West Ham v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Monty]

I think it'll be a draw, 2-2, but we'll play by far the better football and all the West Ham fans will clog up the phone-ins complaining about Big Sam's anti-football (they will change this season from happy Hammers to sappy Sammers).

[cheltenhamlion]

Going to be goals in this. I reckon two apiece.

[luke25]

El-Amadi, Bannan, Ireland and Holman playing the diamond with Bent and Wiemann upfront means movement, movement, movement. As long as we don't get suckered into playing their 'game'.

[TimTheVillain]

3-1 Villa

Glowing in the dark.

[Monty]

El-Amadi, Bannan, Ireland and Holman playing the diamond with Bent and Wiemann upfront means movement, movement, movement. As long as we don't get suckered into playing their 'game'.

I agree. People overrate strength in midfield. This isn't weightlifting: who cares how strong you are if the other team can kick the ball better than you? That's where our advantage lies for this.

[Chris Smith]

We looked very disjointed on Saturday, good in parts but awful in others. The defence looked disorganised and susceptible to crosses, not what you want against an Allardyce team.

I think it's going to take a few weeks perhaps months for this side to gel and so expect us to lose this one.

[olaftab]

If we are to qualify for the Champion's League (it's our turn) we need to win games like this.  I reckon 3-2 to us.

[not3bad]

2-2 - Bent and Vlaar on target for Villa

[eastie]

2-2

[VillaAlways]

We'll either pass them off the park ala Swansea and win 2-0 or be completely Allardyced and lose 2-0. Hoping for the former obviously

[VillaAlways]

Mike Dean is the ref

[timeoutbigbar]

2-0 Villa, Holman, Bent

[Fin Feds Dad]

1-1 - Bent

[Chipsticks]

The real question is, who's going to play out wide? I'm hoping for Zog and Bannan.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

1-1. Holman.

As Chris said earlier, we'll need time for Lambert to find his first XI and let the team settle.