Newcastle Utd vs Aston Villa pre-match thread

[Border villan]

I'd go back to

Luiz MCGinn
Traore Barkley El Ghazi
Ollie

I think it's our best and most creative team.  I know they were performing below par, particualy Barkley, but when we have been at our best this season it was witrh this team (save for Jack instead of ElGhazi).  I just feel we need to get our big players working again and Newcastle seems a good opportunity to do that.  Without Jack I just feel we ned the threat of Traore & Barkley (he hasn't been a threat I know, but if we can play him back into form for the remainder of the season it would be huge for us)

I would rather give Ramsey and Sanson time on the pitch to develop them rather than see Barkley on his walking tour of Premiership pitches.

[chrisw1]

I suspect lots of people would agree with you.  I just can't see them sparking us into life in the way Barkley could IF (i know) he can recapture his form. 

[brontebilly]

I'd go back to

Luiz MCGinn
Traore Barkley El Ghazi
Ollie

I think it's our best and most creative team.  I know they were performing below par, particualy Barkley, but when we have been at our best this season it was witrh this team (save for Jack instead of ElGhazi).  I just feel we need to get our big players working again and Newcastle seems a good opportunity to do that.  Without Jack I just feel we ned the threat of Traore & Barkley (he hasn't been a threat I know, but if we can play him back into form for the remainder of the season it would be huge for us)

Barkley was so genuinely useless upon his introduction against Wolves, don't think there is any chance of him starting thankfully. Luiz and Traore are in horrible form too but we can't drop them all. Cash and AEG starting tonight will be a boost but this is going to be a struggle with the first goal crucial. I like Ramseys energy and bite, getting him pressing the likes of Clark and Newcastle will keep booting the ball back to us. McGinn further forward might free him up a bit.

--------------Martinez
Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett
---------Luiz, Nakamba
McGinn, Ramsey, AEG
-------------Watkins

[ChicagoLion]

i like the idea Brontebilly but too radical for Dean

[JuanMartinez]

One of my fondest memories was Joachims diving header on a boiling hot August Saturday and Ian Taylor taking the piss when Shearer got a red.

[ROBBO]

This game will either confirm or rubbish my suspicion that without Grealish we would be relegation material, Really thought after his first few games that Barkley was Jacks back up but as we have witnessed he is nowhere near. Win in a canter Villa and set my worries to rest.

[Proposition Joe]

"Winnable" game? Check.
Opposition without key players? Check.
Kickoff time with the potential to ruin a whole weekend? Check.

A guaranteed loss. Toon 2-0 Villa, goals from Kieran Clarke and Ciaran Clark.

[in exile]

...Win in a canter Villa and set my worries to rest.

Good luck with that!
 

[Proposition Joe]

"Winnable" game? Check.
Opposition without key players? Check.
Kickoff time with the potential to ruin a whole weekend? Check.

A guaranteed loss. Toon 2-0 Villa, goals from Kieran Clarke and Ciaran Clark.

Wait, Dwight Gayle still plays for them, I forgot to include his obligatory goal against us.

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

Who knows after the Sheffield United game? I'm still getting flashbacks from that.

After all this is Aston Villa FC: which one will turn up?

(Head in hands emoji)

[chrisw1]

I'd go back to

Luiz MCGinn
Traore Barkley El Ghazi
Ollie

I think it's our best and most creative team.  I know they were performing below par, particualy Barkley, but when we have been at our best this season it was witrh this team (save for Jack instead of ElGhazi).  I just feel we need to get our big players working again and Newcastle seems a good opportunity to do that.  Without Jack I just feel we ned the threat of Traore & Barkley (he hasn't been a threat I know, but if we can play him back into form for the remainder of the season it would be huge for us)

Barkley was so genuinely useless upon his introduction against Wolves, don't think there is any chance of him starting thankfully. Luiz and Traore are in horrible form too but we can't drop them all. Cash and AEG starting tonight will be a boost but this is going to be a struggle with the first goal crucial. I like Ramseys energy and bite, getting him pressing the likes of Clark and Newcastle will keep booting the ball back to us. McGinn further forward might free him up a bit.

--------------Martinez
Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett
---------Luiz, Nakamba
McGinn, Ramsey, AEG
-------------Watkins

Can't see that team creating much really.  Would have 0-0 written all over it unless we can snag one of our very rare set peice goals.

[SoccerHQ]

Think Barkley will start tonight.

Traore wasn't great v Wolves so feels like it will be straight swop and also AEG coming in for Trez. Cash in aswell but I'd keep the midfield trio that start v Wolves as thought they were good first half so need to build on that.

[Dave]

Surprised that not many people would play Nakamba. Given last time we played them we beat them while playing in third gear, and he was probably man of the match, it suggests that he's got something decent to offer against this lot.

[Risso]

Surprised that not many people would play Nakamba. Given last time we played them we beat them while playing in third gear, and he was probably man of the match, it suggests that he's got something decent to offer against this lot.

At the moment other than Martinez, the defence and Ollie, everybody seems to be pretty much of a muchness. With McGinn, Sanson, Luiz, Trez, El Ghazi, Nakamba, Ramsey, Barkley and Traore though, they've nearly all been OK at times, some have been marginally than others and some have been substandard a lot of the time, so it's almost like it doesn't really matter. We're going to get a lot of huff and puff and not much in the way of real match winning quality whatever combination he picks. Absolutely none of them have had a performance that seals their place for a while. Nakamba has done as well as anybdy though, so wouldn't be against him starting.

[Mister E]

--------------Martinez
Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett
---------Luiz, Nakamba
McGinn, Ramsey, AEG
-------------Watkins

If we're going with this effectively 4-4-2 approach, Traore and Watkins upfront would work best. And, I'd like to see Sanson start.