Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on December 07, 2025, 01:12:58 PM
-
Thurs Dec 11th, 20.00 KO.
You'd imagine there'll be some rotation for this one.
-
Bizot
García
Lindelof
Konsa
Digne
Bogarde
Kamara
Sancho
Buendía
Guessand
Malen
-
Looks good to me. Maybe Onana for Kamara as he's had fewer minutes recently I think.
-
Maybe. Can always make loads of subs anyway.
-
A lesser spotted Elliot on the pitch?
-
Bizot
Garcia
Lindelof
Konsa
Digne
Bogarde
Kamara
Sancho
Buendía
Guessand
Malen
I'd go with this.
Start The Sanch 8)
-
1-1
-
How important is finishing top two for us? Does it really make much of a difference seeing the oppo in the first knockout round is likely not heavyweight?
-
Think you play the second leg of every round before the final at home.
So, not the end of the world if we don't. But certainly an advantage if we can get it.
-
Finishing top 2 means you get home fixtures in the 2nd leg all the way to the final assuming you get there.
-
With our home record we'd definitely prefer being home second in every round. Last season showed how big a difference it made against PSG.
-
Unai will rotate the team I still think we will win 2-1.
-
With our home record we'd definitely prefer being home second in every round. Last season showed how big a difference it made against PSG.
Not the most convincing example, to be honest! :)
-
0-4.
-
With our home record we'd definitely prefer being home second in every round. Last season showed how big a difference it made against PSG.
Not the most convincing example, to be honest! :)
We won 3-2
-
With our home record we'd definitely prefer being home second in every round. Last season showed how big a difference it made against PSG.
Not the most convincing example, to be honest! :)
We won 3-2
Yes. But the question is whether playing the return leg at home has a beneficial impact on the outcome of the tie. We probably all instinctively agree that it does, or that we would prefer it. But in the PSG example, we lost the tie. :)
The broader question being, to what extent is securing home advantage in the return legs through to the final worth using minutes in the legs of first teamers?
-
The broader question being, to what extent is securing home advantage in the return legs through to the final worth using minutes in the legs of first teamers?
I personally think it's over-stated.
The real benefit is being able to judge early whether to start second-string players in the second leg (and/or sub them on earlier in the first leg if you're up by 2+ goals). If you're away in the 2nd leg you kind of have to start a strong team even if you're well ahead in the tie, just to ensure the home team doesn't get any momentum.
-
Rogers will play.
-
I'm sure stats back up that it is better to play second match at home. Still no guarantee of course but it wouldn't be offered if not beneficial.
-
I'm sure stats back up that it is better to play second match at home. Still no guarantee of course but it wouldn't be offered if not beneficial.
If it goes to extra time and penalties, you'd prefer that at home as well.
-
Reliably informed these are a pretty moody bunch. Be interesting to see what happens tomorrow night.
Bizot
Cash
Konsa
Lindelof
Digne
Bogarde
Onana
Sancho
Buendia
Rogers
Malen
-
Moodier than Young Lads ?
-
Roger Federer supports them and they used to be married to Prunella Scales (RIP). Don't know much else about them. They're currently third in the Swiss League, one point above Young Twats.
-
Lots of big pharma headquarters there I think. More of a small pharma man myself.
-
Oh yes.
Nice town though, in that gilded Swiss frontalier way. Good river for swimming.
-
I made a tit of myself during the Woolwich game by loudly pronouncing that we had 7 days break until the next game during some of the subs, totally forgetting about this match. In my defence I had a heavy cold......
....which I still have and can't shake off but sympathy is rather thin on the ground along the lines of "you were well enough to go down the Villa".
Anyway, without wishing to temp fate, this feels like something of a routine game which makes me guilty for not appreciating what we have but this is where we want to be. The Manager is clear about this, and his selection will reflect his approach as we navigate our way through the season. The league format has done for the jeopardy at this stage of European competition which would explain the seemingly run of the mill nature of the fixture but the blood will still be pumping come kick off, and I'll undoubtedly still be blowing my hooter every 10 minutes.
0-2
-
Sat at a very quiet Bristol Airport awaiting a flight to Zurich before train to Basel tomorrow.
-
You certainly were very vocal Sat Nev. The ref was really getting some abuse...
-
Villa win.
