Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: olaftab on September 09, 2025, 11:17:41 AM
-
When: Saturday 13 September, Kick Off 3PM.
Where: The Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
So another match in the top tier between two proper football clubs but something different this time, it's not Goodison Park. Our first visit to the plush new stadium. Hopefully that is is the only change from usual.
-
We badly need a win. It'll be a draw.
-
As long as we score, and not just a consolation goal.
-
I'm surprised this game hasn't been chosen as a live game on Sky or TNT, especially considering some our games that have.
-
Martinez, Konsa, Lindelof, Mings, Digne, Bogarde, Tielemans, McGinn, Sancho, Buendia, Watkins
Probably no chance Sancho starts ahead of Rogers but he has been rotten so far. Bogarde to give some legs in midfield, McGinn has played two tough games this week so move him out to the right to annoy Grealish. Id give Buendia a start, at least he showed something v Palace.
-
Yeah I'm quite OK with McGinn on the right here (and Cash, if available (he won't be)), on the 'better friends hit harder' theoretical basis.
-
Are garcia, onnana and kamara still out?
-
Are garcia, onnana and kamara still out?
Kamara should be because he was close for Palace. Not sure on the other 2.
-
Martinez
Konsa
Lindelof
Mings
Maatsen
McGinn
Tielemans
Sancho
Rogers
Elliot
Watkins
-
Martinez
Konsa
Lindelof
Mings
Maatsen
McGinn
Tielemans
Sancho
Rogers
Elliot
Watkins
I reckon that's about right.
Wonder if we might see Bogarde at right-back though.
-
2-0
-
Another hard result to take and Greasy will get at least one assist.
-
We're not a bad team, we're still much better than these. I think we'll do them.
-
Martinez
Konsa
Lindelof
Mings
Maatsen
McGinn
Tielemans
Sancho
Rogers
Elliot
Watkins
I reckon that's about right.
Wonder if we might see Bogarde at right-back though.
Not with Grealish in his current form.
-
I reckon Sancho will be benched. Not sure what his match fitness is like .
-
Yeah I'm quite OK with McGinn on the right here (and Cash, if available (he won't be)), on the 'better friends hit harder' theoretical basis.
You just agreed with Bronte....you do realise?
-
Emery will have had little time on the training ground with the newbies. I wonder will they be benched until they know about "being demanding in our way" that grates like a bastard when Glasner whips our arses again.
-
I'm going for a 2-1 Villa win.
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
-
Yeah I'm quite OK with McGinn on the right here (and Cash, if available (he won't be)), on the 'better friends hit harder' theoretical basis.
You just agreed with Bronte....you do realise?
I love Matty Cash. He gives his all and isn't afraid to mix it up. Just wish he'd launch it forward a bit more.
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
Sure Unai
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
Sure Unai
Lol imagine thinking this is an insult.
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
Sure Unai
I've always known PWa has a beautifully coiffured head of jet-black hair.
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
Sure Unai
Lol imagine thinking this is an insult.
I just don't know what to think here, on one hand you have the manager with the highest win rate in our history and one of the most sensible posters on the site but on the other we have someone who thinks giving players 3/10 after we win is a fair reflection of the game and who ignores any stats that prove him wrong because he clearly knows more about the sport than anyone else ever. Tough choice.
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
Sure Unai
Lol imagine thinking this is an insult.
I just don't know what to think here, on one hand you have the manager with the highest win rate in our history and one of the most sensible posters on the site but on the other we have someone who thinks giving players 3/10 after we win is a fair reflection of the game and who ignores any stats that prove him wrong because he clearly knows more about the sport than anyone else ever. Tough choice.
Did you do the ironing this morning too?
-
2/10 piss poor attempt at an insult, we should try to get footy back to replace you
-
2/10 piss poor attempt at an insult, we should try to get footy back to replace you
"We" 😄 jog on you pompous creep
-
2/10 piss poor attempt at an insult, we should try to get footy back to replace you
"We" 😄 jog on you pompous creep
Aww bless, look at him all rattled.
-
Emi (and has a stormer)
Cash Konsa Mings Maatsen
McGinn Tielemans
Elliot Rogers Sancho
Watkins
Bench
Bizot
Malen
Bogarde
Digne
McGinn
Guessand
Lindelof
4 x Goalkeepers under 12
Villa to roar back with a 2-0 win (Watkins / Malen)
-
Emi (and has a stormer)
Cash Konsa Mings Maatsen
McGinn Tielemans
Elliot Rogers Sancho
Watkins
Bench
Bizot
Malen
Bogarde
Digne
McGinn
Guessand
Lindelof
4 x Goalkeepers under 12
Villa to roar back with a 2-0 win (Watkins / Malen)
McGinn twice Hookey?
