Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on June 11, 2020, 01:35:05 PM
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Oh go on then, I’ll kick it off. Well the remaining games of what has mostly been a desperate league campaign are upon us, in what will be an altogether bizarre finale. Still, these are the cards we’ve been dealt. Not everyone will agree but I’m looking at this as a must win game. It’s our game in hand. We would be out of the relegation zone and that psychologically would be enormous for all of us. We have to defend better and create chances. I hope Dean Smith and staff don’t fall back on what they were doing and have truly taken stock of their tactical decisions, especially towards the end of the last set of games where we were quite pathetic.
Anyway, optimistic smiley face on. I’ll go for a very nervous 2-1 win. Jack and Ally with our goals.
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at last ........ 3-2 Villa
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Oh God, I'm getting swimming pool nerves.
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I think we'll lose. I just feel Wilder will have Sheffield right up for this one both mentally and physically and unfortunately I trust his prep more than ours at the moment.
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How about a "Couldn't really care less" option?
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Probably the most difficult match to call this season. May the least worse side win.
I’m sure the quality of football will be very poor.
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Sheffield United have played 33 games in all competitions so far this season and have only lost twice away to Liverpool and City, quite astonishing really.
I don't see Smith outsmarting Wilder, 1-2 loss.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
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I think we'll lose. I just feel Wilder will have Sheffield right up for this one both mentally and physically and unfortunately I trust his prep more than ours at the moment.
There is no logic here but I guess it's the fan in you talking. How many goals do you think they are going to score from OUR corners?
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Missed these threads....
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Not really all that interested. It's not football as it should be.
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It is like a new season in a totally different environment. Almost a new/different game. I totally get why people are not so fussed about football after everything that has gone on and continues going on regarding loss of lives. But we do need to realise that as a club we are fighting for our future and I think people will care which division we will be in next season. Kicking off with a win would be a real boost to our morale and survival chances.
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Gasp match thread. Genuine wave of emotion.
As you were and 3-4 having led 3-0 at half time
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Why is it a dark precusor to where we could be in just a few years time?
There's loads I dislike about the PL, in particular the glass cieling of FFP, share of the money etc. But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
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I think we'll lose. I just feel Wilder will have Sheffield right up for this one both mentally and physically and unfortunately I trust his prep more than ours at the moment.
There is no logic here but I guess it's the fan in you talking. How many goals do you think they are going to score from OUR corners?
Well our respective performances this season would give some logic to the thought that Wilder is better at setting up and preparing a team than Smith at the moment.
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I’m already nervous so I suppose that means I do care about what happens in this game
a must win game ?
I will go further than that
if Sheff Utd turn up at our place after the break and everyone getting to press the reset button play well and win
we will be going down.....imo
however I’m hopeful we will be better after the restart and believe we can win this game
Villa 2-1
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It is like a new season in a totally different environment. Almost a new/different game.
And that's the point. It's not a new season and it's not a new game. It's the same season being played out under different rules and it's disproportionately harming some clubs more than others. Whoever gets relegated will have a valid reason why they were treated unfairly.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Why is it a dark precusor to where we could be in just a few years time?
There's loads I dislike about the PL, in particular the glass cieling of FFP, share of the money etc. But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Artificial crowd noise opens up the door to possibility of games taking place without fans post Covid if it deemed a success. With paying customer revenue being dwarfed by TV money what price a midnight or early hours KO? Fanciful it maybe but look where we are now.
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
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Oh the stress is about to return.....just WIN villa !
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Summed it up perfectly for me. It'll be like a neutral game that's on in the pub with the sound turned down.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Pretty much this, except I've been following for 60 very odd years.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Summed it up perfectly for me. It'll be like a neutral game that's on in the pub with the sound turned down.
Same here.
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It is like a new season in a totally different environment. Almost a new/different game.
And that's the point. it's not a new season and it's not a new game. It's the same season being played out under different rules and it's disproportionately harming some clubs more than others. Whoever gets relegated will have a valid reason why they were treated unfairly.
That’s been my verdict all along. This “it’s the same for all clubs” line that’s trotted out. It isn’t. In the corresponding fixture They had 20 odd thousand supporters cheering them on. That’s the difference. A very big difference for a club in the relegation zone.
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
I’m afraid so. VAR: Paul Tierney
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I have the subconscious excitement of football coming back and the conscious thought that it's just shit and that I'm not interested.
Given its my team against the wife and in-laws' team we've hardly discussed it at all.
It's football Jim, but not as we know it.
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It is like a new season in a totally different environment. Almost a new/different game.
And that's the point. It's not a new season and it's not a new game. It's the same season being played out under different rules and it's disproportionately harming some clubs more than others. Whoever gets relegated will have a valid reason why they were treated unfairly.
100% this - the unseemly way that PL & PL clubs have sought to change rules at will to suit their own agendas within a season is poor. Use of PPG on the fly to define seasons & results to again suit agendas is pathetic. Increasing amount of substitutes to suit Chelsea / United Who believe they have deeper squads etc because they are worried that Sheff U / Wolves / Leicester won’t now falter due to tiredness
The fact those with all the money ie PL / PL clubs / PFA have showed a complete disregard for the 71 clubs below in the crush to get their grubby paws on broadcast cash when we know in 6 weeks time they’ll be splashing 30/40m on bang average players is also very poor.
It absolutely should have been made conditional on allowing this project restart b****x that the clubs contributed to a fund that paid for the testing / made up for attendance shortfalls to ensure that come September etc there are 91/92 clubs for all fans to return to.
Since the 700m+ income protection scheme first started to gather momentum I have been certain that I don’t really care what league we play in next season but I sure as hell care how that is decided in the event of games not being played....maybe next week once it starts I’ll care....if I supported Tranmere I’d be gutted to have fate decided on paper, if I supported Coventry (god forbid!!) I’d be concerned about celebrating the hollowest of all hollow promotions.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Why is it a dark precusor to where we could be in just a few years time?
There's loads I dislike about the PL, in particular the glass cieling of FFP, share of the money etc. But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Artificial crowd noise opens up the door to possibility of games taking place without fans post Covid if it deemed a success. With paying customer revenue being dwarfed by TV money what price a midnight or early hours KO? Fanciful it maybe but look where we are now.
I understand all your reasons for being against the restart and agree with lots of them. But this is just melodramatic nonsense.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?
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I get it, but I love VP full to the rafters every game, a year or two in the chumps will mean trinity blocked off, any redevelopment delayed for a couple of years etc
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Personally I never want to be in the Championship again. Lots of things i dislike about the Premier league, but it is where we need to be.
Please win Villa, we really need to win!
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JUST FUCKING WIN VILLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right, I'm calm again now.
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Its a totally new season now. No one has form to carry over. Anything can happen.
Its a 10 game season. We know what we need to do. The focus will be crystal clear, we need to take our opportunities and push on.
Im still keeping the faith.
UTV
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
Can someone explain the logic of not using VAR two-thirds of the way through 'the season'? I've not seen an explanation anywhere.
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But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Consideration for paying fans was taken out of the clubs' hands the day they signed up with Sky.
Monday night games, ridiculous KO times, shifting games at relatively short notice, access to televised games only for those who can afford it tells me that paying punters ( proper fans in my book) are the bottom of the list when it comes to consideration and it doesn't matter what the clubs think.
Is how I read Nev's post.
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
Can someone explain the logic of not using VAR two-thirds of the way through 'the season'? I've not seen an explanation anywhere.
