Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Smirker on July 31, 2022, 03:47:56 PM
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8)
Saturday 6th August, kick off 3pm
Please add a poll.
FTF
8)
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Good Lord, next Saturday you say? Well I'll got to the foot of our stairs.
Anyway. We're at a newly promoted club again who will be giddy as goats but not that giddy that they can't give us a game or indeed beat us.
Expect to hear "undercooked", "minutes in legs", "no need to panic" and "fine margins" in the wake of a narrow defeat.
1-2
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Scott Parker already moaning they are light on players , oh boy he we go !!!
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Expecting the win!
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Tough game this but winnable. On paper we definitely got better players. Play to our best or if our potential match winners can produce enough moments and I think we may do it 2-1 or 3-2
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No poll amateur. And a full week out. Miserable Brummie rant over.
2-0 Villa. Coutinho and Ollie
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I expect us to come away from Bournemouth with at least a point. Ollie needs a goal. Hoping for better than a point though as these are the sort of games we have to win if we want that upper table consistency.
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A good start to the season essential.
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A good start to the season essential.
No it isn't.
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A good start to the season essential.
No it isn't.
I think it is so there.
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I'm in hospitality. New ground for me and the only way I'd ever get a ticket. Looking forward to it. And a win.
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A good start to the season essential.
No it isn't.
I think it is so there.
Sorry, you're not allowed any must win games until at least April.
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Note to our manager, do NOT, under any circumstances, play Ings and Watkins together up front.
Many thanks.
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3-3
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Martinez
Cash
Carlos
Mings
Digne
Kamara
McGinn
Ramsey
Bailey
Watkins
Coutinho
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0-1 a tricky afternoon and a edgy start for Villa ,late changes from the Head Coach brining on players that should have started to the rescue and we take all 3 points
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Just please win Villa...
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Sure Parker has moaned but to be fair they have released 8 players and signed only 2 so surely we have to be expected to win this?
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Bournemouth sill struggle this season - they don't look well equipped at all, but day 1 of the season, it's a tough start for us. As we saw last year, the newly promoted club will be right up for it, and if we are not right at it from the off, could become messy.
Unlike last year however, we look well prepared and have to believe Gerrard will make sure there is no complacency.
1-2, 3 points
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Biggest certainty of the year...…..Villa @6/5 fill your boots. It could be 3 or 4 nil.
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Biggest certainty of the year...…..Villa @6/5 fill your boots. It could be 3 or 4 nil.
Agreed, think we'll batter them and all will be well with the Villa.
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Newly promoted team looking for a bounce versus ever obliging Villa. Has 2 nil away win written all over it.
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0-2
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Poll added. Amateur.
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Note to our manager, do NOT, under any circumstances, play Ings and Watkins together up front.
Many thanks.
He will.
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A good start to the season essential.
No it isn't.
It would be nice, though.
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3-0 us (Coutinhio, Bailey, McGinn).
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If we start with two up front and choose to leave out Buendia, I predict a 2-1 defeat with the one being little more than a late consolation. Pick a sensible team and ride the early storm like we pathetically failed to do at Watford last season and we will win 3-0.
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1-1 Mings
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Rudy to Just Head the winner in. And then we don't win again til fucking January!!!! Christ, what awful times.
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1-1 Mings
Do you reckon he'll play, Drummond? Just catching up with the weekend football and noticed Mings wasn't in France?
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I hope Buendia gets a start, one of the better players pre- season, somehow I don't believe Gerrard rates him as high as I do.
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2-0 to Villa don’t care who scores them. I have a good feeling about this season
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We need to make a strong start to the season - first 4 games are all winnable
2-0 to the Villa
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3-0 Villa - Bailey to open early, Watkins and Archer with the others late in each half.
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2-0 to Bournemouth. Risso to start the Gerrard out thread at 5:01. ;-)
More seriously I think a tight 1-0 win for us, Bailey to score.
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1-1 Mings
Do you reckon he'll play, Drummond? Just catching up with the weekend football and noticed Mings wasn't in France?
Yep, and he'll be well up for it too, former club, our former captain, etc. He'll be at fault for our goal too, leading to calls for him to be dropped.
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2-2
A somewhat pathetic start to the match, with newly promoted Bournemouth high on being back in the big time. A bit of a fight back before half time time with one goal just before. A tremendous second half led by Leon Bailey and an equaliser mid way through. Continued bombardment with a couple of easy chances missed late on.
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1-1 Mings
Do you reckon he'll play, Drummond? Just catching up with the weekend football and noticed Mings wasn't in France?
Yep, and he'll be well up for it too, former club, our former captain, etc. He'll be at fault for our goal too, leading to calls for him to be dropped.
Ha!
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2-0 Villa. The Rennes game wasn’t the best but believe me it was hot. Bit of a tedious game and there were a few traits from last season we need to get rid of but we are slowly developing that ‘will to win’ mentality. For me, we need another central midfielder to push into a European place because one of those traits was a failure to keep the ball and dictate play. We will be better than last season and will have too much for Bournemouth.
