Aston Villa vs West Bromwich Albion (Play-off Semi 1st leg): Pre-match Thread

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

                       Steer
Elmo     Tuanzebe     Mings      Hause
        Grealish   Whelan    SJM
Kodjia          Abraham        El Ghazi

That's the team for me Hause would be much more effective at LB ……..

[andyh]

Probably the team I’d go for too, even though it’s very harsh on Taylor.

[Lastfootstamper]

I can't see Smith swapping Taylor out for Hause. For me, selection questions are which of Tuanzebe and Hause partners Mings, and Green, Adomah and Kodjia are fighting for the one shirt. Other than that, team picks itself.

[SoccerHQ]

Key will be in midfield I think.

They have decent footballers in there, Barry, Brunt, Livermore etc but recovery pace isn't something they're blessed with so I reckon we can overrun them if ours are all on good form.

They've pretty much conceded as many goals as we have this season so it's not like some brick wall we'll be attacking.

Only issue is Gayle and Rodriguez can knick goals with any part of their body if they get enough crosses into six yard box so I'd be surprised if we kept a clean sheet even if we are dominant.

1-1 would be o.k, 2-1 would be good and 3-1 would be excellent and pretty much job done would be my way of thinking for this.

[Lastfootstamper]

Barry's out, I believe. Had an op on his knee in April.

[hilts_coolerking]

They were decent enough to finish just above us and our goals for / against is remarkably similar.  I think it'll be a close one.  1-0 to us.  Tammy. 

[malckennedy]

I can't see Smith swapping Taylor out for Hause. For me, selection questions are which of Tuanzebe and Hause partners Mings, and Green, Adomah and Kodjia are fighting for the one shirt. Other than that, team picks itself.

Out of Green, Adomah or Kodjia it must be Kodjia.

[The_ads]

3-0

[The_ads]

They have better players on paper - we have better form.

Depends whether their 6 week Play Off Purgatory has been a chance for them to recharge or switch off.

It'll be decided in the first leg. Win and we will go through. Draw/Loss and I'd fancy them

They absolutely do not

[Sexual Ealing]

Everybody's confidence is worrying me.

[pauliewalnuts]

They've finished above us, done well against us this season already, and are a pretty solid side in most respects.

There's also the concern that this is, for them, a cup final, and that they're going to be pumped up for this game.

To that end, we need to not be overly confident or arrogant about this and realise that Albion are a proper decent side who could easily cause us problems.

I am going to be honest, I see it as being much more testing than most Villa fans do.

I am going for 5-0 to the Villa boys.

[KRS]

Having spoken to a couple of Baggies supporters, they have absolutely no confidence in their team and think we will batter them...their defence is slow and shit, and their midfield is old, slow and shit even without the injured Barry. My only concern are the 2 cheating bastards up front...Rodriguez isn't a goal scorer but does a lot of work off the ball as a foil for the other little cheating shit. If we play the game on the front foot we will have too much for them in midfield and up front...we just HAVE to be clinical in front of goal. I expect they will get a goal from a dodgy penalty or set piece.

3-1

[andyh]

Mings will destroy that cheating baggy ******.

[KevinGage]

Everybody's confidence is worrying me.

Early afternoon kick offs are generally bollocks.

0-0 or 0-1 to them.

Feel better?

[tomd2103]

Only real decisions for me are Hause or Tayor at LB and Green or Adomah at RW.  I would be tempted to go for the former over the latter in both cases with the rest of the team picking itself.

From the Albion callers I have heard on WM in the past couple of weeks, it sounds like they have been playing 3-5-2, which I think could give us opportunities to get at them.