It is being used. They have announced who the VAR refs are for our game
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But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Consideration for paying fans was taken out of the clubs' hands the day they signed up with Sky.
Monday night games, ridiculous KO times, shifting games at relatively short notice, access to televised games only for those who can afford it tells me that paying punters ( proper fans in my book) are the bottom of the list when it comes to consideration and it doesn't matter what the clubs think.
Is how I read Nev's post.
But the inference that there's some dark forces laying the groundwork for a future with games with no fans is ridiculous.
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But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Consideration for paying fans was taken out of the clubs' hands the day they signed up with Sky.
Monday night games, ridiculous KO times, shifting games at relatively short notice, access to televised games only for those who can afford it tells me that paying punters ( proper fans in my book) are the bottom of the list when it comes to consideration and it doesn't matter what the clubs think.
Is how I read Nev's post.
But the inference that there's some dark forces laying the groundwork for a future with games with no fans is ridiculous.
I referenced the word dark with regard to the future of the game as I see it, bleak would be another word. There are no dark forces at work only the forces that run the game in plain sight.
The singular reason that fans are considered at all is the fact that the TV companies will not, in the long term at least, pay for football with no atmosphere. However, if they can replace this artificially then what do the fans become?
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But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Consideration for paying fans was taken out of the clubs' hands the day they signed up with Sky.
Monday night games, ridiculous KO times, shifting games at relatively short notice, access to televised games only for those who can afford it tells me that paying punters ( proper fans in my book) are the bottom of the list when it comes to consideration and it doesn't matter what the clubs think.
Is how I read Nev's post.
But the inference that there's some dark forces laying the groundwork for a future with games with no fans is ridiculous.
Small Heath and Coventry seem to have been laying the groundwork for a future with games with no fans at the sty for a while.
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But why on earth do you feel the clubs won't do everything they can to get fans through the door and give them the best experience they can when it seems to me cluubs are keen to do exactly that?
Consideration for paying fans was taken out of the clubs' hands the day they signed up with Sky.
Monday night games, ridiculous KO times, shifting games at relatively short notice, access to televised games only for those who can afford it tells me that paying punters ( proper fans in my book) are the bottom of the list when it comes to consideration and it doesn't matter what the clubs think.
Is how I read Nev's post.
But the inference that there's some dark forces laying the groundwork for a future with games with no fans is ridiculous.
I referenced the word dark with regard to the future of the game as I see it, bleak would be another word. There are no dark forces at work only the forces that run the game in plain sight.
The singular reason that fans are considered at all is the fact that the TV companies will not, in the long term at least, pay for football with no atmosphere. However, if they can replace this artificially then what do the fans become?
Without fans in the ground, it'll die a slow and tedius death. The novelty of the last 9 of this season being condensed into 37 days with every game being televised (but none on demand, mind) might see it survive until the end of summer.
Football is theatre, actors need an audience, and no end of canned noise and cardboard cutouts will ever create an atmosphere. We'll be back.
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
Can someone explain the logic of not using VAR two-thirds of the way through 'the season'? I've not seen an explanation anywhere.
It is being used. They have announced who the VAR refs are for our game
It struck me as a bit odd that a casualty of the restart would be VAR, I could never work out a reason why it'd be unusable. It's two people watching the telly.
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There's absolutely no reason for the clubs or league to want to go down the no fans route. You wouldn't have clubs spending hundreds of millions on stadiums if they didn't have aspirations to continue growing their match attending fan base.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?
I just long for the day when I can visit home and go to a match with my Dad and brother. I hope I get the chance to do this again. That could be in League One for all I care. I'll be watching on Wednesday with the same interest that I would watch a pre-season friendly.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?
I just long for the day when I can visit home and go to a match with my Dad and brother. I hope I get the chance to do this again. That could be in League One for all I care. I'll be watching on Wednesday with the same interest that I would watch a pre-season friendly.
Do you really mean this? You're not bothered about the game or the result? You don't care if we're relegated and lose our once in a generation player and the likes of Mings & McGinn?
I can understand why people feel disenchanted about the whole thing - I do as well. But I can't undertsand why long terms fans seemingly aren't bothered if we win or lose, if we're relegated or not.
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I'm really torn on this. On the one hand I can't pretend that I haven't missed watching the Villa, even with all the terrible events that have unfolded over the last few months. Even though the competition is compromised, we won't be able to be there in person and the fact that different rules are applying at different levels makes the idea of sporting integrity a farce, I still can't wait to watch on Wednesday. The fact that we are going to get football at all, and some live entertainment after months of highlights of old games, documentaries etc just feels like we are waking up after a long, dark night.
On the other hand, I have no doubt that the rush to get games back on is hiding some radical changes that will disproportionately affect the lower leagues. I have already said this elsewhere, but we are looking at 3 seasons of compromised football now. This season finishes behind closed doors, next season probably starts over a month late, possibly behind closed doors and with a need to finish by mid-May to fit in Euro 2021, and then the following season starts on time, but with a 2 month break in the middle to hold the ridiculous World Cup in Qatar. I don't see how a large number of lower league clubs won't go to the wall in the next 3 years.
My biggest concern is that this is opening the door for a power grab by the Premier League. I'm certain we have seen the end of the League Cup - I don't see how it can be fitted in for the next 2 years, and once it's been away for that long there is no way the clubs regularly qualifying for Europe will want it back. That's another revenue stream gone for the smaller clubs, and I'm not holding my breath that the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd et al will bridge the gap from their UEFA prize money. So if we do see say 15-20 clubs go to the wall, what next? There are enough clubs in the Championship that want a bigger slice of the pie that I can see a 2 division Premier League, 18 teams in each, and potentially the cutting adrift of everyone else. The rush to complete this season will have consequences way into the future, and I'm not sure things will ever be the same for a large number of clubs.
Anyway, in conclusion, Villa 3 - 1 Sheffield Utd.
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I go in with no expectations - so it can only get better. Put in a performance Villa, like you mean it.
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Yes I'm disenchanted with what football has become and really don't think football at the moment is appropriate, but it's still the Villa and a hugely significant game, so I'll be in front of the TV willing them on and caring far too much about the result. I can't change after over 50 years of support! This is not the year to get relegated.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?
I just long for the day when I can visit home and go to a match with my Dad and brother. I hope I get the chance to do this again. That could be in League One for all I care. I'll be watching on Wednesday with the same interest that I would watch a pre-season friendly.
Do you really mean this? You're not bothered about the game or the result? You don't care if we're relegated and lose our once in a generation player and the likes of Mings & McGinn?
I can understand why people feel disenchanted about the whole thing - I do as well. But I can't undertsand why long terms fans seemingly aren't bothered if we win or lose, if we're relegated or not.
I'd prefer us to stay up, but no I really don't care. I've perhaps realised more than ever before how football is to do with the fans, friends, atmosphere - even when watching on the TV this is the central part. If someone was to tell me that next year I could be at Villa Park watching Villa in the Championship I'd bite their hand off. Mings, Grealish, etc come and go.
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I wouldn't say I don't care whether we get relegated - I want us to stay up so obviously I care. But if we do get relegated it won't bother me really.
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I think we will lose and be relegated. I hope I’m wrong but I just cannot see us improving enough. I don’t particularly want to have to pay for a nowtv pass but I guess I won’t be able to help myself.
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We really need to win our game in hand so I will say a Villa 2-1 win.
