West Ham v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I'd play:

Given
Lowton - Vlaar - Clark - Lichaj
Bannan - El Ahmadi - Delph
Ireland - Holman
Bent

Holman playing the 2nd striker role, Ireland a free role to wander and find space.

Width from the full backs and encourage 1 of the central 3 to go out and support the ball on their side, to give an option so, if we are wide, we don't feel obligated to throw it in the box.

That's the best team I've seen to date. My main worry is Lowton being exploited down the right, attacking wise he's supposedly fine but his defending is open to questioning. Bannan would have to make sure he didn't leave him left to deal with the pace of Vaz Te. Hopefully El Ahmadi can get the defensive midfield organised.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

As its the first game of the season, we should accidentally turn up with just our home shirts. The kit man can say he had forgot what with the summer break and everything.
We do owe them one remember. 

[paul_e]

without graphics it's hard to describe how we should be playing but the concept is:

Lowton breaks forward
Ireland and Bannan form a triangle with him to offer passes and keep the ball
Bent looks for space in the box
Holman comes into the box late
Defensively one of delph or el ahmadi steps into a right of centre defensive midfield role
The other one, or lichaj provides width on the left

so you should always have 4 players in defensive positions, with one midfielder in place to fill in at full back.

In theory you're concentrating on reducing the amount of running people do to get into position, and letting the energy be used more productively.  The key is having everyone buy into it and have the situational awareness to do the right job (which you train them towards).

I'm a rugby boy at heart and you're effectively using similar concepts whereby the role is played by the nearest person, not the specific person, other than a few key roles where you'll have 1-2 players who do that job (for rugby think full back, scrum half and fly half, for football, one of the central defenders and the main striker).

[luke25]

without graphics it's hard to describe how we should be playing but the concept is:

Lowton breaks forward
Ireland and Bannan form a triangle with him to offer passes and keep the ball
Bent looks for space in the box
Holman comes into the box late
Defensively one of delph or el ahmadi steps into a right of centre defensive midfield role
The other one, or lichaj provides width on the left

so you should always have 4 players in defensive positions, with one midfielder in place to fill in at full back.

In theory you're concentrating on reducing the amount of running people do to get into position, and letting the energy be used more productively.  The key is having everyone buy into it and have the situational awareness to do the right job (which you train them towards).

I'm a rugby boy at heart and you're effectively using similar concepts whereby the role is played by the nearest person, not the specific person, other than a few key roles where you'll have 1-2 players who do that job (for rugby think full back, scrum half and fly half, for football, one of the central defenders and the main striker).

Shhhhh they have spys on here.

[paul_e]

we probably won't play that way, it's just what I think we should do, and oddly what I think our squad would be best suited to.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

without graphics it's hard to describe how we should be playing but the concept is:

Lowton breaks forward
Ireland and Bannan form a triangle with him to offer passes and keep the ball
Bent looks for space in the box
Holman comes into the box late
Defensively one of delph or el ahmadi steps into a right of centre defensive midfield role
The other one, or lichaj provides width on the left

so you should always have 4 players in defensive positions, with one midfielder in place to fill in at full back.

In theory you're concentrating on reducing the amount of running people do to get into position, and letting the energy be used more productively.  The key is having everyone buy into it and have the situational awareness to do the right job (which you train them towards).

I'm a rugby boy at heart and you're effectively using similar concepts whereby the role is played by the nearest person, not the specific person, other than a few key roles where you'll have 1-2 players who do that job (for rugby think full back, scrum half and fly half, for football, one of the central defenders and the main striker).

Shhhhh they have spys on here.

Whenever us common fans start thinking a little deeper tactically, Im reminded of this.

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[SoccerHQ]

2-2.

Bent and N'zogbia.

Anyone else think it's inevitable James Collins will score for them from a corner?

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

2-2.

Bent and N'zogbia.

Anyone else think it's inevitable James Collins will score for them from a corner?

He won't be playing, he needs an operation on his groin

[peter w]

Its true that we don't look to have the strongest team on paper but thatw as also said of Norwich when they came up last season. In football there are a few managers that guarantee their teams 10-15 points per season minimum based on tehir management ability alone, whether man-management or tactically. Mourinho is at the top of the tree in that regard, and you can just about still add Ferguson. Sadly, because I think he's a winker O'Neill is also in that category. And for me, so is Lambert. i've been saying this since he was in the Championship with Norwich.

So, when looking at teh season as a whole, and not just one match I think having Lambert will see us pull together as a team more and become that almost cliched 'sum of the parts...'. We'll end the season with more points than a lot of pundits, and maybe Villa fans, would otherwise exoect. It may start on Saturday. As has been said we're  an ongoing work in progress and definitely need more quality.

We may lose on saturday because antything can happen on teh opening day - its almost like an FA Cup 3rd round game. However, I bet that if this game was in October or November, for example, it'd be one where we'd surprise a few and win 2-0 or 2-1. So, I still think we may lose but for me on saturday its almost as in important how we are set-up, how we respond to conceding, how we respond after a half-time team-talk, how we play if and when we have our spells on top.

This is the most intriguing, exciting, hopeful game that me, and quite  few of us, have looked forward to for a while now. Its almost as if the score, although obviously important, is almost secondary to how we perform. I think that whatever happens teh positives, compared to the last two seasons, will outweigh the negatives.

[silhillvilla]

I think there will be goals, quite a few
Cue a boring 0-0

[Irish villain]

Another 2-2 draw from me.

[Irreverent ad]

2-2.

Bent and N'zogbia.

Anyone else think it's inevitable James Collins will score for them from a corner?

He won't be playing, he needs an operation on his groin

Chairman thinks he will make it:

David Gold ‏@DavidGoldWHU

“@BKhammer1: David any word on whether McCartney and Collins will be fit for Villa? I'm hopeful that both will be available for selection

[Phil from the upper holte]

Villa win and I'll tell you why, They weren't particurlarly good last year especially at home, 7 new players but none of them are that good, we'll want to get off to a flyer

[Mazrim]

Lowton breaks forward
Ireland and Bannan form a triangle with him to offer passes and keep the ball
Bent looks for space in the box
Holman comes into the box late
Defensively one of delph or el ahmadi steps into a right of centre defensive midfield role
The other one, or lichaj provides width on the left

Sounds like the planning scene in The Dirty Dozen.

"1- Lowton breaks down the right for fun.
2- The balls put through.
3- Bent's the man free.
4- Villa score.
5- Concrete ron marshalls the line.
6- Fat Sam eats dicks.
7- ....etc "

[ADVILLAFAN]

Hopefully we can get a draw - pain in the arse playing a newly promoted side away at the start of the season.