Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: kippaxvilla2 on August 20, 2025, 02:18:53 PM
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Saturday 3pm.
Can someone please add a poll?
I’m trying to distract us from the transfer nightmares that now include us worrying about a right back some of us want shot of actually leaving.
Anyway 0-2.
As in to us.
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Can’t see Wissa being involved
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Hopefully we’ll try and win this one. The more I reflect on Saturday, it’s disappointing we set up so negatively.
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Hopefully we’ll try and win this one. The more I reflect on Saturday, it’s disappointing we set up so negatively.
I think he tried to stack the midfield to match up to them. Net result, Tielemans didn't see enough of the ball. That needs to be fixed either by him dropping back alongside Kamara and dropping Onana or by Pau playing (which he will have to anyway) and him being able to open up the passing lanes.
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Yep which is inherently negative, we set up to stop them. It was the wrong approach, so I hope we’ll be a bit more balanced in our approach.
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I don't think we set up that way, it just happened. I reckon that they, rightly, got a kick up the arse at half-time and were more like it second half until the sending off. Anyway, not sure what to expect here. Kamara did well at centre-half on Saturday but I'd rather he was back in midfield, here. Draw wouldn't be a total disaster but be great if we could get a win. Preferably with Ollie scoring a hat-trick to annoy their dish it out but can't take it crybaby fans.
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We've seen it a lot from Emery; play safe first half and open up second. Konsa seeing red finished us really.
I expect to win on Saturday.
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When starting a thread that requires a poll click "new poll" which is next to "new topic". To add a poll click "add poll".
We'll win 3-1.
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Play it safe is one thing, that first half was a shocker. But perhaps it was just rustiness, although I do think the set up way wrong and didn’t give us enough width.
Hopefully we’ll have sharpened up a lot on Saturday.
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0-3 I think Brentford will be in serious trouble this season.
On to the next one.
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I’m on mobile and can never seem to do it on here.
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Make sure you're on "full site" and all the options should be there.
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Thanks.
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A very unpretty 1-0 win
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The line up last Saturday was extremely negative
Digne for Maartsen, Maartsen is more attacking but not as good defensively
Mings for Pao, same as above
then he played with 2 holding midfielders to stop them playing
McGinn out in the left wing which doesn’t work and we had no out ball
Not saying that all those changes should have been made obviously not, but what I am saying is in Every area where a decision had to be made he went for the defensive option in every case, hence we didn’t have a single attempt on goal in the first half
At home we have got to be more progressive and attacking, we are good enough we’ve seen that in the past when we’ve taken the game to some top sides
Take Onana out and put Malen in or the new lad have a go show some confidence that we arn’t scared of the opposition especially at home, like I say we’ve done it before
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I'm assuming Brentford still have a load of 7 foot tall mutants at the back. I'd definitely be leaving Onana in. I suspect the team will be much the same as last week but with Martinez back and a question of how we replace Konsa. If we can, hopefully, avoid any more red cards, we have more options to change it if it isn't going well.
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There's no reason we shouldn't bully Brentford this weekend, I'm going 3-1 to the good.
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I'm assuming Brentford still have a load of 7 foot tall mutants at the back. I'd definitely be leaving Onana in. I suspect the team will be much the same as last week but with Martinez back and a question of how we replace Konsa. If we can, hopefully, avoid any more red cards, we have more options to change it if it isn't going well.
Martinez
Cash/Garcia Kamara Mings Digne
Onana Tielemans
Malen Rogers McGinn
Watkins
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A must-win which we should, even if it's not pretty. 2-1 to us, Asensio and Jackson.
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4 points from our first 2 games is the minimum we should be getting. If it comes through a win in game 2 versus the other way around so be it. Brentford are not very good and we need to take full advantage. I hope we don't play with any kind of conservative or negative intent.
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They are desperate, it’s always a battle so expect them to give us a good kicking.
Hope the ref is strong enough and our players know what is coming and are prepared for it.
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1-4
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Any kind of win will do. Tielemans back in midfield will be crucial.
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Hate playing Brentford, especially away. Niggley bunch of f**kers.
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Ben Mee and Mapauy spring to mind
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I've still got PTSD from the two consecutive midweek humpings at Griffin Road in the second division. Horrible. At least I was only three bus stops from home.
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Ben Mee and Mapauy spring to mind
And Nathan Collins....came on as sub at their place last season, with about 15 minutes to go, clearly with instructions to kick the feck out of our midfielders. Ref eventually booked him in added time after his 8th foul. And I don't think he touched the ball more than twice.
Deano had them playing some great stuff in Div 2.
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Probably a good time to play this fixture given the shit summer they've had and their new fella already under pressure.