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Parker has been getting his excuses in early I see. We should be absolutely funeralling these no marks, 4-0 please.
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Biggest certainty of the year...…..Villa @6/5 fill your boots. It could be 3 or 4 nil.
There's never any certainty when it comes to AVFC. We got spanked by a Tom Cleverley inspired Watford in the first game last season let's not forget. A dirty 1-0 win would be a great start.
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2-0 Villa. The Rennes game wasn’t the best but believe me it was hot. Bit of a tedious game and there were a few traits from last season we need to get rid of but we are slowly developing that ‘will to win’ mentality. For me, we need another central midfielder to push into a European place because one of those traits was a failure to keep the ball and dictate play. We will be better than last season and will have too much for Bournemouth.
For me a top is striker more of a pressing need. I'm losing patience with Ollies wastefulness and I'm not convinced Ings will ever ruffle the nets again on a regular basis. Archer has huge potential but it seems the club aren't convinced he's quite ready.
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Biggest certainty of the year...…..Villa @6/5 fill your boots. It could be 3 or 4 nil.
There's never any certainty when it comes to AVFC. We got spanked by a Tom Cleverley inspired Watford in the first game last season let's not forget. A dirty 1-0 win would be a great start.
We'd had a disrupted pre-season, had lost Grealish, and Dean Smith didn't know how to fit the replacements in. This summer we've got our transfers done early, haven't lost anybody of note and everybody is fit. No excuses.
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We should win, but after Watford last year, I'm not taking anything for granted. Confidence could come or go very quickly depending on what happens early doors.
I feel positive about Bailey and about Carlos, but our plan from last season doesn't really seem to have changed from what I saw of pre-season... our midfield, even with Kamara, doesn't seem to have the dynamism it should on paper. Thank God Bailey's looking on form. If only SG would give Buendia a go instead of Coutinho (I guess he'll get 20 mins at the end). I think it would do more for the team, whereas Coutinho more likely to do something exceptional every now and then.
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I think we’ll have to spread to goals around this season. I think Watkins is capable of 15 this season so Bailey, Coutinho and Buendia will have to chip in with their fare share as well. As for Ings, it depends on how many games he plays. Ramsey is capable of chipping in with a few as well.
It’s a pivotal season for Watkins but to buy better on someone who gets 20 plus will cost a huge amount which we can’t spend due to FFP. I think it will be addressed next summer if it’s needed but at the moment I think we need to win the ball and control the game and not commit the same mistakes we have for 3 seasons.
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1-0 Gestede. Villa to be relegated.
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I hope Buendia gets a start, one of the better players pre- season, somehow I don't believe Gerrard rates him as high as I do.
Gerrard will always play Coutinho ahead of Emi, no matter what. I'd prefer to see at least Coutinho play the home games and Emi the aways, his industry and creativity are essential; Coutinho disappears away from home. Won't happen obviously.
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0 3
Leon
SJM
Ings
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From what we've seen in pre-season, it looks like Gerrard isn't sure what his best starting 11 is. In fact I reckon most of us could say the same, it just doesn't jump out at you, with a few exceptions. However, I do think that the 5 subs rule could really benefit us in the early stages of the season whilst things settle down, and he certainly will have options from the bench. I guess the key is managing them properly. It could turn out that we have "starters" and " finishers", rather than just "subs" like they do in Rugby Union. We shall see. Anyway, to the topic in hand, 3-1 to the mighty Villa. Early goal for the Cherries before our extra class tells. Watkins, Bailey and Archer to do the business.
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If we start with two up front and choose to leave out Buendia, I predict a 2-1 defeat with the one being little more than a late consolation. Pick a sensible team and ride the early storm like we pathetically failed to do at Watford last season and we will win 3-0.
It won't be two up front, I'm pretty sure he'll start with Bailey. Frankly I think Buendia deserves the shirt above Coutinho, but that wont happen either.
I think the only uncertains will be Chambers or Konsa to partner Carlos, and Ramsey or Luiz as No 8.
I think it will be:
Martinez
Cash Chambers Carlos Digne
McGinn Kamera Luiz
Coutinho Watkins Bailey
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we have far greater quality in our squad and on paper a far better team
But this game will be all about preparation and attitude
Bournemouth will be right up for it and come at us from the off and we need to be ready for it unlike last season at Watford when we were three down before we woke up
If we sit back and let it happen it will happen and we’ll be left chasing the game again we need to be aggressively progressive from the kickoff
There’s a good chance Bournemouth will be relegated but they will never be stronger than the first game of the season and we need to be aware of that I’ll be well pissed off if we aren’t ready
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Biggest certainty of the year...…..Villa @6/5 fill your boots. It could be 3 or 4 nil.
There's never any certainty when it comes to AVFC. We got spanked by a Tom Cleverley inspired Watford in the first game last season let's not forget. A dirty 1-0 win would be a great start.
