Aston Villa vs Sunderland Pre-Match Thread

[Matt Collins]

Seems a bit worse than I thought. Two players stayed at home and several others didn't train

Sunderland are no arsenal but then neither are we.

Hopefully it's less bad than last year

[Steve67]

Could be a smokescreen to keep the Cats guessing. I hope for:
                            Guzan
Hutton.    Richards.          Clark.      Amavi
                     Gueye.    Veretout
Traore.                  Grealish.            Gil
                            Sinclair

I suspect though that Ashley will play and we may be less attack minded. Perhaps Sanchez in for Veretout


     

[Lobsterboy]

Without knowing who was ill or injured I would like us to go with the following line up tomorrow if all available:

Guzan, Bacuna, Richards, Clark, Amavia, Gueye, Westwood, Traore, Grealish, Ayew, Sinclair

Subs: Bunn, Hutton, Sanchez, Agbonlahor, Gil, Kozak, Veretout

[Clampy]

Without knowing who was ill or injured I would like us to go with the following line up tomorrow if all available:

Guzan, Bacuna, Richards, Clark, Amavia, Gueye, Westwood, Traore, Grealish, Ayew, Sinclair

Subs: Bunn, Hutton, Sanchez, Agbonlahor, Gil, Kozak, Veretout

I'd go with the line up. Baker or Rudi on the bench for Gabby though.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Physio Room suggests Sunderland have quite a few players out: Adam Johnson, Jordi Gomez, Younes Kaboul and Steven Fletcher.

Jeremie Lens and Billy Jones could both be back.

No mention of the bug for Villa, although Traore is listed as 'very doubtful'.

[Tayls_7]

                           Guzan

Hutton.       Richards.      Clark.           Amavi

Sinclair.       Gueye.        Sanchez.       Grealish

                   Ayew.         Gestede. 

[PeterWithesShin]

Tim Sherwood isn't giving up on the chance of Adama Traore being fit for the weekend clash with Sunderland.

Traore hobbled off against Notts County on Tuesday with an ankle problem.

Sherwood told the media this morning that the exciting young forward hasn't trained since - and won't train today.

But he's keeping his fingers crossed that he might be available for Saturday's game with the Black Cats.

Sherwood also revealed that two players - who he didn't want to name - are suffering with the flu, after a sickness bug hit the training ground over the last few days.

Again, the boss is hoping the pair will declare themselves fit for the Wearsiders encounter.

He said: "Adama has not trained since Tuesday - and he won't train today.

"But we will give him every chance to be fit. But we aren't going to know until tomorrow morning.

"He took a few kicks the other night. He tried to carry on but he's a marked man.

"We have a couple of players who are not here today because they are ill. There's a sickness bug going round the training ground.

"They aren't well - the doc is doing some overtime now.

"We are hoping they will be okay tomorrow."

[Toronto Villa]

Once our forwards know the areas to run into when Grealish or Traore drag that ball across the box we'll be scoring a good number of goals. No full back ever has enjoyed a winger really having a go at them, getting outside or cutting inside and delivering a low fizzing cross. Both of these lads can do that and if we get intelligent forwards or even like Sinclair who seem to find the right spot in the box we'll look so much healthier and a legitimate threat every time we attack.

[Fred]

Need a win. Think it will be a draw.

[levico]

As usual, I have no idea.

If Sinclair is fit and plays as our main striker then maybe we should win this. It's certainly a very winnable game.

[rob_bridge]

2-0

[Proposition Joe]

Don't like to hear of a bug going round, especially not before a winnable game.

Whatever happens, I think Gabby will start.

[ADVILLAFAN]

There was a bug before we played Arsenal at home last year. We dominated that for the first 20 minutes with Szczesny keeping them in the match.

Once they scored we fell to pieces though, losing 3-0.

[Matt Collins]

Taking a look at the training pics on the website it seems our defenders and strikers were all training. Didn't spot a midfielder apart from Ghana. Not that you'd expect everyone to be featured

Really could do with grealish for this one. Plus Sinclair and at least one other fully fit central midfielder

[brontebilly]

Would go with

--------------Guzan
Hutton, Richards, Clark, Amavi
---------Sanchez, Gueye-------
Gil, ----------------------Grealish
---------------Sinclair---------
--------------Gestede-----------

Hutton to hold his position, Sinclair to play further forward

Subs - Bunn, Bacuna, Baker, Veretout, Westwood, Traore (Ayew if not fit), Kozak