-
I'd hope any of Kamara Garcia Onana Barkley are nearing a return!
-
Football is back!
2-1 Villa.
FTF 8)
-
2-0
☺️ feel better now!
-
The only result likely on that horrific Sunday night a couple of weeks ago was a defeat. A strong-ish window, strong showing from the players on international duty and the fact that we are never terrible for long under the manager leads me to believe that a positive result is on the cards.
Joe will play well, the ref will have a shocker and we'll be quietly happy.
2-2
-
2/10 piss poor attempt at an insult, we should try to get footy back to replace you
It was a cowardly attempt at an insult Paul!
-
Rogers wont be dropped now anyway, if there was ever any chance of it.
Well yeah, because it’d be stupid to drop him.
Sure Unai
I've always known PWa has a beautifully coiffured head of jet-black hair.
I bloody wish.
-
They literally haven’t beat us in forever, we must feel to them like Man City or the other lot feel to us. Records are there to be broken though and they must think with the new ground, their decent start, the Grealish factor and our poor start, that their time has come. They might be right, I’m inclined to think draw, or maybe a last minute winner.
We move our daughter up to uni in Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime, so Im hoping listening to Villa on the way home (couldn’t get a ticket), induces a smile and cheer to blow that dust out of my eyes.
2-3 (Watkins 2, Rogers)
Martinez
Konsa
Lindelof
Mings
Digne
Kamara
Tielemans
McGinn
Watkins
Rogers
Guessand
Sancho, Elliot, Malen to make an impact from the bench.
-
Nope.
2 nil defeat
-
A lot of pressure on this week. We’ve had a terrible start to the season and we’ve had a chance to reset. But poor results in the next couple of games and it could become difficult. This game will be tough, we need to be so much better than we have been.
-
I'm not sure we have the stomach for battling back deficits anymore so do not concede first.
-
Tough game this. We need to start playing how we can. Rogers should be on cloud 9 so I’m expecting a big improvement there. Watkins too I expect to deliver. We can be the first team to win at their new stadium, that’s the prize.
-
Kamara is back for this game?
-
Kamara is back for this game?
Fotmob reckons late September.
-
Kamara is back for this game?
Fotmob reckons late September.
In the press conference before Palace the answer Emery gave seemed to suggest he might be available for that one so who knows.
-
I hope we score
-
So do I. Around 74 minutes would be 👍
-
Grealish has won PL player of the month, for the first time apparently - can't believe he never got that with us?
Anyway, hopefully he has a more muted game and we bring our A game, score and win!!!
-
Grealish has won PL player of the month, for the first time apparently - can't believe he never got that with us?
Anyway, hopefully he has a more muted game and we bring our A game, score and win!!!
He's playing well, fully fit, against his old club, and is the current player of the month. I have a horrible feeling about this...
-
We need to be so so much better than we have been. It’s been utterly rubbish for the vast majority of the first three games. Time to start actually playing.
-
Grealish has won PL player of the month, for the first time apparently - can't believe he never got that with us?
Anyway, hopefully he has a more muted game and we bring our A game, score and win!!!
He's playing well, fully fit, against his old club, and is the current player of the month. I have a horrible feeling about this...
You can see the headlines already....:-(
-
I wonder what Unai means when he says Barkley is not available because of a personal issue?
-
He also seems to have made it clear that only Elliott is close to starting as the others are unfit or don’t yet understand how we play
-
He also seems to have made it clear that only Elliott is close to starting as the others are unfit or don’t yet understand how we play
Let’s hope they don’t have Malen type transitional issues, or else they may as well leave now. It does piss me off with how long it seems to take our players to fit in when other clubs just throw them in it seems to work out. It doesn’t seem to have upset Wirtz or Gykores.
-
I wonder what Unai means when he says Barkley is not available because of a personal issue?
He's recovered from injury but kept away from the squad due to pink eye. Maybe?
-
They literally haven’t beat us in forever, we must feel to them like Man City or the other lot feel to us. Records are there to be broken though and they must think with the new ground, their decent start, the Grealish factor and our poor start, that their time has come. They might be right, I’m inclined to think draw, or maybe a last minute winner.
