RB Leipzig v Aston Villa Pre-Match

[Hookeysmith]

Sounds like Watkins and Duran up front.

Apologies if this was posted earlier, came straight to the last page.

ITK or just a hunch?

Not sure this is the game to try something new even if their manager has said that we are predictable.

Everyone just take a minute to let it sink in that we are discussing a team to play RB Leipzig away to potentially further cement a place in the top 8 or 32 in the Champions league.

6 years ago we were 4th in Championship and had just drawn with the bitters 2-2

[Dave]

Sounds like Watkins and Duran up front.

Apologies if this was posted earlier, came straight to the last page.

ITK or just a hunch?

Not sure this is the game to try something new even if their manager has said that we are predictable.

I imagine he's read Emery's comments yesterday where he says "The next challenge I have is to play with both. We are trying and I will try again to play with both. We have to keep the balance, tactically, playing with both. The team is always first."

[brontebilly]

That's going to the some challenge for Emery. Away at RBL wouldn't be the time to try it anyway.

Is Onana available tonight?

[ChicagoLion]

Not in favour of playing both but hard to argue that playing Watkins as the wide or support striker will be much worse than Bailey or Billyjean.

[LeeB]

Sounds like Watkins and Duran up front.

Apologies if this was posted earlier, came straight to the last page.

ITK or just a hunch?

Not sure this is the game to try something new even if their manager has said that we are predictable.

Everyone just take a minute to let it sink in that we are discussing a team to play RB Leipzig away to potentially further cement a place in the top 8 or 32 in the Champions league.

6 years ago we were 4th in Championship and had just drawn with the bitters 2-2

I reckon we've already got enough points to be through in the top 24, it's just if we can make that top 8 and save ourselves those two extra games.

That 2-2 as well, that fucking cheating bastard Rodriguez.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Forest picked up that Grealish-a-like from Portugal in the summer for £7m, absolute buttons these days.

It's unlikely we didn't know about him, Forest signed him from V Sports club, Guimarães.

[Dave]

Is Onana available tonight?

He was on the bench on Saturday, so presumably he's not injured anymore. If probably not match-fit.

[usav]

Ramsey a big miss tonight with Bailey out.   If fit, I would play Onana alongside Kamara and push Youri up a little.

[Dave]

Ramsey a big miss tonight with Bailey out.   If fit, I would play Onana alongside Kamara and push Youri up a little.

Yeah, me too. Their main centre-back Willi Orban is definitely a Maguire / Dunk-style lump, so it feels like through balls for Watkins and Rogers to run onto is going to be more useful than slinging set-pieces into the box.

[eamonn]

Take two...

Aston Villa are the team with the highest percentage of their total passes being line-breaking passes in the UEFA Champions League this season (15.9%). Indeed, only two sides have made more line-breaking passes from their own half than Villa (211) this term: Bayer Leverkusen (241) and Juventus (216).

RB Leipzig have averaged 386 high-intensity pressures per game in the UEFA Champions League this season; the second-most of any team in the tournament, only behind Sturm Graz (392.4). Meanwhile, Aston Villa rank 33rd out of 36 teams for high-intensity pressures per game in the competition this term (265.80)

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is one of only five players to have completed 10+ dribbles (18) and created 10+ chances from open play (10) in the UEFA Champions League this season, along with Vinícius Júnior, Florian Wirtz, Savinho, and Johan Bakayoko.

Jhon Durán is Aston Villa’s top scorer in the UEFA Champions League this season (two goals), while no player has attempted more shots for them (9). This is despite the Colombian only being on the pitch for 35% of Villa’s match time in the competition this season (159/450).

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

No sorry, for the reasons Risso pointed out earlier.

Buy a tractor to plough the fields, don't try and adapt your Lamborgini Countach to the task.

I get the reticence to try it, but imagine if they can make it work?! Having our two most potent goal threats on the pitch at the same time could just be awesome.

[LeeB]

No sorry, for the reasons Risso pointed out earlier.

Buy a tractor to plough the fields, don't try and adapt your Lamborgini Countach to the task.

I get the reticence to try it, but imagine if they can make it work?! Having our two most potent goal threats on the pitch at the same time could just be awesome.

The reality of it is that you end up destroying the confidence of the player in question. That's not say people can't adapt, but  putting the ball in the net is where it's at, and those that are pretty good at it don't tend to ache to become water carriers instead.

[Baldy]

No sorry, for the reasons Risso pointed out earlier.

Buy a tractor to plough the fields, don't try and adapt your Lamborgini Countach to the task.

I get the reticence to try it, but imagine if they can make it work?! Having our two most potent goal threats on the pitch at the same time could just be awesome.

The reality of it is that you end up destroying the confidence of the player in question. That's not say people can't adapt, but  putting the ball in the net is where it's at, and those that are pretty good at it don't tend to ache to become water carriers instead.

Water Carrier??? Diaby got into loads of goal scoring positions. Besides, sitting on the bench is more likely to destroy someones confidence.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Some of the more prolific goal scorers (e.g. Salah, Son) in recent times play wide rather than centrally, so I don’t necessarily think Ollie playing wider would mean the goals would dry up.

[LeeS]

I think we are playing them at the worst  time. It really is make or break for them tonight. Lose and they are out. I expect them to come at us from the off.