Aston Villa vs Leeds United Pre Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

Ok ladies and gents - statement game coming up. Two disappointing draws on the bounce now we simply cannot afford anything less than a win or we will start falling behind the plays off let alone maintain any ambitions of the top two. Defence just has to be better and we need to take more chances. I don’t want to see Whelan anywhere near the starting line up.

[Three Spires Villa]

No drama, 2-0 to the Villa, 

[Axl Rose]

No Grealish, no victory. Says my heart.

My head says we'll win 3-1.

Whelan is dreadful. Shouldn't be anywhere near our squad. I'm very surprised to see Smith selecting him, actually.

[garyshawsknee]

I'm not usually right on these things, but I get the feeling we are gonna turn in a good performance after a disappointing one, a couple of new faces in the team to freshen things up. I think Smith has already performed well against these earlier in the season and Brentford should have won up there.

[Brend'Watkins]

Same line up as against Stoke then a draw at best. 

[RichardBatchelor]

Another draw in a cracking game - then the flat track bullying commences and we storm into the play-off positions next month!

[UK Redsox]

I'll be up an Alp trying to find somewhere to watch on TV

Hopefully I'll find a bar that has BeIN

[Toronto Villa]

I'll be up an Alp* trying to find somewhere to watch on TV

Hopefully I'll find a bar that has BeIN

*Flicks through urban dictionary for what is meant by "up an alp"

[Sexual Ealing]

I'm taking my Leeds-supporting brother-in-law, and wavering between Leeds & Villa 10 year old nephew to this. I'm hoping we can finish the job for the boy.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I object to the title of this thread.
Their name is Dirty Leeds. 

[Fred Crump]

It was 50 years ago Andy, but Don Revie has left now.

[SoccerHQ]

If Grealish plays I reckon we have enough to win this (Leeds have a few injured in defence).

If as seems he won't make the game think it will be another frustrating draw.

On balance 1-1.

Edit: Mentioned it last week but I'd like to see El Ghazi in number 10 position. Kodjia will certainly start so it's whether DS will stick with 3 in midfield or just go for it (we know what option SB would've gone for).

Leeds will certainly not be coming here to park the bus. They played loads of attacking midfielders behind main striker, Klich, Hernandez, Allioski and Samuel Saiz (although he seems to be going back to Spain in January). That should mean more space for our wide players if we can get the ball quickly enough to them this week.

[Damo70]

I am pretty sure the first game between Villa and Leeds I went to was a midweek game at Villa Park shortly before we won the European cup and we lost 1-4. I also think Mark Walters made his Villa debut that night. The first time I went to Elland Road was in SGT's first season and we beat them 1-3 and I was there again in the January when we beat them in the FA Cup. But then I think they beat us at home around Easter and I seem to recall 'Super Baggie' Bob Taylor scored one or possibly two against us which at the time was a blow to our automatic promotion hopes.

[SoccerHQ]

On the topic of past Villa-Leeds games the epic 3-2 cup win in 2000 is easily in the top 5 live games I've seen.

A classic up tie, Carbone curling in a shot from near the corner flag for one of his three goals and Merson was simply majestic. Will always remember him waltzing past 3-4 defenders, heading the ball to Carbone and Duberry clashing heads which drew blood. Merse didn't even want to come off but didn't know where he was or even we scored.

We had a really good record against them around that time (they were challenging near the top of premier league in those days). Pretty sure we won twice at Elland Road and Southgate scored the winner on each occasion.

[john e]

anyone remember Jim Combes letting one slip under his body against Leeds a million years ago

think it might have been the first game of the season but memory fades