Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Loxton01 on February 04, 2013, 11:45:59 AM
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Ok so once again we come to a must win game. If this doesnt go away we are doomed. We will be needing more than 1 win to get out of it.
So the team.
Think we need to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation as it gives us our best chance to score goals.
This would be my team
Guzan
Lowton
Bennett
Baker
Vlaar
Delph
Sylla
NZog
Gabby
Weimann
Benteke
Baker for me over Clark as we will be playing against Carroll. Therefore we need height and strength baker offers more than Clark here for me. This is an obvious and something Lambert needs to learn study the opposition pick accordingly
Did consider Clark for left back or midfield but I genuinely think he needs a rest.
The two midfielders for me would be delph and sylla. We need energy and bite something Westwood and Bannan lack.
Sylla and Delph both add a slight bit more height which we will need from set pieces.
The front four are playing well and need to be encouraged.
We need to get out of the traps and hit them hard. Get stuck in and then feed the forwards in behind. Tell delph when we attack he makes five on the move- bust a gut to get in the box. Leave Sylla to cover.
As the game goes on Sylla and Delph may tire fair enough if so holman and el ahmadi come on. There a worry but I want delph and sylla coming off blowing out of their arse. This game will be won on two things the midfield battle and whether we can defend the set pieces.
Come on Villa give us a bloody bone!!!
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We'll win 1-0
Ask Kingthing why
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.................................................Guzan.............................................................
.....Lowton..........Playdoh Ron...............Baker..............Clark..............................
...................................Sylla........Westood..........Delph......................................
.........N'Zogbia.........................................................................Gabby...............
..................................................Benteke.........................................................
I feel for Wiemann as he would have to miss out with the solid three in the middle. Clark would keep his place to give us a little height at LB for the threat of Carroll and Cole. I also think Clark is better on the ball at LB than Baker.
We simply have to be in a position to go and win the game in the last 20 minutes, 0-0 at half time wouldn't be a bad thing as long as we have our good half in the 2nd half. Delph, Westwood and Sylla should give us the combative edge we need and they should feed Gabby and N'Zogbia at every opportunity in the wide positions.
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The same team as started against Everton, with the exception of Baker in for Clark unless Dunne is fit, in which as Dunne to slot in.
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Leeg, I think that we need the pre-match thread for the West Ham game
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Baker in for Clark, and Delph in for KEA. If both are fit.
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-----------Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Clark
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I wouldn't throw Sylia yet, Clark or Lichaj left back.
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Baker in for Clark Stephens for Bennett Sylla for KEA
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.................................................Guzan.............................................................
.....Lowton..........Playdoh Ron...............Baker..............Clark..............................
...................................Sylla........Westood..........Delph......................................
.........N'Zogbia.........................................................................Gabby...............
..................................................Benteke.........................................................
Id be ok with that . Maybe Stephens for Clark . Clark needs a rest
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-----------Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Clark
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I wouldn't throw Sylia yet, Clark or Lichaj left back.
Agree
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Leeg, I think that we need the pre-match thread for the West Ham game
So soon? It's not until Sunday.
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Clark at left back would be suicidal. The lads having enough problems with his confidence in his natural position right now, without switching him to a position where he's been absolutely horrendous previously (IMHO)
I'd be tempted to stay the same and give them the chance to blend as a unit. Maybe just swap Ahamdi for Delph.
I think the constant tinkering is half the reason we're shit.
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They weak at LB ,hence why they were so keen to bring in Warnock.Need to have Gabby or Nzog exploit that area.
Diame is central to everything they do so need to keep close eye on him , hopefully Sylla or Delph can shackle him
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Same team but Sylla for KEA and Baker for Clark. I'm of a mind to bring Delph in for Weimann perhaps but we're commited to attacking so fuck it. Just be ready for a typical dirty Big Sam team, keep the ball on the deck as much as possible and hit them hard. No et up. And make sure we give no silly fouls away anywhere near our box.
Absolutely no reason why we can't win this one comfortably. But we all know it's never that simple with Villa.
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Guzan/Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Lichaj/Sylla, Delph/Weimann, N'Zogbia, Gabby/Benteke (4-2-3-1)
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No Westwood?
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..........................................Guzan.............................................................
.....Lowton..........Playdoh Ron...............Baker..............Clark..............................
...................................Sylla........Westood.........N'Zogbia......................................
.........Weimann.........................................................................Gabby...............
..................................................Benteke.........................................................
Massive gamble going for Weimann,N'Zogbia and Gabby, but we need the three points, so fuck it!
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Why is it a massive gamble when we've played the three for the last game and a half and looked good in the process?
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For those who have Clark at left back - does nobody remember Wolves away last season? Clark played left back and Jarvis handed him his arse time after time. If we did play Clark at left back, they would probably switch Cole and Jarvis over and it would be the same thing again. I know Bennett is a liability defensively and its difficult to know which option is worst but I would probably play Baker next to Vlaar and keep Bennett at left back with Gabby having instructions to get back and help when needed. We need to get on top though and make sure its us in the ascendency.
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I agree about Clark at LB, it is a risk. However Saladice will exploit Bennett in the air by pulling Carroll to the back post, Clark will at least be better than Bennett in the air. It is a concern, however I think we need as many 6'0+ players in the side as possible.
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Ok so once again we come to a must win game. If this doesnt go away we are doomed. We will be needing more than 1 win to get out of it.
So the team.
Think we need to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation as it gives us our best chance to score goals.
This would be my team
Guzan
Lowton
Bennett
Baker
Vlaar
Delph
Sylla
NZog
Gabby
Weimann
Benteke
Baker for me over Clark as we will be playing against Carroll. Therefore we need height and strength baker offers more than Clark here for me. This is an obvious and something Lambert needs to learn study the opposition pick accordingly
Did consider Clark for left back or midfield but I genuinely think he needs a rest.
The two midfielders for me would be delph and sylla. We need energy and bite something Westwood and Bannan lack.
Sylla and Delph both add a slight bit more height which we will need from set pieces.
The front four are playing well and need to be encouraged.
We need to get out of the traps and hit them hard. Get stuck in and then feed the forwards in behind. Tell delph when we attack he makes five on the move- bust a gut to get in the box. Leave Sylla to cover.
As the game goes on Sylla and Delph may tire fair enough if so holman and el ahmadi come on. There a worry but I want delph and sylla coming off blowing out of their arse. This game will be won on two things the midfield battle and whether we can defend the set pieces.
Come on Villa give us a bloody bone!!!
That team looks good, only position I'm unsure of is who to partner Delph out of Sylla and Westwood. I'm intrigued you seem to have Westwood behind Holman and El Ahmadi as well for one of the 2 deep lying midfield spots, otherwise I'm with you.
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I agree about Clark at LB, it is a risk. However Saladice will exploit Bennett in the air by pulling Carroll to the back post, Clark will at least be better than Bennett in the air. It is a concern, however I think we need as many 6'0+ players in the side as possible.
I can see Lambert reverting to a back five for this one; that way Clark and Bennett are both there to combat the problems of Carroll and Jarvis.
Negative I know, but it wouldn't surprise me
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I hope the back 5 is well and truely confined to the bin!
I agree with someone wgo said he need to get some height into the side. However, I have a feeling we'll be unchanged.
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Clark has just got in team of the week???
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3064823,00.html
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I agree about Clark at LB, it is a risk. However Saladice will exploit Bennett in the air by pulling Carroll to the back post, Clark will at least be better than Bennett in the air. It is a concern, however I think we need as many 6'0+ players in the side as possible.
I can see Lambert reverting to a back five for this one; that way Clark and Bennett are both their to combat the problems of Carroll and Jarvis.
Negative I know, but it wouldn't surprise me
He better not, the back 5 is an utter disaster. To have any chance of survival we have to compete in midfield and that only allows for 4 at the back. Our best hope is to attack to survive.
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Guzan
Lowton. Baker Vlaar. Clark
Delph sylla Westwood
Nzogbia
Weimann. Benteke
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There's no way he'll drop Gabby. Nor should he.
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I agree about Clark at LB, it is a risk. However Saladice will exploit Bennett in the air by pulling Carroll to the back post, Clark will at least be better than Bennett in the air. It is a concern, however I think we need as many 6'0+ players in the side as possible.
I can see Lambert reverting to a back five for this one; that way Clark and Bennett are both their to combat the problems of Carroll and Jarvis.
Negative I know, but it wouldn't surprise me
He better not, the back 5 is an utter disaster. To have any chance of survival we have to compete in midfield and that only allows for 4 at the back. Our best hope is to attack to survive.
Has to go with 4. We've not got enough games left to even contemplate playing for a draw at home against the likes of these. Bodies in midfield is the order of the day
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There's no way he'll drop Gabby. Nor should he.
Gabby in the team means the opposition go back 20 yards immediately.
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Plus it will take Fat Sam so long to pronounce Gabby's name that he may not have time to dictate his dirty tactics to his team.
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.................................................Guzan.............................................................
.....Lowton..........Playdoh Ron...............Baker..............Clark..............................
...................................Sylla........Westood..........Delph......................................
.........N'Zogbia.........................................................................Gabby...............
..................................................Benteke.........................................................
I feel for Wiemann as he would have to miss out with the solid three in the middle. Clark would keep his place to give us a little height at LB for the threat of Carroll and Cole. I also think Clark is better on the ball at LB than Baker.
We simply have to be in a position to go and win the game in the last 20 minutes, 0-0 at half time wouldn't be a bad thing as long as we have our good half in the 2nd half. Delph, Westwood and Sylla should give us the combative edge we need and they should feed Gabby and N'Zogbia at every opportunity in the wide positions.
I agree with this team selection but if its as windy as today that might neutrailise Carrolls threat in the air.
Our friend Mumbles better get his selection and tactics right for this one.
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Why are so many of you wanting to see KEA out of the side again? I thought he did OK on Saturday and his height will be useful against a side like West Ham.
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Why are so many of you wanting to see KEA out of the side again? I thought he did OK on Saturday and his height will be useful against a side like West Ham.
Delph has been much better in his last few games , kea played ok on saturday but not as well as delph has been playing.
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We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, eastie!