We'd had a disrupted pre-season, had lost Grealish, and Dean Smith didn't know how to fit the replacements in. This summer we've got our transfers done early, haven't lost anybody of note and everybody is fit. No excuses.
Yep, let's hope there's no need for any.
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No repeat of Watford last year, 1-3 Coutinho, Bailey and Cash.
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Martinez
Cash Konsa Carlos Digne
Kamara Luiz
Bailey Coutinio McGinn
Watkins
Then change to
Martinez
Cash Konsa Carlos Digne
Luiz Nakamba (70mins)
Ramsay (60 mins) Buendia (70 mins) McGinn
Ings (85mins)
Enough pace, power and flexibility to run out 2-0 winners with goals coming in each half with the 2nd around 65 mins mark.
Happy days
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I think we will be too strong for them. 2.1 Villa
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Think well win this one comfortably by 3 goals to nil
think well have too much for them in every area.
Think Watkins, and Coutinho (FK!!), and a pen - by Ings late on
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3 -0 Bailey to score a blinder, Carlos with a header (have you seen Bourmouths CBs) and a Watkins tap-in
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Officials announced.
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Eddie Smart, Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth official: James Linington. VAR: Michael Salisbury. Assistant VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis.
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0-0
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Martinez
Cash
Mings
Carlos
Digne
Kamara
McGinn
Ramsey
Coutinho
Bailey
Ings
..... and we win 2-0.
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Martinez
Cash
Mings
Carlos
Digne
Kamara
McGinn
Ramsey
Coutinho
Bailey
Ings
..... and we win 2-0.
I hope Gerrard doesn't continue to keep selecting Coutinho ahead of Buendia if his form doesn't merit it.
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Martinez
Cash
Mings
Carlos
Digne
Kamara
McGinn
Ramsey
Coutinho
Bailey
Ings
..... and we win 2-0.
I hope Gerrard doesn't continue to keep selecting Coutinho ahead of Buendia if his form doesn't merit it.
Buendia should be the first name on the sheet.
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Also love to see Archer start.
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Also love to see Archer start.
I'm hoping Gerrard sees a reflection of Michael Owen in Cam.
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0-0
Sadly that’s about my level of expectation. Play little EMI and we’ll win comfortably.
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Also love to see Archer start.
Cam off the bench with the winner...
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Also love to see Archer start.
I'm hoping Gerrard sees a reflection of Michael Owen in Cam.
Nothing like setting a pretty high bar!
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8-1 to the Villa.
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I'm a full blown pessimist but even I wouldn't predict us to lose this one so respect to the 13 who think we are going to lose. I need to up my game.
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Will likely be the starting team against Rennes on Saturday won't it?
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I'm a full blown pessimist but even I wouldn't predict us to lose this one so respect to the 13 who think we are going to lose. I need to up my game.
Me too, but we're going to smash Bournemouth and smash the season.
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Poll added. Amateur.
Villa not win includes a draw so you’re options aren’t mutually exclusion.
1-1 newly promoted teams are always excitable early season.
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I'm always optimistic at the start of every season so 0-4 Villa win.
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I can see us winning 3-1.
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Think Bournemouth have arguably the weakest squad in the top flight.
If we weren't playing them first game of the season, I'd feel pretty confident of a win, but can see us starting badly and losing.
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Think Bournemouth have arguably the weakest squad in the top flight.
If we weren't playing them first game of the season, I'd feel pretty confident of a win, but can see us starting badly and losing.
Takes me back to Watford at start of last season.
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
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Think Bournemouth have arguably the weakest squad in the top flight.
If we weren't playing them first game of the season, I'd feel pretty confident of a win, but can see us starting badly and losing.
Takes me back to Watford at start of last season.
But we haven't spent the summer running a kickabout by the Thames, having BBQs and pining over an ex-player.
We'll lose 2-1.
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
Seems more than usual pre season
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
Seems more than usual pre season
I wouldn't say I'm pessimistic, more concerned that I don't see any patterns in our attacking play that could open up teams and craft chances. It's not easy to put my finger on it, because I do think we are set up more attacking than Southgate's England for example, but I still feel from watching us that we stand still and simply watch the player with the ball rather than being constantly on the move off the ball, and that there is the expectation on individuals to do something special, rather than the team being more of a machine that can create chances via the system.
I don't want to watch 38 games of CB to CB to CB to CB to Cash, runs forward gets closed down, turns back to CB who goes HOOF!
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
Seems more than usual pre season
Think the problem is, we have been sold a dream, but the nagging feeling is have we got enough to go from 14th to say 7th or 8th.
Basically, I think Villa fans actually started to believe it might be different this time, and the more pessimisic out of us and being to think it wont be.
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
Seems more than usual pre season
Think the problem is, we have been sold a dream, but the nagging feeling is have we got enough to go from 14th to say 7th or 8th.
Basically, I think Villa fans actually started to believe it might be different this time, and the more pessimisic out of us and being to think it wont be.
