Leicester City vs Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Richard E]

My confidence ahead of this game has been undermined by the fact that last night I dreamt we lost 5-1 at home to Malta. Must not eat cheese before bedtime again.

[Legion]

0-0

[Clampy]

I reckon this one could be quite tricky. They've played well the last few games but their way of playing might suit us. I'll go for 2-2. Benteke with both ours.  Matt Elliot and Steve Guppy for them.

[Matt Collins]

I'm pretty confident on the pattern of the game but much less on the score

I reckon westwood and sanchez will dominate the ball, we'll not create many chances and Leicester will have a spell of twenty minutes where they create 2-3 good chances

1-0 either way I reckon

[Quiet Lion]

Late goal for the crispy foxes. Vila will score nil

[Gregorys Boy]

Hope we are not catching them just as they are starting to hit a bit of form.  It is one of those must wins, and if Lambert is possitive and we get at them in the middle and use pace down the flanks then I think we should have this one.  But if he goes the negative route it is likely to be a 0-0 or worse.

With Benteke you know you always have a chance so will go 1-2 to us with him, and Bacuna to score for us.

[freethinker]

From the Guardian's "Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend"

1) No thrilla for Villa

“We’re working on something new and the lads seem to enjoy it,” said Paul Lambert after introducing a short-passing build-from-the-back approach in early December. Whether the players are still enjoying it is unclear (though Lambert insists that they are), but fans of entertainment certainly aren’t. Villa are by some distance the Premier League’s lowest scorers. In the 20 league games they’ve played this season, they have failed to score 11 times. And they’ve scored just once in their last five Premier League fixtures. And the long-suffering Villa fans could be forgiven for casting covetous glances at this weekend’s opponents Leicester City. While Villa are unable to fork out the £2.5m asked by Manchester City for Scott Sinclair the Foxes have broken their club transfer record for the second time in little over six months – the £9.7m spent on Andrej Kramaric eclipsing the £8m purchase of Leonardo Ulloa in the summer. Good job then that Lambert’s team have a defensive record better than seven of the 11 teams above them in the table. And, stats fans, only one team – QPR – have conceded more goals than Leicester this season. It’s the entirely resistible force meeting the very much moveable object. So: a third Villa 0-0 on the bounce?

[Ads]

I think we will beat these. They've picked up a little since we played them the other week, but Cambiasso apart, they're a Championship side and very low on quality.

[Gregorys Boy]

From the Guardian's "Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend"

1) No thrilla for Villa

“We’re working on something new and the lads seem to enjoy it,” said Paul Lambert after introducing a short-passing build-from-the-back approach in early December. Whether the players are still enjoying it is unclear (though Lambert insists that they are), but fans of entertainment certainly aren’t. Villa are by some distance the Premier League’s lowest scorers. In the 20 league games they’ve played this season, they have failed to score 11 times. And they’ve scored just once in their last five Premier League fixtures. And the long-suffering Villa fans could be forgiven for casting covetous glances at this weekend’s opponents Leicester City. While Villa are unable to fork out the £2.5m asked by Manchester City for Scott Sinclair the Foxes have broken their club transfer record for the second time in little over six months – the £9.7m spent on Andrej Kramaric eclipsing the £8m purchase of Leonardo Ulloa in the summer. Good job then that Lambert’s team have a defensive record better than seven of the 11 teams above them in the table. And, stats fans, only one team – QPR – have conceded more goals than Leicester this season. It’s the entirely resistible force meeting the very much moveable object. So: a third Villa 0-0 on the bounce?

Can't argue too much with that piece.  Except the 0-0 thing does seem to be more at home.  Can see this one being tight, but think there will be some goals at least.

[Ads]

Cambiasso is out.

[Gregorys Boy]

Cambiasso is out.

Well I guess he just "couldn't be asked!"  Get it?  Been waiting to use that all season...

[edgysatsuma89]

I expect either 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1. Might go for the 'under 2.5 goals' option. I can't call the actual result though.

[Ads]

They, along with Hull, are the only team where it was actually a bit of a crime that we only scored two goals.

I know they've picked up and taken four points, knocked Newcastle out etc, but there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be going there and beating them. I agree it will likely be low scoring.

1-0 Villa with Benteke getting an early goal or something like that, wouldn't surprise me.

[Richard E]

They, along with Hull, are the only team where it was actually a bit of a crime that we only scored two goals.

I know they've picked up and taken four points, knocked Newcastle out etc, but there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be going there and beating them. I agree it will likely be low scoring.

1-0 Villa with Benteke getting an early goal or something like that, wouldn't surprise me.

I don't think it was a particularly high strength Newcastle they beat in the FA Cup either. They didn't look much cop at Villa Park.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I think we've had a bit of luck for once, playing opposition at an okay time.

Mahrez, who was their best player at Villa Park is at the African Cup of Nations, as is Schlupp (who ran around kicking Villa players). They also seem to have a few central midfielders out. Add to that the fact that I'm assuming this new signing for a club record won't be registered in time to play us and I think we have a decent chance.

Like us, they may struggle to set up their main striker.

I reckon Albrighton will probably start though, which is a worry.

I'm going for 1-1.