I think certain players are key for us for the rest of the season. Either maintaining recent form (N'Zogbia), starting to pick up some form (KEA) or getting back to fitness (Dunne).
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Think we need to persist with KEA a bit, as with any foreign player adapting to the English game he needs playing time. There's a decent player in there somewhere.
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Clattenburg is the ref.
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They have got the makings of a side who could do well against us. Physical in central midfield, wide options who will run at full-backs and get crosses into the box, corners and free kicks and players who attack the ball well in the opposition penalty area (especially James Collins who would probably love nothing more than to get one over on us).
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Clattenburg is the ref.
One of few refs I actually like and he seems to give us more decisions than other refs.
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I should imagine it'll be pretty much the same side as against Everton.
Maybe Sylla or Delph in for KEA but even that would be 50/50 decision and I'm no fan of KEA.
Can't see him leaving Clark out as for me he had one of his best games of the season other than a mad 5/10 minutes were he felt he needed to get up Anichebe' ring piece a decision that ultimately cost us, but Baker is equally liable to go walk abouts.
IMO I'd change KEA for Delph and leave the rest the same
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Why are so many of you wanting to see KEA out of the side again? I thought he did OK on Saturday and his height will be useful against a side like West Ham.
Delph has been much better in his last few games , kea played ok on saturday but not as well as delph has been playing.
KEA and Delph both playing would leave one spot. I wasn't at everton, wondering if maybe Sylla had shown enough to perhaps edge ahead of Westwood for this? Only asking, like I say, I've not seen the lad play yet
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Talking of Dunne . Anyone? anyone? anyone seen him?
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-----------Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Clark
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I wouldn't throw Sylia yet, Clark or Lichaj left back.
i would go with this team, too early for sylla
kea would be ok in there in place of delph if needed, he looked pretty good saturday
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-----------Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Clark
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I wouldn't throw Sylia yet, Clark or Lichaj left back.
i would go with this team, too early for sylla
kea would be ok in there in place of delph if needed, he looked pretty good saturday
I thought KEA looked totally anonymous on Saturday, I agree about it being too early for Sylla though.
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Bit concerned that Guzan has a game in the US on wednesday.
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Brad
Lowton Ron Clark Baker
Zog Westwood Delph Gabby
Weinmann Benteke
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-----------Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Clark
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I wouldn't throw Sylia yet, Clark or Lichaj left back.
i would go with this team, too early for sylla
kea would be ok in there in place of delph if needed, he looked pretty good saturday
I thought KEA looked totally anonymous on Saturday, I agree about it being too early for Sylla though.
Holman still made him look loke Osain Bolt
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I see many folk are like me concerned about the direct football West Ham will bring - however for me the key lies not in having as many six footers as possible at the back - it will be about controlling the midfield and stopping good quality balls coming into our box in the first place. West Ham will bring physical power and hard work - we have to match them in the middle - not get over run and look lightweight as we did for the final fifteen at Goodison.
Westwood is getting better and better - but he is still lightweight. Delph can play but needs to add some composure to both passing and tackling. El Ahmadi was for me a waste of a shirt at Everton. He has not found his way yet. Bannan can play (despite the misplaced abuse) but like Westwood is lightweight.
To be honest - I would pack the midfield with five and play the beast up front all alone.
We showed some lovely vision when playing through-balls against Everton - Benteke finished one and Wiemann should have finished the other. The quality of the passes in both cases split one of the Premierships best defences wide apart.
One goal and none conceded would do me fine. To do this we need to stifle West Ham's creativity - we need to win the game in midfield.
We can play as many six footers as we have - but unless the ball in is stopped - and our big lads learn how to leap - then this will happen again and again.
(http://i1.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article1291488.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/fellaini+header.jpg)
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Some good points Sonlyme. Carroll will be drooling at the mouth at the prospect of playing against our shaky central defence, so cutting his supply off at source will indeed be crucial. A five man midfield sounds about right to me. However, not Delph. He's far too eager in the tackle and concedes too many unnecessary free kicks that will hurt us. Get good service into Benteke and behind the lumbering James Collins and he could also be in for a field day. Another must win game.
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I only saw the Everton highlighs but KEA won possession from Pienaar that led to our first goal. Just to balance out the reports that he was totally anonymous.
By the way, pre-match thread, come on! This has grown to four pages but it just ain't the same y'know?
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I thought KEA was alright to be honest. Hopefully he'll improve as the season winds on.
He's an experienced player and we could do with it.
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KEA was decent. Offered more presence than Bannan.
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I reckon 3 from Sylla, Delph, Westwood and El Ahmadi (and Gardner when fit) as the three points of the diamond behind N'Zogbia, with Holman, Ireland, Bannan, Johnson and Carruthers fighting it out for N'Zogbias back up.
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I reckon 3 from Sylla, Delph, Westwood and El Ahmadi (and Gardner when fit) as the three points of the diamond behind N'Zogbia, with Holman, Ireland, Bannan, Johnson and Carruthers fighting it out for N'Zogbias back up.
Westwood delph and sylla for me with nzogbia in a free role ahead of them and weimann benteke up front.
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As well as Carroll's aerial threat up front, I am also a little concerned about Nolan in the attacking midfield position. He tends to play in quite an advanced position and we might need a midfielder to drop back and stop him getting the ball in space. With the fact that they like to get the ball out wide, I would also go with a 4-5-1, just to give the full backs that extra bit of protection. I do think they are weak at the back and if Benteke positions himself up against the CB playing alongside Collins then he could have a field day.
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We played West Ham at Villa Park in 1987, in Feb/March I think. We won 4-0 and thought we'd turned a corner. We hadn't.
Possible deja-vue on Sunday.
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Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-
KEA-Sylla
Westwood
Weimann-Benteke-Agbonlahor
As for LB, fuck knows.
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Oh I fully expect to see that twat's stupid duck celebration again. He always seems to score against us.
Carroll will of course get one from a corner or set piece as our defenders are wrestled to the ground in the process whilst the ref shrugs.
Still, 4-2 Villa.
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I was thinking the same, Carroll anytime goal scorer must be easy money. We just need to play to our strengths, which are attacking and just go at them.
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Have also gone 4-2 to us - Carroll doesn't concern me, Nolan is their threat, stop him and we stop West Spam.
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We played West Ham at Villa Park in 1987, in Feb/March I think. We won 4-0 and thought we'd turned a corner. We hadn't.
Possible deja-vue on Sunday.
I can't remember the last time we hammered someone in the league (i.e by three goals or more).
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Is he still their captain?
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If we go ahead, we should just keep attacking. Usually of course you shut up shop a bit, but as we're far more likely to concede when defending than when we have the ball I say go for it.
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Guzan
Lowton Vlaar Baker Bennett
Sylla Westwood Delph
N'Zogbia
Benteke Agbonlahor
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By the way, pre-match thread, come on! This has grown to four pages but it just ain't the same y'know?
I've pm'd Leeg to ask him to convert this into the Pre-Match thread. However, he might be at the U21 game in Walsall
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Pre-Match thread on way.
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Sunday 10.2.13 1:30pm
Your guess is as good as (probably better than) mine...
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Is he still their captain?
He is indeed, and their top scorer with a massive 6 goals! I admire Nolan for what he is though - someone who can be nowhere in a game when you're being dominated but a real handful in the opposition penalty area. He seems to have a knack of being in the right place when the ball is bobbling about and will always thrive in an Allardyce side. I imagine they'll improve now Carroll is back as Nolan/Carroll just seems to work. West ham don't score many goals though, i'd be more worried about breaking them down if anything, and if we went a goal down I think it may be a tough one to get back into.
Having said all that I'll go for an optimistic 2-0. Benteke first half and as we're due a defender grabbing a goal I'll go Vlaar towards the end of the 2nd half and going absolutely mental in front of the holte.
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May I be the first to predict a resounding 3-0 home victory, with goals from Benteke, Gabby and a cheeky Collins OG into the bargain!
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This is a 9-pointer!
Well pretty important anyway.
Oh do come on and give us a sodding win, it's boring now...
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2-2, same old story. Hope to see Sylla boss it.
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2-2 and us to throw away yet another lead, Carrol and Nolan probably scoring for them. Weimann and Benteke for us.
Not enough I fear.
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1-0 win !!!! N'Zogbia
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It's been said before but this simply is a must win.
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So was Wigan. So was Southampton. So was Newcastle.
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Sorry, we must be a dream for any Alladyce team . Andy Carrol fit
0-2
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So was Wigan. So was Southampton. So was Newcastle.
I think this one really is though, given our position now and our next two games.
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A twelve-pointer!
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Win. Benteke x 2 and Gabby. I would be tempted to give Bent half hour too, as Collins is complete garbage against any decent movement.
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-----------Given
Lowton-Vlaar-Dunne-Baker
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I've brought in Given & Dunne (if fit) as we badly need experience.
Clark needs a rest as does Bennett and I've gone with extra height with Baker.
KEA dropped for Delph (if fit).
I think if we can keep that team we could go on a good run.
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I'll go 2-2; Benteke and N'Zogbia to put us 2-0 up before we concede 2 injury time goals from corners to James Collins...
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Collins is injured isn't he?
West Ham are a one paced team and are shite away from home (not that it matters when teams come to VP) but Carroll and Nolan will cause mayhem on set pieces so just can't see us not conceding at least 1 on Sunday.
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I hope so - Benteke will make Tompkins look very weak.
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No room for Bannan in anyone's lineup?
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Deleted. Tempting Fate. Come back to me at 3pm Sunday.
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Must win so going for a 1-4 to Wham
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0-0 bore draw
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0-3 defeat
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-----------Given
Lowton-Vlaar-Dunne-Baker
-----Westwood-Delph
Weimann-N'Zogbia-Gabby
----------Benteke
I've brought in Given & Dunne (if fit) as we badly need experience.
Clark needs a rest as does Bennett and I've gone with extra height with Baker.
KEA dropped for Delph (if fit).
I think if we can keep that team we could go on a good run.
I'd go along with that but swap delph for KEA as we need more experience in the centre and he's all we have. I'd keep Guzan in as well.
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The latest must win game then. I don't think we will lose, but I'm not confident we'll win either. Being at home is no longer an advantage it seems. So with that, I'll go for a 0-0 which is not good enough but no doubt Lambert will claim it is.