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I have a very good feeling we will win comfortably. 3-0 to us, a brace for Ollie and a Roger’s special.
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Wonder if Mosquera will be on the bench, with Konsa unavailable?
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Losing players left, right and centre, desperate for replacements and struggling for form and goals.
But, enough about us. Bees 1 Villa 0.
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Man if we lose to them after seeing them vs on weekend we really do have problems
They were absolutely awful
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So were we.
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This is one we have to win, Newcastle, we set up not to lose at any cost, I consider Brentford to be in the mix fighting relagation towards the end, completely different team to last year, for Villa this is the one we find out just what we are about and up against, one thing is for sure we are bleeding players and we need to get some serious talents in, I very much think there will be a few more on the way out before the end of this window.
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2-0, Watkins, Rogers.
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Just don't see where the goals are coming from. If Emery gets the defence right again this could easily be another 0-0
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Just don't see where the goals are coming from. If Emery gets the defence right again this could easily be another 0-0
Goals come from setting the team up to function as a unit, starting at the back. So if we get that right we’ll be ok.
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Just don't see where the goals are coming from. If Emery gets the defence right again this could easily be another 0-0
Possibly Watkins or Rogers, them boys that score a lot for us generally.
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Just don't see where the goals are coming from. If Emery gets the defence right again this could easily be another 0-0
Goals come from setting the team up to function as a unit, starting at the back. So if we get that right we’ll be ok.
Get Pau to ping the balls out from defence, and we'll be fine.
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Just don't see where the goals are coming from. If Emery gets the defence right again this could easily be another 0-0
Goals come from setting the team up to function as a unit, starting at the back. So if we get that right we’ll be ok.
Get Pau to ping the balls out from defence, and we'll be fine.
More likely we concede soft goals in reality and have no response . I'd sit Kamara in with Mings and try a more expansive midfield .
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Ollie has 6 goals in 7 v Brentford. Will do the business again. Would be tempted to drop Onana too, move McGinn back and give Guessand a go.
Martinez
Cash, Kamara, Mings, Digne
Onana, Tielemans
Malen, Rogers, McGinn
Watkins
Subs from Bizot, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Guessand, Buendia? = bare bones
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Ollie has 6 goals in 7 v Brentford. Will do the business again. Would be tempted to drop Onana too, move McGinn back and give Guessand a go.
Martinez
Cash, Kamara, Mings, Digne
Onana, Tielemans
Malen, Rogers, McGinn
Watkins
Subs from Bizot, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Guessand, Buendia? = bare bones
You changed your mind quick.
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Ollie has 6 goals in 7 v Brentford. Will do the business again. Would be tempted to drop Onana too, move McGinn back and give Guessand a go.
Martinez
Cash, Kamara, Mings, Digne
Onana, Tielemans
Malen, Rogers, McGinn
Watkins
Subs from Bizot, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Guessand, Buendia? = bare bones
You changed your mind quick.
On Onana?
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Yeah sorry I was joking, read your team tweaks and then the team you listed. I’d be tempted to get Malen and Maatsen in for this.
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Yeah sorry I was joking, read your team tweaks and then the team you listed.
I hope you're not suggesting bronteb is a tweaker.
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Yeah sorry I was joking, read your team tweaks and then the team you listed. I’d be tempted to get Malen and Maatsen in for this.
Yeah think we can get away with Maatsen a bit more when Mings plays, he's happy covering behind him.
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Exactly the sort of game where I wouldn’t go anywhere near Maatsen.
They will throw the kitchen sink at us and try and get some momentum.
We need cool efficient defending until we get control of the game. So no rabbit in the headlights Maatsen.
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As others have suggested, a depleted Brentford will surely spend much of this season circling the drain and be sucked down it come the end.
They will therefore look like Brazil '70 and play us off the pitch on Saturday. 3-0.
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rookie manager, flogged the best players, lambs to the slaughter 0-4
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Play Malen, play Mings, get result.
Probably a bit simple, Konsa is out so Mings is a guarantee. We did look a bit jaded on Saturday, which doesn't bode well for the start of the season so the only unforced change I would make is Onana for Malen and move SJM inside, which is what I thought we should have done second half against Newcastle.
I can't see Keith Andrews and his incredible high hair lasting long but he will get a result now and again, hoping it won't be Sat.
0-2
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3 0 Villa... Would love to see Malen start and also start Maatsen . Drop Youri deeper too.
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3 0 Villa... Would love to see Malen start and also start Maatsen . Drop Youri deeper too.
He will play alongside Onana with Kamara at CB.
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3 0 Villa... Would love to see Malen start and also start Maatsen . Drop Youri deeper too.