I can understand that after the highs of August to December 2020, dismantling Liverpool and Arsenal, playing great football, Grealish in his pomp and us looking like genuine top 6 challengers, that its all been disappointing since. Especially last season, which i, like many others was glad when it was over.
However, i’m just not sure what the dream is thats not coming to fruition. Wasn't there a 5 year plan to try and get us into Europe? That will be a tough ask by the end of the season but certainly not impossible. I also think its easy to forgot where we were and have been from 2010 onwards, compared to the position of relative comfort we find ourselves in now.
We’ve made some good signings, we have some good players already there, we have a genuine world class talent in Coutinhio and another in Martinez and we haven’t lost in pre season.
Ive been supporting Villa since the early 80s so have seen lots of bad and mediocre times amongst a few good times, but if we can’t be optimistic now before we’ve actually started to mess the whole thing up then i don’t when we can be.
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
There isn't that much pessimism, over 70% predicting a win. I doubt many lower midtable fans are so confident of an away win.
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
There isn't that much pessimism, over 70% predicting a win. I doubt many lower midtable fans are so confident of an away win.
Maybe your right and i’m just honing in on the doubt too much
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
Seems more than usual pre season
Think the problem is, we have been sold a dream, but the nagging feeling is have we got enough to go from 14th to say 7th or 8th.
Basically, I think Villa fans actually started to believe it might be different this time, and the more pessimisic out of us and being to think it wont be.
I can understand that after the highs of August to December 2020, dismantling Liverpool and Arsenal, playing great football, Grealish in his pomp and us looking like genuine top 6 challengers, that its all been disappointing since. Especially last season, which i, like many others was glad when it was over.
However, i’m just not sure what the dream is thats not coming to fruition. Wasn't there a 5 year plan to try and get us into Europe? That will be a tough ask by the end of the season but certainly not impossible. I also think its easy to forgot where we were and have been from 2010 onwards, compared to the position of relative comfort we find ourselves in now.
We’ve made some good signings, we have some good players already there, we have a genuine world class talent in Coutinhio and another in Martinez and we haven’t lost in pre season.
Ive been supporting Villa since the early 80s so have seen lots of bad and mediocre times amongst a few good times, but if we can’t be optimistic now before we’ve actually started to mess the whole thing up then i don’t when we can be.
100% - we havent failed at anything yet. I move between being positive and ngative (mainly in life in general). It feels like with Villa something is waiting to click on the pitch
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Theres a lot of pessimism on a number of threads!! Not sure i get why.
This is H&V, it's what we do
Seems more than usual pre season
Think the problem is, we have been sold a dream, but the nagging feeling is have we got enough to go from 14th to say 7th or 8th.
Basically, I think Villa fans actually started to believe it might be different this time, and the more pessimisic out of us and being to think it wont be.
I can understand that after the highs of August to December 2020, dismantling Liverpool and Arsenal, playing great football, Grealish in his pomp and us looking like genuine top 6 challengers, that its all been disappointing since. Especially last season, which i, like many others was glad when it was over.
However, i’m just not sure what the dream is thats not coming to fruition. Wasn't there a 5 year plan to try and get us into Europe? That will be a tough ask by the end of the season but certainly not impossible. I also think its easy to forgot where we were and have been from 2010 onwards, compared to the position of relative comfort we find ourselves in now.
We’ve made some good signings, we have some good players already there, we have a genuine world class talent in Coutinhio and another in Martinez and we haven’t lost in pre season.
Ive been supporting Villa since the early 80s so have seen lots of bad and mediocre times amongst a few good times, but if we can’t be optimistic now before we’ve actually started to mess the whole thing up then i don’t when we can be.
100% - we havent failed at anything yet. I move between being positive and ngative (mainly in life in general). It feels like with Villa something is waiting to click on the pitch
Fair enough. To be fair my pre season optimism usually doesn’t get past September!
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Hate playing newly promoted teams first up. With the debacle of Watford last season still fresh in the memory plus our woeful recent record against the ‘mighty’ Cherries, I sense a defeat in the offing.
2-0 them.
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Have backed us to win, however this is Villa we are talking about. If we play a waiting game like last week we will win. Pity only 1300 will be there to witness it.
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Some of the pessimism is downto doubts beginning to surface about the manager.
Not sure if his system actually works.
Still trying Watkins and Ings.
Playing Coutinho regardless.
Not playing Buendia regardless.
The jury is still out for me and I hope that he has worked out how to get the best from the resources at his disposal but if I see the above being repeated I can guess how the results will go.
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Some of the pessimism is downto doubts beginning to surface about the manager.
Not sure if his system actually works.
Still trying Watkins and Ings.
Playing Coutinho regardless.
Not playing Buendia regardless.
The jury is still out for me and I hope that he has worked out how to get the best from the resources at his disposal but if I see the above being repeated I can guess how the results will go.
