Aston Villa v MartinO'Neill'sSunderland Pre-Match Thread

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

This game has become even bigger with Wigan winning at Arsenal tonight. I hope Mcleish has got them wound up for this one .......

[Dr.Feelgood]

I do fear the worst for this one. I just hope we can be set up with some sort of recognisable formation, shape and tactics. Centre midfield could easily be overrun. It says a lot that Ireland is the man we need to step up, he hasn't been, and yet he's not far off player of the year just by virtue of looking to actually pass the ball to people in the same colour shirt.

Not sure of the injury situation, but I think I'd go:

Given - Hutton, Cuellar, Collins, Warnock - CNZ, Herd, Ireland, Gabby - Heskey, Weimann

subs: Guzan, Clark, Baker, Bannan, Gardner, Carruthers, Delfouneso

Matt : You would CHOOSE Hutton...?  From what I've seen, he's not a footballer. Sorry to say that.

[maigrait]

Gabby was useless against man u... amongst the rest in giving the ball away and then unable to win it back. Rubbish!

[Dr.Feelgood]

MON will have them up for this one, I think draw though as we just love them draws

I am tempted to agree here... much as I would LOVE to stuff MoN's lot , I think he'll smell blood & have 'em up for it.
I hope I am wrong ; but there is little or no confidence in our side at the moment, despite the promising young lads.
As has already been said here, Gabby is not firing on all cylinders at the mo - and for me Hutton should not be in the shirt. Bannan is bullied by that twat PG on the bench (presumably 'coz he's smaller ?) and we've witnessed him with his head down as a result on more than one occasion recently. (Sitting behind the bench, we don't miss much - unlike Heskey). I hate to see the way we're going. There's only one solution. It MUST happen at season end, latest.
UTV. VTID...  McLeish ( Grant & Faulkener)  OUT !

[ROBBO]

The only option to play up front is HESKEY. Gabby is useless, can't hold onto the ball and should never have been made captain. For all our ridiculing of Heskey at least he makes a contest, this how far we have fallen.

[pauliewalnuts]

The only option to play up front is HESKEY. Gabby is useless, can't hold onto the ball and should never have been made captain. For all our ridiculing of Heskey at least he makes a contest, this how far we have fallen.

It'd be quite majestic if Big Emile rose like a salmon above the rest to nod home a goal from a corner on 93 minutes to secure three points against Sunderland.

O'Neill's most pilloried signing scoring our first goal from a corner since what seems like 1956, against MON's new team.

[TheSandman]

I think Sunderland will nick it, sending this place into meltdown. Then, we'll beat Bolton.

That's my belief too.

Team wise I'd go:

Given

Lichaj
Collins
Cuellar
Baker

Carruthers
Clark
Ireland
Bannan
N'Zogbia

Weimann

If Herd is fit, I'd put him in for Bannan.

[Surrey Villain]

The only option to play up front is HESKEY. Gabby is useless, can't hold onto the ball and should never have been made captain. For all our ridiculing of Heskey at least he makes a contest, this how far we have fallen.

Agreed.  Gabby has been awful since his latest return.  He can't hold the ball, can't beat a man and can't shoot.  Running around like a headless chicken is no use to the team. He's not a good captain either.  Gone the way of the Moores I'm afraid.

[Steve R]

I'm hoping herd id fit. He's one of the few we have that have the jojones for a scrap.

[hawkeye]

I am looking forward to the pre and post match interviews with MON, this will be the first time that he gets asked about his former club. The crowd reaction to his return and to Mcliesh is going to be fascinating. This is the best drama we will experience this season.

[TaxDodger]

There's no way he'll drop Gabby.

[tomd2103]

Sunderland will probably come with a 4-4-2, so I think we should just match them like for like and really have a go at them (unlikely to happen on both counts).  Presuming all are fit, I'd go with:

GK - Given

RB - Hutton
CB - Collins
CB - Cuellar
LB - Warnock

RW - Albrighton
CM - Herd
CM - Ireland
LW - N'Zogbia

CF - Heskey
CF - Weimann

I'd leave out Gabby in the hope it would shake off his lethargy and would try and field as much experience as possible.  The threat of McLean tearing Hutton apart is a worry, so wouldn't mind at looking at other options there.  Also would think about Clark in for Ireland as it will be a battle in CM against Gardner Sr and Cattermole. 

I don't for one minute think McLeish will go with anything like that though.  He'll probably go with Weimann out wide on the left again, Gabby up front on his own and Bannan on the right.  Ireland will be in the hole in front of Herd and Clark presuming both are fit.  If Herd doesn't make it, Gardner will be in there. 

[Jimbo]

The best we can hope for from this one is a draw, and I think we'll get it. The only team we can realistically beat now is Bolton, and that will take some kind of miracle. We're unspeakably shit.

[villadelph]

I wonder who will come up lame before the match. There's always one stupid injury. If Eck doesn't put out an attacking line up I will lose my mind. Gabby, score a god damn goal, it's your job. We need you now more than ever, do something FFS.

Given

Lichaj
Collins
Cuellar
Warnock

N'Zogbia
Ireland
Herd
Clark
Carruthers

Weimann

Don't embarrass us.

[brontebilly]

I wonder who will come up lame before the match. There's always one stupid injury. If Eck doesn't put out an attacking line up I will lose my mind. Gabby, score a god damn goal, it's your job. We need you now more than ever, do something FFS.

Given

Lichaj
Collins
Cuellar
Warnock

N'Zogbia
Ireland
Herd
Clark
Carruthers

Weimann

Don't embarrass us.

hard for Gabby to score if he aint playing

Id start him ahead of Weimann for this one. Aside from that, Id pick the same side as you. Sunderland are a typical MON side, very functional but lacking in guile. Need to be disciplined and not give away set pieces as that is their most likely way of scoring and our most likely way of conceding.

Clark and Herd should be well up for a battle with Cattermole and Gardner.

Need Nzogbia and Ireland to play closer to Gabby for this one. Carruthers has done enough for a start for me. Doesnt take much these days but this is no game for the likes of Bannan and Gary Gardner.