Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[cdbearsfan]

Onana won't be fit. We don't do "knocks".

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Let's face it, we would rather be facing Porto, least of all because it doesn't feel like a European tie, but Forest it is and for all the progress we have made, we need to win this tie. The no show at Wembley still haunts as does the failure 12 months prior to that, so for third time in 3 years it needs to be 3rd time lucky and that starts by coming away with something from Nottingham.

Fulham was actually quite typical of Emery's reign, every now and again we throw in a stinker but they are rare, and rarely consecutive. We all know which players we need and which ones we don't but I can't help thinking that Onana being fit may be key to our European hopes, we can overcome his absence domestically.

They will throw the tables and chairs at us, particularly 2nd half but a stoic defensive display could yield more than perhaps we expect.

0-2

This is where I'm at.
Forest are beatable on their own ground. We should have won the PL fixture there. In Europe this season, their away form has been better than their home form. They've lost 3 of the 7 home fixtures they've had in the Europa League at the City Ground. We need to take our chances when they come. The defence needs to be tight and our goalie needs to avoid palming the ball back into open play, putting pressure onto our defence. UTV!

[Rudy Can't Fail]

                       Martinez
Konsa.   Lindelof. Torres.  Maatsen 
           Onana.        Tielemans
Cash.   .       McGinn.       Rogers
                    Watkins

I like it Drummond. Shores up the right side, Cash has put in more crosses this season than Sancho/Bailey combined, McGinn more involved and Buendia useless in a scrap.

I would also lock Bailey/Sancho in the car park.

How many crosses has Cash put in, three, four, five? He has difficulty crossing his legs despite being in excellent advanced positions he always looks to pass it back and let somebody else take responsibility. Leave him where he is, we want the players to know inside out their responsibilities, now is no the time for mad scientist experiments though I see the logic of Drummond wanting to bring in Lindelof as Konsa hasn't been at his best recently.

I'm sticking with Rambo's team for now. Hopefully Onana will be back.

EDIT: I'd also have lil' Emi in for a scrap. The lad loves a fight, sometimes too much.

[Proposition Joe]

On paper we are better than them, of course we are.
Yesterday’s performance reminds us though that Villa are more than capable of not turning up/freezing/shitting the bed.

I am absolutely desperate for us to win this tie, win this competition AND qualify for the CL. We could have pretty much done the latter yesterday and relaxed into the EL games.

The Villa way means I have to be a nervous wreck for a few more weeks yet !!!!!

Indeed. It's time show that hopefully we are not hereditary bed-shitters and for once turn up and do a job when it matters.

[PaulWinch again]

Cash as right midfield? No thank you

[Hookeysmith]

Now they have Chris Wood back, i wonder if he'll go with Mings over Torres?

I really hope not - why change our game plan, and speed of build up (which has been fundamental to how we play) to accommodate a big lump like Woods.

Mings is a warrior but unfortunately he slows our game down to a walk when we have possession and not confident to play the balls inside to midflield like Torres*

*I grant you on Saturday Torres struggled to pass water  - like most of them

[cdbearsfan]

Didn't we try that when we lost 4-0 at home to Tottenham?

[Ads]

Hangover out the system and now looking forward to Thursday massively.

I don't put great store into either of the weekend result. Sunderland were absolutely village in defending and I don't think we played with an iota of intensity.

Martinez

Cash
Konsa
Torres
Digne

Onana
Tielemans

McGinn
Buendia

Rogers
Watkins

Lets shovel them.

[PaulWinch again]

Now they have Chris Wood back, i wonder if he'll go with Mings over Torres?

I really hope not - why change our game plan, and speed of build up (which has been fundamental to how we play) to accommodate a big lump like Woods.

Mings is a warrior but unfortunately he slows our game down to a walk when we have possession and not confident to play the balls inside to midflield like Torres*

*I grant you on Saturday Torres struggled to pass water  - like most of them

I agree, our route to victory is playing through them. We need our best passers, although Pau was off it on Saturday.

[SamTheMouse]

For some reason I was hopeful of getting something on Saturday, right up to the end.

So now I'm going back to my tried and trusted formula of unyielding pessimism.

[brontebilly]

                       Martinez
Konsa.   Lindelof. Torres.  Maatsen 
           Onana.        Tielemans
Cash.   .       McGinn.       Rogers
                    Watkins

Cash in midfield? Not sure Emery would try that at Real Madrid. Cash and McGinn dominated the right side at Forest only a few weeks ago. More than capable of doing it again.

Martinez, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Onana, Luiz, McGinn, Rogers, Tielemans, Watkins. If Onana is out then Tielemans back one and Buendia in.

[andyh]

Cash as right midfield? No thank you

Absolutely this.
We tried it before and it didn’t work and this is NOT the game to fuck about with our system.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Not to mention Konsa hasn’t played right back for months/years.

Go with the tried and trusted.

Hopefully Onana is fit.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Cash as right midfield? No thank you

Absolutely this.
We tried it before and it didn’t work and this is NOT the game to fuck about with our system.

Amen.

Think Ads could be right with Digne starting. Maatsen off the bench though Digne has looked a bit knackered recently. Either should be able to take care of Hutchinson. Watching the highlights of Forest's 5-0 win, it was a comedy of errors from Sunderland though Forest were clinical with the gifts offered up.

Other than Gibbs White, Sels has always impressed me, good keeper. Let's see how good he is without their best centre back pairing.

[BoVillan esq]

Going for a Villa win, with great caution, personally I think had we taken the Premiership route of 3pts Fulham, and then target Burnley for the other 3pts leaving the Spurs game  and of course Man City and Liverpool in the lap of the gods, that would have been that, we would have sealed a Champions League place, now in 5th we need this win v Forest on Thursday, Villa are more than capable of getting a draw from this and then losing at Villa park under pressure.

For me we have to win every game now, pressure on, what a crazy result v Fulham.