He will play alongside Onana with Kamara at CB.
I think he will do this also for a single game like this - no pacy striker in Wissa so should be ok - think we really need high tempo and go at them
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We didn't look sharp in the first half, but were in total control in the second half. Unai would have made a couple of attacking changes and we'd have won.
We need to be on the front foot from the start on Saturday though - they'll see us a beatable.
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Hope Deano and Scotty Hogan have been invited to be guests of honour at their own derby. They've probably not even been to the hallowed GTech Community stadium yet. What a thrill for the lads.
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--------- Martinez ---------
Cash Kamara Mings Digne
--- Tielemans - McGinn ----
Rogers ---------------- Malen
----------- Buendia ----------
--------- Watkins ------------
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
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We all know the answer to that one.
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
I presume its because Konsa is out. It's not as if he hasn't done it before.
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
Brentford might be crap (are they ?) but we need to keep the defence watertight . Go a goal down here it will be a long way back .
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In spite of your obvious personal bias I don’t think there’s anything that suggests Kamara at centre back makes the defence water tight.
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In spite of your obvious personal bias I don’t think there’s anything that suggests Kamara at centre back makes the defence water tight.
no bias , just want us to win . how would you line us up ?
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I’d probably go with Mings and Torres. I know they’d both left footed, but they’re both experienced at centre-half and are proficient enough on the ball to make it work + Kamara in front would bring some ballast.
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Emery will sort it . Shame Konsa is out as it creates an imbalance . (squad depth issue) or does he trust Bogarde ??
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
I presume its because Konsa is out. It's not as if he hasn't done it before.
Rather than play a centre half like Pau?
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
I presume its because Konsa is out. It's not as if he hasn't done it before.
Rather than play a centre half like Pau?
How many times have either Torres or Mings played RCB for us?
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
I presume its because Konsa is out. It's not as if he hasn't done it before.
Rather than play a centre half like Pau?
Yep. Would say it's pretty much nailed on that Kamara will start at CB. Not necessarily my choice, but think that is the way we'll go.
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
I presume its because Konsa is out. It's not as if he hasn't done it before.
Rather than play a centre half like Pau?
How many times have either Torres or Mings played RCB for us?
I'd rather Ty be on the right than weaken out midfield. We have the best defensive midfielder in the league who is currently fit (maybe full stop if Rodri can't come back to what he was) why shunt him about?
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Why on Earth would you weaken the midfield to play Kamara out of position?
I presume its because Konsa is out. It's not as if he hasn't done it before.
Rather than play a centre half like Pau?
How many times have either Torres or Mings played RCB for us?
I'd rather Ty be on the right than weaken out midfield. We have the best defensive midfielder in the league who is currently fit (maybe full stop if Rodri can't come back to what he was) why shunt him about?
It is very different for left footed CBs to play on the right because they never get exposed to that situation,whereas right footed ones do.
Wissa is now training with Brentford so could play.
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It's easier to play the opposite side than it is to change position, especially when you're likely to be the covering centre half, as Ty would be.
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I'm not sure we've ever tried it. Would give us some more felxibility if it worked well.
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It's easier to play the opposite side than it is to change position, especially when you're likely to be the covering centre half, as Ty would be.
That would force Mings to play on his right foot and defend on his right side. So easy to press then for the opposition, force Mings onto his right foot at every opportunity and there will be problems for us. Torres might be a bit more comfortable there but you lose his distribution skills as he isn't going to be pinging balls with his right foot.
Stick in Kamara, he was fine there last season when he had to drop in. Tielemans back into midfield is crucial. See how Onana goes next to him.
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Stick in Kamara, he was fine there last season when he had to drop in. Tielemans back into midfield is crucial. See how Onana goes next to him.
You would like to think that Onana and Uri know each others game inside out from the National team
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Thiago is a unit up front for them. I can see this being a physical game , they will try and kick us off the park.
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I’d probably go with Mings and Torres. I know they’d both left footed, but they’re both experienced at centre-half and are proficient enough on the ball to make it work + Kamara in front would bring some ballast.
This. They've done it before and they can do it again. Winning the midfield is essential so getting Youri back in alongside Kamara is essential. Then it's important we feed Watkins with some decent service, I'd be tempted to play a battling McGinn in front of the defensive two with Rogers on the left and Malen on the right.
When we're 4-0 up Unai can do whatever he likes.
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So, that's Bogarde, then, at RCB!
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You never know with Unai but as a senior member of the squad Pau could do with a few minutes.
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I’d probably go with Mings and Torres. I know they’d both left footed, but they’re both experienced at centre-half and are proficient enough on the ball to make it work + Kamara in front would bring some ballast.