We move our daughter up to uni in Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime, so Im hoping listening to Villa on the way home (couldn’t get a ticket), induces a smile and cheer to blow that dust out of my eyes.
2-3 (Watkins 2, Rogers)
Martinez
Konsa
Lindelof
Mings
Digne
Kamara
Tielemans
McGinn
Watkins
Rogers
Guessand
Sancho, Elliot, Malen to make an impact from the bench.
With Emery confirming who is fit/not fit, I think it may be the same team as Palace first half, apart from Digne for Maatsen
So
Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Digne
McGinn
Tielemans
Malen
Watkins
Rogers
Guessand
Unless he throws Bogarde into midfield as an extra body and takes either Malen or Guessand out.
-
Emi
Cash Konsa Pau Digne
Tielemens McGinn
Elliott Rodgers Guessand
Watkins
-
Emi
Cash Konsa Pau Digne
Tielemens McGinn
Elliott Rodgers Guessand
Watkins
I would think Mings (albeit has been crap so far) would be better suited against either Barry or Beto
Other than that - that is pretty strong line up
-
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has provided a squad news update ahead of Saturday's match.
He says Jadon Sancho, Harvey Elliott and Victor Lindelof will be in the squad this weekend but are all in "different circumstances": "Sancho was not training with the group and physically he will need time. Harvey was training and playing consistently with Liverpool and is more or less fit. Lindelof was training individually and he is available to be with us but he will need time to know us tactically."
Elsewhere in the squad, Emery added: "Matty Cash is available. We have some players injured who are close, [Andres] Garcia, [Boubacar] Kamara and [Amadou] Onana. Ross Barkley has a personal issue and I think he will come back and be available soon, but not yet."
-
No Kamara still is a big hole in the midfield. Onana still out as well although both are close to returning.
-
I reckon Elliot starts on the right which will be another kick in the bag for Malen.
1-2 our season begins.
-
I have an irrational sense of optimism going into this game. I think the whole club and certainly the manager and players will be so delighted the window is shut. They can put that bullshit behind them. I’m convinced the uncertainty it created all summer has contributed to our performances and results. Our squad, bench will look so much better in the coming weeks when everyone is back.
-
I would be really, really annoyed if we left Villa Park for a new place that looked this ugly and cheap. The roof looks like some sort of temporary scaffolding arrangement.
(https://scontent-lhr6-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/545377612_1380962476728398_5656282474553243431_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=9QstIAUUSjMQ7kNvwHreZKe&_nc_oc=AdmCM9P19RUs_j_Mox2SLgm-D6F5i4Zsuwv0WgUbBLwHTS1qK4ycgaPkHD_IdtroYlM&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-2.xx&_nc_gid=a_-rFZM0vrQM8-ncmBOwSQ&oh=00_AfZo-mAKEbUru9q4qN0Gmz2H-KWgbuHf5qL6KyCx_NogXg&oe=68CA38A4)
-
Yeah and the seats are all blue, but not sky blue
-
All the seats are blue, and the sky is grey.
-
I would be really, really annoyed if we left Villa Park for a new place that looked this ugly and cheap. The roof looks like some sort of temporary scaffolding arrangement.
(https://scontent-lhr6-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/545377612_1380962476728398_5656282474553243431_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=9QstIAUUSjMQ7kNvwHreZKe&_nc_oc=AdmCM9P19RUs_j_Mox2SLgm-D6F5i4Zsuwv0WgUbBLwHTS1qK4ycgaPkHD_IdtroYlM&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-2.xx&_nc_gid=a_-rFZM0vrQM8-ncmBOwSQ&oh=00_AfZo-mAKEbUru9q4qN0Gmz2H-KWgbuHf5qL6KyCx_NogXg&oe=68CA38A4)
The roof is like a BBQ rack.
-
There’s no way we can be as bad as we have been in the first 3 games. We have been chronically bad, so hopefully this is a full reset.
-
Difficult to call, here we have a much different Everton team and much buoyed, they will fancy this, on the other hand we have a new player that can transform our season if we allow him to play, obviously i'm on about Elliot, then we have Sancho, if he blows this chance at Villa not sure what he's going to do with his career so he needs to hit the ground running, both have to start.
Here we go football is back.
Everton 2 Villa 3.
-
Difficult to call, here we have a much different Everton team and much buoyed, they will fancy this, on the other hand we have a new player that can transform our season if we allow him to play, obviously i'm on about Elliot, then we have Sancho, if he blows this chance at Villa not sure what he's going to do with his career so he needs to hit the ground running, both have to start.
