Aston Villa v Southampton Pre-Match Thread

[Surrey Villain]

I wonder if he'll consider playing 442?

I'm a fan of our formation going forward and the flexibility it offers but you surely need very strong full backs as you have no wingers to double up.

When we used to have Young and Milner, our full backs could count on a certain amount of support.

At the moment it seems our young full-backs are very much there for the taking.

Nail on head in my opinion.  Lambert doesn't play with wingers so the full backs have been wing backs and been caught forward too often so Baker and Clark have been trying to cover and left gaping holes. The third Bradford goal is an example when Baker moved out to cover the left wing and Lowton was nowhere in sight. There is also a fatigue problem expecting players to play wing back.

[saunders_heroes]

Vlaar in the squad for tomorrow.

[PaulWinch again]

That's great news.

[PaulWinch again]

Vlaar in the squad for tomorrow.

I take it Westwood is as well.

[eastie]

Vlaar in the squad for tomorrow.

I take it Westwood is as well.

Yes and Holman .

Bent , given, herd, albrighton, dunne  all out.

[PeterWithesShin]

Much as we need him back, after so long out I wouldn't want to risk bringing Vlaar back too soon.

[Concrete John]

Vlaar in the squad for tomorrow.

I take it Westwood is as well.

Yes and Holman .

Bent , given, herd, albrighton, dunne  all out.

Personally, I wouldn't have played any of them anyway, with the possible exception of Dunne due to the defensive crisis we're going through!

[PaulWinch again]

Much as we need him back, after so long out I wouldn't want to risk bringing Vlaar back too soon.

Well yes, but hopefully they've considered that.

[danlanza]

I just hope he will steady the defense, a lot !

[LeeB]

4-1 Villa.

[silhillvilla]

Trying to decide whether to attend stone cold sober, completely trolleyed or somewhere in between .

[danlanza]

Trying to decide whether to attend stone cold sober, completely trolleyed or somewhere in between .

Stone cold sober, then when we win you can go out on the lash

[Nev]

Given recent evidence I just can't see anything other than a defeat. And bearing in mind Tuesday, if we do look like getting a bad result will the manager sit and watch the team collapse to the backing track of 25 thousand dissenting voices?

I sincerely hope not and of course, I still have hope, I always will. It was confidence in the manager that took a battering (as well as the team) on Tuesday.

[Chipsticks]

For tomorrow I'd go:

                 Guzan
Lowton  Baker  Clark   Bennett
              Westwood
          Bannan  Holman
Gabby                        Weimann
                Benteke

[PaulWinch again]

For tomorrow I'd go:

                 Guzan
Lowton  Baker  Clark   Bennett
              Westwood
          Bannan  Holman
Gabby                        Weimann
                Benteke

If Vlaar is fit and available he should play. I'm not sure I trust Holman as a centre mid.