Aston Villa v QPR Pre-Match Thread

[Chipsticks]

El Ahmadi and Bent both might make this game.

Shit.

We're done for.

*wink*

Cheeky.

Forgot to say, Traore, Tarrabt, and Cesar could all return for them tomorrow as well, which is quite worrying!

They can return tomorrow if they like, just as long as they're not playing on Saturday. 

... goddamnit. I'm ill okay, just shut up and enjoy my terrible pre-match injury report

[Clampy]

El Ahmadi and Bent both might make this game.

Shit.

We're done for.

*wink*

Cheeky.

Forgot to say, Traore, Tarrabt, and Cesar could all return for them tomorrow as well, which is quite worrying!

They can return tomorrow if they like, just as long as they're not playing on Saturday. 

... goddamnit. I'm ill okay, just shut up and enjoy my terrible pre-match injury report

Got to keep you young un's on your toes you know. Get well soon by the way. 

[Lastfootstamper]

Forgot to say, Traore, Tarrabt, and Cesar could all return for them tomorrow as well, which is quite worrying!

Be okay, our keeper's not too bad with speculative efforts from 35 yards

[Chipsticks]

El Ahmadi and Bent both might make this game.

Shit.

We're done for.

*wink*

Cheeky.

Forgot to say, Traore, Tarrabt, and Cesar could all return for them tomorrow as well, which is quite worrying!

They can return tomorrow if they like, just as long as they're not playing on Saturday. 

... goddamnit. I'm ill okay, just shut up and enjoy my terrible pre-match injury report

Got to keep you young un's on your toes you know. Get well soon by the way. 

Cheers, just a bit of flu; hoping to be well enough to make it to the game!

[eastie]

El Ahmadi and Bent both might make this game.

Shit.

We're done for.

*wink*

Cheeky.

Forgot to say, Traore, Tarrabt, and Cesar could all return for them tomorrow as well, which is quite worrying!

They can return tomorrow if they like, just as long as they're not playing on Saturday. 

... goddamnit. I'm ill okay, just shut up and enjoy my terrible pre-match injury report

Got to keep you young un's on your toes you know. Get well soon by the way. 

Cheers, just a bit of flu; hoping to be well enough to make it to the game!

Come on Tom, rest the old larynx and stay in bed till 1pm Saturday, we need you at the game
If no better tomorrow i will send clampy round with a bottle of fine rum- will have you feeling wonderful in no time!

[eastie]

By James Nursey  |  14 Mar 2013 12:12
Under former manager Martin O'Neill, high-flying Aston Villa were used to getting plenty of attention.

They boasted England internationals like Gareth Barry and Ashley Young, frequently wrote big cheques and chased Champions League football.

How times have changed.

As Villa's fortunes have waned so has national interest in the claret and blue.

But that will all change this weekend ahead of the visit of QPR, which has grabbed the public attention.

It is now lined up for live radio commentary, can expect prominent billing on Match of the Day and Villa boss Paul Lambert will face a large media turn-out tomorrow at his weekly press conference.

That's all because the ramifications of this match are simply huge.

A Villa victory will be a hammer-blow to Harry Redknapp's much publicised and expensive revival at Loftus Road.

While an away win will make it three straight wins on the spin for Redknapp's men as his unlikely survival mission gains momentum.

Managerless Reading can appoint Harry Houdini as their next boss and they will still go down as far as I am concerned.

The Royals lack Premier League quality in their squad and now the transfer window is closed, I reckon they are doomed.

But several clubs also remain vulnerable to be relegated - particularly Villa if they lose on Saturday.

Yet a Villa win would not only push QPR nearer the drop but leave Lambert's men on 30 points and be a giant step towards safety for them.

Villa would then have eight games left- including winnable fixtures against Stoke, Fulham, Sunderland, Norwich and Wigan.

Already Villa skipper Ron Vlaar has described this weekend's fixture at Villa Park as "immense".

Encouragingly, Villa are now finally performing more consistently to back up Lambert's public utterances.

The Scot has stubbornly insisted his young side will come good and are not afraid of the pressure.

And performances against Everton, West Ham, Arsenal, Man City and Reading have all been promising.

At Reading they showed character to bounce back from conceding a demoralising own goal to win 2-1.

But Saturday's clash is going to be even more fascinating.

Villa will have to deal with the expectations of their home fans which is a factor they have struggled with in recent years.

It will be tense, nervous and edgy - and I am already looking forward to it!

I just hope Jermaine Jenas doesn't return to Villa Park to score a crucial goal because that would literally add insult to injury.

Jenas looked a promising loan signing when he joined Villa in August 2011 from Spurs on loan for the season.

But the midfielder managed just three appearances before missing the rest of the season crocked.

It left Villa with a massive bill for his mere 105 minutes of action as they were forced to continue to shell out his salary.

QPR already appear to have got better value from Jenas after he scored last weekend in the home win over Sunderland following a January loan switch.

And the way Villa's roller-coaster of a season has gone, you wouldn't bet against him smashing in another stunner this weekend.

[Chipsticks]

Cheers Eastie, get the rum at the ready - think I might need it!

[john e]

Think there will be a big crowd for this one, all the main areas of VP are virtually sold out,

I can see plenty of unsold tickets. A good barometer for a 40k plus crowd is to see lots of tickets sold in the Trinity wings, and in P1 and P2, and all those areas have almost total availability.

maybe i'm being over optimistic then,
 but this is a big game for us, and Villa fans normaly come turn out in times of trouble, saturday
 3 oclock also helps

[neo_Villan]

Think there will be a big crowd for this one, all the main areas of VP are virtually sold out,

I can see plenty of unsold tickets. A good barometer for a 40k plus crowd is to see lots of tickets sold in the Trinity wings, and in P1 and P2, and all those areas have almost total availability.

maybe i'm being over optimistic then,
 but this is a big game for us, and Villa fans normaly come turn out in times of trouble, saturday
 3 oclock also helps

Hope so mate. Why we pack VP for Manure yet are well under capacity for more important (and more winnable) games like this one has always been a matter of annoyance for me.

