Aston Villa v Middlesbrough Pre-Match Thread

[Malandro]

You just know that tonight is going to be an eye bleeding rearguard affair where he sends the team out to deny Boro as opposed to for a win. He'll blame injuries, the pitch, the fans, the recent eclipse and the worsening political situation regarding North Korea amongst a whole host of non Steve Bruce things for our failings. I can't wait to shiver my balls off watching us brilliantly score nil and pray Boro do the same.

It's going to absolutely piss down as well from about 7pm tonight, for the rest of the evening.

Perfect. I can fly back the following morning with a fever and us sitting bottom 3.

All that and you think your flight will be on time?

[paul_e]

You just know that tonight is going to be an eye bleeding rearguard affair where he sends the team out to deny Boro as opposed to for a win. He'll blame injuries, the pitch, the fans, the recent eclipse and the worsening political situation regarding North Korea amongst a whole host of non Steve Bruce things for our failings. I can't wait to shiver my balls off watching us brilliantly score nil and pray Boro do the same.

I really doubt it, generally he has tried to play an attacking game at home. He knows he needs a win so we will try to play on the front foot although there needs to be a balance as they are a decent side.

I do feel for you though, your poor little thing having to go out in the cold. Try to stay strong.

Chris, I'd go along with your optimism except I saw first hand how we did the very opposite of everything you just described on Saturday. And I will bring an extra layer for my balls and something waterproof for my head tonight. Thanks for caring 😄

Very sensible, maybe take a flask as well.

It's going to be wet but the forecast is 12/13 degrees so not that cold really.

I hate the over egging of individual games but this one does feel pivotal to me. I think it will be extremely difficult for Bruce to recover from another poor result but also some of the players. A change of manager inevitably results in changes and some may find themselves surplus to requirements.

I just don't think he has it in him Chris to change drastically enough to affect the result tonight. The players will be confused too considering he has sent them out with mixed messages. What seemed to work well against Norwich and Wigan was suddenly changed for no reason vs Bristol City. Instead of going back to that style vs Brentford we witnessed an even more pathetic display. After 11 months a manager with his experience should have identified a specific way of playing. He doesn't know what that is and it is clearly being reflected by the players on the pitch. I don't expect much better or different tonight.

I think the Brentford display was down to performance rather than tactics, the players just looked flat and what had worked well previously just did not happen. The fault from the manager's perspective was not recognising players who needed a rest and from the players for retreating into a timid, reactive performance. All need to do better tonight, whether or not they can or will is another matter. I will travel in hope, otherwise what's the point?

I disagree, I think we were setup deeper and that the flat nature of the performance came from there.

[Clark W Griswold]

You just know that tonight is going to be an eye bleeding rearguard affair where he sends the team out to deny Boro as opposed to for a win. He'll blame injuries, the pitch, the fans, the recent eclipse and the worsening political situation regarding North Korea amongst a whole host of non Steve Bruce things for our failings. I can't wait to shiver my balls off watching us brilliantly score nil and pray Boro do the same.

I really doubt it, generally he has tried to play an attacking game at home. He knows he needs a win so we will try to play on the front foot although there needs to be a balance as they are a decent side.

I do feel for you though, your poor little thing having to go out in the cold. Try to stay strong.

Chris, I'd go along with your optimism except I saw first hand how we did the very opposite of everything you just described on Saturday. And I will bring an extra layer for my balls and something waterproof for my head tonight. Thanks for caring 😄

Very sensible, maybe take a flask as well.

It's going to be wet but the forecast is 12/13 degrees so not that cold really.

I hate the over egging of individual games but this one does feel pivotal to me. I think it will be extremely difficult for Bruce to recover from another poor result but also some of the players. A change of manager inevitably results in changes and some may find themselves surplus to requirements.

I think if we fail to win tonight (which is very likely), Barnsley away will be last years Preston away. I think he'll go if we lose that one after failing to win tonight. You would have thought the intention would have been to look at it at the end of the month but 1-2 points from those first 3 will be very hard to recover from in terms of convincing Xia he's the man to carry on after the next international break.

[Malandro]

Here today, gone tomorrow. Hopefully.

I have no faith that a win will turn into a run. More likely a win, three draws and a defeat.

Teams aren't coming here and upping their game to 'claim a scalp', they just identity the many weaknesses.

[QuintonVilla]

On of the off chance we won tonight you just know he would completely change the system at Barnsley and we'd play out a defensive 1-1. The way he set us up at Bristol City after beating Norwich was just downright bizarre. He's showing far too much respect to teams in this piss pot league. Let them fear us and worry about us not the other way round.

[ktvillan]

I always want Villa to win but slightly torn on this one in that I do  feel that a defeat, or even a lucky draw,  might be the bearable short term pain that will enable longer term gain.

[somec]

Is Kodija back tonight?

[LukeJames]

Yeah he is, probably get 30 mins from the bench.

[St AustellAVFC]

Well I've no idea what to think anymore regarding the Villa. I feel like shit and I've got a gruelling 12 hour night shift ahead. Years gone by and I'd be gutted to be working on match day, but nowadays I couldn't give a crap. Prediction is Villa 1-0 Boro a late winner from Chester.

[Ads]

Lose and I think he will be sacked.

[Axl Rose]

2-0 to us. Hogan at the double.

[Matt Collins]

I think he has to win either this or Barnsley, and a bad defeat today and he could go - based in part on the fans reaction

I feel like I've taken on a "Bruce defender" role when I've got massive problems with him

But I do feel that if and when he goes, the paucity / risk of our credible options will become very quickly apparent

Part of me thinks we should deprioritise the assumption we can go up this year, our 'tried and tested players' approach and build from the bottom, with the youth etc, even if we wait a few years  and sell the likes of Kodjia next summer

Bruce isn't the man to lead that, but equally there's no point in rushing to get whoever is available in September either. That's only worth doing if we still want promotion this season.

[postal]

2-0 to us. Hogan at the double.

Did you forget to take your pills today? 

I expect to lose tonight

I expected to win on Saturday, but at least to have more than 1 shot on target all game.

[Toronto Villa]

You just know that tonight is going to be an eye bleeding rearguard affair where he sends the team out to deny Boro as opposed to for a win. He'll blame injuries, the pitch, the fans, the recent eclipse and the worsening political situation regarding North Korea amongst a whole host of non Steve Bruce things for our failings. I can't wait to shiver my balls off watching us brilliantly score nil and pray Boro do the same.

It's going to absolutely piss down as well from about 7pm tonight, for the rest of the evening.

Perfect. I can fly back the following morning with a fever and us sitting bottom 3.

All that and you think your flight will be on time?

I do. But I also expect the plane to blow a tire as it takes off seeing it flip multiple times down the runway.

[Hookeysmith]

Should be

 
                               Jonstone

DeLaet         Chester             Terry          Taylor

                               Jedinak

             Lansbury                  Hourihanne


Snodgrass                Hogan                 Elmohady


And if shite after 50+ mins swap Elmo / Jedi for Kodja + Bjorn (442) or one of the very promising young uns

What we will likely get as he must be shitting it

                              Johnstone

           Chester          Samba             Terry

Elhomady   Whelan    Jedinak    Bjorn      Taylor

                               I
                               I
                               I
                               I
                               I  40 / 50 yards
                               I
                               I
                               I
                               V

                     Hogan or Gabby

Someone should be standing in the tunnel at the end of the game with his P45

Hopefully