Aston Villa v Sunderland Pre-Match Thread

[Fergal]

I would settle for a scrappy 1-0

[ciggiesnbeer]

I will never underestimate our team again, so probably win.

That said Sunderland are not as bad as their league position suggests. I think it could be a very good game.

[dekko]

2-0 Villa

[supertom]

Three up front again. Gabby, Benteke, Weimann.
Play to our strengths again.
Get Lowton back in the side, push Bacuna up.

2-0

It'll be a lot tighter than last season. We'll win though but may make hard work of it like Cardiff.

[Des Little]

We'll shit 'em. 2-0

[levico]

A home banker............ So we'll draw.

[Steve R]

No pissing about this time. 4-3-3, recall Lowton and push Bacuna forward, play our best striker up front and our best midfielder in midfield.

Guzan
Lowton Vlaar Baker Clark
Sylla Delph Westwood
Bacuna Benteke Agbonlahor

[Deano's Mullet]

I haven't tipped us to win for a while but I do in this one but we'll make hard work of it.

2-1 Villa, Benteke to end his drought, Gardner for them.

[Smirker]

Only 5 teams have conceded less than us this season and consider the start we had and the injury to Jores, that's very impressive in comparison to last season.

[SoccerHQ]

I will never underestimate our team again, so probably win.

That said Sunderland are not as bad as their league position suggests. I think it could be a very good game.

They have improved under Poyet but only at home. Their three away results under him have been:

4-0 loss at Swansea
1-0 loss at Hull (two men sent off)
2-0 loss at Stoke (phantom red card)

They've also lost 3-0 at WBA this season.

So they're not very good away from home at all and of course they lost 6-1 here last time out.

This is a big game for our front three who of course ripped Sunderland to shreds last time. Benteke will score sooner or later so I'm not worrying about him and it's time for Andi and Gabby to actually start scoring some goals. It's a good much up as even with Wes Brown's red overturned the Sunderland back 4 is very slow and ponderous so O'Shea and co won't fancy those three running at them.

I would be massively disappointed if we don't win this. I think we'll win 3-1 and ideally the three front players will score. Make it happen.

[Toronto Villa]

2-0 Benteke both.

[TopDeck113]

2-0

Need Benteke to start scoring again...

[Damo70]

I will never underestimate our team again, so probably win.

That said Sunderland are not as bad as their league position suggests. I think it could be a very good game.

I think Sunderland are poor. Bottom six material before the season started and have lived down to that prediction. Still no such thing as a banker but we should win and hopefully by more than one goal.

[PaulTheVillan]

Guzan
Lowton Vlaar Clark Luna
Westwood
KEA        Delph
Bacuna                    Agbonlahor
Benteke

I'd go with that.

Actually think Kozak was better v WBA than Benteke, but I'm still not sure Benteke is 100% fit and seemed to be a lot deeper.

Not convinced about KEA, but Sylla had a shocker IMO v WBA.

[aj2k77]

2-1 Villa

We have got to beat sides like these at home and i'd say since the Newcastle debacle back in January by and large we have done the business against the sides we've needed to beat at home.

Lowton to come back into the team and Bacuna to push further forward. Tonev and Sylla definately benched for me. Hopefully Luna is back so we can get Baker out of the side.