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3-1; Benteke, Weimann & a late debut goal for Dawkins, Winston Reid for them (corner)
Always hate the thought of losing to Parasite Sam's teams.
Basing my lunatic prediction on the vague hope that Sylla is quality and Lambert plays Sylla / Westwood & Delph in the middle of the park and realises that you have to earn the right to play
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Plus Dunne's injured again and not getting match fit when he can't train.
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2-0 Villa.
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Nolan would batter our midfield by himself let alone the rest.
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90 mins - Villa 1 West Ham 0
Full time - Villa 1 West Ham 2
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think fatsam is too wiley for lambchop. 1-3
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I hope so - Benteke will make Tompkins look very weak.
Hope so, Tomkins is shite.
Big Sam has a good record at VP down the years dosen't he?
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It definitely helps our cause with their defensive injuries. I'm sure they'll be praying Collins is fit to help handle Benteke but if he doesn't make it then Tomkins looks vulnerable to the beast. I'd also play Gabby down whichever side O'Brien doesn't play as he has looked their best full back. Gabby could easily do what he did to Debuchy against the other two if we could expose them enough to get a few one on one situations.
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90 minutes of Allardyce style launches into the box for an in form Carroll to latch on to. Nolan fouling Guzan at every corner followed by his ludicrous 'chicken wing' celebration when he inevitably scores. But the Beast will destroy them. 3-2 to Villa
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So was Wigan. So was Southampton. So was Newcastle.
Agreed. Seeing as we lost those, this is a must must win!
Also, it's my first visit to VP since we lost to Blackburn on the final day in 2009/10...
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May I be the first to predict a resounding 3-0 home victory, with goals from Benteke, Gabby and a cheeky Collins OG into the bargain!
I'm with MB here. Against all the odds, I'm going with a resounding villa win- let the fightback commence. 3-0 would be great, but can't see us going 90 mins without conceding.
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massive 2-1 victory.... benteke, gabby - green goal kick for them
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We're going to get bombarded with balls into the box. The result is inevitable.
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4-2
Caroll to score twice for them, a Benteke double and Gabby and N'Zog strikes for us.
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Think we're due a home win & I think we'll get it.
3-1 Benteke 21, 52 Gabby 73, Carroll 11
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Must win, will lose.
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I have gone for a Villa win - because we have to....absolutely have to win this one.
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2-0 win as, quite frankly, we have no other choice.
We can't keep burning through these must wins any longer. Another let down and we'll be gone I think.
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Not going to visit this site for a week if we lose there will be blood all over the place.
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2-1 win
Guzan
Lowton. Vlaar. Baker. Clark
Delph. Sylla. Westwood
Nzogbia
Weimann. Benteke
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A loss due to the same old defensive ineptitude, complacency and feebleness of mind.
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Really hate Sunday games. Will it be like this in the championship ?
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A win.
However, we will let at least one goal in (that's inevitable) and we need to be first to the knock downs when it's humped forward to Cole/Carroll, so I'd give Sylla his first game as he, so I'm led to believe, is a defensive midfielder. Could be a big game for him as West Ham are all about Fat Sams teams hoofing it forward and being physical.
2-1.
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2-1 win
Guzan
Lowton. Vlaar. Baker. Clark
Delph. Sylla. Westwood
Nzogbia
Weimann. Benteke
You play that and, as in all other games at home in the last two months you will see two opposing players attacking our one, lonely full back.
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Guzan
Lowton Vlaar Baker Bennett
Gabby Sylla Westwood N'Zogbia
Weimann Benteke
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3-2 to us.
Hopefully this will be the game when we turn the corner.
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0-0 bore draw
That's one score I can't see with our recent defensive record.
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Fuck it....I want to be mega positive for this one.
Villa win 3 - 1
Benteke, Zoggy and Wiemann weighing in wityh the goals.
THE FIGHTBACK STARTS HERE !!!
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Is Messi injured ? I see that he's not in the Scotland squad
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3-0 Villa, no worries.
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Villa 3 - West Ham 0
Yes, we will keep a clean sheet, and batter them like a 20 year old Mike Tyson tearing Trevor Berbick a new one.
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Their defence is very poor. So is ours.
We have a beast up front and players around him that can make things happen. Ditto for them.
4-2 for me.
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Gone for a win, don't care by how many or who scores! Now off to the GTC thread for the more important guessing!
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Is Messi injured ? I see that he's not in the Scotland squad
:) chuckle
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2-1 win.
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Looking forward to watching the game in a WestHam bar over here and smiling for the whole game, i hope.
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1-1 Draw for me with Benteke scoring.
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0-8 Andy Carroll 7 from corners and Nolan from penalty spot
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1-0 Benteke goal. Late goal.
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Is this the most important game this season since the last most important game this season?
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We must be due a win by now.
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Well one thing for sure, West Ham are in good form, Carroll is showing he's more than a battering ram, he can play a bit too. It'll be a very tough game whereby unless we're at our best, we'll get stuffed. A draw is probably the likely result but we have shown signs that we're improving, so I'll go for a Villa win, just.
1-0 (with us finally holding out for the last 20 minutes and everybody too stressed and exhausted to really celebrate).
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No room for Bannan in anyone's lineup?
no
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24 points off the Champions League places and only 13 games left. Fail to win this one and I'll be seriously doubting our chances of qualifying.
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Bannan can just disappear. Forever.
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24 points off the Champions League places and only 13 games left. Fail to win this one and I'll be seriously doubting our chances of qualifying.
Still doable. Just need a couple of other results to go our way
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Can we get Alfie Crooks in , thats a classic Aston Villa name If ever I heard one. Love it.
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win win win win
we must
please
Villa 1 west ham 0 Benteke
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Well one thing for sure, West Ham are in good form
Are they?
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They won last week, but before then I thought they were starting to struggle a bit I thought.
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Woke in a cold sweat thinking 'Wasn't it Clark who marked Carroll when he got that hat trick?'
Needs to be taken out of the firing line, doubt if he will.
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Woke in a cold sweat thinking 'Wasn't it Clark who marked Carroll when he got that hat trick?'
Needs to be taken out of the firing line, doubt if he will.
Is Herd fit yet ? I'd like to see his leaping ability in the team against Carroll rather than Clark
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The key to winning a game when the opposition is playing percentage football is to dominate centrally and keep the ball.
I would go with the same team as last week, as I think they will be cautious of us with width and pace. If they start off in such a manner, then it might give us the opportunity to really press their full backs and get some confidence going.
First goal is key, as it will be at Arsenal.
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hate to say it, but IF we can keep Cole, Jarvis and Carroll quiet then we should win....but I doubt we could do that for 90+mins
another Newcastlesque performance...bad first...rampant second....:(
UTV
the Doc
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I think I would start the same front 4, and just have a good go at them. Trying to be tight and all that jazz is not going to work. We have a massive weapon in Benteke and a pretty good pair of sharp knives in Gabby and Weiman, and NZogbia can be anything from a pussycat to a lion on a given day. Those 4 will decide if we stay up or go down by being good enough to score the goals we need to score and haven't at home. Our scoring record at VP is woeful.
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The Big Sam's Preview (http://blog.paddypower.com/2013/02/06/aston-villa-and-paul-lambert-should-learn-from-this-tale-of-pato-banton/)
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2-2 Draw
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I don’t know Paul Lambert very well, and I have no idea what kind of temperament the man has (he looks a little like a surly geography teacher, who just can’t forget the night he watched his friend die on an oil rig)
*Splutter*
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We will win. Admittedly the main basis for my belief is the law of averages. We will have to outscore them so I'm going 3-2.
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The Big Sam's Preview (http://blog.paddypower.com/2013/02/06/aston-villa-and-paul-lambert-should-learn-from-this-tale-of-pato-banton/)
so good.
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hate to say it, but IF we can keep Cole, Jarvis and Carroll quiet then we should win....but I doubt we could do that for 90+mins
another Newcastlesque performance...bad first...rampant second....:(
UTV
the Doc
Don't forget Nolan.
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When they get a set piece, can they have a penalty instead?
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Interesting and kinda heartening to see two thirds of posters anticipating a Villa win. I hope they're right.
I just don't see what has changed to avoid anything other than the usual Villa Park debacle.
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Interesting and kinda heartening to see two thirds of posters anticipating a Villa win. I hope they're right.
I just don't see what has changed to avoid anything other than the usual Villa Park debacle.
I said win. But it is purely hope.
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Nolan usually pops up with a goal against us, is a nightmare to mark from corners and links up well with Carroll.
He'd be the last one you'd leave out when playing us.
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Nolan usually pops up with a goal against us, is a nightmare to mark from corners and links up well with Carroll.
He'd be the last one you'd leave out when playing us.
I really rate Nolan. If we had him, we'd be top ten.
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Nolan usually pops up with a goal against us, is a nightmare to mark from corners and links up well with Carroll.
He'd be the last one you'd leave out when playing us.
I really rate Nolan. If we had him, we'd be top ten.
Not sure about that.
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Nolan usually pops up with a goal against us, is a nightmare to mark from corners and links up well with Carroll.
He'd be the last one you'd leave out when playing us.
I really rate Nolan. If we had him, we'd be top ten.
We've got his sisters playing in our defence
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He does what Ireland is supposed to do, contributes 10 goals a season in the free role.
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All my WH mates say that Playing with Nolan is like paying with 10 men at the moment,
They were slagging him on the phone ins a couple of weeks ago for being a lazy shit
Take the criticism we give to Bannan and x it by 10 that's what he gets from the hammers fans,
There is no way he will control anything in midfield, he's just not good enough even against our Lot
having said that he'll probably pop a couple in now I've said all that
Nolan usually pops up with a goal against us, is a nightmare to mark from corners and links up well with Carroll.
He'd be the last one you'd leave out when playing us.
As is James Collins. It's just got a sense of inevitability about it.
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Well one thing for sure, West Ham are in good form
Are they?
Reading reports from their recent games, the return of several key players has probably made it the worst time to play them. They'l be no pushovers and probably fancy their chances to take all 3 points.
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Well one thing for sure, West Ham are in good form
Are they?
Reading reports from their recent games, the return of several key players has probably made it the worst time to play them. They'l be no pushovers and probably fancy their chances to take all 3 points.
