Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Smirker on September 17, 2025, 12:11:10 PM
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Sunday 21st September, 2pm kick-off.
FTF 8)
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Oh God not again. Please no, give me a weekend off.
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2-0 Villa.
Fuckers being fucked. Then we batter the CP Conpany boys on Thursday, roll Fulham and the Burnley and it all feels quite nice again.
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If you'd have told me 7 months ago that Sunderland away 4 games in was going to be a must win...
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2-0 Villa.
Fuckers being fucked. Then we batter the CP Conpany boys on Thursday, roll Fulham and the Burnley and it all feels quite nice again.
I'm going with Ads' optimism!!
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Villa win, 2-1.
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Seem to recall a couple of good wins up there, even under Lambert.
They've won both home games so far though and they'll be up for it - let's hope we are!
With Fulham and Burnley to follow, we'd normally be hoping for 9 points from this.
Think it'll be close and nervy, with us trying to hold on to a narrow lead or a draw with lots of Sunderland pressure at the end.
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Scape a 1-1.
Good Kamara is back at least as I think them signing Xhaka is one of the best signings made by a promoted club in over a decade. Certainly wouldn't fancy McGinn-Bogarde to nulify him.
Many won't see a draw at a newly promoted side as good enough but they've just got a 0-0 at Palace so can obviously defend fine in a low block.
We then really need to start winning at VP with the following games so this is crucial point of the season, even this early.
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2-0
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0-1, dirty win. Rogers finally
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2-0 Villa.
Fuckers being fucked. Then we batter the CP Conpany boys on Thursday, roll Fulham and the Burnley and it all feels quite nice again.
Agree, Watkins and Rogers off the mark, bing bang bosh.
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Lose this and the owners will be getting very twitchy.
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0-2 FTF!!! Our season begins!!
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Lose this and the owners will be getting very twitchy.
I really doubt it
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2-0 Villa.
Fuckers being fucked. Then we batter the CP Conpany boys on Thursday, roll Fulham and the Burnley and it all feels quite nice again.
I'm going with Ads' optimism!!
There Is No Alternative (Tina).
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Lose this and the owners will be getting very twitchy.
I really doubt it
The only twitch will be in BCV's trousers.
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How pacy is their team?
I'd like to see us go back to the high line and energetic pressing. Bully them into giving us the ball high up the pitch. Not let them get comfortable and make sure they know who the newbies and who the top 6 team are. We have it in us to do this I'm sure...
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1-1
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Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Elliot, Kamara, McGinn, Sancho, Rogers, Watkins
I think this is where Emery will land. Attacking lineup obviously but likes of Rogers and Elliot can rotate during the game.
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We have to beat somebody soon. Might as well be these lot.
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The question for me is, do we have the fight in us to win this one?
Having Kamara back is a bonus but we have to show some fight and resilience. I haven’t seen that so far so hopefully we suddenly show up on Sunday.
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The question for me is, do we have the fight in us to win this one?
Having Kamara back is a bonus but we have to show some fight and resilience. I haven’t seen that so far so hopefully we suddenly show up on Sunday.
I saw plenty of fight and resilience against Newcastle and Everton. Just not enough quality.
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Not confident. It's been over eight years since they last lost a Premier League game at home.
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Can’t say I’m looking forward to this…with how pedestrian we are at the minute - they are gonna be up for it on and off the pitch…
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One of those 'orrible ones like when we beat O'Neill's Sunderland early last decade, 0-1.
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We cant lose. No we MUST not lose this. It would be a complete disaster. With the fixtures we have had it would be really poor if we fail yet again to win
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Win this and belief picks up - lose and it starts getting serious
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1.3
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Sherwood won 4-0 up there. let's see if Unai is as good.
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Win this and belief picks up - lose and it starts getting serious
I agree - think it will be a draw though.
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Sherwood won 4-0 up there. let's see if Unai is as good.
Can we also get Benteke back and have the fans leave before HT.
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Is total fanny Onana close to fitness?
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Is total fanny Onana close to fitness?
Yeah
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1-4 to the Villa.
Season starts now.
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Met a group of Mackems in the late 80’s in Kos, salt of the earth, amazing lads with a lot of respect for Villa. Looked after me on a couple trips to Roker in the 90’s, even singing Villa songs in the local boozer post match, pissed up.
Soft spot for them and I really hope they stay up but nonetheless hope we batter them Sunday!!
It’s business. UTV.
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Nice folks or not they will do us 2-0 as their coach has a plan!
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For anyone going remember that you can't pay by cash for anything in the stadium and they don't allow coins, vapes or power banks.
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Not seen anything yet to suggest we’re going to improve enough to win here if Sunderland play well.
