Aston Villa v Forest Pre-Match Thread

[Rotterdam]

Hopefully one of the big lads will mark that massive Serbian CB when they have a corner, and not SJM or Cash/Digne.

[Rigadon]

Horrible team to have one of them horrible ones as they are funeraled good and proper.

[usav]

Yep - would bring back Mings because Forest are such a physical side.

Agree, they simply over-powered us in the reverse fixture.  We didn't have Kamara or Mings then, it should be different this time.

[London Villan]

I'd play Onana and Kamara in midfield for this.

[Nii Lamptey]

Sat 5th April 17.30.

Other games in the European chase

Thurs
Chelsea v Spurs

Sat
Palace v Brighton
West Ham v Bournemouth

Sun
Brentford v Chelsea
Fulham v Liverpool
ManU v ManC

Mon
Leicester v Newcastle

BIG fan of 'the other games' breakdown in the first post PWS. Saves me going hunting for them....
Consider the 'bar raised' for future pre-match threads.  😁

[Dave]

Forest forum seems to think that Aina is screwed for Saturday and obviously Moreno can't play. Hudson-Odoi missed their game the other day with a "personal matter" but should be back. Wood seems to be improving, but they don't seem confident that he's going to be back.

A few of them are seeing Saturday as a bit of a free hit, and if they need to lose a game in their run-in then this one wouldn't be a bad one.

[OCD]

Hopefully their players feel the same.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Forest forum seems to think that Aina is screwed for Saturday and obviously Moreno can't play. Hudson-Odoi missed their game the other day with a "personal matter" but should be back. Wood seems to be improving, but they don't seem confident that he's going to be back.

Yeah, Nuno just confirmed Aina is out and Woods is getting back but I doubt he'll risk him for Saturday.

[Hookeysmith]

For as good as they have been this season we were 10 mins and a couple of awful ref decisions away from beating them.

Need to score early as they like to make it a game of attrition so we will need to open them up. They concede a lot of possession to counter on transition so we need our passing to be crisp and fast

[Rigadon]

Forest forum seems to think that Aina is screwed for Saturday and obviously Moreno can't play. Hudson-Odoi missed their game the other day with a "personal matter" but should be back. Wood seems to be improving, but they don't seem confident that he's going to be back.

Yeah, Nuno just confirmed Aina is out and Woods is getting back but I doubt he'll risk him for Saturday.

They've been incredibly lucky with injuries this season so it's good they have a couple now.  They've also massively benefitted from the refs 'letting things go' more.  This is kind of fixture that I'd advocate the Villa players and staff making it obvious to the officials where that's happening during the game.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Hope we have a strong ref who will keep an eye on all the off the ball stuff. Horrid team are Forest

Ref is Simon Hooper who isn't on my blacklist, in fact he has a good record at Villa Park. Let's keep it that way. Ironically, he was the ref in the 5-5 game against Forest. Let's just hope nothing goes to VAR as it's Michael Fooking Oliver.

[Drummond]

I suspect they will make Top 4, just like we did last season, i.e. despite falling off a cliff form-wise at the end.

[eamonn]

Grand National day 2023 - Champions League chasing Newcastle come to VP in good form having beat us earlier in the season and get a hiding 3-0.

Grand National day 2025 - Champions League chasing Forest come to VP in good form having beat us earlier in the season and they'll get a hiding 3-0.

We beat them the day after the 'Grand National that never was' in 1993, at their place, McGrath's soaring header.

Were we dressed in yellow?

[eamonn]

Agreed with Mings back for this. We could really get at them down their left, they’ll likely be playing their 3rd-choice left back.

Isn't that our very own Alex M and isn't he club-tied?

[Dave]

Agreed with Mings back for this. We could really get at them down their left, they’ll likely be playing their 3rd-choice left back.

Isn't that our very own Alex M and isn't he club-tied?

No, he's their second-choice. And his ineligibility is the reason they are down to their third choice.