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Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.
Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?
I just long for the day when I can visit home and go to a match with my Dad and brother. I hope I get the chance to do this again. That could be in League One for all I care. I'll be watching on Wednesday with the same interest that I would watch a pre-season friendly.
Do you really mean this? You're not bothered about the game or the result? You don't care if we're relegated and lose our once in a generation player and the likes of Mings & McGinn?
I can understand why people feel disenchanted about the whole thing - I do as well. But I can't undertsand why long terms fans seemingly aren't bothered if we win or lose, if we're relegated or not.
I'd prefer us to stay up, but no I really don't care. I've perhaps realised more than ever before how football is to do with the fans, friends, atmosphere - even when watching on the TV this is the central part. If someone was to tell me that next year I could be at Villa Park watching Villa in the Championship I'd bite their hand off. Mings, Grealish, etc come and go.
Well I'm sure we will be at Villa park watching Villa next year, so hopefully this is the worst case scenerio.
For me, I'll be gutted if we go down. Absolutely gutted.
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I wouldn't say I don't care whether we get relegated - I want us to stay up so obviously I care. But if we do get relegated it won't bother me really.
Same here.
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I think we will lose and be relegated. I hope I’m wrong but I just cannot see us improving enough. I don’t particularly want to have to pay for a nowtv pass but I guess I won’t be able to help myself.
It's a bit of arsehole that were we the later game this Wednesday, we'd have been able to get our first three games in on a week pass.
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I'm currently re-thinking my future live-football options. Now that my folks are no longer alive and in the Midlands, the hassle of the 250 mile round trip and the even-more-of-a-hassle unsociable k-o times of many games, I'm definitely thinking I'll get a season ticket for Harrogate Town and not renew my Holte End ST.
But, my willpower is weak, and may just get one of each!
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We'll draw next Wednesday 1-1, and the agony will endure through to the last couple of games.
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I think we will lose and be relegated. I hope I’m wrong but I just cannot see us improving enough. I don’t particularly want to have to pay for a nowtv pass but I guess I won’t be able to help myself.
It's a bit of arsehole that were we the later game this Wednesday, we'd have been able to get our first three games in on a week pass.
Apologies if this misled anybody, or put them in even more of a quandary! Newcastle game is on BT, not Sky as stated in the Metro tv listings.
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The rules have been bent so much to our disadvantage that I am never again subscribing to sky and I am not sure I even call myself a football man any more.
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The rules have been bent so much to our disadvantage that I am never again subscribing to sky and I am not sure I even call myself a football man any more.
How have they been bent to our specific disadvantage?
When the lockdown started we were in freefall and likley to be relegated
On current position, we would be relegated
On points per game we're relegated
On points per game weighted for home and away form we're relegated
I completly agree you shouldn't relegate teams when a season hasn't been finished and these last few games are not really a fair representation of what would have happened. But given the new rules apply to everybody, how have they been bent to our disadvantage?
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I think some are forgetting how bad football in the second division was and how close the club came to liquidation.
Our hopes for survival are based primarily on Grealish and McGinn and finding a way to get the best out of them. If we could recreate some of our football from earlier in the season with the ball, scoring goals shouldnt be a problem. Especially as either Samatta or Davis are likely to offer a hell of a lot more up front than Wes did for most of those games.
I don't see any obvious remedy to the soft centre in our midfield and full back unfortunately. Maybe Guilbert can recover some of his early form. But no matter what selection, we will still concede plenty of goals unfortunately.
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Come on Villa. No one wants to go to the Sty twice next season.
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Grealish and McGinn; a pair of brilliant players there and happy to hitch my hopes to their wagon.
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I do find it slightly bizarre and contradictory that a lot of recently converted ex football fans are still posting on a football forum about how little they care about football anymore. I will be passionately supporting Villa in their battle to stay up because supporting Villa is what I do since as long as I can remember and watching other games not involving Villa because I like watching football, the same as I have since as long as I can remember.
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... Our hopes for survival are based primarily on Grealish and McGinn and finding a way to get the best out of them. ...
I don't disagree, and I'm hoping that some of our less-experienced and imported players will have had the chance to acclimatise better to playing in England and for Villa. Seeing more composed and committed Guilbert, Luiz, Engels, Nakamba and Samatta - in the way that fans often only see the best of new players in their second season - would probably result in our continued Premier League status.
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Has anything ever been mentioned since we returned to training/practice games about who the player with asthma & the player living with a vulnerable relative are?
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I do find it slightly bizarre and contradictory that a lot of recently converted ex football fans are still posting on a football forum about how little they care about football anymore. I will be passionately supporting Villa in their battle to stay up because supporting Villa is what I do since as long as I can remember and watching other games not involving Villa because I like watching football, the same as I have since as long as I can remember.
But we won’t be “supporting“ Villa, we’ll be watching in isolation on TV with fake crowd noise. The whole thing, for me, will just be a reminder, rather than an escape from, the situation we find ourselves in. Of course I’ll be pleased if we win and pissed off when we lose but I can’t escape the thought that it’s only being done to fulfil contractual obligations rather for any sporting values.
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There's only one thing better than a Villa goal, it's watching the Villa fans celebrating a Villa goal.
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I hate everything about project re-start but will still watch the games.
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The rules have been bent so much to our disadvantage that I am never again subscribing to sky and I am not sure I even call myself a football man any more.
How have they been bent to our specific disadvantage?
When the lockdown started we were in freefall and likley to be relegated
On current position, we would be relegated
On points per game we're relegated
On points per game weighted for home and away form we're relegated
I completly agree you shouldn't relegate teams when a season hasn't been finished and these last few games are not really a fair representation of what would have happened. But given the new rules apply to everybody, how have they been bent to our disadvantage?
I get what you are saying, we had lost 4 in a row and managed some absolutely abysmal performances, I was thinking we were down after Leicester and a loss against Chelsea we were in new manager last chance saloon territory.
Our only chance was some rousing performances in front of a packed Villa Park and maybe new manager bounce.
They have reset the clock with a ghost of a Competition.
Who knows how it will turn out but it is not an edifying spectacle regardless.
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Has anything ever been mentioned since we returned to training/practice games about who the player with asthma & the player living with a vulnerable relative are?
Stephen Ireland had a whole list of vulnerable relatives.
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Can anyone recommend a pub in Birmingham City Centre to watch the game please?
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My first Villa game was home to Leyton Orient in 1959.I followed us up to the first division, down to the third and back up to winning the European Cup. Since then I have probably been to about 65- 70% of our games.At the moment,given the horrendous loss of lives I really could not give a shit about football.The travesty that is about to resume reinforces that view. I am almost ashamed to say that that will continue until about 5.30 pm on Wednesday at which time one thing will , at least for a short while,make me forget anything else. AVFC.
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I really want us to stay up, despite the circumstances. In a couple of seasons when hopefully some normality returns, I don't want to be floundering about in the Championship.
Football is unimportant in the scheme of things, but paradoxically, it's important because of its very unimportance.
I don't think we will stay up though. We were in free-fall with a disjointed team and the manager had lost his way well before lockdown.
However I will be celebrating if we do stay up. This first game is a clichéd must-win.
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Can anyone recommend a pub in Birmingham City Centre to watch the game please?
There will be no pubs open let alone showing the game.
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Can anyone recommend a pub in Birmingham City Centre to watch the game please?
There will be no pubs open let alone showing the game.
I suspect he was being sarcastic.