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I hope without any confidence that he ditches the play from the back slow build up play that we have been getting. He used to adapt our play to whchever team we were playing, now we get this drivel every game. I'm confused as he is a good manager.
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We do usually beat Sunderland....
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Come on, let's do 'em, they're shit dressed-up as passable.
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We haven't beaten them since 2018. Absolutely disgraceful.
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Still not sure we're actually over whatever it is that's caused us to be so poor this season. We're the team you want to play right now.
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Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Elliot, Kamara, McGinn, Sancho, Rogers, Watkins
I think this is where Emery will land. Attacking lineup obviously but likes of Rogers and Elliot can rotate during the game.
this
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Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Elliot, Kamara, McGinn, Sancho, Rogers, Watkins
I think this is where Emery will land. Attacking lineup obviously but likes of Rogers and Elliot can rotate during the game.
this
Looks about right, bit harsh on Bogarde and Pau who were good in the week.
The problem is how you line up the 3 behind Watkins to stop them becoming too narrow. Sancho on the left with Maatsen overlapping to give extra width is probably the best option out there but the right is tougher, neither Rogers or Elliott wants to be hugging the line but 1 of them would need to really.
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Is this game on the tellybox?
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I met a group of Sunderland fans on one of my cycling trips in a pub in Solva in south west Wales on the day they appointed MoN.
They were switched on professionals.
But my god:
“He was too big for your Villa”
“We are going to definitely qualify for CL”
“And Mon will then lead us to win the CL , yes, yes definitely”
My god did I laugh. But they were adamant Mon was going to lead them to world domination.
I told them that he would spunk Sunderland’s money on expensive English players and get them relegated.
They thought I was mad……..
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Is this game on the tellybox?
Sky Sports Main Event Apparently. Though my preference is normally to just watch the wall Ive painted next to tv
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I met a group of Sunderland fans on one of my cycling trips in a pub in Solva in south west Wales on the day they appointed MoN.
They were switched on professionals.
But my god:
“He was too big for your Villa”
“We are going to definitely qualify for CL”
“And Mon will then lead us to win the CL , yes, yes definitely”
My god did I laugh. But they were adamant Mon was going to lead them to world domination.
I told them that he would spunk Sunderland’s money on expensive English players and get them relegated.
They thought I was mad……..
I'm married to a Mackem so I have a lot of in-laws and friends up there. When mon got the job we were up there visiting for the FILs birthday and I had loads of them asking about him in the pub. I told them they'd love him for 6 months and then however long he lasted from there it would always be that they were 1-2 players away from achieving something but he'd never find those players and when he left some fans would hate him but others would defend him as having been let down by the board. As it turned out he did even worse than I expected and very few of them have anything good to say about him now.
They didn't have much good to say about Bruce when we got him in.
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I met a group of Sunderland fans on one of my cycling trips in a pub in Solva in south west Wales on the day they appointed MoN.
They were switched on professionals.
But my god:
“He was too big for your Villa”
“We are going to definitely qualify for CL”
“And Mon will then lead us to win the CL , yes, yes definitely”
My god did I laugh. But they were adamant Mon was going to lead them to world domination.
I told them that he would spunk Sunderland’s money on expensive English players and get them relegated.
They thought I was mad……..
I'm married to a Mackem so I have a lot of in-laws and friends up there. When mon got the job we were up there visiting for the FILs birthday and I had loads of them asking about him in the pub. I told them they'd love him for 6 months and then however long he lasted from there it would always be that they were 1-2 players away from achieving something but he'd never find those players and when he left some fans would hate him but others would defend him as having been let down by the board. As it turned out he did even worse than I expected and very few of them have anything good to say about him now.
They didn't have much good to say about Bruce when we got him in.
The guys I met refused to even listen to my retro opinion of MoN’s tenure a VP.
In fact when I said I was Villa - their immediate response was that Sunderland was a much much bigger club that Villa.
Maybe when I spat my beer out at this silly comment - lead them to go on to talk that MoN would win them CL in 2 years.
It was comedy gold.
As I walked away from the chat after about 20 minutes they were discussing how big the civil reception would be when they won the CL.
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Is this game on the tellybox?
I fucking hope not.
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Is this game on the tellybox?
I fucking hope not.
Don't shoot the messenger:
https://www.live-footballontv.com/aston-villa-on-tv.html (https://www.live-footballontv.com/aston-villa-on-tv.html)
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Something just clicks, a sudden change, a volte face, where there was desperation there is delight, hope is renewed and a midweek Thursday becomes something to be relished rather than resented.
1-2
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Something just clicks, a sudden change, a volte face, where there was desperation there is delight, hope is renewed and a midweek Thursday becomes something to be relished rather than resented.
1-2
Purely based on pattern recognition, I think we will win.