Not necessarily. Collins missed the last game and if he's out he'll be replaced by a 23 year old centre half and we all know where that's got us this season. Benteke could give him all sorts of trouble. They were also forced to play Taylor at left back in the last game so we don't know the fitness of Demel either. Obviously it's not good news that Carroll and Vaz Te are back but it's not all doom and gloom.
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http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11677/8477070/Aston-Villa-manager-Paul-Lambert-calls-for-ugly-wins-in-survival-scrap
A win is a win i suppose, never mind fancy shit and losing. Cmon Villa, just stay up.
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I just don't see what has changed to avoid anything other than the usual Villa Park debacle.
The second half at Newcastle I think, which showed playing 4 at the back and more in midfield made Villa more effective. This was carried on to an improved performance at Everton. Of course we might still be shite on Sunday but at least it gives us some hope.
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Too inconsistent , the first half at west brom was excellent as was the 2nd half v newcastle - we must perform for 90 minutes and not 45 from now on .
Although everton was hopeful we were still hanging on and struggling for the last 30 minutes
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http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11677/8477070/Aston-Villa-manager-Paul-Lambert-calls-for-ugly-wins-in-survival-scrap
A win is a win i suppose, never mind fancy shit and losing. Cmon Villa, just stay up.
But we've shown all season that we lack the steel to do this for ten minutes, let alone the full ninety! Unless Sylla's been kicking anything that moves at BH all week, then it's just a red herring for allardyce, I reckon. Three-none Villa. Onwards and upwards.
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Too inconsistent , the first half at west brom was excellent as was the 2nd half v newcastle - we must perform for 90 minutes and not 45 from now on .
Although everton was hopeful we were still hanging on and struggling for the last 30 minutes
Against a team that are right i the scrap for the top 4 and have a central midfielder (who was involved in everything they did) who is just about the best in the league right now. The reality is we were away against a very good side in great form and there was nothing to pick between the teams. If we'd played like that in the previous 4-5 matches we'd be in the fa cup 5th round, the final of the league cup and 4-5 points outside the relegation zone.
We need to keep that up and play to our strengths in attack.
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3-0 Villa. Gabby x2 and Delph.
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Our problem is we are not a scrappy team.We lack the experience and strength to keep games tight but we are potent in an attacking sense.Even including Bent our 4 strikers have all scored recently so that's how we have to play really.
But hopefully , although it's a huge ask Sylla will bring some help in the MF even if its just closing down and forcing mispasses from the opposition
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we need to win this and badly, and also help shut up those obnoxious fucking toads in their boardroom.
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We only ever seem to score excellent goals.
We need a few to go off Vlaar's massive bonce and Andi's arse, to accompany the superb goals.
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We only ever seem to score excellent goals.
We need a few to go off Vlaar's massive bonce and Andi's arse, to accompany the superb goals.
A good point some of the goals we have scored have been excellent but rarely any scrapy ones and defence and MF not contributing any goals at all really.I count one from Lowton and a couple from Holman.
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If he picks Delph, Sylla and Westie then I think the MF stands half a chance of competing.
The challenge is - obviously - dealing with the barrage we'll get at the back. Baker and Vlaar seem to me to be the best CB combo for this game, and perhaps Clark should go to LB, to add some height as well. If Clark is rested -as he probably needs to be - then Stevens would be a better bet than Bennett (more defensive, a little more physical).
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We only ever seem to score excellent goals.
We need a few to go off Vlaar's massive bonce and Andi's arse, to accompany the superb goals.
A good point some of the goals we have scored have been excellent but rarely any scrapy ones and defence and MF not contributing any goals at all really.I count one from Lowton and a couple from Holman.
1 each for clark and el ahmadi as well
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We'll win well and then lose heavily in our next two games.
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I had a horrible dream last night-I cannot ever remember dreaming about a Villa match before. I'd forgot to turn on the t.v. to watch the game on Sky and realised it was almost half-time. As I belatedly tuned in West Ham were scoring their 4th without reply.
That can't happen-can it?
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I had a horrible dream last night-I cannot ever remember dreaming about a Villa match before. I'd forgot to turn on the t.v. to watch the game on Sky and realised it was almost half-time. As I belatedly tuned in West Ham were scoring their 4th without reply.
That can't happen-can it?
Do bears shit in the woods?
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im going 2-0 half time 2-2 full time
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4-2 us.
Benteke 2, Clark, N'Zog.
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8-0, not sure who to as yet. I'll let you know at half time.
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If he picks Delph, Sylla and Westie then I think the MF stands half a chance of competing.
The challenge is - obviously - dealing with the barrage we'll get at the back. Baker and Vlaar seem to me to be the best CB combo for this game, and perhaps Clark should go to LB, to add some height as well. If Clark is rested -as he probably needs to be - then Stevens would be a better bet than Bennett (more defensive, a little more physical).
Well, I wrote this before I'd realised that CC had played and scored for the RoI last night. Maybe this will give him the much-needed confidence boost that will drag him back from flakiness to being a star-in-the-making.
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I think we might win quite comfortably. I have no idea why.
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I've been taking inspiration from the optimistic folks here.....
10 - 0 to them, Benteke to break his fall by landing on Weimann meaning both are out injured for a month. Guzan to hang himself from the crossbar by his shirt after catching the collar when he jumps and a shot will trickle in under his dangling feet. Bennett and Lowton will walk off after 5 minutes after receiving abuse, to be joined by Gabby, Vlaar and Baker. Lambert will sign a 10 year contract and McLeish and O'Leary will be his assistants. Oh and post match it will be revealed that Lerner has offered Faulkner shares and both are staying at the club long term.
Finally, Nicky Keye will be sacked for gobbling the General.
Either that or we will finally stop conceding so many corners and win a match as the team click.
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I think we might win quite comfortably. I have no idea why.
Maybe its the bottle of whiskey youve downed?
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I have gone for a draw on the vote , but have a horrible feeling that Carroll and Nolan will take some stopping and Big Sam will have spent all week creaming himself over set pieces and our defensive record
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Could it be snowed off?
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Could it be snowed off?
Not a chance.
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Dunne to slot in
Slot in? Squeeze his fat arse in more like!
I've said draw but obviously im hoping for a win
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Talking of big Sam
http://blog.paddypower.com/2013/02/06/aston-villa-and-paul-lambert-should-learn-from-this-tale-of-pato-banton/
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Talking of big Sam
http://blog.paddypower.com/2013/02/06/aston-villa-and-paul-lambert-should-learn-from-this-tale-of-pato-banton/
Already posted on page 10
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Sorryyyyyyyyyyyy
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Probably been picked up on before, but I see Sir Brian thinks that the 4-2-3-1 could be a part of the problem. I agree, but there's no way in hell we should go back to that hellish 3/5 at the back catastrophe. I think a solid 4-3-3, where all the midfielders have to track back and at least one should be breaking late into the box. It would probably mean Weimann missing out, which is sad, but Gabby on that left hand side has been as dangerous as Zog recently - a surprise, considering how useless both have been for most of the last season and a half.
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Greetings Villains. It's been a little while since my last post on here.
Our early season form seemed to be built around a solid defence that was hard to break down and making the most from set pieces going forwards. Nolan's goals, although there were only a few of them, were key, and when he wasn't scoring other players were popping up here and there.
That seemed to fall by the wayside over Christmas. We struggled going forwards, and the injuries at the back started to mount up. The biggest miss for us has actually been the usually solid if sometimes mistake prone Collins. Him and Reid have formed a great partnership this season, and if he's back Sunday (such are the rumours) that'll be a big boost for us. Tomkins, whilst looking a good player in the making in past seasons, seems to have regressed this year. Hopefully it's just a loss of form but he needs to improve fast or he'll be off to the gas & electricity leagues next season.
Going forwards we're looking a little better of late. Carroll has come back, and Nolan has managed to re-locate his previously missing shooting boots. The win vs Swansea should have been more comfortable that it was, and we created enough chances against QPR to beat them 4 or 5 times over.
The main issue for us is these came in home games, where we're solid, competitive, direct and a threat going forwards. Away from home for most of the season we've been the opposite - fragile, lost for ideas, standing off of the opposition and sitting too deep isolating the lone striker.
As for you lot, admittedly I've not seen a great deal of you so I don't want to go too in depth with analogies dependent on football pundits with agendas and varying levels of knowledge. However the general consensus seems to be you're inexperienced and often naive at the back with too many young defenders, and not competitive enough in midfield.
I suspect Sunday's game will be a case of not who plays better, but who is less worse. Not who turns up, but who doesn't not turn up.
Allardyce will almost certainly go for a variation on his favourite 4-5-1 formation. Fulls backs dependant on who is fit - left back could be anyone from O'Brien, Taylor or Potts - and Demel at right back is still uncertain. Centre mid will be Noble and Diame, with Nolan the forwardmost looking to get forward and play off of the striker, who will most likely be Carroll. Wide players for me would be Jarvis to give us pace and width and to beat the full back and put in crosses, and Joe Cole for a bit of skill and creativity in the final third - something we've lacked massively since Benayoun got injured and toddled off back across London. Allardyce seems to favour Vaz Te though, for what reason I don't know, he often looks lazy, drifts in and out of games, doesn't track back enough and this season hasn't shown any of the magic he did last year. Maybe the Premier League is a step too far for him?
For you lot, the things that most worry me are the thought of Tomkins marking Benteke, and Agbonlahor running at any one of our pedestrian defenders. We might one day realise how slow we are at the back and counter it accordingly. With any luck it will be this weekend.
Either way, the key battleground will be the midfield, where I think we've got the edge. So I'm using that as an excuse to follow my heart and pluck for a 2-1 away win.
Good luck for the rest of the season.
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Dunne to slot in
Slot in? Squeeze his fat arse in more like!
I've said draw but obviously im hoping for a win
The Goalzone with Tom Ross · 14,321 like this.
about an hour ago ·
VILLA: No new injury concerns. Richard Dunne has suffered a set-back though - manager says he's 'a long way' away.
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We'll need it. Thanks.
Would you mind forwarding that little summary on to Paul Lambert c/o Villa Park please?
