Aston Villa vs Burnley Pre-Match

[RamboandBruno]

I’m not sure what young Tim has done to prove he is good enough to start in such an important match in our season. Not a slight against him at all and the fact Emery has kept him around as opposed to selling him like Archer, Bidace and A Ramsey, must mean he rates him highly.
Even so, after the last two results, a win is vital here and I’m sure he should be thrown in, in such a pivotal role in the team, a sub appearance maybe.

Think I’d go with

Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Torres
Moreno

Donk
Luiz
McGinn
Zaniolo

Diaby
Watkins

2-0 (Watkins, Diaby)

[Monty]

Tim moved the ball sharper than Donk and has a whole season under his belt at QPR where by all accounts he was extremely promising. Maybe that's not enough to start, sure, but it's fair to wonder if he shouldn't play a role at some point.

[Brazilian Villain]

I’m not sure what young Tim has done to prove he is good enough to start in such an important match in our season. Not a slight against him at all and the fact Emery has kept him around as opposed to selling him like Archer, Bidace and A Ramsey, must mean he rates him highly.
Even so, after the last two results, a win is vital here and I’m sure he should be thrown in, in such a pivotal role in the team, a sub appearance maybe.

Agreed, not the game to throw Tim in from the start.

[SaddVillan]

Tainted => Yanited

Bloody predictive text.

You do know that you can edit posts.

I keep forgetting that.

Thanks for the hint, I've corrected the errors.

Cheers

[Brazilian Villain]

Tainted => Yanited

Bloody predictive text.

You do know that you can edit posts.

I keep forgetting that.

Thanks for the hint, I've corrected the errors.

Cheers

No worries, I enjoy your posts (even with the odd error).

[AV84]

Slowly the vast majority of us have come to appreciate the way that Unai is getting the team to build from the back, probing the opposition and exploiting space.
A couple of indifferent results where we have seen tired players making a few mistakes and the “get into ‘em” “boot it long” posters begin to emerge.
This is a long term project. In Unai we trust.

I've come to appreciate it, and trust it, but at the same time, when it's not working and we're about to lose a game we were winning 2-0, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to see it booted long occasionally, just for a few minutes like.

[Risso]

I don't think anybody is calling for route one football or banging it forward, but there has to be some sort of ability to correct things in game when it's clear things are going badly wrong, as they were against Man U. They had a midfield of Mainoo and Eriksen and yet they dominated us completely second half.

[AV84]

At then end of the Shef Utd match we had a throw in very near the half way line in our own half. Cash(I think) was about to take it and was lining up to throw it pretty much straight to a Villa player in front of him, but Emery is behind him shouting and pointing to throw it back to Martinez. So it goes all the way back and we play out from the back, despite there only being seconds left, and nothing comes of it. It's times like that where I start to question, ever so slightly, if we really need to build from the back every single time, even when the ball isn't back there already.

(I do know we scored a goal against Everton from that sloppy throw in Young took in his own half, so maybe Emery was more worried about them scoring again than us doing it.)

[Drummond]

Martinez

Cash
Konsa
Torres /Lenglet
Moreno

Dendoncker
Luiz

Zaniolo
Ramsey/Diaby

Bailey
Watkins

I'd rest McGinn because I think he needs it.

[Clampy]

Martinez

Cash
Konsa
Torres /Lenglet
Moreno

Dendoncker
Luiz

Zaniolo
Ramsey/Diaby

Bailey
Watkins

I'd rest McGinn because I think he needs it.

The other alternative is play him against Burnley and leave him out the FA cup game.

[ChicagoLion]

That central midfield got over run on Boxing Day.
Ramsey and Carlos should be dropped.
Mcginn moved back into midfield.

[Axl Rose]

Dendoncker isn't very good. We need a bit better to be honest, but maybe he'll suffice against Burnley.

[Risso]

Hopefully Torres is fit because Carlos needs dropping. Ramsey too, needs to be reintroduced gradually because he's been at about 30% of his usual ability at best.

Martinez

Cash Konsa Torres Moreno

Bailey Luiz McGinn Zaniolo

Diaby Watkins

[Chris Smith]

I don't think anybody is calling for route one football or banging it forward, but there has to be some sort of ability to correct things in game when it's clear things are going badly wrong, as they were against Man U. They had a midfield of Mainoo and
Eriksen and yet they dominated us completely second half.

They mainly bypassed the midfield by putting the ball in behind us quickly. To me it seemed the problem was us not retaining possession in vital areas and not dealing well with the turnovers.

[Chris Smith]

Dendoncker isn't very good. We need a bit better to be honest, but maybe he'll suffice against Burnley.

I think the suffice against Burnley argument could be used in favour of starting Iroegbunam in place of  Dendoncker.