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Nah we'll get humped and this place will be unbearable for a few days.
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The worst thing at the moment about Villa is when you look forward to the next game win, lose or draw you know it’s going to be really boring
Unfortunately that’s what I expect at Sunderland Maybe we win 1 nill maybe we lose but one thing I can’t get out of my head is it will probably be very slow and boring
I know we’d all take a boring 1 nill at the moment but I would like to see some adventure back and I still trust in Unai to bring us through
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It’s not quite a must win because redemption could be found against Bologna.
But you are right John e, there is zero excitement watching this version of Emery Villa.
Oh for those heady days and nights of only a season ago.
WtF happened?
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Watching some of the Newcastle v Barcelona last night showed how far behind we are at the moment. The change in tempo and
movement at times from Barcelona was something to see
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Yet 6 months ago we battered the Champions of Europe…
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For anyone going , no vapes , coins or Power banks allowed in stadium
(https://i.ibb.co/XZZgJHr6/IMG-9377.png) (https://ibb.co/XZZgJHr6)
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Need to win.
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For anyone going , no vapes , coins or Power banks allowed in stadium
(https://i.ibb.co/XZZgJHr6/IMG-9377.png) (https://ibb.co/XZZgJHr6)
We're a cashless society but still need our phones and ciggies.
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Sounds like the last track on a third album
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Watching some of the Newcastle v Barcelona last night showed how far behind we are at the moment. The change in tempo and
movement at times from Barcelona was something to see
Watching the team that was beating lille in conference to this one now- it really feels we have gone backwards by a huge amount. Ill happily settle for modtable if it meant we took europa seriously and bought the trophy home.
We have to show more attackinv ambition against Sunderland. Its been mediocre and predictable football thus far
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Watching some of the Newcastle v Barcelona last night showed how far behind we are at the moment. The change in tempo and
movement at times from Barcelona was something to see
Watching the team that was beating lille in conference to this one now- it really feels we have gone backwards by a huge amount. Ill happily settle for modtable if it meant we took europa seriously and bought the trophy home.
We have to show more attackinv ambition against Sunderland. Its been mediocre and predictable football thus far
We are in a bit of a Jam.
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Watching some of the Newcastle v Barcelona last night showed how far behind we are at the moment. The change in tempo and
movement at times from Barcelona was something to see
Watching the team that was beating lille in conference to this one now- it really feels we have gone backwards by a huge amount. Ill happily settle for modtable if it meant we took europa seriously and bought the trophy home.
We have to show more attackinv ambition against Sunderland. Its been mediocre and predictable football thus far
We are in a bit of a Jam.
I'd rather focus on our impending and surging turnaround of form. Talkin' bout our regeneration.
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Watching some of the Newcastle v Barcelona last night showed how far behind we are at the moment. The change in tempo and
movement at times from Barcelona was something to see
Watching the team that was beating lille in conference to this one now- it really feels we have gone backwards by a huge amount. Ill happily settle for modtable if it meant we took europa seriously and bought the trophy home.
We have to show more attackinv ambition against Sunderland. Its been mediocre and predictable football thus far
We are in a bit of a Jam.
That’s entertainment
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We lose, the bitterest pill to swallow.
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Going through our own private hell but, thick as thieves us.
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A PL goal, will be a Start!
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
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Im way more concerned about sunday than last weekend in many ways. Players in part dont look bothered and can see an early goal and a bit of a collapse. Fully expecting defeat so im hoping this negativity isnt proven!
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Team coach got done for speeding while on the way up to Sunderland. So yay, our first 3 points of the season.
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Team coach got done for speeding while on the way up to Sunderland. So yay, our first 3 points of the season.
We'll probably take the speed awareness course instead knowing us.
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
You could understand it if we were playinv the likes of chelsea cuty arsenal but man our fixture list so car has been kind yet we have no goals or wins. Its abit worrying tbh
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
No, we're not in trouble.
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
You could understand it if we were playinv the likes of chelsea cuty arsenal but man our fixture list so car has been kind yet we have no goals or wins. Its abit worrying tbh
We haven't lost yet kidder.
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Xhaka will run the show
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
No, we're not in trouble.
Maybe read the above again.
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
No, we're not in trouble.
Maybe read the above again.
No need to. I just didn't bother with all the 'if we lose: stuff.
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Is this game on the tellybox?
I hope not, we don't need the whole world looking in with these kind of performances.
I'm going for a Villa win, we have to, we could well be bottom of the Premier by kick off, out of the question to lose this and a draw will simply not do.
As for Sunderland, they've had a good start, pretty sure they will be looking at this thinking if we can't get 3 points out of a team in meltdown and at home we deserve to be in a relegation dog fight.
