Aston Villa vs Sheffield Utd pre-match thread - June 17th 6pm

[mallo]

I go in with no expectations - so it can only get better. Put in a performance Villa, like you mean it.

[GXVilla]

Yes I'm disenchanted with what football has become and really don't think football at the moment is appropriate, but it's still the Villa and a hugely significant game, so I'll be in front of the TV willing them on and caring far too much about the result. I can't change after over 50 years of support! This is not the year to get relegated.

[WarszaVillan]

Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.

Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?

I just long for the day when I can visit home and go to a match with my Dad and brother. I hope I get the chance to do this again. That could be in League One for all I care. I'll be watching on Wednesday with the same interest that I would watch a pre-season friendly.

Do you really mean this?  You're not bothered about the game or the result?  You don't care if we're relegated and lose our once in a generation player and the likes of Mings & McGinn?

I can understand why people feel disenchanted about the whole thing - I do as well.  But I can't undertsand why long terms fans seemingly aren't bothered if we win or lose, if we're relegated or not.

I'd prefer  us to stay up, but no I really don't care. I've perhaps realised more than ever before how football is to do with the fans, friends, atmosphere - even when watching on the TV this is the central part. If someone was to tell me that next year I could be at Villa Park watching Villa in the Championship I'd bite their hand off. Mings, Grealish, etc come and go.

[hilts_coolerking]

I wouldn't say I don't care whether we get relegated - I want us to stay up so obviously I care.  But if we do get relegated it won't bother me really. 

[colin69]

I think we will lose and be relegated. I hope I’m wrong but I just cannot see us improving enough. I don’t particularly want to have to pay for a nowtv pass but I guess I won’t be able to help myself. 

[darren woolley]

We really need to win our game in hand so I will say a Villa 2-1 win.

[chrisw1]

Never, in 40 odd years of following Villa have I looked forward to a game less than this.
Yes I'll follow it and yes I still hope we win but by God this is far way from the game that I fell in love with, and dark, dark precurser to where we could be in just a few years time.

Moi aussi- except substitute 60 years for 40. Does anyone else feel, as I do, that it might just be more fun in the Championship, away from the tentacles of big money television rights?

I just long for the day when I can visit home and go to a match with my Dad and brother. I hope I get the chance to do this again. That could be in League One for all I care. I'll be watching on Wednesday with the same interest that I would watch a pre-season friendly.

Do you really mean this?  You're not bothered about the game or the result?  You don't care if we're relegated and lose our once in a generation player and the likes of Mings & McGinn?

I can understand why people feel disenchanted about the whole thing - I do as well.  But I can't undertsand why long terms fans seemingly aren't bothered if we win or lose, if we're relegated or not.

I'd prefer  us to stay up, but no I really don't care. I've perhaps realised more than ever before how football is to do with the fans, friends, atmosphere - even when watching on the TV this is the central part. If someone was to tell me that next year I could be at Villa Park watching Villa in the Championship I'd bite their hand off. Mings, Grealish, etc come and go.

Well I'm sure we will be at Villa park watching Villa next year, so hopefully this is the worst case scenerio.

For me, I'll be gutted if we go down.  Absolutely gutted.

[Chris Smith]

I wouldn't say I don't care whether we get relegated - I want us to stay up so obviously I care.  But if we do get relegated it won't bother me really. 

Same here.

[Lastfootstamper]

I think we will lose and be relegated. I hope I’m wrong but I just cannot see us improving enough. I don’t particularly want to have to pay for a nowtv pass but I guess I won’t be able to help myself.

It's a bit of arsehole that were we the later game this Wednesday, we'd have been able to get our first three games in on a week pass.

[Mister E]

I'm currently re-thinking my future live-football options. Now that my folks are no longer alive and in the Midlands, the hassle of the 250 mile round trip and the even-more-of-a-hassle unsociable k-o times of many games, I'm definitely thinking I'll get a season ticket for Harrogate Town and not renew my Holte End ST.

But, my willpower is weak, and may just get one of each!

[Mister E]

We'll draw next Wednesday 1-1, and the agony will endure through to the last couple of games.

[Lastfootstamper]

I think we will lose and be relegated. I hope I’m wrong but I just cannot see us improving enough. I don’t particularly want to have to pay for a nowtv pass but I guess I won’t be able to help myself.

It's a bit of arsehole that were we the later game this Wednesday, we'd have been able to get our first three games in on a week pass.

Apologies if this misled anybody, or put them in even more of a quandary! Newcastle game is on BT, not Sky as stated in the Metro tv listings.

[Villan82]

The rules have been bent so much to our disadvantage that I am never again subscribing to sky and I am not sure I even call myself a football man any more.

[chrisw1]

The rules have been bent so much to our disadvantage that I am never again subscribing to sky and I am not sure I even call myself a football man any more.

How have they been bent to our specific disadvantage?

When the lockdown started we were in freefall and likley to be relegated
On current position, we would be relegated
On points per game we're relegated
On points per game weighted for home and away form we're relegated

I completly agree you shouldn't relegate teams when a season hasn't been finished and these last few games are not really a fair representation of what would have happened.  But given the new rules apply to everybody, how have they been bent to our disadvantage?

[brontebilly]

I think some are forgetting how bad football in the second division was and how close the club came to liquidation.

Our hopes for survival are based primarily on Grealish and McGinn and finding a way to get the best out of them. If we could recreate some of our football from earlier in the season with the ball, scoring goals shouldnt be a problem. Especially as either Samatta or Davis are likely to offer a hell of a lot more up front than Wes did for most of those games.

I don't see any obvious remedy to the soft centre in our midfield and full back unfortunately. Maybe Guilbert can recover some of his early form. But no matter what selection, we will still concede plenty of goals unfortunately.