All true...but that Bournemouth squad looks miles away from the required standard. I think we will win with an unconvincing performance due to some of the reasons above.
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Bournemouth 0-4 Villa
McGinn
Coutinho
Watkins
Cash
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Surely for all their newly promoted enthusiasm if we keep them quiet first 15 or so minutes or even score one early ourselves, we will be too strong for them?
We have enough on the bench to be able to change the game against weaker opposition if it is a stalemate into the 2nd half
I really cannot wait for it to start....cue Sat night on here when it goes into meltdown with a loss and a poor performance ;)
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On the latest set of images on official site of team training there is no sign of Buendia. Not sure if injured or he has joined Fred, Bert and kids?
I really hope not
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He probably has a knock as El Ghazi is now training with the first team.
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Yep no way is Buendia in the bomb squad.
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0 - 3
Watkins x2 & Coutinho
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
After reading the above article, i now feel supremely confident for this game.
Things are not well behind the scenes there, and looks as though the owner wants to sell, so is not investing.
We all know how that ends up.
Villa to win 0-4.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
After reading the above article, i now feel supremely confident for this game.
Things are not well behind the scenes there, and looks as though the owner wants to sell, so is not investing.
We all know how that ends up.
Villa to win 0-4.
Could you cut and paste please?
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
After reading the above article, i now feel supremely confident for this game.
Things are not well behind the scenes there, and looks as though the owner wants to sell, so is not investing.
We all know how that ends up.
Villa to win 0-4.
Could you cut and paste please?
"Bourenmouth are well shit, have a league one ground, no defenders and their manager has fallen out with the owner, and is whinging like a little c*** about having no players."
Don't mention it.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
After reading the above article, i now feel supremely confident for this game.
Things are not well behind the scenes there, and looks as though the owner wants to sell, so is not investing.
We all know how that ends up.
Villa to win 0-4.
Could you cut and paste please?
"Bourenmouth are well shit, have a league one ground, no defenders and their manager has fallen out with the owner, and is whinging like a little c*** about having no players. Comfortable home win."
Fixed.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
After reading the above article, i now feel supremely confident for this game.
Things are not well behind the scenes there, and looks as though the owner wants to sell, so is not investing.
We all know how that ends up.
Villa to win 0-4.
I thought the same, but then also thought they might just park the bus and we’ll have a tense afternoon trying to break them down.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
After reading the above article, i now feel supremely confident for this game.
Things are not well behind the scenes there, and looks as though the owner wants to sell, so is not investing.
We all know how that ends up.
Villa to win 0-4.
Could you cut and paste please?
"Bourenmouth are well shit, have a league one ground, no defenders and their manager has fallen out with the owner, and is whinging like a little c*** about having no players. Comfortable home win."
Fixed.
Thanks both. I hate Bournemouth, Brentford-by-the-sea. They'll deliver all the wrong results when you least need them to, the wankers.
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Yeah, the refresh + Esc trick didn't work.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/08/02/why-bournemouth-sleepwalking-towards-disaster/
Why Bournemouth are sleepwalking towards disaster
Chronically underfunded in the transfer market, Scott Parker faces one of the toughest tests of his managerial career.
Have Bournemouth given themselves even a fighting chance of staying in the Premier League? It felt like a desperate plea for help from Scott Parker when, at the weekend, the manager said: “We’re way short of where we need to be.” And it sharpened the focus on the newly-promoted club.
Eight first-team players have left from the squad that went up last season. Just three have been signed. Two of those are free transfers – Joe Rothwell from Blackburn Rovers and Ryan Fredericks from West Ham United – and both are injured. Just £10 million has been spent, on midfielder Marcus Tavernier, and he only arrived from Middlesbrough this week, days before the season kicks off on Saturday at home to Aston Villa.
Little wonder Parker has suggested, quite remarkably if under-reported in the euphoria around England Women’s European Championship triumph, that the club did not “want to give ourselves a chance of being competitive” and the apparent lack of ambition has led to confusion and concern at Bournemouth.
There are storm clouds on the south-coast when fans should be relishing a return to the top-flight.
The logical conclusion is that Bournemouth are staring at going straight back down with the suspicion that owner Maxim Demin may not have the stomach, or perhaps even the finances, for the fight. Why else would he not invest or does he really believe the squad is good enough or is he simply prepared to accept relegation?
Rumours still swirl, having emerged last year, that the Russian businessman (with UK citizenship) may be looking to sell the club. No comment was forthcoming when Bloomberg first reported this. Clearly Bournemouth would be a far more attractive proposition now they back are in the Premier League while the situation has left Parker understandably cutting an increasingly frustrated figure.
For a young, ambitious manager it is an extremely tough position. Parker has done an excellent job at Bournemouth. Just as he did at Fulham. The 41-year-old has managed two seasons in the Championship, widely acknowledged as the hardest, most attritional of leagues, and gained promotion on both occasions. That is actually an unprecedented achievement.