It could be a goal-fest if Carroll and Benteke play to their strengths, though I fear you're right about the midfield.
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Dunne to slot in
Slot in? Squeeze his fat arse in more like!
I've said draw but obviously im hoping for a win
The Goalzone with Tom Ross · 14,321 like this.
about an hour ago ·
VILLA: No new injury concerns. Richard Dunne has suffered a set-back though - manager says he's 'a long way' away.
They must have known this a week ago.Yet they still didn't buy/loan a centre half in the window.
We won't see Dunne in a Villa shirt again that's for sure
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Dunne to slot in
Slot in? Squeeze his fat arse in more like!
I've said draw but obviously im hoping for a win
The Goalzone with Tom Ross · 14,321 like this.
about an hour ago ·
VILLA: No new injury concerns. Richard Dunne has suffered a set-back though - manager says he's 'a long way' away.
Trappatoni said today/yesterday that he spoke with Dunne and he said he will be back in 2 weeks.
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Paul Lambert believes Aston Villa need at least five wins & a couple of draws out of the remaining 13 to avoid relegation.
With Villa on 21 points & without a win since mid-December, Lambert says that victory at home to West Ham is essential.
"We must stop conceding so many unnecessary corners. It's time we turned our good performances like last week at Everton into wins. We need at least 5 wins but that also depends on how other teams are going."
Lambert said that Richard Dunne has had another setback with his groin problem & will return to the USA for further treatment. 'It's a blow because we miss his leadership & experience. He's weeks away from playing for us."
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Paul Lambert believes Aston Villa need at least five wins & a couple of draws out of the remaining 13 to avoid relegation.
With Villa on 21 points & without a win since mid-December, Lambert says that victory at home to West Ham is essential.
"We must stop conceding so many unnecessary corners. It's time we turned our good performances like last week at Everton into wins. We need at least 5 wins but that also depends on how other teams are going."
Lambert said that Richard Dunne has had another setback with his groin problem & will return to the USA for further treatment. 'It's a blow because we miss his leadership & experience. He's weeks away from playing for us."
And he knew Dunne was fucked before the window closed, which makes me increasingly angry that he didn't get a centre half in.
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How the heck does Lawro have this down as 1 -0 to Villa? Last clean sheet?
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Didn't realise Collins was injured, shame.
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How the heck does Lawro have this down as 1 -0 to Villa? Last clean sheet?
It actually wouldn't surprise me to see that result. West Ham have scored the least amount of goals away from home in the league. We can also afford to push up when we have the ball as they haven't scored on the counter attack all season so we could have them pinned back for sustained periods. I think our best chance of a win would be 0-0 half time, and score as late as possible in the 2nd half so we don't have to hang onto a lead for long. It's certainly one of the more probable results. I'm going to be positive and go for a 2-0 though.
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How the heck does Lawro have this down as 1 -0 to Villa? Last clean sheet?
Oh FFS
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Dunne miles away from team according to Lambert today
Westwood also a doubt with a bug
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Westwood would be a big miss.
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There've been some 'must win' games over the past few weeks but given how they went this has become the biggest 'must win' of the lot. I think we'll eek out a 1-0 win tomorrow, can't see us winning by any more than the odd goad, if at all
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First goal is key. If we get it I can see them losing interest.
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I bloody hope Westwood is fit. We need all the bodies we can get in there at the minute, especially our best centre mid. Would be annoying if Pogatetz made it ahead of Tomkins for them as well.
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Oh god I hope Westwood is fit.
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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has no fresh injury concerns ahead of his side's trip to face Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Hammers defensive duo James Collins (hamstring) and George McCartney (knee) are still out but all of the Hammers' internationals returned from midweek duty unscathed.
Modibo Maiga is back at the club following Mali's exit from the African Cup of Nations but is unlikely to feature.
Meanwhile, Alou Diarra has claimed he was "conned" into signing for West Ham.
Provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, Reid, Tomkins, Pogatetz, O'Brien, Demel, Nolan, Noble, Diame, O'Neil, Collison, Jarvis, J Cole, Taylor, C Cole, Vaz Te, Carroll, Maiga.
Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph has recovered from an ankle injury after a two-game absence and is included in the squad for Sunday's home fixture with West Ham.
Fellow midfielder Karim El Ahmadi has also shaken off a knock to the knee sustained during the 3-3 draw at Everton last weekend.
Villa manager Paul Lambert will run a fitness check over a third midfielder in Ashley Westwood, who is currently suffering from illness, but hopes of a return for defender Richard Dunne have been dashed by a recurrence of his groin problem.
Provisional squad: Guzan, Given, Marshall, Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Lichaj, Stevens, Baker, Bennett, El Ahmadi, Delph, Sylla, Ireland, Westwood, Dawkins, N'Zogbia, Bannan, Holman, Benteke, Agbonlahor, Bent, Bowery, Weimann, Burke, Johnson, Williams, Carruthers.
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Westwood also a doubt with a bug
Have they tried turning him off and turning him back on again ?
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I see that Messi's in the squad.
Therefore, how come he wasn't in the Scotland squad ? How bad do you have to be to get dropped by Scotland when Alan Hutton is deemed good enough to start for them ?
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Dunne 'a long way away' from being fit enough to player. That is not good news, so it's even more crazy we didn't sign a centre half.
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Paul Lambert believes Aston Villa need at least five wins & a couple of draws out of the remaining 13 to avoid relegation.
With Villa on 21 points & without a win since mid-December, Lambert says that victory at home to West Ham is essential.
"We must stop conceding so many unnecessary corners. It's time we turned our good performances like last week at Everton into wins. We need at least 5 wins but that also depends on how other teams are going."
Lambert said that Richard Dunne has had another setback with his groin problem & will return to the USA for further treatment. 'It's a blow because we miss his leadership & experience. He's weeks away from playing for us."
And he knew Dunne was fucked before the window closed, which makes me increasingly angry that he didn't get a centre half in.
There's no doubt in my mind they would have tried to get an experienced centre half in on loan till the end of the season. Everyone could see it, we were all crying out for it on here. I very much doubt there would have been one available to fit into our wage structure at the minute though, I can imagine someone like Upson turned round and told us to stick our £20k up our backside.
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Provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, Reid, Tomkins, Pogatetz, O'Brien, Demel, Nolan, Noble, Diame, O'Neil, Collison, Jarvis, J Cole, Taylor, C Cole, Vaz Te, Carroll, Maiga.
Those look very weak defensive options. Hopefully we can really get at them on Sunday.
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Dunne 'a long way away' from being fit enough to player. That is not good news, so it's even more crazy we didn't sign a centre half.
Got to agree. It was a priority even if he had have been fit.
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Dunne 'a long way away' from being fit enough to player. That is not good news, so it's even more crazy we didn't sign a centre half.
Got to agree. It was a priority even if he had have been fit.
Doubt he will play again for us .
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5.3 to us
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There've been some 'must win' games over the past few weeks but given how they went this has become the biggest 'must win' of the lot. I think we'll eek out a 1-0 win tomorrow, can't see us winning by any more than the odd goad, if at all
So a must win of the must win?
Now lawro has cursed us by predicting 1-0 I sense we will better that with a 3-0 showing... Come on the VILLA!!!
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5.3 to us
Could be worth a couple of quid!
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Paul Lambert believes Aston Villa need at least five wins & a couple of draws out of the remaining 13 to avoid relegation.
With Villa on 21 points & without a win since mid-December, Lambert says that victory at home to West Ham is essential.
"We must stop conceding so many unnecessary corners. It's time we turned our good performances like last week at Everton into wins. We need at least 5 wins but that also depends on how other teams are going."
Lambert said that Richard Dunne has had another setback with his groin problem & will return to the USA for further treatment. 'It's a blow because we miss his leadership & experience. He's weeks away from playing for us."
And he knew Dunne was fucked before the window closed, which makes me increasingly angry that he didn't get a centre half in.
There's no doubt in my mind they would have tried to get an experienced centre half in on loan till the end of the season. Everyone could see it, we were all crying out for it on here. I very much doubt there would have been one available to fit into our wage structure at the minute though, I can imagine someone like Upson turned round and told us to stick our £20k up our backside.
He went to Brighton, they are hardly paying more??????
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This is the Brighton who's contribution to season long loan player Wayne Bridges 90k a week wages is £2 a day tuck money ahd £5 on a matchday for sweets and a comic.
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At least half of Brighton's defence would do a job for us. Have no idea who else plays for them back there but Bridge and Upson would give us a lot more know-how at the back than Clark, Vlaar and Bennett.
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Who knows? I've gone for draw, but any of the other two results are equally possible. We'll score. So will they. Just comes down to whether our defence capitulates at more than one corner.
I won't be watching - either at Villa Park or online. I'm going for an early taster of live Championship football: Middlesbrough v Barnsley...
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He went to Brighton, they are hardly paying more??????
Who knows? It's all speculation. Things we do know are we now have now have a wage structure in place and can't or won't fork out a big amount on wages. We also know that Upson was one of the players on massive wages at West Ham and Stoke have spent quite heavily recently so I'd imagine he wasn't earning peanuts there either. Maybe Stoke didn't want him coming here? Maybe Brighton thought £40k a week or so till the end of the season was worth a gamble to try to get promoted? Or maybe Lambert thought even with his experience he's no better than Clark or Baker? None of us know for sure. All I'm saying is I would be absolutely gobsmacked if we hadn't at least tried to get an experienced centre half on loan till the end of the season.
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Someone needs to tell Vlaar that looking like a big hard bastard isn't enough, on Sunday he will need to play like a big hard bastard!
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He went to Brighton, they are hardly paying more??????
Who knows? It's all speculation. Things we do know are we now have now have a wage structure in place and can't or won't fork out a big amount on wages. We also know that Upson was one of the players on massive wages at West Ham and Stoke have spent quite heavily recently so I'd imagine he wasn't earning peanuts there either. Maybe Stoke didn't want him coming here? Maybe Brighton thought £40k a week or so till the end of the season was worth a gamble to try to get promoted? Or maybe Lambert thought even with his experience he's no better than Clark or Baker? None of us know for sure. All I'm saying is I would be absolutely gobsmacked if we hadn't at least tried to get an experienced centre half on loan till the end of the season.
But as you say that is speculation!
