially far better in air which WBA are going to target all game.

I think this game suits us and am confident we will do it. 2-1 win again with a vastly improved display from McGinn being key.

--------------'Steer
Elmo, Axel, Mings, Hause
--McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish
Green, Abraham, El Ghazi

Seems like they will have to go with a front 3 of Phillips, Rodriguez and Murphy. Rest of their team is very much injury dependent but I'll be delighted if Johansen doesn't make it.

A great way of putting it, yes AA did play himself out of the team.
Both Kodjia and Green offer nothing defensively, but  Kodj offers that bit of guile and unpredictability that could cause mayhem. He gets the start for me.

[West Derby Villan]

I think Whelan ought to start. In hindsight, given that they parked the bus on Saturday, that should've been Hourihane's start. They'll come at us on Tuesday so I think we need Whelan in there with CH to come on second half.

Totally agree SE, calm experienced head required with a goal scoring option waiting in the wings

[brontebilly]

AA played himself out of the team on Sat I thought. Was getting in Elmos way for a lot of it. There might be a goal in Green, had another decent half chance late on Saturday.

Think Hourihane has to start. Two games in 4 days is a long way past Whelans capabilities. Hause for me comes in for Taylor too. Better on ball and crucially far better in air which WBA are going to target all game.

I think this game suits us and am confident we will do it. 2-1 win again with a vastly improved display from McGinn being key.

--------------'Steer
Elmo, Axel, Mings, Hause
--McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish
Green, Abraham, El Ghazi

Seems like they will have to go with a front 3 of Phillips, Rodriguez and Murphy. Rest of their team is very much injury dependent but I'll be delighted if Johansen doesn't make it.

A great way of putting it, yes AA did play himself out of the team.
Both Kodjia and Green offer nothing defensively, but  Kodj offers that bit of guile and unpredictability that could cause mayhem. He gets the start for me.

Arguably Kodjia's wing cameo in the fixture earlier in the season cost us two points, handball gate notwithstanding. I don't trust Kodjia putting in any kind of shift on the wing, sub only for me and I'd have Davis on ahead of him too!

Green is least worst option for me....

[adrenachrome]

My initial reaction after the game on Saturday was that WBA would have to go for it on Tuesday and give us a chance to counter attack. On reflection, I don't think they will do this. They will gamble that Dean Smith only knows one way of playing.

It should be a fascinating game, and the viewing figures will bring joy to the Sky directors. 

[purpletrousers]

So I'm one of the lucky 2000 privileged to go on Tuesday.

Got there because of the controversial away scheme. Last year serious family illness took total precedence and  meant we couldn't rack up many aways at all, though season tickets were of course maintained. This year thankfully things have been better, thanks to the fabulous fabulous people at the Sheldon Unit at Good Hope Hospital, and my wife and I have clocked up 15 games on the road following the boys.
There are, I know, people with more than that, this year and last year, who have a stronger claim to these tickets than us.

But we wouldn't give them up for thousands.
But believe me , we feel the responsibilty. Us 2000 represent the 38,000 Villa fans in the ground Saturday and countless thousands who aren't lucky enough to get to Villa as regularly as us, or who have put in the support over the years but for whatever reason can't get there too often any more. That means we're all singing for at least 50 others who would love to be there.

So we have to bring it. If the guy or girl next to us is singing we need to sing too. If we hit adversity on the pitch, we need to bring it more. If it goes quiet and a lone voice starts belting it out, we need to be there with the second line. Make it feel like we're at Villa Park all over again. We owe it to those who would give their left bollock (or boob) to be there Tuesday.

Be loud. Be proud. Be Villa.

See you at Wembley.

Also really appreciated reading this.

I have to say though messed my own throat up again, I was really disappointed we went so quiet for so long on Sat. The Upper Wittin weren’t up for joining in unless things were getting lively and I’d pretty much lost my voice again by that point, I gues it’s why away days tend to be much more fun as the mentality is so different. Enjoy!

[Comrade Blitz]

FTF

[Comrade Blitz]

Attack from the start and scare the bejeesus out of them.

[KRS]

My initial reaction after the game on Saturday was that WBA would have to go for it on Tuesday and give us a chance to counter attack. On reflection, I don't think they will do this. They will gamble that Dean Smith only knows one way of playing. 

So you think they'll park the bus with 541 and try to counter with the long ball or knick one from a set piece again? I would like to think they'll be more open than that but there may be some sense in continuing playing the defensive grid iron system for them as if they try to out football us then we'll run rings around them.