Aston Villa vs West Ham Pre-Match Thread

[Nev]

Tuesday may have had a more positive effect than many people realise. There was a real danger that we'd go into Sunday's game flat on the floor.  As it is we still have issues, so do they but we're not as bad as everyone makes out, far from decent either but we're OK at home. Nothing more than a draw having scored first and more furrowed brows, not least the Manager.

1-1

[RamboandBruno]

My team;

Martinez

Cash
Chambers
Mings
Digne

Kamara
Luiz

Coutinho
Buendia

Ings
Watkins

I think a 4222, with the double box pressing aggressively is what's required. Looking at West Ham against Man City and Brighton, having their midfield forced narrow created a few problems. (1) it created passing lanes and space for the full backs to attack (2) it made them susceptible to the switch (3) it saw their double pivot was overran with numbers on a regular basis.

We have to do the basics better, we have to work incredibly hard and press aggressively as a unit high up the pitch. But with Ings dropping deeper into a false 9, it occupies Rice and a centre half (positionally at least) for Watkins to attack the gap with through balls. This is where Brighton scored their 2nd and Emi and Pip both played some lovely diagonals on Tuesday. If we create space for either, they're both good enough to punish it. Also gives us numbers when attacking wide, as both forwards and 10s can hit the box, with the double pivot higher up. One of the full backs has to be disciplined though.

This is where West Ham have come unstuck, feel this would amplify issues they've faced already so far with problems I dont think Moyes knows how to solve. Not the only way to beat them of course and I doubt we'll see it, but my musings nonetheless.

I like this team.
Although I’m not sure he’ll take McGinn out of the firing line, but he needs to.

And your right travelling is knackering, I’m still  tired from coming back from Bolton!

[Mellin]

That team is the way. Targett in for Digne.

[Legion]

0-2.

[Legion]

Ooh! A double box AND a double pivot! Is that something to do with ice-skating?

[gpbarr]

Nailed on defeat. They will bully us around, score from set pieces, and hasten the end of this nightmare

[Axl Rose]

0-0 or 1-0 to them.

[KRS]

We’re Villa and we’ll do what Villa always seem to do for any team on a bad run of results. Our midfield will look non-existent, our forward line won’t have any service, and the back four will struggle to clear the lines and relieve the pressure with possession lost time after time in midfield. The first of 3 straight defeats in the league for us…obviously I’m feeling very negative at the moment but hope I’m very very very wrong.

[Villafirst]

1-1. If we're lucky.

[sid1964]

1 - 1 hopefully we will defend well from corners / free kicks

Noticed that Rice did not play last night for West Ham - hopefully he will be out injured, last season he ran the show for them down at Villa Park.

[ozzjim]

They are a big team. We have struggled on set pieces all season. I am expecting the worst.

[sid1964]

Read elsewhere that Emi Martinez has injured is hand in training - hopefully a load of rubbish

[OzVilla]

They have been and are the team we match up most poorly against (except the top 2 obvs.) They expose everything that is weak about us.

2-0 Villa Watkins and Buendia.

[Gareth]

Game will be won and lost in the midfield, for all the stick Soucek seems to be getting from their fans him and Rice together will overpower our midfield most likely.  Unlikely McGinn gets dropped so hopefully they are working to calm him down - we need him as involved in play as he was on Tuesday night but he actually needs to pass to a Villa shirt not just smash it 20 yards long constantly.

                 Martinez
Cash Chambers Mings Digne
        Kamara Luiz Ramsey
            Buendia McGinn
                  Watkins

[Nunkin1965]

Will be a tight game but I'm backing us to just edge a 3-2 win.
It will be fun in the sun with a couple for Ings and one for Buendia.