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Agree largely with comments that season shouldn’t have restarted, but money talks. Also agree with money people seeing opportunities for the future, not a grand Bond villain plan to get rid of fans, but opportunities for example for games here at TV times That suit say the Far East, probably a long way in the future.
However, the season is re starting, I’ve defended Dean Smith all the way through, but before lockdown, cup final aside when I thought we did ok, I thought we looked like a team nailed on to go down and a manager who had lost his way and run out of ideas. If the enforced break has given Dean time to take stock and take drastic action on the things that weren’t working, e.g. the system, then maybe we have a chance. If it’s same again after a breather then we’ve got problems. I think El Ghazis the best of the wingers but none of them have really worked this season. I also think every striker has looked isolated on their own and the full backs are both average defenders at the moment but good going forward. I think deans got to be radical and play a 3-5-2 with two forwards rather than the system just after Xmas with jack supporting a lone striker.
I’d go
Nylond
Mings
Engels
Konsa
Targett
Nakamba
McGinn
Grealish
Guilbert
Davies
Samatta
They won’t be many tougher games that sheff Utd to start with and home advantage across Europe is proving negligible with no ones. Heart tells me an unlikely 3-1 win, head tells me something else
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Nyland
Mings
Engels
Konsa
Targett
Nakamba
McGinn
Grealish
Guilbert
Davies
Samatta
That's how I'd start the game.
As I said in an earlier post, we have to stop Horwood playing and ensure that their fullbacks do not maraude as they have done in many other games since their promotion.
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Absolutely superb to see Premier League players to have 'Black Lives Matter' replacing names on shirts. That's what we want from football. Solidarity. And also good to hear the
Premier League will support players who take a knee before or during matches.
I would like to think Aston Villa football club will be having all the players supporting the cause by taking a knee in the first matches they play.
We've seen it with other clubs in bundesliga and it's good to hear the Premier league bringing about change .
I aware majority of here fully support the cause and only a minority who think it would be uneccesary to take away players names and have black lives matter slogan on back of shirts.
That's people's own views of course and we are nt here to argue but do realise there is a very good reason to why this movement is in place.
Up the villa !
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Nyland
Mings
Engels
Konsa
Targett
Nakamba
McGinn
Grealish
Guilbert
Davies
Samatta
That's how I'd start the game.
As I said in an earlier post, we have to stop Horwood playing and ensure that their fullbacks do not maraude as they have done in many other games since their promotion.
Yep, I like that too. I just wonder how many minutes SJM will have in him for his first game in such a long time.
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I've been daydreaming about a new villa emerging after the lockdown with McGinn and Grealish leading us to safety. Then I remember it's going to be the same defenders who have been making mistakes and shipping goals all season. I dont see how that's going to change unfortunately.
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I've been daydreaming about a new villa emerging after the lockdown with McGinn and Grealish leading us to safety. Then I remember it's going to be the same defenders who have been making mistakes and shipping goals all season. I dont see how that's going to change unfortunately.
We’re gonna win every game 5-4.
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Are we still not allowed to pick Heaton? Seems a bit stupid if not.
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He isn’t fit
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His wife likes him.
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Are we still not allowed to pick Heaton? Seems a bit stupid if not.
He’s not fit, but anyway the premier league decided not to allow teams to resubmit their squads of 25. So we’d have been knackered if he had been fit.
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3 at the back is largely negated by teams playin one up front, particularly If you do not have a centre back that can join in the play. That also means the other 2 have to be comfortable. Mings our most likely is tooo often babysitting the other 2 and is capable of overplaying too deep.
The problem for the whole campaign has been the defensive midfield area and I don’t think we have anyone who can fulfil that role.
Going 3 at the back unless you are addressing the problem in deep midfield is not the answer.
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Don't disagree with you 're the defensive midfield area, both nakamba and Luiz gave have had very good games, but largely struggled and the defence has largely struggled all season as well. However, this is not going to be sorted either in terms of those players getting better or us getting better players, until next season, or us being in a lower division where those players look better.
So, sticking to the same systems pre lockdown isn't going to achieve anything, unless mcginn makes that much difference.
I just think if the defensive frailities whether there caused by lack of a decent defensive midfielder or not, aren't going to be eradicated then we need to be offensively better to give the opposition more to think about.
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It worked for a couple of games and then it got worked out and we went back to 4 at the back.
Agree we are not in a position to solve the fundamental problem unless of course Drinky and SJM can be deployed in such a way to help our abdication of the midfield.
It’s a tough one and why we are in the relegation zone.
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
They started the season using VAR so surely they have to finish with it or is that another rule change to suit TV?
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VAR is not being used as far as I am aware.
They started the season using VAR so surely they have to finish with it or is that another rule change to suit TV?
Again, VAR is definitely being used. They named the VAR officials as well as the match officials last week.
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Just win baby
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well very classy gesture from Villa to pay for ST holders to watch the first 2 games back.
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well very classy gesture from Villa to pay for ST holders to watch the first 2 games back.
Haven't received the invitation yet ...
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3 at the back is largely negated by teams playin one up front, particularly If you do not have a centre back that can join in the play. That also means the other 2 have to be comfortable. Mings our most likely is tooo often babysitting the other 2 and is capable of overplaying too deep.
The problem for the whole campaign has been the defensive midfield area and I don’t think we have anyone who can fulfil that role.
Going 3 at the back unless you are addressing the problem in deep midfield is not the answer.
If Mings were to move to the left of the three then he has the ability to step out with the ball and make another body in midfield. He wasn't helped centrally with Hause playing next to him who was patently unsuited to a three man defence and playing out from the back. I think that forced Mings to take a lot more risk on the ball at times. Mings also is horrible using his right foot which got exposed the longer it went on.
The problem with going with four at the back is that our full backs particularly Targett aren't strong enough defensively.
Agreed on the defensive midfield problem and I don't think McGinn is going to help in this area either.
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Not really all that interested. It's not football as it should be.
Pretty much my view on it.
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Villa will prevail. 8)
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Not really all that interested. It's not football as it should be.
Pretty much my view on it.
Me too, not really up for it. Let's see.
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Not really all that interested. It's not football as it should be.
Pretty much my view on it.
Me too, not really up for it. Let's see.
Was just thinking I might go and watch it in El Leon.
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Sorry if been asked before, but is match commentary on radio?
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Sorry if been asked before, but is match commentary on radio?
The first 3 villa matches are on BBC radio 5 live. Sheffield Utd , Chelsea and Newcastle (or 5 live extra) I don't know about WM BBC
All remaining premier league matches will be live on Talksport stations or BBC 5 live Stations
Up the Villa
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Nyland
Guilbert Engels Mings Targett
Luiz Nakamba
El Ghazi McGinn Jack
Samatta
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Just win baby
Thanks Al ;)
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Who's still out injured ?
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The eyes of the world are going to be on this game.
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Not really all that interested. It's not football as it should be.
Pretty much my view on it.
Mine too, but I guess if it's on and I'm able to watch it, I probably will and then inevitably find myself getting emotionally involved.
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Obviously the majority of us all wanted this season to be declared null and void so I can understand some fans not really being up for this. It's happening now though so I just hope we can get a couple of morale boosting wins on the board and stay up comfortably. It's Villa though so we will no doubt make bloody hard work of it.
I'd go with the team RamboandBruno put up but with Elmohamady instead of Guilbert. We might has well have someone in there who can swing in a decent cross if in we were to play two up front. I'd probably pick Elmo anyway if we only play Samatta as the lone striker.
