Aston Villa v Wigan Athletic Pre-Match Thread

[N'ZMAV]

If Wigan are going to play 3 at the back, let's stick to up front and occupy them. It's no good just playing Benteke against 3 centre backs. They'll be too much for him.

[eastie]

                          Guzan

Lichaj.         Herd.     Clark.   Lowton.    Bennett

    Ireland        Westwood.  Bannan.   .holman

                         Benteke

Little options up front with injuries , maybe Ireland or Holman just off benteke, I would like to see Carruthers get a start but can't see it happening , far from convinced with albrighton.

[Malandro]

Just look on OS this is the outfield players we have left who are not injured or on loan

Clark
Bennett
Stevens
Lichaj
Lowton
Williams

Ireland
KEA
Albrighton
Westwood
Bannan
Herd
Johnson
Carruthers

Benteke
Bowery
Burke
Holman

Gulp

Gulp at left back for me.

I'd be tempted to get Holman to do it, but tell him to stay back. I'm sure he'd do a decent job.

[paul_e]

Albrighton just needs to get back to the flat crossing he was doing when he got into the side, he's started floating them across a lot more and it's not as effective.

Crossing is about hitting a space more than hitting a player, if you can consistently cross to the right areas you'll create chances, when you start to try to pick out a man there's a tendency to take some of the pace off the ball, which is what's happened to him and made him a lot less effective.

Watch highlights of him under mcdonald and houllier and you'll see what I mean.

[Clampy]

If Wigan are going to play 3 at the back, let's stick to up front and occupy them. It's no good just playing Benteke against 3 centre backs. They'll be too much for him.

It's why i've suggested Ireland in an advanced role and Albrighton out wide. That's three forward thnking players they'll have to contend with. Not ideal i know but with 3 strikers out, there's not a lot of options.

[Chipsticks]

Just look on OS this is the outfield players we have left who are not injured or on loan

Clark
Bennett
Stevens
Lichaj
Lowton
Williams

Ireland
KEA
Albrighton
Westwood
Bannan
Herd
Johnson
Carruthers

Benteke
Bowery
Burke
Holman

Gulp

Even with looking at that I think we have enough to win tomorrow, provided Lambert gets it right tactically. What should have been seen as a routine win has become a massive 6-pointer.

[eastie]

If Wigan are going to play 3 at the back, let's stick to up front and occupy them. It's no good just playing Benteke against 3 centre backs. They'll be too much for him.

It's why i've suggested Ireland in an advanced role and Albrighton out wide. That's three forward thnking players they'll have to contend with. Not ideal i know but with 3 strikers out, there's not a lot of options.

Ireland or Holman just off benteke maybe, but I don't think albrighton should start.

[LeeB]

If Wigan are going to play 3 at the back, let's stick to up front and occupy them. It's no good just playing Benteke against 3 centre backs. They'll be too much for him.

It's why i've suggested Ireland in an advanced role and Albrighton out wide. That's three forward thnking players they'll have to contend with. Not ideal i know but with 3 strikers out, there's not a lot of options.

Ireland or Holman just off benteke maybe, but I don't think albrighton should start.

I'd be tempted to tell Ireland not to bother coming, for all the fucking use he is.

[TonyD]

If Wigan are going to play 3 at the back, let's stick to up front and occupy them. It's no good just playing Benteke against 3 centre backs. They'll be too much for him.

It's why i've suggested Ireland in an advanced role and Albrighton out wide. That's three forward thnking players they'll have to contend with. Not ideal i know but with 3 strikers out, there's not a lot of options.

Ireland or Holman just off benteke maybe, but I don't think albrighton should start.

I'd be tempted to tell Ireland not to bother coming, for all the fucking use he is.

This.   Last bits of the deadwood.

[paul_e]

Given that they play with wing backs we'd be best off employing a similar strategy to what chelsea did to us, ie pick 2 wide attacking players and tell them to stay high up the field and try to force their wing backs into a back 5.  If we had a full squad to pick from this game would be ideal for nzog and weimann either side of benteke and Holman in the hole.

Without those wide players though I just don't think we can play that way, could try Albrighton and Carruthers I guess.

[eastie]

Given that they play with wing backs we'd be best off employing a similar strategy to what chelsea did to us, ie pick 2 wide attacking players and tell them to stay high up the field and try to force their wing backs into a back 5.  If we had a full squad to pick from this game would be ideal for nzog and weimann either side of benteke and Holman in the hole.

Without those wide players though I just don't think we can play that way, could try Albrighton and Carruthers I guess.

Carruthers yes, albrighton no.

[eastie]

Hangelands contract up at Fulham in the summer, although Harry says' good player,  I like him but he's a Fulham player'

Hangeland in and dunne out would be decent business .

[paul_e]

but who can you pick instead to give us genuine width on the right?

Holman is better centrally, Ireland won't play there (i.e. if he's picked there he won't provide width) and everyone else is injured.

[pedro25]

Just look on OS this is the outfield players we have left who are not injured or on loan

Clark
Bennett
Stevens
Lichaj
Lowton
Williams

Ireland
KEA
Albrighton
Westwood
Bannan
Herd
Johnson
Carruthers

Benteke
Bowery
Burke
Holman

Gulp

Even with looking at that I think we have enough to win tomorrow, provided Lambert gets it right tactically. What should have been seen as a routine win has become a massive 6-pointer.

I thought Stevens was injured and Johnson on loan but may be wrong.  Has Warnock returned as well?  Hutton must be back soon as well, not that he will save us.

I'm fed up of herd diving in and it's a toss up between Ireland and KEA but I'd probably go,

              Guzan
Lichaj Lowton Clark Bennett
      Westwood Bannan
Albrighton Ireland Holman
              Benteke

Subs, Given, El Ahmadi, Herd, Bowery, Williams, Carruthers, Burke

Not a big fan of Albrighton but he did alright the other night and can be an outlet.

I'll go 1 nil Villa, Benteke.

[Dante Lavelli]

              Guzan
Lichaj Lowton Clark Bennett
      Westwood Bannan
Albrighton Ireland Holman
              Benteke

Looks a balanced team to me.  If Westwood and Bannan can control possession then we could do well.
If not then the team could be a tad fragile mentally after the results recently.