Aston Villa v Sunderland.

We go again!

Hey Ho, I'm still full of festive cheer despite yesterday's undeserved loss. If Guzan can concentrate for 90 minutes and we get the ball to Benteke in the box enough times .... We'll win 2-1. I know it's a stupid thing to say when talking about Villa, but I think a Midfielder will score tomorrow! :rendeer:

I think we'll win by a comfortable 2 goal margin - 2-0 or 3-1

Villa_Dan wrote:I think we'll win by a comfortable 2 goal margin - 2-0 or 3-1

That would be great.

1-0 , six points are a minimum ref our next two fixtures !

We really need to win this game so I reckon 1-0 to us.

VillaBill wrote:1-0 , six points are a minimum ref our next two fixtures !

I think we will get 7 points

We need a win but I hav n idea what will happen.

Same three at the back, Cissokho and Hutton on the sides, Sanchez and Delph in the middle, Grealish on the left, Benteke in the middle and Wiemann on the right.

Assuming Grealish won't start I wonder if Cleverly will start in a 3-5-2. I'd rather see Grealish start in the absense of Gabby but I don't think that will happen.

Sanchez is starting to look really good and Delph is getting back into the swing of things, I can see a goal from one of them, as villabromsgrove says above. The rest of the players need to have it drilled into them that they must get the ball to Benteke when they and he are in the opposition box.

Grealish needs to grab this game by the balls if he's allowed to play. N'Zog hasn't played well of late, Gabby is out for the match and Wiemann hasn't been scoring or assisting. Benteke needs someone to go and play with and wreak havoc. I'd be happy for that to be Wiemann too but he just seems to be struggling when not played as a poacher striker.

Villa win for me. Benteke hatrick.

I cant believe so many people are impressed with us in the last few games. To me we lack any sort of punch up front....and tippy tappy from the back doesn't make that ok. Today I think this will come home to roost... 1-2 away win

Villa win.

Going for a draw, as I just can't see things changing any time soon.

Scoring can't be as difficult as we make it look. We need a bit of luck today and we'll get the win.

If he goes with 3 at the back again to shoe horn Vlaar in I won't be impressed at all. I sense a tetchy/Edgy draw, maybe slim victory. Our inability to open teams up will cause us problems.

Vlaar in for Okore and N'Zogbia for Gabby. It's got to be the last chance for N'Zog.

smetro wrote:I cant believe so many people are impressed with us in the last few games. To me we lack any sort of punch up front....and tippy tappy from the back doesn't make that ok. Today I think this will come home to roost... 1-2 away win

Hit-and-hope 4-3-3 was too predictable and when we did get a brief amount of time in possession we gave the ball away or did nothing with it. The 4-3-3 formation still has its uses and will come back again but it's good to see one or more of 3/5/2, 5/3/3 or 4/5/1 used in a match. The manager is trying different things and while we're not going on a huge winning streak it's a sign of improvement and gives us options while making us harder to read when the opposition manager is setting up his team against us. We have the January window ahead of us so we'll see where we are in a month's time.

If we can mix up the possession play with the fast breaking direct play, we'll be harder to read as Foxy just said.

Dropping Okore is total lunacy!

Another one of our better players who won't stick around at this pathetic club that we have become!

achilles wrote:Dropping Okore is total lunacy!

Another one of our better players who won't stick around at this pathetic club that we have become!

Beeing dropped is bad enough but to then see N'zogbia pulling on a shirt would be the final nail.

villabromsgrove wrote:Vlaar in for Okore and N'Zogbia for Gabby. It's got to be the last chance for N'Zog.

It won't be though. He'll take 2 players on and shoot a couple of times, and our fans will say he played well then Lambert will pick him again. Instead of Groundhog Day it's Grounzogbia day.

How is Weimann starting, he is a joke, Grealish should of been handed a start not Weimann.

Grealish is a winger and Lambert doesn't like wingers... thats why he doesn't start!

We don't seem to have a plan for getting the ball to Benteke. He's easily our best player but the service he's getting is woeful.

Weimann is having a very bad day. No one is moving anywhere, Sanchez, Delph and Cleverley can pass the ball around between themselves all day but if the forward players just stand there in a line with the Sunderland defenders nothing's going to happen.

There's a big hole on the left without Gabby and neither Weimann nor N'Zog is filling it. I think I'd rather see Cleverley off and Grealish on to supply some form of attack down that wing and someone for Benteke to play with.