Aston Villa vs Birmingham City Pre-Match Thread

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can't see any sort of complacency once the players walk out onto the pitch. They'll soon realise what's expected.

[Hookeysmith]

If both teams play to the best of their ability then we will win as we are clear favourites with the bookies and rightly so as we are the form team of the entire football leagues

Its how we play the game - as they will try and play the occasion

F*ck the F*ckers

[andrew08]

I’m absolutely complacent about this game. We’ve won a few on the bounce and are playing well and haven’t lost to them in ages so people think, in ‘typical Villa’ fashion somehow then, they are due a win. The way I view it is we are due to give them another thrashing.

I fully expect this to be over by half time and them, by then, to be down to 10 men. Especially if they get us to kick into The Holte End first half.

Don’t worry everyone.

That’s exactly the sort of complacency that loses games 😊. They will be desperate to burst our win bubble and I expect a tight, nervy game with one goal in it.

This is true, but I’m balancing out my complacency with my lucky pants which I’ve worn, on match day, from Boro onwards, which have been responsible for our recent winning run😉

[sirlordbaltimore]

4-1

[Lastfootstamper]

Why is anyone concerning themselves that their far worse pile of not from round 'ere players will somehow be more fired up for this than our pile of considerably better not from round 'ere players, and miraculously become fucking Brazil? I look forward to more ironic bleating on SHA about how we're only where we are because everyone we play is shit.

I hate this game, but on this occasion that's got feck all to do with what'll be on the pitch.

[Ads]

I don't think they will be more fired up. I actually think Bruce's tragedy will unify our side into sweating blood to deliver a result for him as some small consolation.

[Clampy]

I've read one or two things today about Blues last night being absolutely knackered at the end of the game. I know they left a few players out but it might be an idea to put a couple of pacey players on the bench.

[FanNOTCustomer]

I hope the atmosphere is good, since we've been gone it's been completely dead. I know it's a full house but that doesn't equate to good atmosphere especially with early kick-off. We need to make it an intimidating as possible. Be loud, be heard. 

[lennythekad]

Slightly off topic, but are small rucksacks allowed in?. Couple of friends from Hamburg coming over, who need to head for airport straight after the game. Thanks.

[Damo70]

Slightly off topic, but are small rucksacks allowed in?. Couple of friends from Hamburg coming over, who need to head for airport straight after the game. Thanks.

They are allowing quite a few nutsacks in for the day so a couple of rucksacks shouldn't matter.

Bruce's record in the derby with the noses and us combined is W5 D3 L3.

[QuintonVilla]

I hope the atmosphere is good, since we've been gone it's been completely dead. I know it's a full house but that doesn't equate to good atmosphere especially with early kick-off. We need to make it an intimidating as possible. Be loud, be heard.

It will be, an early goal will ramp it up even more. It died after about 25 minutes last season until Gabby came on and gave everyone a lift.

[Matt Collins]

Hopefully we can attack from the off. We’ve scored early goals in recent home games

Johnstone

Tuanzebe Chester Terry Hutton

Jedinak Bjarnason

Snodgrass grealish Adomah

Hogan

Subs: bunn Elmo Taylor Hourihane green Onomah Grabban

[olaftab]

Why would we play 2 DM's against a fairly mediocre team at home?
Tuanzebe didn't look suited to right back last week when he came on and Elmo is actually  good in that position.

[frank black]

Tuanzebe is built and runs like a young Micah Richards, don’t you think. Anyway I don’t think we should be dropping Elmo.

[Matt Collins]

Bjarnason isn’t really a DM

I think this game is made for Jedinak. And at the moment I’d pick Barny ahead of hourihane. We can quibble over whether he’s a DM or a CM