Aston Villa v QPR Tuesday 7th April 7.45pm.

Dazzle wrote:Oh, and please just play Gil over Weimann if it's goals and free kicks we are after.

I have a feeling he played Weimann on Sunday because he gets around enough to get in the way of the opposition. As it turned out he wasn't all that great on the wing and not all that great in defence but then I think Sherwood got it wrong with two up front, relying too heavily on Weimann and N'Zog to provide service, which in the end they didn't really do. At least Weimann gave some cover to Lowton, N'Zog was useless in front of Hutton.

I agree in principle about Gil but I don't think we'll see him again in the PL (he might appear at Wemberley). Sherwood has gone for players with PL and relegation experience and more bulk than Gil at the expense of attacking prowess.

As much as I like Weimann as a striker I can't see him replacing Gabby or Benteke (or even Kozak, and not necessarily when he's fit!). I think next season if we're still in the PL he should be played as a striker in all the cup matches, see if he works again in his natural position. I don't think he works out wide.

I haven't a clue what will happen tonight. I agree with Dazzle, we're missing Westwood (Sanchez started well but has gone completely off the boil) and Sinclair. At least we now have the option of using three defenders, we need Vlaar back in the side. Sod it, I'd even consider Vlaar on the right, Clark in the middle and Baker on the left with Okore in front of them in Sanchez's position as enforcer. We don't want to break Vlaar but if he's fit we need him and he's gone at the end of the season. I don't think we have enough in the rest of the squad though to have two up front. We need players packing out the midfield but ready to make runs and go forward to help out Benteke whenever possible. Perhaps a 3-1-5-1 with the three defenders with Okore in front of them, then five midfield of your choice (Cole in the middle, Delph and Lowton/Bacuna on his left, one other and Hutton on the right?) and Beneke up front. In fact with Okore helping out and six (and a half with Bacuna) defenders on the pitch maybe there's a case to get Gil in there somewhere?

so fearful at the moment, I know we must win, I understand where we are in the league, I know that the players have to fight for every ball and the get the second ball.
I cannot believe what they did to west brom, and that might give them a kick start.
However I am Villa through and through and expect my team to rise above the crap, and win the bloody game. VTID come on you villa boys let beat them and beat them well.

I wouldn't play Okore out of his position, in fact I wouldn't play him at all if Vlaar is anywhere near fit. I like the lad and he has a lot of potential, bags of pace and strength but he makes a lot of mistakes and is too reckless.

I don't rate Cissokho at all, so would go with Lowton and Richardson at full back as I don't think QPR pose much of a threat out wide. And as much as I don't like Weimann, I think his experience of turning up on big games at Villa Park will help us-if not, Sherwood has to bring Gil on early in the second half.

I've read a couple of posts on QPR forum's and they're not expecting much tonight. It's our pace that worries them. I watched Crystal Palace tear them apart with their pace a few games ago and QPR capitulated. (Palace are a different class to us at the moment though)

QPR's defence is slow and vulnerable. Gabby, Sinclair, Delph and Weimann should be able to break their lines. Benteke will draw their focus as he's easier to mark for them. I'm still backing Tekkers to score a brace, one might be from the spot.

(Dan, Sinclair isn't fit for this one is he?)

I felt guilty about saying that we had a mentally weak bunch of players, but now Sherwood's saying we have too many icing on cake players and not enough men. That's the kind of verbal challenge the team need before tonight's battle!

Missed that Sinclair was injured. But still, we have the pace in the other players to hurt them. Their back 4 will be worried about Gabby.

As it's been brought up, I'm not sure tonight is the night for experimenting but I have said before on here, Twitter and in the pub (:)) that I believe Okore has all the makings of an outstanding defensive midfielder. What do you want in the ideal DM? Physically strong, good in the tackle, defensively minded, comfortable on the ball, can spot/play a good pass, quick across the ground. Check, check, check, check, check, check. With the right coaching he could be brilliant there. I could easily see next season a combination of him and say, Gary Gardner, as the two in in a 4-2-3-1, with Delph ahead of them. A bit like Mascherano/Alonso with Gerrard ahead of them when Benitez was at Liverpool. 

Won't happen though.

Anyway with the options available I'd have played three at the back against Man U and I would do that tonight but I am genuinely not sure that Sherwood has that in his locker. Or maybe he does but he's just concerned about tinkering too much. Which I can understand, but when Weimann and N'Zogbia are part of a 4-man midfield, I promise you Tim, you are fine to tinker away...

As for Gil, - and I know I sound like a broken record but I don't care; I have heard and read all sorts of explanations for his absence and I reject them all as not good enough - Sherwood made a point yesterday that we'd lost 7 on the spin with him in the team. Well whoopdifuckingwoo, we've been breaking loads of horrible records in recent of years with plenty of the current team, shall we sack 'em all off?

Oh and by the way, Gil has only played four times, so Sherwood is either just spouting bollocks and lies (like when he said he'd managed against Benteke) or he's blaming Gil for defeats before he'd fucking arrived.*

*Obviously I'm being more facetious than serious there!

