West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[ozzjim]

Gabby loves a derby.
.
2-1 Villa, Gabby both, with Dunne being MOM and us being safe.

Got to go as experienced as possible, and agree with Soccer, narrow the more I think of it. Stop them playing. I might even be tempted to go Clark, Warnock, Herd in front of Dunne, Collins, Cuellar and Lichaj, with Ireland, Gabby and NZogbia just told to win us the game. Blocking the midfield with those 3 is the way forward last 3 games IMO. All can play a bit, Warnock can clearly get forward well and looks way better there than left back, and Clark gives us an extra marker and threat from corners either end. Plus, it is about as experienced as we have.

[SoccerHQ]

ozz I don't like you suddenly predicting us to win games, didn't work for Bolton did it?!

I preferred the pessimism during the MON years when you predicted a defeat every week while we went on 10 match unbeaten runs!

[villadelph]

Ireland's no good for tomorrow, so I'm giving the middle to Gary Gardner. With local pride and security on the line I think the kid will care too much to lose. I don't like the Dunne/Cuellar pairing but Eck wants experience and has already fair guaranteed the spot to him. Marc needs a weekend off, really struggling. And Gabby doesn't have a strikers intuition anymore. Heskey and Weimann deserve it for me.

Three points, c'mon boys.

[curiousorange]

It's not a popular notion, but I think Heskey was very effective on Tuesday until the team cacked its collective pants after Kevin Davies came on. It wasn't the prettiest football but he got in the faces of Bolton's two-dimensional centre-backs and Albion hardly have Ferdinand and Vidic in that position either. Look at their old reliables - Olsson, Brunt, Scharner, Mulumbu: all of them designed to cause disruption and win the ball for more skilful players. Basically, if we play Bannan and Albrighton we'll get nothing out of the game, but if we get in their faces we're more likely to come away with something.

[Steve67]

...................................GIVEN.....................................
LICHAJ...........DUNNE............CUELLAR........WARNOCK
......................CLARK.............HERD............................
GABBY.......................GARDNER....................N'ZOGBIA
..................................HESKEY....................................

It's still a shit side.  I wish Ireland and Collins were fit, they'd be straight in if they were.  Centre of midfield concerns me a lot, desperate for a better player in there.  Bannan, Fonz, Wiemann, Hutton, Albrighton, Guzan on the bench.

[curiousorange]

...................................GIVEN.....................................
LICHAJ...........DUNNE............CUELLAR........WARNOCK
......................CLARK.............HERD............................
GABBY.......................GARDNER....................N'ZOGBIA
..................................HESKEY....................................

It's still a shit side.  I wish Ireland and Collins were fit, they'd be straight in if they were.  Centre of midfield concerns me a lot, desperate for a better player in there.  Bannan, Fonz, Wiemann, Hutton, Albrighton, Guzan on the bench.

I hope that if Albrighton gets some involvement, he is told to stop hiding and deliberately drifting inside. On Tuesday there was half a pitch of space for a player like him to exploit but he didn't call for the ball, make an intelligent run or make time for a pinpoint cross. Maybe I'm missing something but if you've got a stack of pace and no defender within a mile of you, shouldn't the smart thing to do be to ensure you recieve the ball when you can run with it and not straight into a defender?

[villadelph]

I would keep Marc as far away from this game as possible. I try to be positive with the young(er) guys but he's been very underwhelming of late. He couldn't kick a beach ball into the ocean let alone serve a decent ball into the box. He's lost his ability to beat his man and he's never been a defender.

I'd give this one to Carruthers.

[dave.woodhall]

I'd sign Kevin Muscat on a one-match loan. And possible Dereck Chisora.

[curiousorange]

I'd sign Kevin Muscat on a one-match loan. And possible Dereck Chisora.

What price Terry Hurlock and/or Pat Van Den Hauwe?

[villanic]

I would keep Marc as far away from this game as possible. I try to be positive with the young(er) guys but he's been very underwhelming of late. He couldn't kick a beach ball into the ocean let alone serve a decent ball into the box. He's lost his ability to beat his man and he's never been a defender.

I'd give this one to Carruthers.

Marc delivery has been poor for a while now and even though i rate him i think even Gabby or Emile would do better on the wing at the minute.

Got agree I'd like to see Carruthers start, He looks an exciting player in the bits that I've seen. He might just be that little spark we need and i hope Gardener starts tomorrow.

I'd also like to see us stick with Heskey (if fit) and Weimann up front, it look good for the most part against Bolton.

[placeforparks]

think we're losing this 2-0 and i've got a feeling ridgewell will score for them.

[Stu]

I've got to the stage already that I'm terrified of looking at the result.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

Gabby is the derby day destroyer.

2-1 Villa.

Gabby with the winner.

[OzVilla]

I've got to the stage already that I'm terrified of looking at the result.

I've pretty much felt that way since Newcastle away in September 2010.

[tomd2103]

A repeat of this would do: