West Ham United vs. Aston Villa: Pre-Match Thread

[avfcpg]

Win today and we are all but safe I reckon. It would leave us 8 points clear of them with 5 games left...and 9 points clear of Wigan if they lose today.

Then we can start our charge for 8th!

Come on Villa...

[TimTheVillain]

After Downings comments in reply to Alvin Martin's, I am feeling confident.

3-1 to Villa

Which were?

Downing has responded defiantly to criticism by radio pundit Martin that Villa might not have the character for a relegation scrap.

“He is not in our changing room, he doesn’t know anything,” he added.

“If he thinks we’ve got no team spirt, we could have easily faltered against Newcastle.

“I think that is the biggest thing here. We stuck together. We have a great set of lads.

“Team spirit is a big thing at every football club and fighting and tackling and making blocks and filling in for each other.

‘‘That is all part of being a team and even the bench was buzzing in the changing room after the last game.

“If it wasn’t there, we’d be in trouble.

Downing, who scored in Villa’s comprehensive opening day 3-0 win over the Hammers, added: “It’s easy for Alvin Martin to talk.

“Who did he play for? West Ham? I think he should look at West Ham.

“I’d tell you if the team spirit wasn’t there. It’s probably the biggest thing we’ve got, team spirit.”

From Birmingham Mail

Brilliant response from easily our player of the season.

[OzVilla]

2-2 which i'll happily take before kick off.

[aldridgeboy]

Ironic that its Downing talking about tackling and making blocks!

I think it will be 1-1

[TaxDodger]

0-1. Bent 67.

[Olneythelonely]

Ironic that its Downing talking about tackling and making blocks!

I think it will be 1-1

Only as ironic as Friedel saying we're good going forward.

[holtepaul]

Now more confident now I have realised Parker isn't playing.

I said last wek, Bent suits playing away, he gets much more room.

Before today I said 1-1 - now, without Parker I think we will win 2-0.

Bent and a defender from a set piece

[citizenDJ]

Reo-Coker and Petrov start in the centre of midfield, according to AVFC. I wonder if that's just the two of them, with Makoun on the bench?

[N'ZMAV]

1 change. Heskey in for Gabby

[N'ZMAV]

oh, sorry. NRC in too for Makoun, too

[Monty]

Nice, clear tactics: keep it tight in midfield with two genuine deep midfielders, looking to Heskey for the outball and look to use the wings on the break.

[Matt Collins]

Heskey in for gabby!

Not sure about this one. Heskey was good earlier on the season but not done much since Xmas. I'd have thought gabby's pace would have been a threat today.

[CJ]

No match thread yet?

[placeforparks]

West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Bridge, Da Costa, Upson, O'Neil, Noble, Hitzlsperger, Obinna, Keane, Cole
Subs: Boffin, Gabbidon, Spector, Boa Morte, Hines, Piquionne, Ba

Aston Villa: Friedel, Walker, Dunne, Collins, L. Young, Downing, A.Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Heskey, Bent
Subs: Marshall, Cuellar, Clark, Makoun, Pires, Albrighton, Agbonlahor

[citizenDJ]

Looking forward to seeing Heskey and Bent a a partnership. In theory that should work pretty well - Heskey is a very good foil for a goal poacher like Bent, I reckon.

As 4-4-2 goes for us, that's a good team.