Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Drummond]

Just to clarify, I wouldn't pick it, bit could see Emery doing something like that to shore it up away form home and to get Forest thinking. Maatsen and Rogers on the left could be really dangerous.

[dave.woodhall]

One thing that hasn't been said yet - have we ever gone into a big European game as the experienced team?

[Mellin]

Just dawned on me that we simply need to go DWW in the next three games to lock in the best season in...how many years? Argument for '82, whether we went on to win the final or not. Anyway, that has caused me to severely shit myself.

[olaftab]

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

Sort of side McLeish would pick at say Spurs away.

[Crown Hill]

Anybody know who the ref is? Hoping it’s someone who won’t be influenced by the crowd and will clamp down on anything physical!

[Somniloquism]

Find out Tuesday as they announced the team for the Tuesday game on Sunday and the Wednesday today. But it will be a European ref so I suspect they will.

[Brazilian Villain]

Anybody know who the ref is? Hoping it’s someone who won’t be influenced by the crowd and will clamp down on anything physical!

At the very least, I'm hoping he's not Greek.

[Drummond]

Turkish perhaps...

[Mister E]

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

Yup, this looks like a decent team. I might start with Konsa at RB to give us a bit more ballast against their front two.

[andyh]

I’m really not sure about Lindelof and Torres as a c/b pairing.
I rate Lindy very much, I think he’s been absolutely superb, but that pairing doesn’t ‘feel’ strong/powerful/mobile enough.

If Woods is playing we need physicality in the back line.

And yes I know, to be worried about a journeyman like Woods seems overkill, but players like him (Welbeck etc) have a tendency to do exactly what they are on the pitch for.

[Somniloquism]

Ref will appear on this page sometime today

https://law5-theref.blogspot.com/2026/04/europa-league-202526-referee_28.html

[Baldy]

Just to clarify, I wouldn't pick it, bit could see Emery doing something like that to shore it up away form home and to get Forest thinking. Maatsen and Rogers on the left could be really dangerous.

The more I think of it, Hudson-Odoi played left wing against us on the 12th April supported by Neco Williams. They tore us a new one.

But now, Hudson-Odoi is out injured for the season and Forest have opted for two big lads up front. We shouldn't have to shore up our right side and can revert to normal.

[aj2k77]

No one tore us a new one at their place. We should have won.

[LeeB]

It seems goinf two up front has borne fruit for them, peobab ly as much as the teams they've played aren't used to it and couldn't adapt. I'd like to think if they go with that we more than possibly any other team will murder them in the space left elsewhere.

[Baldy]

No one tore us a new one at their place. We should have won.

They did down our right side.

Williams could have had a hat trick but only got one.