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I really hoe we get something from the game but think we will lose 1-3. Our defence has been shit all season and I doubt the "rest" the players have had will make much if a difference.
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Not really all that interested. It's not football as it should be.
Pretty much my view on it.
Me too, not really up for it. Let's see.
Was just thinking I might go and watch it in El Leon.
Would be nice.
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I think we’ll win, but I’m unsure whether or not I’m getting the traditional pre-season misguided sense of optimism. 2-1 Grealish and El Ghazi.
I’m going to be cheeky here. If any ST holders have a code for Sky Sports/Now Tv they don’t need, can they let me know? If this is inappropriate, I’ll take it down, obviously. Thanks!
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what exactly did we do to Danny Murphy for the hobbit sized cnut to despise us so much?
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If Mings were to move to the left of the three then he has the ability to step out with the ball and make another body in midfield. He wasn't helped centrally with Hause playing next to him who was patently unsuited to a three man defence and playing out from the back. I think that forced Mings to take a lot more risk on the ball at times. Mings also is horrible using his right foot which got exposed the longer it went on.
The problem with going with four at the back is that our full backs particularly Targett aren't strong enough defensively.
Agreed on the defensive midfield problem and I don't think McGinn is going to help in this area either.
This isn't the time for experimentation so I don't see it happening but I'd be tempted to go with something like this:
Guilbert Engles Mings Targett
Konsa
Luiz McGinn Grealish
Samatta Davis
Konsa holds a few metres in front of the centre backs as the ball winner who moves it quickly to the fullbacks and other midfielders. Nakamba should be playing this role but so far this season he hasn't shown the discipline to hold the position which has meant a big gap appearing in there all too often.
Guilbert and Targett play more like wing backs getting high up the pitch and providing the main width.
Luiz and Grealish play from the centre but drifting to the right and left (respectively) to both help out defensively and to find space in attack.
McGinn joins attacks late from midfield to pick up the ball at the edge of the box.
Up front I'd play off Davis as the pivot bringing the full-backs and midfield into the game with Samatta playing more of a poacher role.
The risk is that we're quite narrow if the fullbacks aren't involved but, for me, it's a risk worth taking as Jack in particular is very dangerous when he can drift into pockets of space between the midfield, fullback and centre back. Luiz is a bit more of a gamble but I think he has the ability to be very good there, just not the experience.
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I think we’ll win, but I’m unsure whether or not I’m getting the traditional pre-season misguided sense of optimism. 2-1 Grealish and El Ghazi.
I’m going to be cheeky here. If any ST holders have a code for Sky Sports/Now Tv they don’t need, can they let me know? If this is inappropriate, I’ll take it down, obviously. Thanks!
Am i right in thinking that the game is being shown on Sky Sports News channel as well as the regular Sky channels? I don't have the subscription so only get basic sky options ('SP News' being one of them) but it looks like this may be on one of the free ones..?
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There's absolutely no reason for the clubs or league to want to go down the no fans route. You wouldn't have clubs spending hundreds of millions on stadiums if they didn't have aspirations to continue growing their match attending fan base.
Spurs particularly would be getting burnt right now. Shame.
There’d be some accountants and contract lawyers at Everton flapping a bit over the new stadium project currently I would think.
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pretty sure it's not free to air tim as for ST holders at least the club issued a free voucher for this and the Chelsea game through nowtv
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I think we’ll win, but I’m unsure whether or not I’m getting the traditional pre-season misguided sense of optimism. 2-1 Grealish and El Ghazi.
I’m going to be cheeky here. If any ST holders have a code for Sky Sports/Now Tv they don’t need, can they let me know? If this is inappropriate, I’ll take it down, obviously. Thanks!
Am i right in thinking that the game is being shown on Sky Sports News channel as well as the regular Sky channels? I don't have the subscription so only get basic sky options ('SP News' being one of them) but it looks like this may be on one of the free ones..?
As mr underhill says, the Sky schedule says it's only on the paid Main Event and PL channels. SSN do also have the preview show from half four, but they switch back to plain old news at six. The Sky free games (25 of them, I think) are on Pick on normal freeview telly, although I don't think any have been announced beyond the first weekend of July.
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I dreamt we won 1-0 and had to see out 7 minutes of non stop pressure in added time. I woke up sweating.
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If we lose, that could be it. Confidence dropping and tough matches to come. Having had the break, you would hope we have worked on a few things and improve from where we left off.
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Hopefully we have managed to work on some things, but I can't imagine coaching's been easy when there's been no collective training sessions. There's only so much you can do by conference app, and I doubt that includes defending at corners or midfield 3v2's.
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I think we'll win the first three games back. There I've said it. There is definitely talent in our squad, they've had a breather now a chance to work on things and gel together in training. McGinn is back, Davies is back and we'll do ok. It's the equivalent of a new, short season. 2-0 or 3-1.
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Sitting on the fence 1-1
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I’m going to be cheeky here. If any ST holders have a code for Sky Sports/Now Tv they don’t need, can they let me know? If this is inappropriate, I’ll take it down, obviously. Thanks!
I'm also a CF... If anyone fancies sharing an unwanted code it would be hugely appreciated.
As for the game, we certainly have the talent and ability to get the results required. Think back to performances (if not results) at the start of the season and the final. If we can hit those levels again after the break, we should fear no team. However, we never know which Villa will show up.
I'm also experiencing inner turmoil trying to decide if the absence of a crowd will help or hinder us. When Villa Park is rocking, it's like nowhere else but if we are not playing well the crowd can get on the back of the team somewhat and it does seem to affect some players more than others.
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I think we'll win the first three games back. There I've said it. There is definitely talent in our squad, they've had a breather now a chance to work on things and gel together in training. McGinn is back, Davies is back and we'll do ok. It's the equivalent of a new, short season. 2-0 or 3-1.
Yeah. If we win on Weds, then we could well win next 2. This first match will tell us a lot.
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Win you feckers! Massive, massive match. Win it and the optimism surges.
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How many warm up games did we play (i've mostly ignored this section of the site for the past few months so apologies if it's covered somewhere)? It's going to be interesting to see how long it will take players to get back to a decent level of fitness.
I don't hold out much hope for the rest of the season. We'll see soon enough, i guess.
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I think we'll win the first three games back. There I've said it. There is definitely talent in our squad, they've had a breather now a chance to work on things and gel together in training. McGinn is back, Davies is back and we'll do ok. It's the equivalent of a new, short season. 2-0 or 3-1.
I'm with you mate, we're going to come barnstorming out of the blocks and wrap up safety in no time, inducing much wailing from our nearest and dearest about how jammy we always are.
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pretty sure it's not free to air tim as for ST holders at least the club issued a free voucher for this and the Chelsea game through nowtv
Not all ST holders have these vouchers. Maybe those who haven't had them offered (e.g. ME!) will get them offered later on in the 10-game tournament.
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pretty sure it's not free to air tim as for ST holders at least the club issued a free voucher for this and the Chelsea game through nowtv
Not all ST holders have these vouchers. Maybe those who haven't had them offered (e.g. ME!) will get them offered later on in the 10-game tournament.
More than happy to let you have mine if you want mate.
Having already got Sky, they’ll only go to waste.
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How many warm up games did we play (i've mostly ignored this section of the site for the past few months so apologies if it's covered somewhere)? It's going to be interesting to see how long it will take players to get back to a decent level of fitness.
