West Ham United v Aston Villa Pre Match Thread.

[N'ZMAV]

just to be in this position is unbelievable - we was dead and buried a few weeks ago.

[PaulWinch again]

just to be in this position is unbelievable - we was dead and buried a few weeks ago.

Won’t mean much though if we don’t survive. Bloody win Villa please!

[Villa Lew]

Main men for West Ham Antonio, in the form of his life, Rice and Soucek the Czech international is a player, I've been impressed with, but if we play like we did against Arsenal reckon we can do it, just the one blow not having Elmo available.

Still even more nervous now, than I was for the play off final.

[Havencheese]

Woke up hungover with nervous energy, have already had to sit through near heart attack game watching my Essendon side stumble across the line to beat a godawful Adelaide team by 3 points in the AFL. This either has me battle hardened or due for a massive heart attack post 1am.

For the past few days I've felt confident, I've even had a Liverpool supporting mate get right behind Villa after they won the title just to sustain his interest in the season. He has successfully predicted that we would stay up, nearly every result he predicted he has gotten right since Palace in the relegation battle. Uncanny. The nerves have kicked in, what buoyed me and really actually got me excited a few days ago anticipating this fixture was repeatedly watching this, look at the steely conviction in the man's eyes, the steadfast words.

It's enough to convince me that we'll be fine.

That Ron Saunders spirit is what we need today. Also that video with David Bradley " Celebrating 140 years of Aston Villa" would be good but I don't know how to post videos on here.

Just think, many of the lads will have experience from one or more playoff finals and another cup final I won't mention but for our own nerves and sanity, see below.

Fire up!

[The Edge]

Woke up hungover with nervous energy, have already had to sit through near heart attack game watching my Essendon side stumble across the line to beat a godawful Adelaide team by 3 points in the AFL. This either has me battle hardened or due for a massive heart attack post 1am.

For the past few days I've felt confident, I've even had a Liverpool supporting mate get right behind Villa after they won the title just to sustain his interest in the season. He has successfully predicted that we would stay up, nearly every result he predicted he has gotten right since Palace in the relegation battle. Uncanny. The nerves have kicked in, what buoyed me and really actually got me excited a few days ago anticipating this fixture was repeatedly watching this, look at the steely conviction in the man's eyes, the steadfast words.

It's enough to convince me that we'll be fine.

That Ron Saunders spirit is what we need today. Also that video with David Bradley " Celebrating 140 years of Aston Villa" would be good but I don't know how to post videos on here.

Just think, many of the lads will have experience from one or more playoff finals and another cup final I won't mention but for our own nerves and sanity, see below.

Fire up!

That's the one. Bloody marvellous

[lovejoy]

An early goal to Bournemouth changes things.

[gpbarr]

I think we will lose today - going 2-1 to Spam. I think they have clicked, and while might be a little more relaxed than normal given they are on the beach, suspect there is a few nervous errors in us. Samatta nor Davis look capable of scoring, and so the goal will come from one of our midfield players.

But I think we survive on GD - Watford will be beaten easily I reckon by Arsenal, and I think Everton beat or draw against the south coast PL imposters!

Switching off now - can't bear to go through the agony real time - back on after 1pm EST to celebrate or drown my sorrows!

[CT]

An early goal to Bournemouth changes things.

Saying that, I assume our staff will be wired up to know exactly what’s going on in the other two games so we can change things accordingly.

[andyh]

An early goal to Bournemouth changes things.

Not really if we keep drawing.

[NellyBongo]

I've been a long time reader of this site, but today I finally registered. Seeing that video of the great Ron Saunders had me reminiscing. Supported Villa from the mid 70's, my late dad was a Villa fan, so I became one too. First game I went to was in the 78/79 season, vs QPR (we won either 3-1 or 3-2). I got all the players autographs, Cowans, Mortimer, Little, Rimmer, Gidman et al with the exception of Andy Gray ("Not signing autographs tonight lads" as he sped off in his Escort RS2000). Even Ron Saunders signed my brand new autograph book. Still have the book. I manage to get to 5 or 6 games a year, never sat in the Holte because a) I always think that's for the fans who go to every game and b) there is nothing like hearing the Holte roar when you sit by the halfway line. Seen us win the league, the league cup, the European cup (not there, just on the telly), get relegated, get promoted, be good and be rubbish. After all that time I should be relaxed about today in a whatever will be, will be, way. But no, I'm sat here, sweaty palms, sphincter twitching like a rabbits nose, hoping the hundreds of permutations go our way and we stay up. Happy ending to the weekend please Villa.

[TaxDodger]

An early goal to Bournemouth changes things.

Saying that, I assume our staff will be wired up to know exactly what’s going on in the other two games so we can change things accordingly.

I really hope so. Smith saying we'll go all out for the win does worry me slightly. I know it's the cliched thing all managers say in these circumstances, but if it's 0-0 with 10 minutes to go and Watford aren't winning but Bournemouth are, I really hope we don't go gung-ho looking for the winner.

[puppyfeat]

I just hope Villa like playing the Hammers at Stratford more than they used to at Upton Park. I must've seen us play there 5 or 6 times in the 80's and 90's and the best I ever saw us get was a draw, even when we had a better team than them, which was usually the case.

Maybe because of that I'm not feeling too optimistic about today, but I hope I'm wrong as I can't think of many worse clubs to get relegated by than fckng West Ham.

[four fornicholl]

I'm about to bite the bullet and pay 25 quid for a bt one month pass via now tv. Am I mad?

[Lastfootstamper]

An early goal to Bournemouth changes things.

Saying that, I assume our staff will be wired up to know exactly what’s going on in the other two games so we can change things accordingly.

I really hope so. Smith saying we'll go all out for the win does worry me slightly. I know it's the cliched thing all managers say in these circumstances, but if it's 0-0 with 10 minutes to go and Watford aren't winning but Bournemouth are, I really hope we don't go gung-ho looking for the winner.

We've our own version of going all out for the win. It's what we've deployed in the last three games. It'll start with making pretty damn sure we don't need to score many more than one to get the win, and be focused on manoeuvring Hourihane into positions around their box. It won't involve going 3-2-5 from the off.

[N'ZMAV]

Nice ground - went there to watch Guns n Roses in 2017 or 2018 can't remember which year