Manchester City v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[DeKuip]

I've just checked the kick-off time for this and it's on Saturday at 3pm.

I'm sure it was originally a Sunday televised game or am I hallucinating?

It was - until the Champions League draw dictated that City play Villarreal on Tuesday. And the Real Villa on Saturday.

[KRS]

Dont think I can handle listening to or watching this. I've accepted a painful defeat already.

[robbo1874]

Think we'll lose but hopefully won't be the debacle of recent visits there.
If we're really lucky we might scrape a draw, cant see it though

[Blackcountry Villa]

I've got a sneaky feeling we'll barely get out of our half, we won't have a shot but we'll frustrate them and get a draw. Either that or we'll get lamped 4-0.

The midfield area worries me. David Silva v Stiliyan Petrov is a massive mis-match and Stan will be shagged after 30 minutes chasing him round. I think Petrov or headless chicken Delph could get sent off late on.

[levico]

I think that we can safely say that our unbeaten run will come to end by 5pm on Saturday

[Risso]

I'm going for 1-1.  Gabby will have their defence at sixes and sevens and Bent will poach one from the space created.  I reckon we'll score early on, will battle valiantly before Dunne nods one past Given in the 98th minute.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Our first defeat of the season. But not the hammering some are predicting.
2-1 but I'm praying for a draw.

[villan1975]

Silva vs. Hutton. Wow.

Stephen Hawkings vs Hutton would concern me the way
Hutton has been performing.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm going for 1-1.  Gabby will have their defence at sixes and sevens and Bent will poach one from the space created.  I reckon we'll score early on, will battle valiantly before Dunne nods one past Given in the 98th minute.

The absolute ultimate in Villa-ness.

I even know how it'd pan out for me. I'd find it unbearable to watch, turn it off with 15 mins to go. Having given it some time for the match to end, I'd take a peek at the match thread, whilst praying it had ended well, and through my fingers see a sequene of very short, mainly one word posts.

I'd look properly and see it is a succession of people saying "shit!" or "FFS" or "bollocks", and that would be that.

[eric woolban woolban]

It's a game to write off, so anything other than a shooing will be a bonus.

You never know what can happen though...

[Matt Collins]

I'll be on my bike from Brum to London, which is a relief. can't see anything but a comfortable home win

[Chris Smith]

It's a game where I'm more interested in how we play than the result. Their wealth has made it an uneven contest but if we play without fear and give it a go I'll be satisfied.

[VancouverLion]

1-1 A. Johnson 37 mins, D.Bent 81 mins

[The Laughing Policeman]

Corals are offering Villa at 7/1.
No self respecting Villa fan can refuse those odds. Go on put 10p. on it.

[eamonn]

I wonder if we'll try and shore up the midfield, I can't imagine he'll start Bananaman and Ireland.
If fit, Clacker Clark deserves a run-out.