Aston Villa v Chelsea Pre-Match Thread

[Monty]

Here's an article from the OS that describes McLeish's tactical pondering.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2697871,00.html

The basic outline is that he's considering going 4-4-2, and giving Weimann and Lichaj a go. The other key bit I took from it is that Petrov's not trained this week with a fever. Looks like it my be Herd and Gardner starting in the middle, which I don't actually think would be a catastrophe.

4-4-2 or otherwise, they'd be more mobile in the middle. Of course, in the 4-4-2 likely to be deployed (Albrighton and Gabby wide, Heskey and Weimann up front) they'll be hopelessly outnumbered and steamrollered by almost any 3-man combination Chelsea play.

[Chipsticks]

Here's an article from the OS that describes McLeish's tactical pondering.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2697871,00.html

The basic outline is that he's considering going 4-4-2, and giving Weimann and Lichaj a go. The other key bit I took from it is that Petrov's not trained this week with a fever. Looks like it my be Herd and Gardner starting in the middle, which I don't actually think would be a catastrophe.

4-4-2 or otherwise, they'd be more mobile in the middle. Of course, in the 4-4-2 likely to be deployed (Albrighton and Gabby wide, Heskey and Weimann up front) they'll be hopelessly outnumbered and steamrollered by almost any 3-man combination Chelsea play.

I'm kind of hoping he plays Bannan in the mix, so we could see a 4-5-1 with Bannan deep behind Weimann, with Gabby and Marc out wide with Gardner and Herd holding? I wouldn't be at all displeased with that.

I'm genuinely and weirdly excited about the prospects of having a team built around the kids on Saturday, it should brush the egos of N'zogbia, Hutton etc aside and give us a team willing to sweat blood for the club.

[Merv]

Must admit, slightly puzzled that he's only pondering about using Lichaj, given that Hutton is out for three weeks with a calf strain. Nailed-on starter, surely?

Seriously, given the state we're in, we literally have nothing to lose now by giving Lichaj, Gardner, Weimann plenty of game time until the end of the season, along with the more experienced younger lads like Herd and Bannan.

I still think we'll struggle for points in several of the games but we may just come out of the other side with a bit of cohesion, younger players having had a proper test of the PL, and ready for the new season.

[Chipsticks]

Must admit, slightly puzzled that he's only pondering about using Lichaj, given that Hutton is out for three weeks with a calf strain. Nailed-on starter, surely?

I agree, the only logical conclusion I can come to is that he's stuck on whether to play Herd there instead of Lichaj - which I imagine will vastly depend on whether Petrov can overcome his fever in time.

[Monty]

To be honest, I'd throw in as many as humanly possible. Put the likes of Johnson and Carruthers on the bench, as well as Siegrist (a really, really gifted young keeper). Play Stevens instead of Warnock, cut the old, defeatist, can't-change-won't-change dead wood out of the side and give the talented young players, hungry to impress, the chance to shine.

[MarkM]

Maybe we can play rush goalie so we can have an extra body in the midfield

I really can't see anything other than a 0-3 loss on this one, no doubt with a hat trick from Torres

[Matt C]

Time to see what Lichaj can do - if not now then when will be we ever?

[Merv]

Exactly. The guy's a 23-year-old who's been near enough a regular for the USA national team in the past couple of years; surely we can trust him to step up to fill the right-back role for a few games (if not make it his own eventually).

We shouldn't move Herd from centre midfield, regardless of whether Petrov is fit or not.

[pedro25]

Really I would have thought Herd at right back and Gardner in midfield would be the way to go, both of these guys have impressed for the first team, Lichaj looked wholly ordinary whenever I have seen him for the first team and I would rather he not hold back Gardner, who has a far brighter future.  Herd at right bak v Wolves looked far better there than Lichaj has for my money, albeit it was only one game, but he seems to have more energy for a start.

[Dave Summers]

To be honest, I'd throw in as many as humanly possible. Put the likes of Johnson and Carruthers on the bench, as well as Siegrist (a really, really gifted young keeper). Play Stevens instead of Warnock, cut the old, defeatist, can't-change-won't-change dead wood out of the side and give the talented young players, hungry to impress, the chance to shine.

Absolutely spot on.

Not a cat in hells chance mind

[villa `cross the mersey]

Another ugly home performance I suppose - two seats will go unused again this weekend in the Lower North.
Really have lost the will to travel down. Sorry if that offends anyone and " I am no longer a proper Villa fan".

0-2

I had to laugh at the club announcement about the pre -season tour of the USA - "Warming up for the 2012-13 Premier League Campaign" - Now there`s a potential banana skin from Pravda

[VancouverLion]

1-1 Gabby 61 mins, Torres 79 mins
I am the eternal optimist!

All I want is for us to give it a go, get at them and the crowd to get behind the lads, sad days when you have to hope for this!

Come on you mighty Villa boys!!!!!!!!!!!

[garyshawsknee]

Even during the mess of last season,we were able to bring out a decent performance and result's when needed. I can't see it happening on Saturday,shit displays and losses are becoming the norm for us,the players haven't done themselves any favours this season,but i can't see the management giving them any inspiration.

0-2...fetch me my revolver,going for a walk in the woods.

[eamonn]

I'm kind of hoping he plays Bannan in the mix, so we could see a 4-5-1 with Bannan deep behind Weimann, with Gabby and Marc out wide with Gardner and Herd holding? I wouldn't be at all displeased with that.

I'm genuinely and weirdly excited about the prospects of having a team built around the kids on Saturday, it should brush the egos of N'zogbia, Hutton etc aside and give us a team willing to sweat blood for the club.

Yeah, but there's a difference between blooding the kids and throwing them all in together against a team as experienced as Chelsea. We'll need Petrov's nous even if his legs are going. And I can't see how you'd drop Ireland for any of the players you mentioned. We need him playing on Saturday if we're to try and win the game. (Big 'if' that it is. Fookin' 'eck would bite yer 'and off at a 0-0 right now).

[TheSandman]

I think it's a bit unfair to describe Hutton as an ego. Like Warnock, I think he genuinely cares. It is just that both of them aren't very good.