Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers Pre-Match Thread

[adrenachrome]

Traffic alert - if you travel to Villa and pass the Witton Arms, opposite the train station, there are road works there with temporary traffic Lights in each direction.

Onto the game, hopefully a win, and lets hope for a better performance. 2-1

On a similar note there is a replacement bus service on the Cross City Line into New St travelling from the south side.

http://www.londonmidland.com/your-journey/timetables/changes-to-our-planned-timetable

Many thanks for that; saved me numerous blood pressure points.

Taxi cabs R us.

[pooligan]

Villa to win 3-1

[Comrade Blitz]

3-1

[AVH87]

Just seen this post on Blackburn's forum, one or two of them seem quite bitter about us 

''There's only so far reputations will go. There's no doubt whatsoever that the Telegraph propaganda machine will be eating out of Coyle's hands before and after the match about what a brilliant team Villa are, what a lot of money they have spent, what a fantastic team they have, etc. etc. It was only yesterday that the Telegraph began their pre-match coverage describing Villa as a 'giant' of a club, thereby laying the foundations for the hard luck, poor little Rovers sob stories that will follow in the event of a defeat. In my opinion its very disrespectful and patronising for a local paper to go around labelling rivals as 'giants' especially when they'll floating around in the bottom half of the Championship and can't get close to our record of success over the last 20 years.

Amazing that Villa's massive size, brilliant squad and vast resources couldn't get them to beat juggernauts like Wolves, Brentford or Forest at home this season. So excuses like that have already been proven to be irrelevant.''

My favourite line is the bolded, what exactly is that, one League Cup in 2002? I'm guessing he's still dining off the League title they won 22 years ago, almost as relevant as me bringing up our league title the decade before in a pre-match thread.

These are a tinpot outfit who get 10,000 at home games, lets send their 300 away fans back with nothing to shout about.

[UK Redsox]

I've got a soft spot for Blackburn because I once knew a lovely young lady from Oswaldtwistle

[Richard E]

I've got a soft spot for Blackburn because I once knew a lovely young lady from Oswaldtwistle

My best mate from Uni was from Oswaldtwistle - it wasn't his sister was it?

[Small Rodent]

I've got a soft spot for Blackburn because I once knew a lovely young lady from Oswaldtwistle

Sounds like a cue for a limerick competition.

[Jon Crofts]

A 2-0 win which may be harder than we think. Hopefully Bacuna will be back to compliment Jedinak in the middle.

In a that's a nice beard you have there kind of way.

[ADVILLAFAN]

It'll be 6-4... Carnage.

The highest scoring game I've ever been to and I thought we'd buggered it up after 10 minutes. Seem to remember we played them 5 times that year. Think we beat them in the FA and League Cups and lost in both the League matches??

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

It's going to be another 1-1 I'm afraid.

[chrisw1]

Bruce has just said Adomah and Grealish are ok to play, Ayew suspended and Bacuna unlikely to make it.

[Villafirst]

Good to see Adomah fit. Bacuna not too far off apparently, but tomorrow likely to be too soon.

[Tugby Villain]

A 2-0 win which may be harder than we think. Hopefully Bacuna will be back to compliment Jedinak in the middle.

In a that's a nice beard you have there kind of way.

[Marton]

I like Tshibola very much but watching him the other night in the reserves I can see what the coaching staff might see in Training. While He looked very average (except for a great finish to put us ahead) Grealish looked about 6 divisions above Blackburn. 

Personally I would pick Tshibola but I can't, for the life of me, understand fans like Marton who seem to have a constant downer on our most talented young player.

I am in no way the only one that is over the Grealish-hype, but I will gladly change my opinion on him again when he:
a ) take training seriously enough to last for 90 min.
b) stay sober and focused like a professional footballer who is a part of team and not spoil t brat on an ego-trip.
c) get coached properly so he develop some sense of intelligence on the pitch.

No doubt he has talent, but at the current state he is a best an impact sub who I prefer gets picked to start only when Ayew and/or Bacuna i unavailable (like for this game).
I  would never pick Grealish over Ayew and think Baunca is vital for us to have creativeness in midfield until we can recruit options in January.

Make no mistake, I love us to beat Blackburn to pulp on Saturday and get another 3 points towards closing the gap. But I prefer Bruce  do that without loosing perspective on how to solve the midfield conundrum. My view on how to solve that is to use Grealish conservatively and never ever again use Westwood in competitive game. If that offends you cause you seen Grealish dominate a B-game midweek, you are entirely entitled to think that.

[tomd2103]

Bruce has just said Adomah and Grealish are ok to play, Ayew suspended and Bacuna unlikely to make it.

Wouldn't be my choice, but I'm expecting the following line up tomorrow:

                                 Gollini

Hutton       Chester (c)         Baker         Amavi

                                Jedinak

                 Westwood            Gardner

Adomah                    Kodjia                 Grealish


Subs:- Bunn, Elphick, Cissokho, Tshibola, Agbonlahor, McCormack, Gestede