Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth pre match thread

[Axl Rose]

1-0, El Ghazi. Was poor against Spurs, but I feel he'll do very well for us in the Premier League

[in exile]

Our first three points of the season thanks to a 2-0 win

[Marton]

Bet Mings is going to love this game...

[Three Spires Villa]

2-0 Villa, no idea who gets the goals

[Dogtanian]

I'm a little nervous because this is a very important game for us.

But I think we will come back roaring, with the old-hands determined to make up for last weekend and the new boys getting their first taste of Villa Park...

Wishlist:
A clean sheet
Wesley on the scoresheet
If Jota sees action then a good performance from him

[AllanW]

This is one of the games we need to win and I think we will.

Changes to the team;
Targett and Guilbert in for Taylor and Elmo, Luiz for Conor, 4-1-2-3 formation of all-out attack. Jota and Conor get on as subs.

Tough game, we can't get nervy if it takes us a long time to break them down, constant support is needed.

We'll eventually get the job done and a relieved and happy Mings, Jack and Heaton will be interviewed afterwards, Mings gives Jack the M.o.t.M. champagne for scoring.

[darren woolley]

I can see us winning this I will go for a 2-0 Villa win.

[mallo]

A win - their away form isn't great. On top of that nice things to see : Wes being a goal threat, quicker passing in our half and another solid defensive performance.

[Dazvillain]

Bet Mings is going to love this game...

As long as he keeps his professional head on and doesn’t owe any of them a kickin !?

[Dazvillain]

I think we'll win this one and there will be 3-4 changes to the team for it, I expect Guilbert, Targett and Jota to all start and maybe Douglas as well.

For protection reasons I think for a while he may use Elmo and Taylor away then Targett and Freddie at home . Can’t justify that but a bit of gut feeling

[Dogtanian]

Really, really, really, really looking forward to being back home with a full house!   

[SoccerHQ]

We were actually alright in the first few weeks.

Beat Bournemouth, matched Man United and were unlucky not to at least draw as we had a pretty certain looking penalty turned down. Narrowly lost at Palace to a late goal when we had been chasing a winner, then played Sunderland off the park and somehow only drew two-two. We then had the infamous Sliding Doors match at Leicester where we blew a two goal lead.

In an alternative reality Villa won their first five games. Who knows what might have happened? Well, it would likely just have meant we got relegated one year later, but still...

Yeah that's a fair summary. Man. United game hardly anything happened which just showed what a terrible season they were going to have under LVG.

Palace we actually played well, Gabby missed a one on one first half and second half we should've claimed a point but terrible defensive error.

Sunderland game we should've won but Richards missed open goal header from 5 yards.

As much as it's a cliche that Leicester second half destroyed everything and we were a relegation team in waiting from then on.

[SoccerHQ]

I think we'll win this one and there will be 3-4 changes to the team for it, I expect Guilbert, Targett and Jota to all start and maybe Douglas as well.

For protection reasons I think for a while he may use Elmo and Taylor away then Targett and Freddie at home . Can’t justify that but a bit of gut feeling

Can see Targett starting, think AEM will stay in as that will help Trez who will surely continue.

As for the game, think this is the least likely 0-0 all season. Pretty sure last year Bournemouth conceded the joint highest amount of goals in away games.

You can certainly get at their defence but we need to watch their quick attack on counters as Fraser, Wilson and Josh King are all dangerous if you give them space to run into.

Will go 2-1, Grealish and feels like an inevitable winning goal from Mings who will have point to prove.

[paul_e]

11 points from thoes 5 games wouldn't have flattered us but Sherwood lost the plot in te Leicester game and the downward spiral from there was probably the worst period to be a villa fan ever, we were truly awful for the rest of that season other than a brief flicker around the January transfer window which got stomped all over by Liverpool and then the entire club just accepted defeat.

[Drummond]

Tricky one this. Bournemouth are experienced in the Premier League now with a tactically astute manager. We're still finding our feet and the players getting used to playing with each other. A bit more pressure as we're at home.

In my view it's one I'd hope we'd win but wouldn't be surprised to lose. We really don't need to heap more expectation on ourselves and the players yet.