Aston Villa v Stoke City Match Thread

[Legion]

Available Saturday afternoon.

[olaftab]

Off to VP now. Don't want any drama just a straight forward 3-0 please....

[VillaAlways]

@AVFCOfficial: VILLA: Guzan, Lowton, Baker, Clark, Lichaj, Holman, Westwood, Bannan, Herd, Agbonlahor (c), Benteke. #AVFCLIVE

[VillaAlways]

@AVFCOfficial: Subs: Given, Ireland, El Ahmadi, Weimann, Williams, Delph, Bent. #AVFCLIVE

[OCD]

Sticking with 3-5-2 then.

[Chipsticks]

Who are the two playing out wide then? Assuming Lambert's still using his 4-3-3 system and not gone 4-4-2.

[Dante Lavelli]

Is that the same team as last week?  ...and does that mean Herd is likely to play midfield or defence?
433 would be my preference, with Herd in midfield.

[Matt Collins]

Lichaj at left wing back at home . . . Can't see us being too much of a threat down that side! N'Zogbia not fit clearly either.

If we are serious about playing Bent, I'd have thought there's a good chance he should come on today. We could keep the same shape for a start.

[timeoutbigbar]

I thought Vlaar was back.  Really could have done with him for this one.  Oh well, come on Villa!

[OCD]

Same team as last week.

Guzan
Herd Clark Baker
Lowton Lichaj
Westwood Bannan
Holman
Benteke Agbonlahor

[ozzjim]

Not for certain.

[Matt Collins]

Looks like Stoke will have Etherington and Walters either side of Jones. Everything I think I understand about football would indicate that's likely to be a real problem for us given the likely 352. Do our wingbacks push on and leave us 3 v 3 at the back, or do we end up playing a back 5? That's why 3-5-2 seemed to be dead.

But Wigan have been making a fist of it. I still don't really understand how. But perhaps it's just a semi gamble that their wingers have to track your wingbacks, and you can thus pin them back. Would have worked better with a better attacking player than Lichaj I'd imagine though.

Think this may have 1 goal tops in it!

[OCD]

Wigan play 3-4-3 and they take the risk of leaving 3 on 3. They also leave the wide players up the pitch to make the opposition wide players think twice about going forward. Its risky and the players have to be brave for it to work. As with anything, the personnel playing the formation are more important than the formation itself.

[Matt Collins]

I suspect the left wing back for Wigan (Honduran I think) tends to give people more to think about than Lichaj is likely to!

[WarszaVillan]

If anyone wishes to converse privately about small flowing waterways I'd be very grateful