This. They've done it before and they can do it again. Winning the midfield is essential so getting Youri back in alongside Kamara is essential. Then it's important we feed Watkins with some decent service, I'd be tempted to play a battling McGinn in front of the defensive two with Rogers on the left and Malen on the right.
When we're 4-0 up Unai can do whatever he likes.
Conpletely agree. I really don't understand the rationale for taking Kamara out the midfield given:that, a) he's a brilliant defensive midfielder, and b) we have two very good centre halves (and also Bogarde who looked good last season) available. Surely a professional footballer can play on the opposite side to their favoured foot, it's happened many times in the past, even in our own central defence.
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So, that's Bogarde, then, at RCB!
Buy
One
Get
A
Right-sided
Defender
Emery
*Sorry, Lamare. You're a lovely lad.
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Got a funny feeling we're going to FTF.
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What Chelsea are doing to West Ham is what we should do to Brentford.
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It could boil down to whether Pau and Mings can play together, I don't think they've played together for the first team so it will depend how they look as a pair in training.
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What Chelsea are doing to West Ham is what we should do to Brentford.
Agree. When did we last score 5?
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Chelsea also stuck 5 past West Ham in May. Maybe part of Potter's settlement with Chelsea was to allow them to twat his new club.
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What Chelsea are doing to West Ham is what we should do to Brentford.
Agree. When did we last score 5?
Sheff Utd away, Feb 24.
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What Chelsea are doing to West Ham is what we should do to Brentford.
Agree. When did we last score 5?
Sheff Utd away, Feb 24.
18 months on. It’s time to do it again! I think we might.
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Don't think this will be easy . We have zero pace in the team.
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Don't think this will be easy . We have zero pace in the team.
Well Potter and Andrews are the favourites to be the first coach to fired this season.
If we can’t even beat a demoralized/depleted Brentford, it’s going to make it even harder to persuade players to join us in the week ahead.
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Don't think this will be easy . We have zero pace in the team.
Well Potter and Andrews are the favourites to be the first coach to fired this season.
If we can’t even beat a demoralized/depleted Brentford, it’s going to make it even harder to persuade players to join us in the week ahead.
No, it won't.
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Don't think this will be easy . We have zero pace in the team.
Well Potter and Andrews are the favourites to be the first coach to fired this season.
If we can’t even beat a demoralized/depleted Brentford, it’s going to make it even harder to persuade players to join us in the week ahead.
No, it won't.
I think it will.
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Based one one game? Hmm, ok.
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Based one one game? Hmm, ok.
Don’t understand that, sorry.
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Based one one game? Hmm, ok.
Don’t understand that, sorry.
Didn't think you would.
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Based one one game? Hmm, ok.
Don’t understand that, sorry.
Didn't think you would.
Try again?
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Anyway. 1-2. Watkins and Malen.
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Anyway. 1-2. Watkins and Malen.
Hoping we win by more than one.
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If we win I’m not really fussed by how many at this point of the season.
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If we win I’m not really fussed by how many at this point of the season.
I think momentum can’t be underestimated, especially at this stage of the season.
West Ham is a case in point. Losing by one- meh..
Conceding 5 goals- crisis
But points tally the same in both scenarios
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Absolutely, but if you win, particularly away, I think it’s far less important.
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Absolutely, but if you win, particularly away, I think it’s far less important.
True, an away win always feels good. Still hoping we can score 5 like Chelsea did this evening.
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What a funny conversation as it kind of started with you saying we should do to Brentford what Chelsea are doing to West Ham, and a few posts later, I’m saying the same but you are saying
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What a funny conversation as it kind of started with you saying we should do to Brentford what Chelsea are doing to West Ham, and a few posts later, I’m saying the same but you are saying
A win is a win. I get you though.
My biggest wish is that Malen gets a start
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What a funny conversation as it kind of started with you saying we should do to Brentford what Chelsea are doing to West Ham, and a few posts later, I’m saying the same but you are saying
No I agree, I’d like us to do that. But if we win I don’t think how much we win by is that important.
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Pick a team to win the game full stop
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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium (kick-off 15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4gevp4n6djo
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The last time we underestimated the home team it didn’t work out to well.
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Bradley Burrowes and Triston Rowe have travelled
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Both make the bench
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I’ve seen nothing from Onana to convince me he’s worth the money spent.
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Fuck it, might as well just use this as the match thread. Stop fucking about and do some goals, Villa.
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I’ve seen nothing from Onana to convince me he’s worth the money spent.
Agree not at the level we are trying to attain.
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Malen and Maatsen on.
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Have had the nagging doubt since Wembley that we've blown our chance.
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Guessand make some goals happen, please.