Sandwiched in between is a relegation and the fear has to be that he has, again, been left with a squad clearly not equipped to even compete in the Premier League.
Bournemouth have just three central defenders
Even earning promotion was impressive. Parker lost Arnaut Danjuma for £20m and replaced him with academy graduate Jaidon Anthony; one of four he promoted. High-earners such as goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and Diego Rico were moved on. He persuaded Dominic Solanke to stay, with the striker going on to score a career-best 30 goals last season.
A club that had finished sixth the year before, with a stronger squad, went up automatically. Reinforcements arrived in January but, of those, only striker Kieffer Moore has made a difference while Todd Cantwell, on loan from Norwich City, is one of the eight who has left along with centre-halves Nat Phillips (also on loan) and Gary Cahill.
In fact Bournemouth have just three central defenders. Their young captain Lloyd Kelly is certainly good enough but after him there is only Chris Mepham, who was not always a regular last season, and 20-year-old James Hill who was bought as a player to develop from League One Fleetwood Town and has made a couple of first-team appearances.
Parker pinning hopes on handful of players
Just as alarmingly Bournemouth have only two goalkeepers – first-choice Mark Travers, 23, who replaced Begovic, and Will Dennis who has played one first-team game, an FA Cup tie, and has spent most of his career in Southern Counties football. What happens if Travers gets injured?
It appears Bournemouth are pinning their hopes on a small handful of players – Solanke (who needs support), Kelly, Lewis Cook, Philip Billing and Jefferson Lerma (who only has a year left on his contract) – and even more so on Parker’s nous, drive and coaching ability. But with the manager appearing frustrated, and becoming vocal in his frustration, is that sustainable? He desperately needs reinforcements and has called for two more defenders to be signed before the weekend but that looks unlikely.
Given the investment from clubs around them, not least from also promoted Nottingham Forest – who finished below Bournemouth but who have spent £80m and brought in 12 players – then it is hard to see anything but a grim battle against relegation. Most pundits, not unreasonably, predict a 20th place finish with that worry that Bournemouth are prepared to accept that.
But will Parker? The former England international, who already boasts an impressive CV in his short managerial career, is desperate to cement his reputation as a Premier League manager and has now been left in a terrible quandary.
He earned promotion, his remit when he arrived last year after deciding to leave Fulham having grown fed up with the lack of control he had at that club, and surely could have expected at least a little more investment to help? Instead he looks unfairly exposed.
To a degree Bournemouth may be taking a realistic stance. If they, say, spent £40m as Norwich City did last season will it make that big a difference? Would they go down anyway as seven of the past 12 teams to be promoted from the Championship have done?
It means, in a sense, there is no pressure on Parker or – indeed – on Bournemouth although maybe he, at least, wants that pressure.
Parker, who was typified by his fighting spirit throughout his entire 20-year playing career, is not averse to battling against the odds, but with such an apparent lack of financial backing from the club, it would seem that this is a challenge even he cannot overcome.
Few expect Bournemouth to stay up. But it does not feel right that they appear to not even be giving themselves that fighting chance.
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Not happy with that article - thats exactly the kind of article you see before a teams gives us an unexpected spanking
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Not happy with that article - thats exactly the kind of article you see before a teams gives us an unexpected spanking
We'll really be in trouble if one of our players is featured on Football Focus.
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After reading that I wonder why he left Fulham
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The squad prediction thread has made me realise how tricky it is picking the subs bench.
We don't need two centre backs, but leaving Mings or Konsa out the matchday squad is a punchy call.
I think the essentials are Olsen, one centre back (say Konsa or Mings), a fullback - prob young becayse of his versatility, Tim, an 8 (Ramsey/Sanson) and a striker - Ings.
So with my assumed starting line up of Martinez, Cash, Chambers, Carlos, Digne, McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Coutinho Watkins, Bailey, the firt places for me would be
1. Olsen, 2. Young 3. Mings, 4. Tim, 5. Ramsey 6. Buendia 7. Ings
That leaves KKH, Konsa, Augustinsson, Sanson, Archer, Feeney fighting for 2 spaces (without mentioing ElGhazi, Traore etc). I guess Sanson & Archer get the nod but it means there's going to be some pretty dissapointed big name players each week.
I'd like a wildcard like KKH on there too.
Gerrard will be pleased to have tough calls to make, but it's going to be difficult to keep everyone happy that's for sure.
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9 subs allowed this season. It might even be "As many as you want, you can play up to 5".
Surprised you'd drop Ramsey, our best player last season.
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9 subs allowed this season. It might even be "As many as you want, you can play up to 5".
Surprised you'd drop Ramsey, our best player last season.
I thought Ramsey faded a bit in the last quarter of the season and hasn't looked particularly sharp in pre-season. I know he's a favourite but I think we need a change from our 8's last year (their passing stats were shocking) Now McGinn is a shoe-in I think Ramsey will get less gametime.
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Spot on re Ramsey, he also played for England in June. Ease him back in from the bench, he'll be fine.