He also indicated that he wasn't aware that Gil was doing well personally despite the results. Which means one of two things:

1) He is telling the truth. He genuinely doesn't know, he hasn't bothered watching any DVD's, and is basing Gil on 60 minutes against Stoke, despite being a player coming from Spain who has played his entire career there, had only been here a few weeks, and came across one of the most physical teams in the league where he struggled a bit. Well that's never happened before with foreign players has it! (For the record I also think it's turned into a little bit of a myth about how bad he was that day, he just didn't impose himself on the game as much as he had done in other matches); or

2) He's lying. He has seen the games, and he isn't picking Gil because either:
a) He doesn't think he's good enough; or
b) He thinks players like N'Zogbia or Joe Cole are more physically capable; or
c) He thinks the 'icing on the cake players' are more mentally capable; or
d) He just doesn't like him.

If I've missed something feel free to tell me, but each one of those explanations, be it one or a mix of them, is garbage. Utter ridiculous garbage.

We have to win .... there could be some big things happening this Summer if we stay up.

Howard Hodgson said on Twitter that Fox said TS doesn't rate him. Certainly not for a relegation scrap. He's one of the "icing on the cake" types he referring to (in his opinion) I'd take him all day long over Weimann if he's the icing, then Weimann is the shit you can't even be arsed to lick the bowl for....sorry, but I feel that strongly about AW. I see nothing (and haven't for two years) that sees him as a EPL player. I don't even think he works that hard, he certainly doesn't work smart. Totally baffled why he's in over Cole, Gil, me anyone!! I'm a Sherwood guy (I like his style) but I don't get AW getting in. I'd have Gil in that right sided role everyday of the week over AW. Dumbfounded by it.

Anyway, we need to win at all costs tonight. TS has set the challenge "show me, all of us you have balls" so let's go and do it UTV

Well apparently Gil has driven away from the ground, no idea if true but that's the word on Twitter.

We'd bloody well better win.

kimbo wrote:Well apparently Gil has driven away from the ground, no idea if true but that's the word on Twitter.

We'd bloody well better win.

Gulp, not seen that. As I alluded to before, I'm bemused by TS treatment of him, he said everyone was level and all had a chance, there surely must of been some kind of falling out in the early weeks? Only thing that makes any sense to me. I hope he hasn't driven away, we all need to be pulling in the same direction to survive this mees we're in (fans alike) Hopefully just Twitter nonsense.

Well he ain't in the 18 anyway. Ah well, will worry about it after the game.

Shirts sleeves rolled up kind of team apart from Grealish. (he's just socks rolled down)

villabromsgrove wrote:Shirts sleeves rolled up kind of team apart from Grealish. (he's just socks rolled down)

Fancy him to do the business tonight, a nervy start (for him) but then to grow into it. I'm going 3-1 Villa. Come on Boys (Men)

C'mon men and iced cakes!

There's a fair amount of pace in our squad and QOR don't like pace.

Halfway there, if we stay disciplined and on the front foot, surely we have too much for this QPR team? Impressed with Jack and meed to keep giving the ball to Benteke, he's in Beast Mode..

Richardson worries me.

Neverbefore has my halftime beer been more seserved. I'm stressed!!

Villa_Dan wrote:Richardson worries me.

Neverbefore has my halftime beer been more seserved. I'm stressed!!

Your worry was not misguided. Richardson has been poor all night, Phillips has had the measure of him countless times and still he remains on the pitch.

Dazzle wrote:

Villa_Dan wrote:Richardson worries me.

Neverbefore has my halftime beer been more seserved. I'm stressed!!

Your worry was not misguided. Richardson has been poor all night, Phillips has had the measure of him countless times and still he remains on the pitch.

I saw Lowton coming on and was delighted...until Bacuna came off. Sherwood dropped a massive bollock tonight, not starting him as I thought his pace down the wing might be good but leaving him on was criminal

Well we managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory there, I just don't understand it, we're on the front foot started the second half lively they make 2 subs and we go to pieces, you just couldn't write it, it would be just like us to win one of the next two against the odds.

Can't see us winning again this season. We're fecked.

False narrative my arris Mr Fox.

That's another 2 points lost in a home game, to a poor side. I'm not overly encouraged by what seems to be a tactic of "we'll score one more than you". I was hoping for a bit more balance. This season is now going down to the wire, the two chances we've had to put clear water between ourselves and the bottom three we've blown with poor performances. We mustn't forget that stopping teams scoring is important, especially when leading.

F**K me furiously relieved is how I'd describe myself. I'm off for a hot shower to try and get the tension out of my muscles. What ultimately should have been a massive win, became a huge let off. Flirted with the bottom 3, Yikes! Can Captain Sherwood take us back to Spurs and take the points? Sneaky feeling he'll be up for that and we'll get something (but then I'm always wrong)

Depressed, but as I said relieved too UTV