Aston Villa vs Manchester United Pre-Match Thread

[DrGonzo]

This fixture is the footballing equivalent of Madonna, every year it just gets uglier.  0-3.

[Toronto Villa]

What most important is how we approach the game. If we carry on playing as we have tried to over the last couple of games, trying to keep the ball, pass and move, press higher up and continue to build on that then we will give ourselves a chance of winning. If we revert back to giving them the ball, then we all know how the day will pan out.

[Hillbilly]

Winter's iron man
Burns away the hot red clouds
Cold summer steals him

[Ads]

Does anybody else think van Gaal looks like Beaker from the Muppets?

[not3bad]

Does anybody else think van Gaal looks like Beaker from the Muppets?

It would be lovely if he was making the same kind of noises come the final whistle on Saturday.

[PeterWithesShin]

Potential good news for Kozak.

Villa will be without eight senior players for the clash with Man Utd - but Fabian Delph and Ron Vlaar look set to be available.

Ashley Westwood [knee] is out with a knee injury while Kieran Richardson, Alan Hutton and Tom Cleverley are all suspended.

Paul Lambert also confirmed in his pre-match media briefing that Joe Cole [hamstring] and Philippe Senderos [calf] - while making good progress - would not be fit to face the Red Devils.

Nathan Baker [knee] was also ruled out by the manager.

On a positive note, Lambert said Libor Kozak [leg] was making definite strides forward in his rehabilitation from the broken leg he suffered on January 2, 2014.

He said: "Philippe is doing well but he's not ready.

"It's too early for Joe. He's doing well but it's too early for him.

"Ashley and Nathan are out.

"Libor is doing alright. He had a scan yesterday.

"The bone is definitely getting stronger and healing.

"He's doing well but he's still a bit away."

Lambert refused to be downbeat, however, about the fitness/suspension news he has received in the past few weeks.

He added: "There's a few out.

"But I am not going to sit here and be negative about it.

"I have total belief that we will go out there and try to win a game of football.

"Fabian is coming back into the fray, Ron is back as well.

"We have got players who can hurt teams as well, that's for sure.

"The team I pick will be strong. We will go and try to win."

[cdbearsfan]

Cissokho first goal, Villa to win 4-0, 3,550-1.

Free money.

[nigel]

Cissokho first goal, Villa to win 4-0, 3,550-1.

Free money.

Just my luck for there to be a rush on that tip and I'll end up with odds of 2-1

[CJ]

Does anybody else think van Gaal looks like Beaker from the Muppets?

He does. Danny Alexander always reminds me of Beaker too whenever he pops up pretending not to be a Tory

[Diablo]

I remember watching us beat these on Boxing Day 3-0. Superb Christmas!!

The good news is Bryan Robson won't be playing this time either...

[silhillvilla]

What most important is how we approach the game. If we carry on playing as we have tried to over the last couple of games, trying to keep the ball, pass and move, press higher up and continue to build on that then we will give ourselves a chance of winning. If we revert back to giving them the ball, then we all know how the day will pan out.

Pass and move ? Press higher up the field ?
I can agree we've tried to keep possession more (largely by Guzan going short around our 18 yard box but in terms of movement and pressing high up the pitch ?? I've seen little of that if I'm honest.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Perhaps, but keeping possession is a massive improvement over hoofing it. Not least because it gives us a bit of a break from the pressure if we are tapping it about at the back for a while.

At a minimum if we do our damnedest to keep the ball for as long as possible we might keep their scoring down to a respectable loss.

[silhillvilla]

I know what you mean but the short passing around our 18 yard box seems to play us into trouble rather than alleviate it.

[Ger Regan]

Does anybody else think van Gaal looks like Beaker from the Muppets?

He does. Danny Alexander always reminds me of Beaker too whenever he pops up pretending not to be a Tory

There can be but one.

[pauliewalnuts]

Cissokho first goal, Villa to win 4-0, 3,550-1.

Free money.

I wish you hadn't posted that.

I read it, chuckle, then think "oh, fuck, what happens if that REALLY turns out to be the case and i ignored it?"