Aston Villa vs West Ham Pre-Match Thread

[Merv]

I can remember another recent occasion, Sendo. Don't remind me: Harewood! Harewood! Harewood! Hat-trick!!!!

It all depends on who's fit at the back for us. If Dunne's okay (or Cuellar makes it) to play alongside Clark (I have no worries about putting Clark in against anyone, as long as he's with one of our senior CBs) I can see us edging it. But if Beye starts at CB I'll go for Villa 0 WH 8. He's a dreadful footballer.

[villajk]

I'm going to start the season with a confidence I don't necessarily feel.

Villa 3 - 1 West Ham.

[JJ-AV]

1-1.

Good early start from us, with us all over them. Gabby to open the scoring before they nab an equaliser midway through the second half.

I'll go for:

Friedel
Cuellar - Collins - Dunne - Warnock
Young - Ireland - Petrov - Downing
Carew - Agbonlahor

[xbiggy]

Positive result is what we need and I feel lucky..............2-1 to us will set us up nicely for the great season we are going to have.

Cant get more positive than that

[Phil from the upper holte]

I brought my ticket today so we have to win, I won't accept anything less as I hate west spam also for personal reasons so if we don't win I may well cry!

3-0 Ireland, Agbonlahor & Carew

[Merv]

I hope MON heeds a lesson from the opening match of last season, and sticks with the players who have shown good form in pre-season (eg last summer NRC and Sidwell were in good form as a central midfield partnership but he dumped them for Delph and Petrov).

Bearing in mind injury concerns and assuming Ireland's in and Milner's out, I'd go with:

Friedel

L Young   Dunne   Clark   Warnock

         NRC  Petrov 

Albrighton   Ireland   A Young

                  Carew

Subs: Guzan, Lichaj, Cuellar, Downing, Gabby, Delfouneso, Sidwell

[Concrete John]

If the Milner/Ireland deal goes through on Thursday as expected, I'd say that might be too soon for him to play, so he'd likely start on the bench.

[cheltenhamlion]

I have no particular reason for the prediction but I think it will be a draw.

[Hookeysmith]

Lets be really positive and state that Wet Spam are really gash - they nearly went down last year and now they have a manager that actually took a team down (nightmares of Billy McNeill following on from Graham Turner for the oldies??)
I fancy WHU to have another poor season with us beating them quite comfortably 3-0

 

[sendô WHU]

When you beat us last year, at your place. I'm sure you loved it, of course, but forgive me for saying it was one of my most depressing nights of the season.

How short is my memory. I was there aswell.

Zaaavooooonnnn!

FWIW I think we'll be okay this season. We haven't signed any world beaters but the signings we have made look like the team will have more balance and a bit of creativity in the middle. Lower mid table obscurity will do me after last season.

[sendô WHU]

Hang on, suddenly I'm feeling more confident. Manager gone, team not knowing what's coming next, general feeling in the dressing room that anyone could be off? I sniff an away win here chaps!

[regular_john]

Yup, I'd very surprised if we got anything out of this one, what a way to start the fecking season.

[Monty]

Anyone know what tactics Kevin has been using with the reserves? If it's 4-3-3 we may still do ok in this one.

[Toronto Villa]

I still think we'll win. The team selection will be interesting now. If Heskey is nowhere to be seen it will be real blast at MON. I also expect to see Luke Young at RB now. Maybe he'll stay.

[Drummond]

0-2

Low morale, no time for improved tactics.

The Villa definitely need to be supported now.