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I think we will go Mings and Chambers as subs, with Chambers covering Kamara.
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Just shows how strong the squad is at the moment
If we go as this for the sake of argument
Martinez, Cash, Carlos, Mings, Digne, Luiz, McGinn, Kamara, Coutinho, Watkins, Bailey, then the subs available are:
Olsen
KKH, Young, Chambers, Konsa, Feeney, Augustinsson
Ramsey, Sanson, Nakamba, Iroegbunam
Buendia, Ings, Archer
That's 14 people, meaning 5 aren't even going to be in the squad, nevermind the likes of Guilbert, El Ghazi, Hause, Traore and Davis who would seem to not have much of a future with us. I think it shows that a few of the kids will probably have to go on loan, and that one or two players could probably do with being sold. Also not really sure why we gave Young another year.
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Yep the clear out has not happened and agree Young looks surplus to requirements.
I have allways thought a squad that is a bit thin is better than having lots of senior players kicking their heels week after week.
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Also not really sure why we gave Young another year.
I'd guess it's more to do with his experience / leadership / off-pitch qualities more than because he's going to get a load of minutes.
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Also not really sure why we gave Young another year.
I'd guess it's more to do with his experience / leadership / off-pitch qualities more than because he's going to get a load of minutes.
Yes of course, but in that case he'd have been better being taken on as a coach, rather than taking a squad spot that might stop one of the kids like KKH getting valuable minutes.
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Also not really sure why we gave Young another year.
I'd guess it's more to do with his experience / leadership / off-pitch qualities more than because he's going to get a load of minutes.
Yes of course, but in that case he'd have been better being taken on as a coach, rather than taking a squad spot that might stop one of the kids like KKH getting valuable minutes.
I remember reading somewhere that Gerrard saw his role as effectively a liaison point between players and management.
Which if so, makes sense to do it this way.
I think the only times we'll see him on the pitch will be with a load of young players in the early round(s?) of the League Cup and on 88 minutes to waste time if we're holding onto a lead.
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Just saw Buendia is a doubt with a thigh injury he picked up last week.
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With 5 subs allowed, I think he'll get a fair few 15 minute cameos. If he can keep whipping the ball onto someone's head like he did for Carlos last week, maybe more.
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AVFC Twitter have just posted Buendia is fit and available for selection.
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AVFC Twitter have just posted Buendia is fit and available for selection.
So the Mail were just scaremongering? Who knew?
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We go again.
Comfortable 0-2 away win, after a jittery first half.
Lucas Digne pops up unexpectedly to score, a bit scruffy and Targett-esque but we'll take it. Coutinho unfortunately smacks a set piece against the woodwork, but we're still happy Luiz isn't taking them. Cam then comes off the bench to make the points safe and soothe a few H&V nerves.
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AVFC Twitter have just posted Buendia is fit and available for selection.
So the Mail were just scaremongering? Who knew?
Nope, Gerrard has said that Buendia and Mings had knocks but are now both back and ready to go.
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Chris Sutton has replaced Lawro doing the predictions for the BBC. He's got us to win at Bournemouth. Lawro would have probably had us to lose.....
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The first 11 decision is difficult, deciding who doesn't even make the bench is also pretty hard, even with 9 players to be named. We'll have players who won't even make the matchday squad this weekend who would have walked straight into our starting 11 the year we came up. We've come a long way.
Great problems to have though, and it means that even with a couple of inevitable injuries we'll pick up along the way, we're going to have a strong 11 and some good options from the bench this season!
My prediction:
Martinez
Cash
Carlos
Mings
Digne
Kamara
McGinn
Luiz
Coutinho
Watkins
Bailey
Subs:
Olsen
Young
Chambers
Sanson
Ramsey
Iroebegnum
Buendia
Ings
Archer
Which means no place for Konsa, Augustinson or Nakamba (all of whom you'd assume we want to keep?), never mind Traore, El Ghazi, Davis, and Guilbert (who you have to assume are on the way out one way or another?).
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The first 11 decision is difficult, deciding who doesn't even make the bench is also pretty hard, even with 9 players to be named. We'll have players who won't even make the matchday squad this weekend who would have walked straight into our starting 11 the year we came up. We've come a long way.
Great problems to have though, and it means that even with a couple of inevitable injuries we'll pick up along the way, we're going to have a strong 11 and some good options from the bench this season!
My prediction:
Martinez
Cash
Carlos
Mings
Digne
Kamara
McGinn
Luiz
Coutinho
Watkins
Bailey
Subs:
Olsen
Young
Chambers
Sanson
Ramsey
Iroebegnum
Buendia
Ings
Archer
Which means no place for Konsa, Augustinson or Nakamba (all of whom you'd assume we want to keep?), never mind Traore, El Ghazi, Davis, and Guilbert (who you have to assume are on the way out one way or another?).
