Aston Villa v Arsenal Pre-Match Thread

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Shame that Herd and Bent might be out. The other two names are reasons to put the bunting up.

Ha ha Very true. All we need now is for Hutton and Warnock to collide in training, leading to them both being out injured for at least 6 months, and I'll believe there really is a Santa.

[IRISHPHIL]

team should be
guzan, hutton, dunne, clarke, warnock , delph, petrov,bannan , ireland, gabby and delfonzo.
playing with diamond formation ( ireland being most foward of the midfielders)

[Merv]

I'd pick this:

                 Guzan

Hutton Cuellar Dunne Warnock

                 Clark
     Petrov            Bannan   

  Albrighton Agbonlahor  N'Zogbia

Subs: Marshall, Collins (if fit enough), Delph, Ireland, Delfouneso, Weimann, Johnson.

[MarkM]

I'd pick this:

                 Guzan

Hutton Cuellar Dunne Warnock

                 Clark
     Petrov            Bannan   

  Albrighton Agbonlahor  N'Zogbia

Subs: Marshall, Collins (if fit enough), Delph, Ireland, Delfouneso, Weimann, Johnson.

We can pick who we like, the fact is that at the moment they are playing like a buch of strangers who have no direction.

We may as well play the youth or the reserve team, we will loose but it will be far more entertaining with far more passion than whats currently on offer

[Karlos96]

According to the Official Site Bent, Herd, and Heskey are all out and Collins is doubtful.

[luke25]

According to the Official site Heskey is out and Collins is doubtful.

Praise the lord.

[monkeyboy]

team should be
guzan, hutton, dunne, clarke, warnock , delph, petrov,bannan , ireland, gabby and delfonzo.
playing with diamond formation ( ireland being most foward of the midfielders)

Not directed at you at all Phil - as i think this could be the line up.

But what a paper thin squad full of garbage we have if this is the best we can put up against one of the giants - that has to be the most uninspiring midfields i've ever seen represent Villa in the nigh on 30 years i've been going to VP

Luckily we have a manager who has an uncanny knack of getting the best out the guys - sorry actually we have a ginger tosser, deep joy!

Amazed if we get past the half way line - especially as McBollocks will set up up not to do so and defend bravely a 0-4 reverse, also our chief attacking weapon during the McTurd era is the Collins slide rule 90 yard hoof - without that we are doooomed i'm telling you doooomed!!!

UTV!

[Boz]

RvP to pass Shearer's scoring record tonight, unless we can obtain a bus to park in front of the goal 

[TheSandman]

Tomorrow, surely?

[SoccerHQ]

I'd play Gabby right through the middle and just instruct the players to hit it forward as quickly as possible (which is what they bleeding do anyway). Will be awful to watch and no doubt Wenger will be on his high horse after the game but we might get a goal from it as certainly Gabby will easily beat Merteckser for pace.

They're also playing Miquel at full back so might aswell keep the two wide players in and test him out.

On reflection I'd probably keep the Fonz in aswell as he did o.k in the first half against Liverpool dropping deep and if we played 3 centrally, we'd probably still be dominated possession wise.

This Collins injury and Clark coming in seems too good to be true dosen't it? No doubt he'll be playing through the pain bar and gifting Arsenal space and goals tommorrow night

[TonyD]

I'd pick this:

                 Guzan

Hutton Cuellar Dunne Warnock

                 Clark
     Petrov            Bannan   

  Albrighton Agbonlahor  N'Zogbia

Subs: Marshall, Collins (if fit enough), Delph, Ireland, Delfouneso, Weimann, Johnson.

Cannot argue much with this team.   

[pauliewalnuts]

We have got to have a go at them.

The worst thing McLeish could do is see us go a goal down then shut up shop to try and keep the score down.

[Rigadon]

A draw is about as good as we can expect I think.  Gabby will make a difference and I'm looking forward to seeing him play again.  He has been one of very few highlights this season. 

[pauliewalnuts]

There are some interesting bets to be had on this one. I've had Vermaelen first scorer (likes to get up for corners, and we all - well almost all - realise how shit we are at defending them) with Arsenal to win 3-0 at a whopping 175/1.couple of quid.

I've also had a couple on Arsenal 4-0 and 5-0, plus an Arsenal, Man U, Man City, Liverpool accumulator.

I'm not expecting a good night on the pitch, so a bit of cash would be nice.

[Witton Warrior]

We have got to have a go at them.

The worst thing McLeish could do is see us go a goal down then shut up shop to try and keep the score down.

If that does happen then we will have reason for complaint for sure. Being crap, having a go and losing is one thing, "keeping the losing score down will just be an embaressment" that should not be tolerated