Late goal.
-
Isn't Basel right next to the Liechtenstein border, like near FC Vaduz?
-
It's right next to the French and German borders, several hundred miles from Liechtenstein.
-
So far Basel have won both their home games against Stuttgart and FCSB (ex Steaua Bucharest) and lost all their away games at Freiburg, Lyon and Genk.
-
Let's hope we Brush them away.
-
Let's hope we Brush them away.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Boom! Boom!"
-
Let's hope we Brush them away.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Boom! Boom!"
We need Malen to be our Fox in the box.
-
It's right next to the French and German borders, several hundred miles from Liechtenstein.
Quite close by teleport then.
-
My hotel is right on the French, German, Swiss border. I will do a run on Friday morning that covers all three countries in about 1KM..
-
Just been sent this - from a legit contact - for anyone out here......
I have just been informed by the Swiss police that they are now enforcing a compulsory travel arrangement and meeting point for Aston Villa fans.
Villa fans will be required to meet at the below location at 18:45 to board arranged transportation put on by the Swiss police.
Steinenberg, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
I’m sorry for the short notice but this has been dumped on us very last minute
-
18:45 for a 21:00 kickoff? Shades of Feyenoord transportation then!
-
And yet WMPolice X account is saying it’s not
Mandatory. I wish they’d get this shit sorted out. That said I’m on a heavily delayed DB train (surprise surprise) heading to Basel, I hope I get there in time.
-
18th May, 2016. Europa League Final. St. Jakob-Park Basel. Liverpool 1 Sevilla 3.
(https://i.ibb.co/JwqCpLRp/0-Getty-Images-532199192.webp) (https://ibb.co/JwqCpLRp)
-
Any chance of Garcia starting tonight? I'm not a fan of Bogarde and Onana in midfield together so might be an ideal time to get Tielemans in there from the start.
Bizot, Garcia, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne, Bogarde, Tielemans, Sancho, Buendia, Malen, Watkins..
-
He’s been appearing on the bench lately I think but would be a surprise to see him go from zero minutes to a starter.
-
Just been reading up on this lot and they are good at home and didnt realise Shaqiri plays for them, he mist be about 40?
I have a feeling we may go strong tonight with only a few tweaks, to try and more or less get this over the line in terms of qualification.
Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Torres
Digne
Kamara
Tielemans
Mcginn
Watkins
Rogers
Beundia
-
Just been reading up on this lot and they are good at home and didnt realise Shaqiri plays for them, he mist be about 40?
I have a feeling we may go strong tonight with only a few tweaks, to try and more or less get this over the line in terms of qualification.
Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Torres
Digne
Kamara
Tielemans
Mcginn
Watkins
Rogers
Beundia
Really ???
-
From John Townley on X via Brum Mail:
Emi Martinez and Pau Torres are both absent from #AVFC's squad to face FC Basel.
Marco Bizot, Victor Lindelof, Lucas Digne, Lamare Bogarde, Evann Guessand, Jadon Sancho, Emi Buendia and Donyell Malen all come in.
-
It's right next to the French and German borders, several hundred miles from Liechtenstein.
Drove around Europe with the missus and the dogs this summer. Liechtenstein (and Norway) is take your breath away scenery.
Glad Emery's rotated, whatever the result. Winter is coming and we have a shitload of games.
-
If any of you solid gold legends has any info on streams or trickles in the Basel area i'd be much obliged
-
It's right next to the French and German borders, several hundred miles from Liechtenstein.
Drove around Europe with the missus and the dogs this summer. Liechtenstein (and Norway) is take your breath away scenery.
Glad Emery's rotated, whatever the result. Winter is coming and we have a shitload of games.
I agree we need to rotate and in all fairness this 11 isn't significantly weaker than our best 11 due to the strength and depth we have.
-
If any of you solid gold legends has any info on streams or trickles in the Basel area i'd be much obliged
Der Rhein is the only one I know of.
-
Wouldn't have minded seeing Garcia get a start. Cash can't play every game.
-
Going for a Villa win, after the weekend its possible Villa have stepped up a huge level, tonight could show that even with a diluted team, this new vibe that must be going through the whole squad now players like Sancho must now go out and prove they are good enough for Europe's top teams such as Villa and not that Villa are not quite in his league.
3-0 Villa