[Mortimer's Bear]

I'm starting to get really quite nervous about this game already!

[dave.woodhall]

Think there will be a big crowd for this one, all the main areas of VP are virtually sold out,

I can see plenty of unsold tickets. A good barometer for a 40k plus crowd is to see lots of tickets sold in the Trinity wings, and in P1 and P2, and all those areas have almost total availability.

maybe i'm being over optimistic then,
 but this is a big game for us, and Villa fans normaly come turn out in times of trouble, saturday
 3 oclock also helps

Hope so mate. Why we pack VP for Manure yet are well under capacity for more important (and more winnable) games like this one has always been a matter of annoyance for me.

It's always been the way. We have a hard core who come to watch the Villa and a floating support who turn out (or not) for the occasion.

[Chipsticks]

Think there will be a big crowd for this one, all the main areas of VP are virtually sold out,

I can see plenty of unsold tickets. A good barometer for a 40k plus crowd is to see lots of tickets sold in the Trinity wings, and in P1 and P2, and all those areas have almost total availability.

maybe i'm being over optimistic then,
 but this is a big game for us, and Villa fans normaly come turn out in times of trouble, saturday
 3 oclock also helps

Hope so mate. Why we pack VP for Manure yet are well under capacity for more important (and more winnable) games like this one has always been a matter of annoyance for me.

It's always been the way. We have a hard core who come to watch the Villa and a floating support who turn out (or not) for the occasion.

I hate to admit it, but being as I have to pick only about 8-10 home games a season to go to due to work commitments, I often find myself going for the ones against bigger teams. Singing and the feeling of camaraderie are the main two reasons I go to football and there's usually a bigger, better atmosphere and the off chance of an 'I was there' moment against the likes of Man United and Chelsea.

I wish it wasn't the case but it is.

[neo_Villan]

Think there will be a big crowd for this one, all the main areas of VP are virtually sold out,

I can see plenty of unsold tickets. A good barometer for a 40k plus crowd is to see lots of tickets sold in the Trinity wings, and in P1 and P2, and all those areas have almost total availability.

maybe i'm being over optimistic then,
 but this is a big game for us, and Villa fans normaly come turn out in times of trouble, saturday
 3 oclock also helps

Hope so mate. Why we pack VP for Manure yet are well under capacity for more important (and more winnable) games like this one has always been a matter of annoyance for me.

It's always been the way. We have a hard core who come to watch the Villa and a floating support who turn out (or not) for the occasion.

I hate to admit it, but being as I have to pick only about 8-10 home games a season to go to due to work commitments, I often find myself going for the ones against bigger teams. Singing and the feeling of camaraderie are the main two reasons I go to football and there's usually a bigger, better atmosphere and the off chance of an 'I was there' moment against the likes of Man United and Chelsea.

I wish it wasn't the case but it is.

Fair enough. I've always been the opposite myself. I prefer to go to games that I deem more winnable. For me, the ultimate experience is to see Villa score some goals and win matches. I also think it is slightly small-time to only go to games against the bigger clubs (I not saying this applies to you) as it is almost like such fans are going to see the opposition rather than the Villa. Akin to when lower league fans only turn up when their team is drawn against an EPL team in the cup. I have always been of the opinion that it is this type of support against lesser teams that has contributed to our inconsistant home form over the years.

[Neil Hawkes]

I have always been of the opinion that it is this type of support against lesser teams that has contributed to our inconsistant home form over the years

good point!

[maidstonevillain]

Think there will be a big crowd for this one, all the main areas of VP are virtually sold out,

I can see plenty of unsold tickets. A good barometer for a 40k plus crowd is to see lots of tickets sold in the Trinity wings, and in P1 and P2, and all those areas have almost total availability.

maybe i'm being over optimistic then,
 but this is a big game for us, and Villa fans normaly come turn out in times of trouble, saturday
 3 oclock also helps

Hope so mate. Why we pack VP for Manure yet are well under capacity for more important (and more winnable) games like this one has always been a matter of annoyance for me.

It's always been the way. We have a hard core who come to watch the Villa and a floating support who turn out (or not) for the occasion.

I hate to admit it, but being as I have to pick only about 8-10 home games a season to go to due to work commitments, I often find myself going for the ones against bigger teams. Singing and the feeling of camaraderie are the main two reasons I go to football and there's usually a bigger, better atmosphere and the off chance of an 'I was there' moment against the likes of Man United and Chelsea.

I wish it wasn't the case but it is.

Fair enough. I've always been the opposite myself. I prefer to go to games that I deem more winnable. For me, the ultimate experience is to see Villa score some goals and win matches. I also think it is slightly small-time to only go to games against the bigger clubs (I not saying this applies to you) as it is almost like such fans are going to see the opposition rather than the Villa. Akin to when lower league fans only turn up when their team is drawn against an EPL team in the cup. I have always been of the opinion that it is this type of support against lesser teams that has contributed to our inconsistant home form over the years.

For the few games a season I and MVjunior have travelled up for, I have tended to pick the more winnable games. If only to keep MV junior interested. But the fact still remains that we haven't seen them win for 4 years. Even in the MON years we always seemed to select the shock losses or draws.