Blackburn Rovers v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[PaulWinch again]

We have tactics?

Come on Leeg of course we do, try to minimise the margin of defeat.

[PeterWithe]

At a similar stage of the season last year the players seemed to show a bit of professional pride in spite of their differences with the manager and picked up a few points. I'm hoping it will be same here.

Blackburn 0-2 Villa

[villadelph]

                Given
Hutton Cuellar Collins Warnock

N'Zog  Petrov Herd  Albrighton

         Ireland  Gabby

Couldn't decide between Gardner or Herd, but Herds strength takes it.
Ireland free to roam and do whatever it takes to get the ball to a running Gabby.
Weimann on for Ireland when we're ahead 3-1. Drop into 4-5-1.

We need to attack, attack, attack. Blackburn are surely going to score, we need to make getting goals a priority for this game. If we don't get three points you're dead McLeish.

[Bully2345]

                 Given
Hutton Cuellar Collins Warnock

Albrighton  Petrov Gardner  N'Zogbia

         Ireland  Gabby

I don't see it with Herd. Trier but lacks quality. Have Gardner in there alongside Petrov and just go for it. Sod having the wingers babysitting the fullbacks, Sod chucking Heskey on just because he follows defensive instructions. The defence is our weakness but let's not nullify the attacking threats just to protect them. Give Ireland a free role and let's just try to score more goals than them and not 'nil-nil' our way to safety

[mozza]

Any chance the team coach driver can leave McLeish & Grant behind in Brum so that KMac & Sid can
have a crack at this one .............I for one would be 100% behind them win lose or draw -

Blackburn have more strike power than us so it's a home win for them I fear and ugly scenes amongst
our away support -   

[Vanilla]

It did seem at one point this season that our away form was our saving grace., now even that's gone belly up.

We've lost one in seven.

But it 'was' our saving grace. We have only 4 points from 9 in the last 3 away games. Which considering we have lost 5 out of the last 7 home games, isn't doing us much favours. .

[dave.woodhall]

It did seem at one point this season that our away form was our saving grace., now even that's gone belly up.

We've lost one in seven.

But it 'was' our saving grace. We have only 4 points from 9 in the last 3 away games. Which considering we have lost 5 out of the last 7 home games, isn't doing us much favours. .

It's still a decent record.

[brontebilly]

if we dont win this then I think we could be bang in trouble. Starting to hit a bit of an injury crisis with some key players out and Keane gone back. We are relying on notoriously flaky players like Ireland, Nzogbia and Gabby to save us now. Could be the making of the three of them if they hit form. But with a wide open midfield behind them and full backs who are crap on the ball, it sure as hell isnt going to be easy. if we concede first, I fear for us. If Heskey plays then we deserve fuck all.

Given
Hutton, Collins, Cuellar, Baker
Gardner, Petrov, Herd,
Ireland, Gabby, Nzogbia

if Petrov and Herd are out then I'm not sure what we can do. Ireland could drop deeper and fanny out of every tackle. Ditto Bannan. The likes of Nzonzi should completely dominate in there.

[Chipsticks]

I know this has been said numerous times, and will probably be said many more times in the next few months, but this is the biggest game of our season so far. Win, and we have a bit of breathing space, lose, and McLeish is dead and buried. We're up shit creek, and through the injury of Bent we've just lost our paddle. Unfortunately this will give Big Feck a scapegoat, but on the plus side this should allow for more fluency and it might even benefit us if Gabby can remember how to finish.

Should be an interesting game against perhaps the only team in the country to hate their manager more than us. Lets put all this negativity behind us for one game, make some noise and back the team. Villa to win 2-1.

[Phil from the upper holte]

We will be shit and lose

We will be shit and win ;-)

I'll take it

[markus209]

3-1 to Villa I reckon. We've never won an away game I've gone to but it's got to change eventually so this weekend may as well be it

[cdward]

We have tactics?

Yes, the players love those little white mints that Emile brings to every game, and sometimes for a treat he brings the orange and lime ones, although he saves them for the gaffer, that's why he is teachers pet and gets a game.
Charles N Zog cuts quite a lonely figure sitting eating his trebor extra strong on his own.

[pedro25]

                 Given
Hutton Cuellar Collins Warnovk
           Gardner Petrov
   N'Zogbia Ireland Bannan
            Agbonlahor

Subs Guzan Lichaj Baker Albrighton Herd Heskey Weimann

One nil Bannan

[Big Dick Edwards]

I think we'll win but a draw will be acceptable given the two clubs respective positions.

[sg]

Both teams badly need a win... games got draw written all over it.