Aston Villa vs West Ham Match Thread

[toplad4u]

VILLA: Friedel; L Young, Dunne, Clark, Warnock; Albrighton, Petrov, Milner, Downing; A Young, Carew. Subs: Weimann, Bannan, Lichaj, Heskey, Guzan, Beye, Reo-Coker.

Note:
Milner, Albrighton and Clark all start.
Davis out

[toplad4u]

Sorry if i annoyed anyone can't seem to find the match thread.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Kevin Mac's programme notes from the OS:

Good afternoon everybody and welcome to Villa Park for our first Barclays Premier League game of the season against West Ham United.

It is due to unforeseen circumstances that I have been given the honour of assuming the role of caretaker manager of the football club.

This will be the first game of a long season in which we will be trying to replicate some of the success of the past few years.

Having been at the football club for 15 years and now having been given this responsibility, I intend to do everything within my power to start the season positively.

I was sad and disappointed when I heard about Martin O'Neill's resignation. He was a very good manager for myself and was supportive and generous in passing on his knowledge to the coaches in the reserves and academy set-ups.

In fact, last pre-season he gave me the opportunity of working with the first team, which provided a valuable insight.

Obviously, I have known most of the players here in my capacity as reserve team coach but working in close conjunction with him then and throughout his four years at the club will have helped me in identifying the strengths of the squad now.

Our pre-season was somewhat staggered by the late arrival of some of the players from the World Cup but this gave the opportunity to some of the younger players to impress. The experience of playing alongside the senior players will hopefully enhance and speed up their development and in time, I hope, they will make as great a contribution to the team as those who have been regularly involved for some time.

Today we welcome West Ham with their new manager, Avram Grant, and his backroom staff which includes a good friend of mine, Kevin Keen.

The Hammers, like ourselves, have a proud history and their present group of players will demand our utmost respect and attention during this afternoon's game.

We will need to be very focused and our concentration levels will have to be of the highest order.

Allied to your vociferous support, this will give us the best opportunity to compete and try to win the game.

Finally, I know what kind of atmosphere you are capable of generating here at Villa Park and I hope this afternoon will be no different from the first minute to the last.

Your loud and positive support could make a vital difference to our team.

[manic-road]

So Milners starts

[PaulWinch again]

Interesting line up.

[toplad4u]

Yeah definately hopefully score 2 goals in the first half maybe give some fringe a runout second. NEED TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING!

[manic-road]

Quite a few youngsters in the squad today, just shows the faith Kevin Mc has in the players he has been looking after.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If asexpected WHU play 5 across the middle, it makes sense, I just wonder where the goals are going to come from with Gabby out. Saying that, I'm going to stick with my 4-1 prediction.

Come on my Villa boys!

[toplad4u]

WEST HAM LINE-UP: Green; Tomkins, Reid, Upson, Ilunga; Boa Morte, Parker, Noble, Kovac, Faubert; Cole. Subs: Stech, Gabbidon, Barrera, Spector, Sears, Piquionne, Diamanti.

Note:
The Hammers Out (Hitz)

[toplad4u]

Certainly looks like 4-5-1 for them

[supertom]

Good side. Like it. AY playing the free role sounds good. He and Carew link well, so I'm hoping we play some good stuff. I've no worries about Milner. He'll always give 100%.

[supertom]

The hammers side looks pretty poor to be honest. We should be winning this game, if the players perform.

[tim]

WEST HAM LINE-UP: Green; Tomkins, Reid, Upson, Ilunga; Boa Morte, Parker, Noble, Kovac, Faubert; Cole. Subs: Stech, Gabbidon, Barrera, Spector, Sears, Piquionne, Diamanti.

Note:
The Hammers Out (Hitz)

With that line-up I expect nothing but a Villa win. That looks pretty average...

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Nice touch with the poll, Toplad.

[toplad4u]

thanks!