West Ham v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[villanic]

2-1 to Villa. Bent and Holman with a goal each for us, Nolan for them.

[Rob92]

1-1. Ron Vlaar with a late equaliser.

[not3bad]

Narrow defeat. A few new players, we're very shaky at the back. It'll take time.

I reckon the team will be:

Given
Lowton - Vlaar - Clark - Lichaj
El Ahmadi - Bannan
Ireland - Holman
Bent - N'Zogbia

Absent any new signings I agree, with the possible replacement of bannan with delph to add a bit more steel.

Pretty sure it will be Delph that starts alongside KEA as he has played there pre-season and he's done well.

[PeterWithesShin]

[supertom]

I'd take a draw to be honest. I think as is, we'll struggle away from home but be quite good at home. Benty nets most of his goals at Villa Park too. We're very light too because of injuries. We'll miss Gabby a lot. We might even miss Dunney. His experience might actually be valuable at this stage of the season as Vlaar beds in. Hopefully Clark ups his game, because he wasn't all that convincing pre-season.

We definitely need 2-3 more decent signings in this window. We're short on quantity and quality.

Really?

Yep. I think we'll miss his experience and his pace. Generally with Gabby his seasons start and/or finish strongly with a poor middle. I feel like he'd have hit the ground running with Lambert. I'm also not convinced on his replacements. As poor as Gabby was the last two seasons (bar an excellent aug-nov last year), I still see him offering plenty.

We're really short on experience too.

[VinnieChase84]

Does anyone know of any boozers around Solihull, b'ham that would show the match on Saturday?
I know rococco on broad st used to show a foreign stream of the villa!?

[Monty]

Narrow defeat. A few new players, we're very shaky at the back. It'll take time.

I reckon the team will be:

Given
Lowton - Vlaar - Clark - Lichaj
El Ahmadi - Bannan
Ireland - Holman
Bent - N'Zogbia

Absent any new signings I agree, with the possible replacement of bannan with delph to add a bit more steel.

Pretty sure it will be Delph that starts alongside KEA as he has played there pre-season and he's done well.

Actually Bannan has played there far more than Delph and has even been captain on a couple of occasions. And played well.

[PaulTheVillan]

Does anyone know of any boozers around Solihull, b'ham that would show the match on Saturday?
I know rococco on broad st used to show a foreign stream of the villa!?

British Oak, Pershore Road, Stirchley.

[not3bad]

Narrow defeat. A few new players, we're very shaky at the back. It'll take time.

I reckon the team will be:

Given
Lowton - Vlaar - Clark - Lichaj
El Ahmadi - Bannan
Ireland - Holman
Bent - N'Zogbia

Absent any new signings I agree, with the possible replacement of bannan with delph to add a bit more steel.

Pretty sure it will be Delph that starts alongside KEA as he has played there pre-season and he's done well.

Actually Bannan has played there far more than Delph and has even been captain on a couple of occasions. And played well.

Delph has been made captain also, and he started there against Werder Bemen, which is why I think him the more likely choice.

[Monty]

When was he captain?

[not3bad]

First game in the States I think.

[john e]

just rang up and got a ticket for this match, there are still a few returns left so they said

anyway i'm going for a Villa win, say 2-1 and i've also put a few quid on the win with betfair at just under 3/1 so i'm expecting a free day out all in all

[VinnieChase84]

Does anyone know of any boozers around Solihull, b'ham that would show the match on Saturday?
I know rococco on broad st used to show a foreign stream of the villa!?

British Oak, Pershore Road, Stirchley.

Thanks!!

[Monty]

First game in the States I think.

Wasn't Chicago Fire the game? Have to say it would surprise me, I think Bannan and KEA as a partnership was one major highlight of pre-season.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Wet Spam 0 Aston Villa 4

Bent, Holman, Vlaar, Ireland