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Anyway to win a game we seem to need to score at least 4 goals, which is asking a lot in every game, therefore I am going for a draw and yet another nail in the already firmly shut coffin!
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Anyway to win a game we seem to need to score at least 4 goals, which is asking a lot in every game, therefore I am going for a draw and yet another nail in the already firmly shut coffin!
Because making up two points in 13 games is clearly impossible.
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My word we are 8/13 to get relegated!
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A win would be massive on Sunday. On 24 points and with over 10 to play, suddenly 35 or 36 points wouldn't seem that far away.
Need it as we'll do well to even get 1 point from Arsenal away and Man. City at home so we will be further adrift if we don't win on Sunday.
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I noticed against Noocassle that I now have no expectation that we will win. For the first tme in 40 years I am going to matches not thinking we may win. That has never, ever been the case before.
But then again - it is only West 'am
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In March It will be 35 years ago that I went to my first Villa match. We beat West Ham 4-1.
I'm going for that.
I've had wine.
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May not get to the game now, travelling down from Sheffield and have just watched the BBC weather forecast for Sunday and it seems lots of snow is forecast. Any chance the game may be postponed due to snow?
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May not get to the game now, travelling down from Sheffield and have just watched the BBC weather forecast for Sunday and it seems lots of snow is forecast. Any chance the game may be postponed due to snow?
Not anymore it isn't. The BBC forecast has changed about six times today.
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I'm getting a bad feeling that for the rest of the season we'll continue to have spells in games of scoring great goals and fleetingly looking as good as any other team going forward but invariably we'll not capitalise at key moments and shoot ourselves in the foot at the other end.
The events of the past six weeks just seem to have aligned the stars ever more to set the scene for plenty more glorious failures between now and May. I just can't see us winning a game even though we're capable of it, if that makes sense. These lads must feel like losers by now. I really hope I'm wrong.
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In March It will be 35 years ago that I went to my first Villa match. We beat West Ham 4-1.
I'm going for that.
I've had wine.
So have I. Will be in the pub with lots of Hammers on Sunday. Goodness me, I hope we win.
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It'll be tight, but I'm going for a win...we need to win, we must win!!!
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In March It will be 35 years ago that I went to my first Villa match. We beat West Ham 4-1.
I'm going for that.
I've had wine.
Remember that well; I was there. It seemed at that time that we were indestructible.
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My word we are 8/13 to get relegated!
Surely not a surprise. We ahve the worst trend-record in the division, tkaing the last 12 months. We are in freefall.
As DW points out, though, we're still not adrift. and as PL says, we don't need many wins to get us sufficiently out of the mire.
But we do need to start the escape tunnel this weekend.
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My word we are 8/13 to get relegated!
Surely not a surprise. We ahve the worst trend-record in the division, tkaing the last 12 months. We are in freefall.
As DW points out, though, we're still not adrift. and as PL says, we don't need many wins to get us sufficiently out of the mire.
But we do need to start the escape tunnel this weekend.
Yes its time to stand and deliver, games are running out and this is one of our most winnable ones.
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we simply must win tomorrow, the only thing that matters is the result no matter how we get it .
ASTON VILLA boss Paul Lambert called a crunch meeting with his squad in a bid to boost their survival mission.
Lambert got his players together and told them: We have to start winning ugly.
Villa have not tasted victory since December 15 — when they beat Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield — and are now second from bottom.
And ahead of Sunday’s clash at home to West Ham, Lambert said: “We had a chat the other day — they know what they have to do.
“We’re in a fight and it’s horrible but winning covers a multitude of sins. If you play poor and win, you’d take that.
“I know we’re in the entertainment business but sometimes that doesn’t get you anywhere.
“The effort of the players is there in abundance. We all believe they can do it.”
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My word we are 8/13 to get relegated!
As DW points out, though, we're still not adrift. and as PL says, we don't need many wins to get us sufficiently out of the mire.
But we do need to start the escape tunnel this weekend.
Yes we do. I saw signs last week and against Newcastle in the second half that there seems to be a bit of belief creeping back into the team. I think we'll win and have a frustrating 2 week wait until the next game which is normally the way.
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In March It will be 35 years ago that I went to my first Villa match. We beat West Ham 4-1.
The first game of 76/77 sticks in my mind, we beat them 4-0 on a boiling hot day.
If memory serves me correct, Ray Graydon chipped one over Mervyn Day.
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Winning ugly as opposed to losing or drawing ugly? Ok, let's try that option. But I've seen no evidence for the best part of two months that we possess sufficient mental strength to win a goldfish at the fair let alone an important game of football. Prove me wrong, Villa.
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The OS News section has made a huge effort. Good articles on Reo Coker and Dawkins, in particular. If the team put in as much effort, West Ham are in trouble.
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huge game, I think everyone knows we need to win this to have a chance of getting out of the relegation scrap. West Ham at home is possibly the best chance to break our winless streak. Huge game for the club, manager and for many of the players at the club this is the day they must stand up and be counted.
Worried about the physical presence of Nolan and Carroll, while Jarvis or Cole will be fancying their chances on the right against whoever we have left back. Think Baker needs to come in next to Vlaar though with Ciaran Clark by all accounts doing well for Ireland midweek, I think Lambert will give him another chance. Delph will come back in for sure. Id agree wit Brian Little, we need to go back to 433. Which probably means Weimann getting the short straw. However as an impact sub he has been very good of late so to have him in reserve is a positive too.
West Ham are hugely average and as Allardyce has said first goal in this game will be crucial. If they get it, I cant see us coming back to win. However I think we will just about get over the line, 3-2 to the Villa with a nervy last few minutes holding out having dominated the game completely.
Id go with
Guzan
Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett
Westwood, Kea, Delph
Nzogbia, Benteke, Gabby
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By James Nursey | 09/02/13
Paul Lambert is urging his young Aston Villa side to become streetwise and use “tricks” to avoid relegation.
Struggling Villa have blown two-goal leads three times this season to drop vital points.
Last weekend, Villa led 3-1 at Everton only to concede a last-gasp equaliser in their 3-3 draw.
The Brummies also lost 3-2 at home to Manchester United in November, despite being 2-0 up and drew at 2-2 at West Brom last month after a dominant first half.
Now, frustrated boss Lambert wants his inexperienced side to start playing dirty to close out games with cynical tactics.
He said: “We were so close to having a hell of a result up there at Everton. Just at the minute they have to see games through. If they can do that then they will win.
“I am pretty sure through experience they will certainly do it. I think you have to try and use every trick in the book to try to win the game. I am sure the lads will learn from that side of it.
“We tried in the last couple of minutes to go into the corners at Everton and keep them up their end of the pitch.
“We just never saw it through.”
With Villa now fighting relegation at the foot of the Premier League, Lambert has been left to rue those dropped points badly.
And he is anxious that Villa, who also conceded a stoppage-time equaliser at Swansea, are not left citing hard luck stories at the end of the campaign.
He added: “If you look at the Manchester United game, West Brom, Everton – even Swansea. Those points would have taken you up.
“You don’t want near misses all the time – you have to try and get results.”
But despite the club’s plight, the Scot insists he has not discussed relegation with his squad at their Bodymoor Heath training ground.
Lambert, who is targeting five or six wins from their 13 remaining games, said: “We have not spoken about it. I think that would be a defeatist attitude. That is something I don’t want to create.
“I am not going to talk about that – there are still loads of games to go. If you do that it brings negativity, especially when there are 13 games to go.
“I am not a negative person and you try and install that. My belief has never wavered.”
Last week’s results have left Villa 19th in the Premier League ahead of a weekend that includes Sunday’s home game against West Ham.
But Lambert insists his squad are not being mentally affected by their plight in the drop zone.
He added: “I have not sensed that at all.”
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Someone needs to tell Vlaar that looking like a big hard bastard isn't enough, on Sunday he will need to play like a big hard bastard!
Does he look like a "big hard bastard" ?
I think that he looks like Chris O'Donnell
(http://i2.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article215854.ece/ALTERNATES/s1023/image-9-for-gallery-villa-unveil-new-signing-ron-vlaar-gallery-713580358.jpg)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X0p59wSx7F0/TJPIIAAFd4I/AAAAAAAABEA/sQuZZGUWwxg/s1600/ncis_la_hunted_3.jpg)
I think that the (now inappropriate) "Concrete" nickname and a surname that sounds like a Klingon warlord gave us false expectations of Ron.
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Lambo will not drop Clark after he had that advice from Hansen and also scored for Ireland. I'm expecting him to go for:
Guzan - Lowton, Clark, Vlaar, Bennett - KEA, Sylla - Gabby, Charlie, Weimann - Benteke
He may choose Baker at left back if he wants a larger player to counter the threat from West Ham. Westwood may be unwell, but if not he'll have him over KEA. I also expect Dawkins to get at least a sub appearance, after all of the PR on the OS this week.
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My word we are 8/13 to get relegated!
Surely not a surprise. We ahve the worst trend-record in the division, tkaing the last 12 months. We are in freefall.
As DW points out, though, we're still not adrift. and as PL says, we don't need many wins to get us sufficiently out of the mire.
But we do need to start the escape tunnel this weekend.
Yes its time to stand and deliver, games are running out and this is one of our most winnable ones.
Yep, it time to stop playing like Prince Charming and just go for it. Remember, ridicule is nothing to be scared of.
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Lambo will not drop Clark after he had that advice from Hansen and also scored for Ireland. I'm expecting him to go for:
Guzan - Lowton, Clark, Vlaar, Bennett - KEA, Sylla - Gabby, Charlie, Weimann - Benteke
He may choose Baker at left back if he wants a larger player to counter the threat from West Ham. Westwood may be unwell, but if not he'll have him over KEA. I also expect Dawkins to get at least a sub appearance, after all of the PR on the OS this week.
I'd like to see him start Delph and Sylla in the middle if Westwood is out.
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In March It will be 35 years ago that I went to my first Villa match. We beat West Ham 4-1.
The first game of 76/77 sticks in my mind, we beat them 4-0 on a boiling hot day.
If memory serves me correct, Ray Graydon chipped one over Mervyn Day.