I don't hold out much hope for the rest of the season. We'll see soon enough, i guess.
Baggies and Leicester as far as I can tell, drew with the baggies, lost at home to leicester and won at their place. However the games were a bit of a mess so there's not a lot you can draw from the results, baggies for example was about about 30 players involved from each club and played in 30minute sessions.
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Sorry if been asked before, but is match commentary on radio?
The first 3 villa matches are on BBC radio 5 live. Sheffield Utd , Chelsea and Newcastle (or 5 live extra) I don't know about WM BBC
All remaining premier league matches will be live on Talksport stations or BBC 5 live Stations
Up the Villa
Thank you.(Sorry I’m a bit late)
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pretty sure it's not free to air tim as for ST holders at least the club issued a free voucher for this and the Chelsea game through nowtv
Ah yeah - thanks. I saw it on my Sky schedule starting at 4.30 on SpNews but didn't notice that this then changes at 6.00 back to the reg programme. No worries - half dreading it anyway!
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Remember website Football Cities?
We are running a Villa v Sheffield United Head to Head on our Facebook page.
Feel free to check out by visiting www.*advertising*.co.uk and click on the Facebook link.
Enjoy the match.
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They will come at us hard and fast to start with, I hope our lads will be prepared for that. This team that Wilder has built has been together longer than most teams in this league, most of them have played together for 3 or 4 years to haul Sheffield Utd from the depths of League 1 to where they are now. You can't ignore that experience and I think it demonstrates how cohesive togetherness can overcome perceived ability. I find it laughable that they are surprising so many so called pundits and football experts with what they have achieved. Could prove to be one of our most difficult games if we leave the pitch unbeaten maybe that won't be too shabby.
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I like Paul-e idea for putting Konsa in front of the Back 4.
This then provides various options and getting Jack and SJM as an attacking force.
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How many warm up games did we play (i've mostly ignored this section of the site for the past few months so apologies if it's covered somewhere)? It's going to be interesting to see how long it will take players to get back to a decent level of fitness.
I don't hold out much hope for the rest of the season. We'll see soon enough, i guess.
Baggies and Leicester as far as I can tell, drew with the baggies, lost at home to leicester and won at their place. However the games were a bit of a mess so there's not a lot you can draw from the results, baggies for example was about about 30 players involved from each club and played in 30minute sessions.
And Sheff U have had 3 according to Wilder yesterday - already more prepared!!!
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How many warm up games did we play (i've mostly ignored this section of the site for the past few months so apologies if it's covered somewhere)? It's going to be interesting to see how long it will take players to get back to a decent level of fitness.
I don't hold out much hope for the rest of the season. We'll see soon enough, i guess.
Baggies and Leicester as far as I can tell, drew with the baggies, lost at home to leicester and won at their place. However the games were a bit of a mess so there's not a lot you can draw from the results, baggies for example was about about 30 players involved from each club and played in 30minute sessions.
And Sheff U have had 3 according to Wilder yesterday - already more prepared!!!
Apart from they got beat by Barnsley.....Friendlies don't mean too much apart from match fitness, so I wouldn't say they are more prepared.
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UTV! VTID!
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We just need to win tomorrow and get out of the bottom 3, this will then increase the pressure on the teams around us.
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How many warm up games did we play (i've mostly ignored this section of the site for the past few months so apologies if it's covered somewhere)? It's going to be interesting to see how long it will take players to get back to a decent level of fitness.
I don't hold out much hope for the rest of the season. We'll see soon enough, i guess.
Baggies and Leicester as far as I can tell, drew with the baggies, lost at home to leicester and won at their place. However the games were a bit of a mess so there's not a lot you can draw from the results, baggies for example was about about 30 players involved from each club and played in 30minute sessions.
And Sheff U have had 3 according to Wilder yesterday - already more prepared!!!
Doesn't Albion plus Leicester X 2 make three also ? Plus no disrespect to Barnsley but Albion and Leicester have better quality squads to be pitted against. So not better prepared based on that measure.
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We just need to win tomorrow and get out of the bottom 3, this will then increase the pressure on the teams around us.
For me, this is a must win, and would be regardless of who we were playing for exactly this reason. We need to get out of the bottom 3 as soon as possible.
I'm far from comfortable with football being played in the circumstances, but since it's going ahead - we can't afford to be relegated. We're not some tin pot club, and don't belong in the same division as Small Heath.
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Sheffield United would have been very low on the list of teams I'd be wanting us to play first up. They're incredibly well organised.
McGinn coming back in is absolutely massive for us though. With his legs, we don't look as overrun in midfield and we're certainly more of a threat with his driving runs. Be interesting who he goes with. After the Leicester game Guilbert and Reina were surely about to get dropped, but I imagine it will be based largely on how they've trained for three weeks.
I'd take a point , but to get out the bottom three ahead of the weekend would be such an unbelievable boost for the whole place.
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It's important we have some players on the bench who can provide energy from 70th minute mark, too often we're flat from that period against decent teams and are clinging on for a point, Spurs at home a good example.
Personally I'd start Davis upfront with Jack and Samatta wide of him. Would give AEG a kick up the backside and he's one of those who can come on in 70th minute and hopefully give us something, same for Luiz.
Looking at Sheffield United a newspaper at weekend predicted they'd start with McBurnie and McGoldrick upfront. Not too worried about those two against Mings but they'll then have Lyse Mousset and Billy Sharp to come on around the hour mark. Sharp of course knocked in a hat trick at VP last season from poaching from crosses and Mousset is their quickest forward by a long way, will run after their long passes.
It's vital DS keeps a few impact players on the bench and he actually uses them at the right times instead of sitting on his hands when we've started to struggled in games as often this season. No excuse with the five subs as you can make two changes at half time and still have three options left.
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STAY HOME
FUCK THE FUCKERS
UP THE VILLA
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The other night I saw we were involved in the last game before lockdown away at Leicester. I'd mercifully forgotten how abject we were in that. Truly dreadful. I just hope we don't carry on where we left off....
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The other night I saw we were involved in the last game before lockdown away at Leicester. I'd mercifully forgotten how abject we were in that. Truly dreadful. I just hope we don't carry on where we left off....
On the flipside, I think that performance helped me cope with the loss of football for the last few months more than anything else.
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3-2 Samatta / Jack / McGinn
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Don't get the fans hankering for Keinan Davis to start. Just don't think he's the answer personally - Maybe he'll come good, and I hope he does, but I just don't see it.
Youth team strikers who break through tend to be undroppable once they get in, hitting form from the word go - Kane, Rashford, Rooney are extreme examples, but to a lesser extent and closer to home, Agbonlahor and Vassell. I haven't seen anywhere near the promise of those two in Keinan personally. Good sub to have but far from a starter imo.
My team tomorrow would be:
Steer
Guilbert Engels Mings Targett
Nakamba
El Ghazi McGinn Grealish
Samatta
I think we're either gonna breeze this run-in or royally fuck it up - No half measures - Hopefully it's the former!
COME ON YOU VILLA BOYS!
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Phone's just pingety-ponged to tell me it's 24 hours to kick off. It still feels a bit surreal.
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Exclusive access to Villa Park just featured on the BBC 6 0'clock news plus a short interview with Purslow. The ground looks very smart in the circumstances with the lower tiers decked out pitch side with banners.
