Aston Villa v Fulham Pre-Match Thread

[AVH87]

I'd play

------- Guzan -------

Lowton Vlaar Baker Bennett

-- Westwood Delph --

------- Holman -------

Weimann Benteke Gabby


CNZ is clearly the better player over Holman but I worry about his lack of work rate, starting the likes of Sylla or KEA alongside Westwood and Delph would be too defensive at home.

I think we'll draw 2-2.

I think starting Westwood and sylla would give Delph more licence to break forward and play to his attacking strengths and the three up front would mean it would be far from defensive, with the full backs getting forward too.

We may well see the midfield trio you mention, as Holman's been out of the picture for a while for one reason or another. I'm just not sure if Delph is one of those midfielders who is better breaking from deep, then again I've never really seen him in the advanced role.

[eastie]

I think Delph looked very useful at Leeds in the advanced midfield  role and scored a few goals- never been used in that way here though but I think he has that in his game .

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

This team would win us the game 3-1

----------------Guzan--------------
-----------Vlaar----Baker-----------
Lowton-------------------Bennett--
----Sylla---Westwood---Delph-----
---Weimann------------Agbonlahor-
---------------Benteke--------------

Bent and N'Zogbia to come of the bench to seal us the win...

[eastie]

This team would win us the game 3-1

----------------Guzan--------------
-----------Vlaar----Baker-----------
Lowton-------------------Bennett--
----Sylla---Westwood---Delph-----
---Weimann------------Agbonlahor-
---------------Benteke--------------

Bent and N'Zogbia to come of the bench to seal us the win...

Same team and same score i went for on  last page- the game is there to be won and we will do so.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd be happy enough with that team.

[Matt Collins]

I agree Holman is an interesting option. He'd have to stop giving the ball away so much though. I'd probably go with nzogbia still. He's a mixed bag I agree, but Fulham aren't normally too strong in central midfield and have sidwell out. He could cause damage in a roving role getting behind the likes of senderos and riise.

[Ron Manager]

This team would win us the game 3-1

----------------Guzan--------------
-----------Vlaar----Baker-----------
Lowton-------------------Bennett--
----Sylla---Westwood---Delph-----
---Weimann------------Agbonlahor-
---------------Benteke--------------

Bent and N'Zogbia to come of the bench to seal us the win...

Agree..100%

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

This team would win us the game 3-1

----------------Guzan--------------
-----------Vlaar----Baker-----------
Lowton-------------------Bennett--
----Sylla---Westwood---Delph-----
---Weimann------------Agbonlahor-
---------------Benteke--------------

Bent and N'Zogbia to come of the bench to seal us the win...

Agree..100%

Ye i like the look of that team. Bent on for Wieman + Zoggy - Sylla should win it ........

[Fernando Partridge]

Wow great to see poisitvity again after all the gloomy stuff. Well I think a 2-1 scoreline. I imagine Bent and Beneteke up front. Bowery and Baker may drop out with Clark if fit also back in.

[neo_Villan]

Wow great to see poisitvity again after all the gloomy stuff. Well I think a 2-1 scoreline. I imagine Bent and Beneteke up front. Bowery and Baker may drop out with Clark if fit also back in.

Can't see Bent starting at all. I think Bowery will miss out but most likely for either Sylla or N'Zogbia. I wouldn't mind Clark coming in either. Harsh on Baker but Clark may be more adept at dealing with the movement of Berbatov.

[KRS]

Fulham have only won 3 games away all season so a couple of early goals would set us up nicely for 3pts.

The fixtures for the next week are as follows:

Saturday:
Arsenal v Norwich
Aston Villa v Fulham
Everton v QPR
Reading v Liverpool
Southampton v West Ham

Sunday:
Newcastle v Sunderland
Stoke v Man Utd

Tuesday:
Arsenal v Everton

Wednesday:
Man City v Wigan
West Ham v Man Utd
Fulham v Chelsea

If we beat Fulham and all other results go our way then we could be level on 36pts with Norwich and 5pts clear of Sunderland and Wigan.

edit:
Craig Gardner is suspended this weekend so looking good for a Newcastle win on Sunday.

[jonzy85]

We are in the best form we have been in since, I don't know when......Fulham are safe, have nothing to play for and are rubbish away from home.....yet the inherent pessimism I possess being a Villa fan won't let me believe that it will be 4 wins in 5 (anyone know the last time this happened?).

There is an interesting stat, which I may not be getting completely right, but if games had finished at half time all season, Fulham would be 5th and we would be 6th. This would suggest that if we can get our noses ahead before half time, there won't be much of a 2nd half fight back, but then again when do logic and Villa ever work out together??

[eastie]

Fulham have only won 3 games away all season so a couple of early goals would set us up nicely for 3pts.

The fixtures for the next week are as follows:

Saturday:
Arsenal v Norwich
Aston Villa v Fulham
Everton v QPR
Reading v Liverpool
Southampton v West Ham

Sunday:
Newcastle v Sunderland
Stoke v Man Utd

Tuesday:
Arsenal v Everton

Wednesday:
Man City v Wigan
West Ham v Man Utd
Fulham v Chelsea

If we beat Fulham and all other results go our way then we could be level on 36pts with Norwich and 5pts clear of Sunderland and Wigan.

edit:
Craig Gardner is suspended this weekend so looking good for a Newcastle win on Sunday.

If we win and arsenal beat Norwich we will be above Norwich.

[brontebilly]

This team would win us the game 3-1

----------------Guzan--------------
-----------Vlaar----Baker-----------
Lowton-------------------Bennett--
----Sylla---Westwood---Delph-----
---Weimann------------Agbonlahor-
---------------Benteke--------------

Bent and N'Zogbia to come of the bench to seal us the win...

Sylla isnt anywhere near good enough at the moment. But none of our options for the third midfielder slot are good enough. Ireland, Holman, Bannan, El Ahmadi. Mediocrity reigns supreme. Id bring Nzogbia back in, Bannan as second choice.

Baker has done marginally enough to keep his spot ahead of Clark.

[eastie]

I've been pleased with sylla so far , neat and tidy and is coming along nicely.
Seems harsh to say he isn't anywhere near good enough and yet say you prefer nzog or bannan as i think both of those have been poor this season although nzog has shown glimpses of late.