The only match my (now) wife has ever attended - it is referred to as "the match where they threw bricks at us". This was the spawning day of the ICF and we ran into them three times that day - just lucky I guess ;-0 It was the only time my Father agreed with fighting at a match - "I hope you gave those animals a good hiding"
Hapy daze
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Someone needs to tell Vlaar that looking like a big hard bastard isn't enough, on Sunday he will need to play like a big hard bastard!
Does he look like a "big hard bastard" ?
I think that he looks like Chris O'Donnell
(http://i2.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article215854.ece/ALTERNATES/s1023/image-9-for-gallery-villa-unveil-new-signing-ron-vlaar-gallery-713580358.jpg)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_X0p59wSx7F0/TJPIIAAFd4I/AAAAAAAABEA/sQuZZGUWwxg/s1600/ncis_la_hunted_3.jpg)
I think that the (now inappropriate) "Concrete" nickname and a surname that sounds like a Klingon warlord gave us false expectations of Ron.
I understand he collect modern art and writes operettas...
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If Westy is out, Sylla needs to start.
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Given the games our rivals have and the hopefully limited scope of them getting much in the way of points, you have to say this is deffo the most must-winniest of our "must win" games so far.
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Anything less than a win in this game will simply not be good enough.
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Dunne to slot in
Slot in? Squeeze his fat arse in more like!
I've said draw but obviously im hoping for a win
The Goalzone with Tom Ross · 14,321 like this.
about an hour ago ·
VILLA: No new injury concerns. Richard Dunne has suffered a set-back though - manager says he's 'a long way' away.
They must have known this a week ago.Yet they still didn't buy/loan a centre half in the window.
We won't see Dunne in a Villa shirt again that's for sure
do you think Findus might be interested in Dunne to try and get a few quid back .ffs
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This game has ruined my weekend all ready . I am so anxious . Normally looking forward to a Villa win and really excited by a game but I have not had that feeling for ages now and it's getting worse.
I was mildly confident against Wigan and Soton but got let down. Come on Villa. We need this.
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8 day break will have done us good, hopefully cleared the air so we can, forgive me, ' go again'
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8 day break will have done us good, hopefully cleared the air so we can, forgive me, ' go again'
yeah the only good thing about having no England players anymore . I just worry about the Benteke on international duty.
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This game has ruined my weekend all ready . I am so anxious . Normally looking forward to a Villa win and really excited by a game but I have not had that feeling for ages now and it's getting worse.
I was mildly confident against Wigan and Soton but got let down. Come on Villa. We need this.
Relax jp- light up a hamlet cigar and drink a pint of ansells bitter - all will be fine!
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8 day break will have done us good, hopefully cleared the air so we can, forgive me, ' go again'
yeah the only good thing about having no England players anymore . I just worry about the Benteke on international duty.
Plus Guzman, Weimann and Clark. Was Vlaar away with Holland?
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Weimann was playing in Swansea so hardly an around the world trip.
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All results gone our way so far. Hopefully City win later.. Makes it even more important that we win tomorrow.
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By cock we need to win this.
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Right we've been given a chance so we must win.
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Win and we're out the bottom three which is a big psychological boost.
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It is a great opportunity and the players need to step up.
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I think it'll be 4231 as last week. Delph to come in. Just a question of Westwood (who'll play if fit) or whether KEA or Sylla replaces him. Westwood and Delph played well at West Brom so I'm hoping AW will be fit.
I have a nasty feeling Clark is going to give away a pen. God knows he's been tempting fate
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Looking at the weather we may camp out after the match and try and get home Tuesday - the warm glow of winning will keep us going
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Blimey. I put us down for a win.
What's that all about then?
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For anyone interested, apparently Peter Withe is at the Sacred Heart before the game tomorrow from 11.30-12.30.
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Pivotal weekend with results going the way they have. Time has come for us to start winning rather than talking about it. West Ham will sit back and look to hit us from deadballs. It'll be up to us to defend them and break them down. Time to start winning ugly
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Pivotal weekend with results going the way they have. Time has come for us to start winning rather than talking about it. West Ham will sit back and look to hit us from deadballs. It'll be up to us to defend them and break them down. Time to start winning ugly
Agree totally, this has gone from already being a must win game to something on another level now, if man city beat southampton the winner tomorrow will be the only team in the bottom half to take 3 points. That's an opportunity we can't afford to miss.
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I reckon the most simple, nailed-on bet for this match is for Kevin Nolan to score.
Knock down from Carroll, utter chaos in our defence, in nips Nolan.
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Worryingly, it's very easy to visualise that happening, Paulie
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5.3 to us
Could be worth a couple of quid!
Having a look on Oddschecker now. The last bet I placed was 1.3 at Liverpool at 125 to 1. Nice £1250 return. I was thinking of 2.3 at Everton but didn't have that full on conviction in my water so didn't bet which saved me a tenner.
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Just watch all the diagonal balls to Carroll on our Left Back.
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We must win this one. No excuses, no draws. A win.
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If we really are going to make a fist of staying up, we all know it really has to start against West Ham.
No more fuck ups, no more excuses.
Win tomorrow and its game on.
Anything else and the writing is on the wall.
This is THE game for the boys to step up, and do the business.
No more talking a good a game, JUST FUCKING DO IT BOYS.
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I don't buy all this must win stuff. A draw isn't the end of the world. At the end of the day we need roughly 16-18 points from all the remaining games. I couldn't care less what games they came in as long as they come. Unexpected results happen all the time, look at Saints today. I just hope people don't put too much emphasis on this game and start throwing their toys out the pram if we don't win. It's a tough game against a well drilled side.
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I don't buy all this must win stuff. A draw isn't the end of the world. At the end of the day we need roughly 16-18 points from all the remaining games. I couldn't care less what games they came in as long as they come. Unexpected results happen all the time, look at Saints today. I just hope people don't put too much emphasis on this game and start throwing their toys out the pram if we don't win. It's a tough game against a well drilled side.
You're right, but psychologically, after the performance at Everton and the way results have gone (mostly) for us today, a win would be huge.
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I don't buy all this must win stuff. A draw isn't the end of the world. At the end of the day we need roughly 16-18 points from all the remaining games. I couldn't care less what games they came in as long as they come. Unexpected results happen all the time, look at Saints today. I just hope people don't put too much emphasis on this game and start throwing their toys out the pram if we don't win. It's a tough game against a well drilled side.
I have to disagree. Saints aside, everything has gone our way today. It's starting to look like 3 from 4 and if we ever have a chance we need a win tomorrow. Anything less and I think we are done for.
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I think our away form will do more to keep us up than VP games.
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I don't buy all this must win stuff. A draw isn't the end of the world. At the end of the day we need roughly 16-18 points from all the remaining games. I couldn't care less what games they came in as long as they come. Unexpected results happen all the time, look at Saints today. I just hope people don't put too much emphasis on this game and start throwing their toys out the pram if we don't win. It's a tough game against a well drilled side.
I have to disagree. Saints aside, everything has gone our way today. It's starting to look like 3 from 4 and if we ever have a chance we need a win tomorrow. Anything less and I think we are done for.
Personally I think with the quality of the players available I doubt we'll stay up anyway. I'm just hoping we can take it to the wire and then you never know I suppose. I'm just saying we still have games after this one to get points from and it is in no way a must win. The way Citeh are going we could end up getting an unexpected result against them for example.
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There's more chance of me shagging Beyonce than us getting even a point off Citeh. West Ham are there for the taking so lets just do it.
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There's more chance of me shagging Beyonce than us getting even a point off Citeh. West Ham are there for the taking so lets just do it.
Beyonce is knocking on your door in ten minutes. ;D
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There's more chance of me shagging Beyonce than us getting even a point off Citeh. West Ham are there for the taking so lets just do it.
Beyonce is knocking on your door in ten minutes. ;D
...which is 9 minutes 45 seconds longer than I'd be banging on hers
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I think this would make me last more than 15 seconds.
(http://www.celebjihad.com/celeb-jihad/harlots/beyonce4/main.jpg)
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I think this would make me last more than 15 seconds.
(http://www.celebjihad.com/celeb-jihad/harlots/beyonce4/main.jpg)
That's her cum face
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I thought it was her "is it even in yet" face.
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I thought it was her "is it even in yet" face.
I'm usually asleep if I'm honest
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I'm still curious how anyone can make it last 15 seconds.
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There's more chance of me shagging Beyonce than us getting even a point off Citeh. West Ham are there for the taking so lets just do it.
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On the off chance that any of the current crop of players are reading this....
"Please win tomorrow, not because we're desperate to win to save our Premiershp future, or because i'm sick of watching the same shit you've been serving up for the last 5 or 6 seasons at Villa Park, but because my 6 year old lad really doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to go because he thinks you don't try hard enough to stop the other team from scoring. He doesn't want to go because he expects us to lose. He doesn't want to go because he says it is boring. Tomorrow will be the last time i'll coax him into going, tomorrow could be the day that you lose a 6 year old supporter for good. Not that any of you will be bothered of course as you dive out of Villa Park in your limited edition sports car that is probably worth more than my house."
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On the off chance that any of the current crop of players are reading this....
"Please win tomorrow, not because we're desperate to win to save our Premiershp future, or because i'm sick of watching the same shit you've been serving up for the last 5 or 6 seasons at Villa Park, but because my 6 year old lad really doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to go because he thinks you don't try hard enough to stop the other team from scoring. He doesn't want to go because he expects us to lose. He doesn't want to go because he says it is boring. Tomorrow will be the last time i'll coax him into going, tomorrow could be the day that you lose a 6 year old supporter for good. Not that any of you will be bothered of course as you dive out of Villa Park in your limited edition sports car that is probably worth more than my house."
I applaud you sir, let's hope the highly paid can read.
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On the off chance that any of the current crop of players are reading this....
"Please win tomorrow, not because we're desperate to win to save our Premiershp future, or because i'm sick of watching the same shit you've been serving up for the last 5 or 6 seasons at Villa Park, but because my 6 year old lad really doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to go because he thinks you don't try hard enough to stop the other team from scoring. He doesn't want to go because he expects us to lose. He doesn't want to go because he says it is boring. Tomorrow will be the last time i'll coax him into going, tomorrow could be the day that you lose a 6 year old supporter for good. Not that any of you will be bothered of course as you dive out of Villa Park in your limited edition sports car that is probably worth more than my house."
