West Ham United v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[ez]

@MatKendrick: Ag-ravating: Gabby Agbonlahor is a Villa injury doubt for West Ham game this weekend #avfc http://t.co/tYISnyDwaQ

He hasn't contributed for a while so i'm glad someone else will get a chance.

[brontebilly]

@MatKendrick: Ag-ravating: Gabby Agbonlahor is a Villa injury doubt for West Ham game this weekend #avfc http://t.co/tYISnyDwaQ

He hasn't contributed for a while so i'm glad someone else will get a chance.

crap in last 2 games but was playing well before then especially away from home (Arsenal, Norwich, even Hull he was decent). If he is out I expect Weimann to play up near Benteke.

West Ham have lost last 3 at home and will be aiming to stop the rot more than anything. Suspect lambert will be thinking the same. cant see there being many goals.

Bennett is likely to come back in for Luna. Definitely need someone who is going to work hard protecting him as Downing will fancy his chances there. Id bring Sylla back in front of him, out of position but we dont have many alternatives. Think we have missed Lowton going forward a bit of late but Bacuna is much more solid at the back and to be fair has created decent chances for us on occasion. Would give Tonev another go on the right.

Id go for a Harry Bassett style 442

Guzan
Bacuna, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett
Tonev, Westwood, Delph, Sylla
Benteke, Weimann

[Yossarian]

@MatKendrick: Ag-ravating: Gabby Agbonlahor is a Villa injury doubt for West Ham game this weekend #avfc http://t.co/tYISnyDwaQ

He hasn't contributed for a while so i'm glad someone else will get a chance.

I absolutely love it when one of our players is injured.

[kippaxvilla2]

0-1 - Ray Stuart penalty 81 minutes.

[eastie]

@MatKendrick: Here we glow again: Villa digging out the green kit for old time's sake to avoid West Ham colour clash #avfc http://t.co/19IkVnQs7Z

[supertom]

I think we looked better going forward last season than this season so maybe the hideous lime kit might be a good omen. That said, as hideous as it is it's farking bootiful compared to this seasons away kit. It's like watching Blackburn on LSD.

[Jimbo]

3-1 defeat.

[Mortimer's Bear]

0-3, they're fucking having it on Saturday.

[rob_bridge]

0-1 - Ray Stuart penalty 81 minutes.

Won by Goddard? Or Devonshire?

[Matt Collins]

If our forwards were on form, I'd really fancy us to win this. Their main threat will come from set pieces and I wonder if that will influence the selection. For example baker at left back. He's not great on the ball there but that might be worth it away from home.

Gabby - away from home he'd always be in my villa side so I'm hoping he's fit. I have a feeling he won't be though.

Bacuna to take any penalties. I think benteke has put every single penalty for us to the keeper's right hasn't he?

[Pete3206]

@MatKendrick: Ag-ravating: Gabby Agbonlahor is a Villa injury doubt for West Ham game this weekend #avfc http://t.co/tYISnyDwaQ

He hasn't contributed for a while so i'm glad someone else will get a chance.

Cracking stuff.

[Clampy]

I think they're short on strikers because Can't Control went off injured for them in the week. It leaves them with just Ravel Morrison who hasn't done anything for the past few games.

[Richard E]

I think they're short on strikers because Can't Control went off injured for them in the week. It leaves them with just Ravel Morrison who hasn't done anything for the past few games.

Well, that's just guaranteed "Ravel" (as he prefers to call himself on his shirt) gets a hat-trick on Saturday. The only hope now is that it is as part of a 3-6 away win. 

[Clampy]

I think they're short on strikers because Can't Control went off injured for them in the week. It leaves them with just Ravel Morrison who hasn't done anything for the past few games.

Well, that's just guaranteed "Ravel" (as he prefers to call himself on his shirt) gets a hat-trick on Saturday. The only hope now is that it is as part of a 3-6 away win. 

I noticed that. A sign of a player who thinks he's better than he is.

[Legion]

Club cutting back on shirt-printing costs.