Here we go
Sunderland 1 Villa 2
Can't remember what 1 goal looks like in the Prem let alone 2.
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Martinez
Cash. Konsa. Torres. Mastsen
Kamara. McGinn
Rogers. Elliot. Sancho
Watkins
2-0 us (Watkins, Rogers)
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Martinez
Cash. Konsa. Torres. Mastsen
Kamara. McGinn
Rogers. Elliot. Sancho
Watkins
2-0 us (Watkins, Rogers)
That's a good shout, nothing wrong with that, I think it may be time we started thinking beyond Watkins and Rogers, judgeing by the finger wagging at the end of the game the other night towards Rogers could be a good idea to give him a break.
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Think we will win this, and then go on a good run.
0-2 Watkins and Rogers
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2-0 sunderland on this one im afraid
That would be a disastrous result. If we cant score past Sunderland let alone win the game we are in serious trouble this season
You are right, if we lose this one we are in trouble.
It would not surprise me, I am expecting a draw.
No, we're not in trouble.
Maybe read the above again.
No need to. I just didn't bother with all the 'if we lose: stuff.
Thanks for clearing that up.
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3-1 to the Villa. Nothing against Sunderland, but FTF.
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Martinez
Cash. Konsa. Torres. Mastsen
Kamara. McGinn
Rogers. Elliot. Sancho
Watkins
2-0 us (Watkins, Rogers)
It's got to be this sort of system, although, I can see Emery keeping Bogarde in, which means shoe-horning McGinn in somewhere in attacking midfield and Sancho misses out.
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Martinez
Konsa Lindy Mings Digne
Elliot BogardeKamra SJM
Rogers
Watkins
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Martinez
Cash. Konsa. Torres. Mastsen
Kamara. McGinn
Rogers. Elliot. Sancho
Watkins
2-0 us (Watkins, Rogers)
That's a good shout, nothing wrong with that, I think it may be time we started thinking beyond Watkins and Rogers, judgeing by the finger wagging at the end of the game the other night towards Rogers could be a good idea to give him a break.
What happened with the ‘finger wagging’?
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I don’t think we have the stones to win this.
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You lot are soft.
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Managed to get two tickets for this for me snd my lad, rare away games. First win of the season in the post.
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You lot are soft.
I am today as have manflu
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You lot are soft.
I am today as have manflu
Prayers and thoughts mate
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shock 1 0 win to the Villains .
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We just need to massively up our level and start playing something closer to the sum of our parts. We also need to do some work on our set pieces, they have been hopeless.
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We just need to massively up our level and start playing something closer to the sum of our parts. We also need to do some work on our set pieces, they have been hopeless.
The problem at the moment seems to be there are so many things wrong with our performances that it's difficult to think of something to build on. I suppose a couple of 0-0 is a crumb of comfort.
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No it wouldn't. Fuck me its Sunderland.
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Indeed. Let’s not get mixed up, we’ve had a shonky start to the season but we should not be looking at anything except a win here.
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A good solid performance and three points please 🙏
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We just need to massively up our level and start playing something closer to the sum of our parts. We also need to do some work on our set pieces, they have been hopeless.
Cash on corners doesnt help.
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almost as bad as when Roy put Harry Kane on corners.
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We just need to massively up our level and start playing something closer to the sum of our parts. We also need to do some work on our set pieces, they have been hopeless.
Cash on corners doesnt help.
Well indeed, part of working on set pieces is getting the right people taking them.
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We just need to massively up our level and start playing something closer to the sum of our parts. We also need to do some work on our set pieces, they have been hopeless.
Cash on corners doesnt help.
Well indeed, part of working on set pieces is getting the right people taking them.
Not surprising that the doubts about Emery surface, not only has he reverted to playing Cash all the time, he now has him taking corners.
Sorry I don’t get it.
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Doesn't matter who takes the corners we present no threat, we are a shadow of the team from last season. Our defence has been okay but going forward we need more energy.
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Another thoroughly absorbing, high quality 0-0
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A nervy 2-1 win. Rogers and Elliot.
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C'mon Villa, although prepared that they will ruin my Sunday.
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Another thoroughly absorbing, high quality 0-0
I haven't seen an absorbing, high quality 0-0 since I watched the first round of Countdown during the week.
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I said before the Everton game that I’d take a draw. Not today though. We need to put in a convincing performance and win this one, or I’ll start to look at the table and wonder who we could beat. Any player sulking or not fighting for the team needs dropping for a while.
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really need something to build on - a win of any description would is needed.
A good performance would be great, but we just need to get things heading in the right direction
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Never thought I would be feeling nervous before a Sunderland match, but I am, having said that still going for a Villa win.
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I'm going for a 2-1 Villa win.