Here we go football is back.
Everton 2 Villa 3.
Ill go with your score. But if you watch Emery’s presser today, there is not a chance Sancho is starting tomorrow, late impact sub at most.
-
Undefeated in the league against Everton since we came back up. P12 W9 D 3 L 0.
13 undefeated would be a new record beating our 12 game unbeaten run 1909-14.
https://www.11v11.com/teams/aston-villa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Everton/
-
I reckon Elliot starts on the right which will be another kick in the bag for Malen.
1-2 our season begins.
Who cares, he's one of our highest-paid players but doesn't have a footballing brain? Get rid!!!
-
Has anyone mentioned that this is the most played game in top flight history
-
Difficult to call, here we have a much different Everton team and much buoyed, they will fancy this, on the other hand we have a new player that can transform our season if we allow him to play, obviously i'm on about Elliot, then we have Sancho, if he blows this chance at Villa not sure what he's going to do with his career so he needs to hit the ground running, both have to start.
Here we go football is back.
Everton 2 Villa 3.
Ill go with your score. But if you watch Emery’s presser today, there is not a chance Sancho is starting tomorrow, late impact sub at most.
Good enough, fingers crossed, lets hope he gets Sancho on as early as possible, what we have and what we have been doing thus far this season isn't working and we need to change that.
-
Yeah and the seats are all blue, but not sky blue
All the seats are blue, and the sky is grey.
Well, I certainly think we all need to get down on our knees and pray before this one!!
-
Don the 3rd kit for the first time tomorrow?
Please not the black away kit!!
-
Undefeated in the league against Everton since we came back up. P12 W9 D 3 L 0.
13 undefeated would be a new record beating our 12 game unbeaten run 1909-14.
https://www.11v11.com/teams/aston-villa/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Everton/
Kinda bonkers we did so well against them back then. They were runners up in the League in 1909 and 1912.
Mind you, we won it in 1910 and 2nd in 1911, 1913 and 1914.
-
We really can’t afford to lose this game. I’d take a draw now I think.
-
Obviously 'must-wins' are a long way away yet, but the thing about seasons is that, if you fuck up a game in which you should have got something, you need to make up for it in a game where you might've accepted an L otherwise. 0 points from Brentford away and Palace at home (I know, they're Palace, but they're not going to win the league so) isn't good enough, and needs to be compensated for somewhere.
-
Three points would obviously be fantastic and should be the aim but if it ends up being a draw and preferably a clean sheet, I'll take that as well.
-
We need to win and start the season. No ifs buts or coconuts.
-
Obviously 'must-wins' are a long way away yet, but the thing about seasons is that, if you fuck up a game in which you should have got something, you need to make up for it in a game where you might've accepted an L otherwise. 0 points from Brentford away and Palace at home (I know, they're Palace, but they're not going to win the league so) isn't good enough, and needs to be compensated for somewhere.
Next four games are Everton and Sunderland away, followed by Fulham and Burnley at home. Good chance to get back on track there.
-
Undefeated in the league against Everton since we came back up. P12 W9 D 3 L 0.
13 undefeated would be a new record beating our 12 game unbeaten run 1909-14.
Oh FFS, that's done it.
-
Had a horrible night. In my nightmare we took the lead and lost 3-1 :'(
-
2-3 Watkins, Mings, Elliott
-
Had a horrible night. In my nightmare we took the lead and lost 3-1 :'(
Go back to bed and try again!
-
We really can’t afford to lose this game. I’d take a draw now I think.
Definitely! I reckon a Desmond: Elliott and Rogers to score to build on his England performance this week.
-
Nope, I have a bad feeling about this one.
4-0 Everton. Grealish masterclass. Villa fan navel-gazing session ensues.
-
Had a horrible night. In my nightmare we took the lead and lost 3-1 :'(
Go back to bed and try again!
No hope, no harm, just another false alarm
-
Three points would obviously be fantastic and should be the aim but if it ends up being a draw and preferably a clean sheet, I'll take that as well.
You'd take a nil-nil over a three-three? Mental...we haven't scored in fucking months!
-
It’s tough, but given our start nothing less than a win will do.
-
Martinez, Cash, Bogarde, Buendia all start.
All the new boys on the bench.
Gueye, Iroegbunam and Grealish all start for them.
-
Surprised he hasn't started one of the new lads. Not feeling it today at all.
-
Decent looking line-up and good to see Buendia rewarded as the only player that came out of the Beagles match with any credit. Bench looks a lot stronger, too.