I applaud you sir, let's hope the highly paid can read.
(http://i1.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article143290.ece/BINARY/barry-bannan-25906318.jpg)
(http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Sport/Pix/pictures/2011/10/24/1319490814849/Barry-Bannan-of-Aston-Vil-007.jpg)
He doesn't look like much of a reader.
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He can read the side of a bottle
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What advice did Clark get from Hansen?
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Stay at home and watch the rugby.
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He can read the side of a bottle
why did somebody spike his Kaliber?
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The die is cast after the transfer window.
So apart from a full on riot against the board, the only thing we can do is get behind the manager and team.
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The die is cast after the transfer window.
So apart from a full on riot against the board, the only thing we can do is get behind the manager and team.
Or stay at home and watch the rugby.
I will be there, but I do not like the prospect of insufficient alcohol intake due to the stupid kick off time, and the weather forecast of heavy freeing rain. I never used to mind the rain before last season's game against Bolton at VP, but now it gives me the fear.
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Have we ever lost five league home games in a row?
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I don't buy all this must win stuff. A draw isn't the end of the world. At the end of the day we need roughly 16-18 points from all the remaining games. I couldn't care less what games they came in as long as they come. Unexpected results happen all the time, look at Saints today. I just hope people don't put too much emphasis on this game and start throwing their toys out the pram if we don't win. It's a tough game against a well drilled side.
I have to disagree. Saints aside, everything has gone our way today. It's starting to look like 3 from 4 and if we ever have a chance we need a win tomorrow. Anything less and I think we are done for.
agree with the disagree
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I hope the Manager and team are fully aware of the importance of this game. We are running out of easy to beat sides and have been struggling to win all season. Nobody else is going to improve our situation by losing, unless we win ourselves.
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3-0 Villa
Weimann (3)
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3 - 1 Villa win
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Have we ever lost five league home games in a row?
Another record up for grabs.
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I really believe that if we lose to Spam Lambert will walk.
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I really believe that if we lose to Spam Lambert will walk.
I cant see it, he will stick around and take the pay off.
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I really believe that if we lose to Spam Lambert will walk.
You could've said that after the 3 thrashings over Xmas, or losing at home to Southampton and Newcastle, or losing a Semi Final to a division 4 side, or getting knocked out the FA Cup by Millwall. Why now?
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So nervous, been pacing around since 6am
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I suppose lambo will go with 4 2 3 1 again with Nzog in a 'free' role. I prefer some proper width. Though if we show the fight then can get result. Will there be goals? Most probably! I think 3-2 Villa.
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Have we ever lost five league home games in a row?
1962/63 when we lost 11 in a row, 5 at home and 6 away.
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lose this and we are in deep deep do do with Arsenal & Man City to come. Win it and we've the lift of being out the bottom 3. Draw = meh.
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I suppose lambo will go with 4 2 3 1 again with Nzog in a 'free' role. I prefer some proper width. Though if we show the fight then can get result. Will there be goals? Most probably! I think 3-2 Villa.
The lowest away goal-scorers against a team that rarely score at home?
Yeah, you're probably right; a goal-fest!
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0-0 will be my bet on the way to the ground
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Fabian Delph could be back in but I think be similar side to Everton. I also dubious to how many goals will feature in this match if we play a 4-2-3-1. I think Lambert should change his tactics for this one. That said the fighting spirit and some attacking flair inept defending by both teams could see a 2-1. Though give me a 1-0 like vs Reading please!!
Benteke will be point of reference up front. And can bully the CD Tomkins who I don't rate. Reid is a competent defender and will be a big danger at set pieces as will Tomkins, Nolan, and Carroll.
So Lambert expected to go with 2 midfield sitters West Wood and El Ahmadi who combat Noble and Diame. Nolan will be a danger as will Joe Cole/Jarvis and Carrol when they hit it long. The job of these two will to MOVE around and press and condense space.
Our reliance wil be N'zogbia to create and Weimann and Agbonlahors attacking prowess (poetic licence please this my team!) to support Benteke. Its important the inter changing of those 3 behind Benteke and to offer goal threat by getting in box when ball is played in.
UP THE VILLA
2-1
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If delph is fit either he or sylla should play alongside westwood - no Kea please!
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I hope the Manager and team are fully aware of the importance of this game. We are running out of easy to beat sides and have been struggling to win all season. Nobody else is going to improve our situation by losing, unless we win ourselves.
There are no easy to beat sides in this league dc5.
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Worried about the threat from corners and set pieces with the height Westham have. Big game for our defence. Lets just hope we don't give them the chance to threaten us to much in the area's where we know we are weakest.
Big game again. 3-1 Villa, or just 3 points will do, just a win please.
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Don't ask me why but have a good feeling about this game, Villa 3 Hammers 1, the fightback starts today, Come on you Lions.
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Don't ask me why but have a good feeling about this game, Villa 3 Hammers 1, the fightback starts today, Come on you Lions.
Its essential Baker is brought in to mark Andy Carroll. Neither Vlarr or Clark are capable of taking Carroll on in the air.
A lot rests on Delph playing up to his capabilities as he has done for the last few games.
The rain will be consistent today so there could be quite a few mistakes by both sides.
Villa 2-1
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I hope the Manager and team are fully aware of the importance of this game. We are running out of easy to beat sides and have been struggling to win all season. Nobody else is going to improve our situation by losing, unless we win ourselves.
There are no easy to beat sides in this league dc5.
Tell that to the top 10 teams.
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Baker at left back please. I've gone for 3-3 with Weimann and Nolan among the scorers.
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On the train to town. I have no feelings about the game at all.
I was right up for pre Bradford. I didn't want to leave the house for Newcastle.
Today? Just a whole lot of numbness.
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I hope the Manager and team are fully aware of the importance of this game. We are running out of easy to beat sides and have been struggling to win all season. Nobody else is going to improve our situation by losing, unless we win ourselves.
There are no easy to beat sides in this league dc5.
I can think of at least one ... guess who?
This game could be the turning point, psychologically, for us if we can get a win. Yesterday's results pretty much went our way, win and our fate is in our own hands for the last twelve games. MUST WIN!
Cue horrible fuck up, but ... come ON Villa!!!!!!!
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May not get to the game now, travelling down from Sheffield and have just watched the BBC weather forecast for Sunday and it seems lots of snow is forecast. Any chance the game may be postponed due to snow?
Not anymore it isn't. The BBC forecast has changed about six times today.
45 mins away from departure and we have wet snow falling in Sheffield but thankfully no problems with getting down. Yesterday's results will hopefully prove an additional motivation to the lads to pull out a performance and take 3 points. Expecting a turgid game but won't care if we get the much needed win.
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I think i'd put Baker alongside Vlaar for this one, unless he sticks him in at left back. Either way, we could do with the extra height in there.
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Results yesterday went our way, so we'll do our best to stay in the bottom three. Carroll 2 our defence laughable.
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Baker at left back please.
I'd like to see Clark at left back and Baker in the middle, either way Joe Bennett needs to be 'rested' big time.
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anybody else as grumpy and irritable as me this morning ? Just about to leave for the game afterwatching MOTD this morning and it feels like every other team has something going for them except maybe QPR whereas I can't see us keeping a clean sheet in any game.
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I am quite chipper. Pouring down here and just back from a very muddy and wet cross county run so going to listen to my favourite soul funk show on Brighton's Juice FM at 12, then the Villa at 1.30, and the rugby at 3. Interspersed with a bit of the Wire and the programme about albums from the other night on BBC4, love that sort of musical nostalgia...
The Villa will of course spoil the day as ever, a capacity for which they know no bounds
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Villa 1 - 2 West Ham
Benteke will score early goal.....We'll go in leading at half time. The Villa pub team will come out 2nd Half...Carroll double - 1 from a corner and other from freekick.
Results went our way yesterday so there is no way we'll make the most of it! :-\
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I hope the Manager and team are fully aware of the importance of this game. We are running out of easy to beat sides and have been struggling to win all season. Nobody else is going to improve our situation by losing, unless we win ourselves.
There are no easy to beat sides in this league dc5.
Tell that to the top 10 teams.
Ah you mean like wigan beating man u, chelsea losing at home to qpr and man city losing at saints?
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Time to head off to VP. Come on you Villa boys!!!
UTV
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On the train to town. I have no feelings about the game at all.
I was right up for pre Bradford. I didn't want to leave the house for Newcastle.
Today? Just a whole lot of numbness.
Same here.
Plus I am already fucking soaked and the charming walk from Aston station beckons.
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Very nervous about today. Just for once please Villa don't let us down.
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Tumnus moaning on twitter about how we did eight grand's worth of damage to his car the last time they were up here. Nauseating little shit.
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Well I've just turned down a free ticket that's how bad it's become :(
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3-0 win (Gabby, Zog and Concrete Ron)
A clean sheet a headed goal scored from a corner in our favour....feeling very optimistic today!
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Baker at left back please.
I'd like to see Clark at left back and Baker in the middle, either way Joe Bennett needs to be 'rested' big time.
If anyone needs to be rested its Clark. He's an absolute liability at the moment. What keeps him in is his passing ability, his brilliant reading of the game, and the lack of alternatives. he needs a long spell on the side. Not only because of results but you don't want to ruin potential with a long losing mentality.
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Baker at left back please.
I'd like to see Clark at left back and Baker in the middle, either way Joe Bennett needs to be 'rested' big time.
If anyone needs to be rested its Clark. He's an absolute liability at the moment. What keeps him in is his passing ability, his brilliant reading of the game, and the lack of alternatives. he needs a long spell on the side. Not only because of results but you don't want to ruin potential with a long losing mentality.
I've actually changed my opinion of our Ciaran: I always saw him a a CB, pure and simple.
Having watched Perch do a great job for Newcastle in CMF yesterday, I think maybe I was wrong and CC should be alongside Westie in MF.
But I do agree: he is the one who seems to have been most affected by the dreadful run of games (and he didn't start the season that well, either).
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A start for Bowery!
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I am going to sit in front of a big sceen at the gym peddling a static bike / using a cross trainer. Please give me something to smile about amogst the sweat and aches and pain.
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!