Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth pre match thread

[Ads]

This will be a tough game. They move and keep the ball nicely and are pretty useful up top.

They lack the physical presence of Spurs or their ability to press, so I'm hopefully we can play 20 yards further up the pitch.

Questions over whether the full backs can support the attacking play, whether we can retain and transition the ball better and whether Wesley, with service, can pose a threat and hold the ball up.

I still lack confidence that we're not good enough from the 15/16 season. Only competing as we did on Saturday and getting results can change that.

The team I think we'll go with;

Heateon

Taylor
Mings
Engels
Guilbert

Hourihane
McGinn
Grealish

Trezuguet
Wesley
El Ghazi

[Monty]

I hope they feel like it's a good time to bring in Luiz. I think we'll be a different team once he's up to speed.

[danno]

Think we'll name an unchanged starting line up and give the players an hour to make their case.

I expect Targett and Douglas to come on for Taylor and El Ghazi at some stage. Hourihane for Kodja or Davis late on too.

Nervy 2-1 is my hopeful prediction. Although this early in the season a deflating score draw wouldn't surprise me.

[passport1]

I'll take a draw. We are still learning they have been in the league for a while now and will be no pushovers.

[Risso]

This will be a tough game. They move and keep the ball nicely and are pretty useful up top.

They lack the physical presence of Spurs or their ability to press, so I'm hopefully we can play 20 yards further up the pitch.

Questions over whether the full backs can support the attacking play, whether we can retain and transition the ball better and whether Wesley, with service, can pose a threat and hold the ball up.

I still lack confidence that we're not good enough from the 15/16 season. Only competing as we did on Saturday and getting results can change that.

The team I think we'll go with;

Heateon

Taylor
Mings
Engels
Guilbert

Hourihane
McGinn
Grealish

Trezuguet
Wesley
El Ghazi

I think picking the same team will see us under the cosh again, as Bournemouth play good football and will keep the ball better than us.  If Targett isn't a better option than Taylor, why on earth did we pay £14m or whatever for him?

[Chipsticks]

Anyway, enough with the harking back to old disasters.  I haven't looked forward to going to a match at Villa Park so much since the Tranmere semi.  Hopefully we get at them from the start on the way to a comfortable 3-0 win.  My heart doesn't take nervy performances and results very well any more!

Definitely agree with this Risso.

To be honest, I've been getting a little emotional thinking about seeing the team walk out to a Premier League game at Villa Park. There's been moments where I wondered if it would ever happen again.

UTV

[simon ward 50]

I'll take a nervy 1-0 win.

[wittonwarrior]

Pressure game racked up by ott fans. Won’t be easy and we need early goals (more than one) to settle the nerves.  Sliding by towards a close victory but a draw looks a good possibility

[levico]

Anything is possible as Deano tries to find his strongest team but probably a draw is the most likely.

[not3bad]

Nervy 1-0 win

Hand snapped off.

[Dogtanian]

To be honest, I think we are more nervous than the players!

The lads will be alright, we'll put in a good performance and they'll be buzzing from the crowd and atmosphere.

[KRS]

I'll take a draw. We are still learning they have been in the league for a while now and will be no pushovers.

It’s going to be a long hard season if we only expect to pick up wins against the 4 or 5 sides that are relatively newcomers to the Premier League. We need to get into them from the off, don’t let them settle and make the early pressure count with a couple of goals. It’s time for the players and us as fans to make Villa Park a fortress and a place that other teams don’t like to come to.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

To be honest, I think we are more nervous than the players!

The lads will be alright, we'll put in a good performance and they'll be buzzing from the crowd and atmosphere.

Agreed. At least for now I can't see Villa Park being sit back and wait for the players to give us something to cheer about. The crowd are going to be well up for it and the atmosphere should be electric.

I'm expecting Bournemouth to be more defensive and play on the counter. They have some attackers with speed to spare so we'll need to make sure we are prepared to limit them the opportunity. Regarding the full backs, despite Dean always claiming the shirt is there to be won and both Elmo and Taylor playing well at Spurs, I expect Gilbert to come in on the right but Taylor keep his. It wouldn't surprise me to see Luiz start with Conor coming on from the bench later in the game. Luiz despite being a defensive midfielder does like to bring the ball forward which will help us breakdown Bournemouth.

2-0 Villa - Engels and Wesley (pen).

[Dogtanian]

To be honest, I think we are more nervous than the players!

The lads will be alright, we'll put in a good performance and they'll be buzzing from the crowd and atmosphere.

Agreed. At least for now I can't see Villa Park being sit back and wait for the players to give us something to cheer about. The crowd are going to be well up for it and the atmosphere should be electric.

I'm expecting Bournemouth to be more defensive and play on the counter. They have some attackers with speed to spare so we'll need to make sure we are prepared to limit them the opportunity. Regarding the full backs, despite Dean always claiming the shirt is there to be won and both Elmo and Taylor playing well at Spurs, I expect Gilbert to come in on the right but Taylor keep his. It wouldn't surprise me to see Luiz start with Conor coming on from the bench later in the game. Luiz despite being a defensive midfielder does like to bring the ball forward which will help us breakdown Bournemouth.

2-0 Villa - Engels and Wesley (pen).

It's bloody great to be able to debate all this because we have options and depth again!

[richtheholtender]

Very similar to reading at home in O’Neil’s first year. 1-0 down come back to win 2-1.