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Exclusive access to Villa Park just featured on the BBC 6 0'clock news plus a short interview with Purslow. The ground looks very smart in the circumstances with the lower tiers decked out pitch side with banners.
They must have had loads of flags as the Wilton Lane is full of them. You could see plenty ready to be draped over as well, all of which the TV cameras won’t see, so the Holte and Trinity must have plenty too.
Didn’t see mine but I know to there somewhere!
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Currently have biblical rain in B6, those flags are going to be looking very sorry for themselves.. let's hope the pitch is covered...
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Going for the biblical reign of King David, overcoming all, including Goliath!
He started as he meant to finish.
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Just saw that home wins in the Bundesliga has dropped to 20%since it has started behind closed doors.
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Just saw that home wins in the Bundesliga has dropped to 20%since it has started behind closed doors.
That's ok, we can just win our remaining four away games!
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I can't believe this is actually going to happen...
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Just saw that home wins in the Bundesliga has dropped to 20%since it has started behind closed doors.
Yes that's an issue. It must be difficult to take to the field on your home ground and have no supporters ton roar you on.
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Just saw that home wins in the Bundesliga has dropped to 20%since it has started behind closed doors.
Yes that's an issue. It must be difficult to take to the field on your home ground and have no supporters ton roar you on.
Small Heath manage it.
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Just saw that home wins in the Bundesliga has dropped to 20%since it has started behind closed doors.
Yes that's an issue. It must be difficult to take to the field on your home ground and have no supporters ton roar you on.
Small Heath manage it.
Chortle.
Are they pumping in crowd noise for the match do we know?
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No, it would put the players off as it would be unfamiliar.
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Unbeaten in the league at home to Sheff Utd since Jan 1966.
7 wins and 5 draws.
https://www.11v11.com/teams/aston-villa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Sheffield%20United/
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Exclusive access to Villa Park just featured on the BBC 6 0'clock news plus a short interview with Purslow. The ground looks very smart in the circumstances with the lower tiers decked out pitch side with banners.
They must have had loads of flags as the Wilton Lane is full of them. You could see plenty ready to be draped over as well, all of which the TV cameras won’t see, so the Holte and Trinity must have plenty too.
Didn’t see mine but I know to there somewhere!
I missed this (will see if it's in 10pm report as watching Salisbury poisonings) but I assume the big flag we have pre kick off will be put on the Holte?
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Talk Fleck is out for them, big boost as he's their McGinn type who can break from central midfield and score as we saw in December.
Also talk we're going with a kamikaze Keegan style 5-2-3 formation with Grealish and Hourihane the central two. Don't quite believe that one.
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Unbeaten in the league at home to Sheff Utd since Jan 1966.
7 wins and 5 draws.
https://www.11v11.com/teams/aston-villa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Sheffield%20United/
Also now unbeaten for over 3 months.
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Win please Villa, momentum will be everything in a 10 game mini tournament.
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Exclusive access to Villa Park just featured on the BBC 6 0'clock news plus a short interview with Purslow. The ground looks very smart in the circumstances with the lower tiers decked out pitch side with banners.
https://twitter.com/avfcofficial/status/1272961640548491266?s=21
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I'm hoping to win tomorrow just to prove the point that with all games equal we'd not be in the relegation zone.
Sadness with all of the illnesses and deaths but selfishly I'm glad I have something I can look forward to in the short term each week. It hopefully will provide a bit of a release from things and hope others find that too.
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Really looking forward to it , probably be fed up of it all by Half Time
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Interesting we've put all the flags in the Witton rather than Trinity. Does that mean we've switched the camera position back to the Trinity?
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It seems that fences have been put up around a fair bit of the ground.
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And according to Wilder SU are travelling down in 3 coaches and will be using a media room instead of the normal away dressing room as it's bigger.
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Really looking forward to it , probably be fed up of it all by Half Time
I doubt we'll be 4-0 up at half time.
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It doesn’t feel like a match day!
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Really looking forward to it , probably be fed up of it all by Half Time
I’m not looking forward to it at all. Being there with fellow fans is so important to me, without that it seems wholly diminished. Can’t wait for the day we can fill the ground again.
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Weather looks a bit dramatic for later this afternoon. Maybe the lightening will make up for the utter lack of atmosphere. Nah.
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And according to Wilder SU are travelling down in 3 coaches and will be using a media room instead of the normal away dressing room as it's bigger.
Three coaches ? Put them in the away supporters car park and they can walk across in their kit.
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Weather looks a bit dramatic for later this afternoon. Maybe the lightening will make up for the utter lack of atmosphere. Nah.
With all the safety measures in place, it would be ironic if the game was called off for the safety of the players and officials due to the weather conditions.
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Interesting we've put all the flags in the Witton rather than Trinity. Does that mean we've switched the camera position back to the Trinity?
No, it just means the flags/banners in the Trinity & Holte will get better TV coverage with their corporate names & logos on.
££££££££s
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Is it true Deano is going to be up watching from the stands and not in dugout ?
Equally nervous and excited for the match !
Think Villa will score first. And if McGinn plays he scores
Sheff Utd are a second half team and undefeated away from home.
I worry David McGoldrick will be scoring like a Lewandowski with no pressure from the crowd he'll probably be an accomplished finishers and finally score a prem goal !
But I do think there will be goals and I hope Oliver offers protection as he's slow to get cards out and Wilder will have a tag team rotation on fouls of Grealish.
2-0 half time !
Let's say 3-1 villa . A penalty and one of theirs to be sent off probably Basham or Lundstrum!
Up the villa!
Enjoy the game everyone and stay safe.
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
No doubt we'll also get "pundits" reminding us how much money Villa have spent without any mention of the fact that we had to add to a much depleted squad.
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It seems that fences have been put up around a fair bit of the ground.
I drove round VP this morning. The fences make it look like they're about to demolish it which all adds to the surreal circumstances for the game. I think predictions for tonight are virtually impossible but i'll say this. Jack and SJM are pivotal to how the result goes for us.
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It seems that fences have been put up around a fair bit of the ground.
I drove round VP this morning. The fences make it look like they're about to demolish it which all adds to the surreal circumstances for the game. I think predictions for tonight are virtually impossible but i'll say this. Jack and SJM are pivotal to how the result goes for us.
Agree and also where Jack plays, hope he is in the middle and not wide
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
Maybe they would have been less likely to turn if he didn't keep kicking the ball into his own net. He wasn't called Keowngoal for nothing.
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
No doubt we'll also get "pundits" reminding us how much money Villa have spent without any mention of the fact that we had to add to a much depleted squad.
Keown - file with David Platt ,under "People who should think before they speak"
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Don't get the fans hankering for Keinan Davis to start...
... My team tomorrow would be:
Steer
Guilbert Engels Mings Targett
Nakamba
El Ghazi McGinn Grealish
Samatta
So, Nii, you're prepared to start with 10 men on the pitch rather than play Keinan,
That's one strong opinion you have about the boy! :)
Unless El Ghazi counts as two players.
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
No doubt we'll also get "pundits" reminding us how much money Villa have spent without any mention of the fact that we had to add to a much depleted squad.
Keown - file with David Platt ,under "People who should think before they speak"
There is something dislikeable about Keown.
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We had one of the best defensive records in the bottom half before Xmas and now it's the worst in the division. Something has drastically gone wrong with personnel and/or tactics. If Smith can sort that out we will be fine if not we are .......
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Probably connected with Heaton’s knee injury.