Yes some good points made
I also think that’s the team he will go for apart from one
I still reckon he’ll go Watkins and Ings up front, It won’t work again and he’ll change stuff in the second half
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For those driving down, to avoid roadworks and congestion towards Bournemouth, best to get off M27 early at Junction 7 or 8 and go via Christchurch. Safe travels to all and UTV
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Its the first Game so 1:3 nothing like start of the season, theres no fool like an old fool!
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Shouting loudly in public is back.
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We're not all Rob Roys you know
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I still reckon he’ll go Watkins and Ings up front, It won’t work again and he’ll change stuff in the second half
I really, really, really hope not. All that does is sacrifice a midfielder or wide player for Ings. Bailey's got to start, surely?
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Anyone know the best place to park today?
Where are our fans going to be drinking before the game?
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Win please.
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Chris Sutton has replaced Lawro doing the predictions for the BBC. He's got us to win at Bournemouth. Lawro would have probably had us to lose.....
Lawro would have had the game down as a Liverpool win…
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Chris Sutton has replaced Lawro doing the predictions for the BBC. He's got us to win at Bournemouth. Lawro would have probably had us to lose.....
Lawro would have had the game down as a Liverpool win…
🙂. Yes, Liverpool have been unbeaten for years and years according to him
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Bournemouth's next 3 games are Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool, so that will give them an extra incentive to win today, but even allowing for that, we should get the 3 points today. Hopefully Leon will take his pre season form into today's match and we see a captain's performance from SJM, 2 nil Villa.
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Sutton is not much better as an analyst tbh. I also had the misfortune to listen to 606 last time I was in the UK. Sutton and Savage makes you yearn for the glory days of "red-hot soccer chat"...
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0-2 Bailey, Coutinho
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Sutton is not much better as an analyst tbh. I also had the misfortune to listen to 606 last time I was in the UK. Sutton and Savage makes you yearn for the glory days of "red-hot soccer chat"...
But….don’t forget Savage said this Villa team is heading for relegation unless they sort it out two seasons before it happened.
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I'll go with a 1-2 win. Watkins and Coutinho.
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We are going to rout them., Archer is also going to come of the bench and grab his first league goal and start his meteoric rise to the top and the world cup. 6-0
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I can't see us being in trouble today but think we'll still think the score will be tight. 1-0 Villa win with plenty of poor finishing
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2-0 Villa win, Watkins with both. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
I've been a bag of nerves all week thinking about this game but now the nerves have settled, it's time to do the business.
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3-0 to us.
Solid first half but our strength in depth will make the difference and we'll come away with an impressive victory.
Ings, Carlos and Cam from the bench.
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2-0 Villa win, Watkins with both. Even a clock is right twice a day.
I'll never learn..gone 5/4 about a villa win plus 7/2 bailey to score at anytime. Can't make my mind up about Carlos to score at 11/1 though
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0-1 after ten minutes. The site freezes under the load of everybody typing 'bollocks'. Then a rapid equaliser from Diego, and two from Archer who replaces Watkins on 65.
1-3 FTF!
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Team news in less than hour! Excited!
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Looking forward to seeing the return of some of the match thread buzz-words and phrases.
"I hope that was our bad half"
"ffs Ings AND Watkins does not work, how many times?"
"Nothing seems to have changed"
"We are so ponderous in our build up"
"Fucking around needlessly at the back!"
"FFS Watkins, you've got to score that"
"Coutinho has done nothing, get Buendia on"
"Make a change FFS!"
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A win please Villa.
As said before our bench should eventually make the difference if we happen to struggle a bit.
UTV.
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Looking forward to seeing the return of some of the match thread buzz-words and phrases.
"I hope that was our bad half"
"ffs Ings AND Watkins does not work, how many times?"
"Nothing seems to have changed"
"We are so ponderous in our build up"
"Fucking around needlessly at the back!"
"FFS Watkins, you've got to score that"
"Coutinho has done nothing, get Buendia on"
"Make a change FFS!"
That's just the first two pages.
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‘Leaked’ team news suggests ings in, no Watkins or mings
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‘Leaked’ team news suggests ings in, no Watkins or mings
I can live with that.
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‘Leaked’ team news suggests ings in, no Watkins or mings
Who would leak such a thing? Flintstone will be well-miffed.
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Leaked and accurate.
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Well it looks good on paper.
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Konsa the big call.
Gerrard must really rate him considering he was easily worst of CBs from January onwards. Not sure he's the right partner to ease in Diego myself.
Happy with rest of the team as feels like a game Ings could score to get off to decent start to the season. Options on the bench to change aswell.
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I think Chambers isn't fully fit so Konsa got the nod.
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The bench looks like quite a decent side too.
The absences are interesting. A few loan moves and maybe some permanent deals still to come and we're still supposed to be after 1 or 2 players too.
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When is the last time we had an England international on the bench?
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When is the last time we had an England international on the bench?
Good question
Bent maybe?
Warnock?
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Nothing seems to have changed.
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Very predictable. Embarrassing performance.