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

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I feel we are balanced and have good mobility in midfield, with lots of guile. We create plenty and have a striker who can stick them away. Suddenly we are organised at the back and have full backs who are effective going forwards. We deal with both pace and the high ball well defensively too.

These are our strengths, but beyond what we see from our style of play, its the intangible. There is a confidence about the squad that you can almost reach out and touch. We are full of belief and when you add that onto the strengths, it makes you confident.

The Albion have some good players. Phillips in midfield, their two forwards, their experience in Brunt etc. But they feel very much thrown together. They've sacked a manager and have no clear style of play. They're not good enough to play out from the back and have reverted to a 352. They are largely pedestrian in midfield and until they played 352, one of their forwards was shoehorned out wide. 

Whereas I can look at us this year and see what we can do, I feel there's a element of Bruce's squad last year about them. Its more scoop up enough numbers and chuck them at the opposition to see what happens, as their forwards are capable of digging them out of holes.

There is the tangible sense of disorganization and a lack of belief in them. That's why I think we'll win and I hope we run all over them first leg to make a week today as comfortable as it possibly can be.

[ChicagoLion]

There are only 3 certainties in life Death, Taxes and Albion cheating.
Overcome that and a decent ref, we win.

[simon ward 50]

There are only 3 certainties in life Death, Taxes and Albion cheating.
Overcome that and a decent ref, we win.

Too many variables!

[brontebilly]

Albert Adomah? I remember when he was good. Never witnessed a players form disappear and not return to make at least make a few fleeting appearances. He works his socks off and helps defensively but blimey he seems a spent force in the attacking sense. If he can by some miracle regain a smidgen for the playoffs please.

Scored a cracker at Leeds a couple of weeks ago! L

[Lastfootstamper]

Back in Jan/Feb I was very confident we could make the play-offs if we could rediscover the early December form, get Jack back fit and the new defenders clicked.  Now we are there I don't feel very confident at all.

The reasons being I think we have been fluffing too many chances recently and although the defence is massively improved, we always seem to have at least one error in us that always seems to get punished.   Plus I can see the meatheads heavily targeting Jack.

We are due a bit of luck against the boggies though so I think we'll sneak the home leg 1-0 or 2-1.   

During the ten match winning run, we kept 5 clean sheets, and only conceded 5 goals in total.  We scored 23.

Stop worrying!

No side has successfully targeted Grealish. Bring it on, let them try. They will fail. He's not lost in a Villa shirt since October.

[KRS]

Dean has us playing to a system which is clearly working and all the players know their roles in the system so making changes doesn't impact upon the team. Any suggestions for changing formation or tactics won't and shouldn't happen at this stage.

I think we'll dominate possession but the key is being clinical in front of goal and putting our chances away. Every player needs to be in the mindset that a goal scoring chance is their only one of the game, be ruthless and put it away. As long as we don't sit back and stay on the front foot then we should win this and take at least a 2 goal lead in to the second leg.

[chrisw1]

For me this is the obvious team:

                      Steer
 Elmo - Tuanzebe - Mings - Taylor
                     Whelan
               McGinn -  Grealish
      Adomah - Abraham - El Ghazi

Subs: Hourihane, Hause, Davis, Kodjia, Green, Kalinic

[KRS]

If Hause is fully match fit then I'd have him in there alongside Mings. They have a good partnership and Axel has looked a bit of the pace in the last few games.

[brontebilly]

For me this is the obvious team:

                      Steer
 Elmo - Tuanzebe - Mings - Taylor
                     Whelan
               McGinn -  Grealish
      Adomah - Abraham - El Ghazi

Subs: Hourihane, Hause, Davis, Kodjia, Green, Kalinic

From what I can tell, here is what they are likely to line up as. Excellent keeper, bruisers at back, 45 goals from the front two this season. Johansen seems to have an excellent signing, played very well against us in playoff final last summer too.

--------------Johnstone
----Dawson, Bartley, Hegazi
Holgate, Harper, Johansen, Brunt, Gibbs
------------Gayle, Rodrigues

[Ads]

For me this is the obvious team:

                      Steer
 Elmo - Tuanzebe - Mings - Taylor
                     Whelan
               McGinn -  Grealish
      Adomah - Abraham - El Ghazi

Subs: Hourihane, Hause, Davis, Kodjia, Green, Kalinic

From what I can tell, here is what they are likely to line up as. Excellent keeper, bruisers at back, 45 goals from the front two this season. Johansen seems to have an excellent signing, played very well against us in playoff final last summer too.

--------------Johnstone
----Dawson, Bartley, Hegazi
Holgate, Harper, Johansen, Brunt, Gibbs
------------Gayle, Rodrigues

They have been saying Bartley and Harper are both poor, the latter having no ability to do defensive work.

I think 352 would suit us, as we match them well for pace in Tuanzebe (probably the fastest player in the league) and Mings who is quick at a gallop too. Key is ensuring our full backs can push up high to turn 3 into a 5 and isolate their front two.

Brunt and Johansen are not the quickest and we're mobile as they come with Grealish and McGinn, which suits us given possession in 352 is critical. Dominate the ball and we perhaps make them stretch the game. I'd back our centre halves chasing their front two down all day and definitely in the air.

I would be surprised if Shan did not change the system again and go for a 451, with Gayle wide and Phillips brought back in. I think Brunt will certainly start, with Johansen anchoring. Again though, our mobility and speed of transition is where we have the edge.

[KRS]

Johnstone has had a lot of critics from Baggies fans this season too...let's hope Agent Johnstone doesn't have his best games of the season in the playoffs.

[frank black]

Albert Adomah? I remember when he was good. Never witnessed a players form disappear and not return to make at least make a few fleeting appearances. He works his socks off and helps defensively but blimey he seems a spent force in the attacking sense. If he can by some miracle regain a smidgen for the playoffs please.

Scored a cracker at Leeds a couple of weeks ago! L

True a worldy. You would have thought he’d be really turning in some great performances knowing he’s out of contract soon (I think?)

[cheltenhamlion]

I think we will batter the fucking arsewipes. 6-3 on aggregate.

On a different note, I might have Woodhall's rant buried in an email somewhere so will have a look for it later.

[LeeB]

I think we will batter the fucking arsewipes. 6-3 on aggregate.

On a different note, I might have Woodhall's rant buried in an email somewhere so will have a look for it later.

I tend to agree with Mr Lion, I think we'll tan 'em.

[Risso]

The only minor concern I have is that if they go 3-5-2, we might get overrun in midfield.  Albert is OK at tracking back though, El Ghazi is so-so at it, but Green isn't at all.  That said, the way Mings and Axel like to get forward, it's sometimes like having an extra midfielder.