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We had one of the best defensive records in the bottom half before Xmas and now it's the worst in the division. Something has drastically gone wrong with personnel and/or tactics. If Smith can sort that out we will be fine if not we are .......
Losing Heaton didn't help in jan/Feb
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I think we will lose to be honest. Blades were much better than us pre lockdown and get the feeling Wilder has them very well drilled and professional
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We had one of the best defensive records in the bottom half before Xmas and now it's the worst in the division. Something has drastically gone wrong with personnel and/or tactics. If Smith can sort that out we will be fine if not we are .......
Heaton being out has played a big part of it and I suspect McGinn not hounding teams in midfield has been more important to our defensive work than most would realise.
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Unbeaten in the league at home to Sheff Utd since Jan 1966.
7 wins and 5 draws.
https://www.11v11.com/teams/aston-villa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Sheffield%20United/
Also now unbeaten for over 3 months.
Also our unbeaten league record during June is longer. 146 years, theirs is only 131.
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O’Connell being out is great news for us & if the rumours that Fleck is out also are true is also massive
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I have a sneaky feeling we will win tonight. 1-0.
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O’Connell being out is great news for us & if the rumours that Fleck is out also are true is also massive
Agree about O'Connell, it would be like us having Mings out.
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
No doubt we'll also get "pundits" reminding us how much money Villa have spent without any mention of the fact that we had to add to a much depleted squad.
Keown - file with David Platt ,under "People who should think before they speak"
I’ll see your Gargoyle Keown and raise you a Mark Schwarzer. We had him, Michael Bridges and 2 others I’ve never heard of all writing us off and saying how we'd ‘done a Fulham’. Someone at the club should have copywrited that term so at least we’d ave make a killing from their inane, uneducated drivel. No mention of the 13 players leaving or who we should have kept of course.
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
No doubt we'll also get "pundits" reminding us how much money Villa have spent without any mention of the fact that we had to add to a much depleted squad.
I heard that and unnerved the missus, who was in the shower, by shouting at the radio 'that was 35 years ago you ugly twat'
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Prize for first idiotic comment of the day goes to Martin Keown on Radio 4. "It will help Villa having no crowd there..because the fans can easily turn". He backs this up with reference to his experience as a naive young defender in the abysmal team that finished bottom under Billy McNeil in 1987. That's right ....33 years ago.
No doubt we'll also get "pundits" reminding us how much money Villa have spent without any mention of the fact that we had to add to a much depleted squad.
I heard that and unnerved the missus, who was in the shower, by shouting at the radio 'that was 35 years ago you ugly twat'
;D ;D ;D
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Interesting to hear jack say that playing in front of an empty stadium is no different to playing in u23 games.
Hopefully (maybe) not having crowds is bothering the fans more than it’s bothering the players.
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I'm predicting a goal fest....3-2 Villa.
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I dreamt 4-1 tonVilla and I’ve put £5 on.
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Just got into the Holte Pub - great atmosphere already.
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Interesting to hear jack say that playing in front of an empty stadium is no different to playing in u23 games.
Hopefully (maybe) not having crowds is bothering the fans more than it’s bothering the players.
A rather unnerving statistic I heard on Radio 5 this morning was that out of the 50 odd Bundesliga games do far, there have been only 12 home wins.
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Hopefully it means our away form improves then!
Only Southampton, West Ham and Norwich have worse home records than us so far this season. Watford and Bournemouth have the same (barring goal difference). So all-in-all we shouldn't lose out much to them.
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There are going to be some really strange results. That said, a win tonight wouldn't half help.
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Just got into the Holte Pub - great atmosphere already.
Just set up our picnic on the grass down from Aston Hall.
Guy on Trinity Road selling half and half umbrellas and telescopic Peter Crouch stilts.
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Anyone else order the programme bundle? Mine's not turned up ready for the game :(
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Anyone else order the programme bundle? Mine's not turned up ready for the game :(
Yes, mine came today
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Looks like Nyland is in according to a photo of the team sheets that get handed to the ref.
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Interesting weather for tonights game.
(https://i.ibb.co/SKbp7dp/61-E2-B402-5888-4991-8-DE7-98-F60912-FCA1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SKbp7dp)
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Looks like Nyland is in according to a photo of the team sheets that get handed to the ref.
You got a licence for that long lens CT?
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Anyone else warming up with the official pre-match playlist on Spotify? It's an easier listen than the match is guaranteed to be!
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Massive storms in Solihull, scheduled to last all evening....the same as in Aston.
I wonder if the game is at risk?
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Massive storms in Solihull, scheduled to last all evening....the same as in Aston.
I wonder if the game is at risk?
Whyever should it be?
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Looks like Nyland is in according to a photo of the team sheets that get handed to the ref.
You got a licence for that long lens CT?
Ssshhh, you ain’t seen me, right?
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If you believe Twitter leaks:
Nyland
Guilbert engels mings targett
Luiz nakamba mcginn
El ghazi samatta grealish
Subs: reina, taylor, drinkwater, konsa, hourihane, jota, elmo, trez, davis.
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Massive storms in Solihull, scheduled to last all evening....the same as in Aston.
I wonder if the game is at risk?
Whyever should it be?
Depends if the lightning's still around.
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On the plus side the shit weather should hopefully stop many twats going to the ground.
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Is it definitely gonna be on?
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I hope so as i'm stood outside the ground protecting the McGregor statue.
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Massive storms in Solihull, scheduled to last all evening....the same as in Aston.
I wonder if the game is at risk?
Whyever should it be?
Depends if the lightning's still around.
I would imagine there's a few conductors around the place.
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Massive storms in Solihull, scheduled to last all evening....the same as in Aston.
I wonder if the game is at risk?
Whyever should it be?
Depends if the lightning's still around.
I would imagine there's a few conductors around the place.
Is that because they are expecting Nigel Kennedy to turn up?
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If you believe Twitter leaks:
Nyland
Guilbert engels mings targett
Luiz nakamba mcginn
El ghazi samatta grealish
Subs: reina, taylor, drinkwater, konsa, hourihane, jota, elmo, trez, davis.
I hope Nyland moves back into the centre a bit more 😉
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EauOQg_XgAM-Xly?format=jpg&name=large)
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If you believe Twitter leaks:
Nyland
Guilbert engels mings targett
Luiz nakamba mcginn
El ghazi samatta grealish
Subs: reina, taylor, drinkwater, konsa, hourihane, jota, elmo, trez, davis.
I hope Nyland moves back into the centre a bit more 😉
Worked for Reina against Leicester...
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If you believe Twitter leaks:
Nyland
Guilbert engels mings targett
Luiz nakamba mcginn
El ghazi samatta grealish
Subs: reina, taylor, drinkwater, konsa, hourihane, jota, elmo, trez, davis.
That's almost the 11 I would have picked - Only difference being Steer for Nyland. But I'd be happy with that team.
COME ON VILLA!
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Don’t know if you want to start the match thread but I’ve had a photo of the team sheet.
Actually, wifey interrupted me mid-post and I’ve changed my mind. Villa before showing off.
Edit: never mind lol.
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I hope so as i'm stood outside the ground protecting the McGregor statue.
excellent.
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I hope so as i'm stood outside the ground protecting the McGregor statue.
excellent.
I hope your Stone Island gear doesn't get wet.
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I dressed for the occassion
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a2/57/d4/a257d4e82ca5d2432b771082e03bfde7.jpg)