ASTON VILLA V EVERTON Sat May 2nd 3:00pm.

It's May already! It's only Everton right? They were down on 29 points just six matches ago! It shouldn't be too tough a match should it?

Everton have won five of their last six matches and are pulling up trees at the moment, so welcome to Villa Park. Can the Villa team that bashed Man C (apart from the result) beat the Everton team that smashed Man U?

This has the makings of a classic!

As a side note, my first ever game at Villa Park was in 1988 against Everton, so I have affection for this fixture.



Martinez has a good record against us. Not expecting a win but I think we'll do enough for a draw. Could be an entertaining goal fest. (Stick your money on a 0-0 then...)

I'd settle for a 0-0.

We will win because we have to

I've gone for a draw. Everton aren't great away from home still. Their away form since January is LDWLLLWD.

I've gone for a win as I think we need to win, too many teams below us showing signs of life, we need to put points on the board and take care of our own business.

Come on Tim, get at 'em. Relegation you're avin a larff!!!!

I think Sherwood might go with the FA cup semi starting 11, and I'd like that as I think it really suited what we have. Having said the starting 11 for Man City were good! Villa now have nice little selection decisions to make, all down to the manager. Agbonlahor by no means should be walking back into the team, he may have to come on from the bench if we have a lead and can play the quick counter.

2-1 Villa, GazBaz with a last minute og to win it for us followed by a little wink up to the Holte !

Can't wait for sat although I'm scared all ready!! Plus I'm going with an Everton fan so could get interesting 

Dazzle wrote:I think Sherwood might go with the FA cup semi starting 11, and I'd like that as I think it really suited what we have. Having said the starting 11 for Man City were good! Villa now have nice little selection decisions to make, all down to the manager. Agbonlahor by no means should be walking back into the team, he may have to come on from the bench if we have a lead and can play the quick counter.

I agree in as much as no player should walk into the side, but if it's what's best for the team then Gabby should start, and I'd have him all day long over N'Zogbia. The team that played against Man City made sense due to their narrow midfield, it's not the team I'd have gone with but I understood why Sherwood did it. I think we need to be more adventurous against Everton, and whilst my personal choice of Gil hasn't even a percent of a chance of happening, I'd still rather not see the wasteful Zoggy starting... or on the bench, or employed by Villa... mind you, despite feeling like that, I'd still absolutely take him over Weimann.

Personally I'd be starting Gabby if he's fit, failing that (and taking Gil out of the equation) I'd maybe rather look at Sinclair, possibly even Joe Cole (though I prefer him coming on later when the game has opened up a bit), to be honest I'd even rather look at moving Bacuna forward and having Lowton at right-back; but I imagine if Gabby isn't fit then N'Zogbia probably will start.

Gabby has looked a different player under Sherwood. Making runs off Benteke, being there for his flick-ons, running at defenders. All the things which once made him one of the most feared strikers in the league. I'd start him if fit.

We need every bit of luck to go for us during this 90 minutes. All the breaks, and none of the self destructive errors that regularly assist our opposition. C'mon the Villa boys!

Complete side-note, but I just noticed at the end of the above video (that I posted for nothing other than my own self indulgence, truth be told!) are the goals from us beating Blues 6-0 in 1988. If I remember correctly that was the Simod Cup... now there is something I wasn't expecting to say (well, type) today!

Big decisions to be made for this game.

If Gabby is fit he has to start but for who? Grealish or one of Westwood/Sanchez.
Hutton/Cissokho or Bacuna/Richardson.
Given or Guzan
Okore or Senderos?

Not Richardson for ffs.

This match was always going to be important, but after recent results going well for our fellow relegation battlers it now becomes a must win. We have to roll up our sleeves and thump Everton into submission. We may have three games after this one, but events are showing that if we don't put points on the board someone else will even when it's not expected.

No more schoolboy errors, no more gifts for opponents, it's time to standup, man up, and kick the sh*t out of the opposition!

That includes me as a wobbly supporter! C'mon you Villa boys!

It's not a must win really, we just have to win at least 1 of Everton and West Ham. The term "must-win" seems to be thrown around a lot

Villa_Dan wrote:It's not a must win really, we just have to win at least 1 of Everton and West Ham. The term "must-win" seems to be thrown around a lot

I think it is a must win Dan. It will have been three weeks since we put points on the board in the Premiership when we play Everton on Saturday. During that time other relegation threatened teams have been adding good points to their previously dismal totals and have had a massive confidence boost as a result. We cannot afford to go four weeks without a win at this crucial stage of the season. That's why I say it's a must win. Villa do not play "catch up" very well so we need the points NOW!

I don't think its a must win...  but I will be very disappointed if we don't get something out of this match.  Everton has been very poor on the road, and frankly their win against ManU was a fluke- they were uncharacteristically clinical on the handful of chances they had.

A must for me is having Cissokho in the starting 11.  His forward play is marginally worse than KR (who is poor as well), but his defense is worlds better.  We cannot have KR in the 11 if Cissokho is healthy.

I personally like TS use of the 442 diamond and I'd like to see it used again against EFC. I'm hopeful that Gabby will be ready too- he had been in form- and we need his pace up top with Benteke, that really makes our attacking side very scary for teams... especially with the purple patch Benteke is on!

---------------------------Guzan----------------------------
Bacuna-------Okore------------------Vlaar----------Cissokho
------------------------Westwood---------------------------
-------Cleverly-----------------------------Delph------------
------------------------Grealish-----------------------------
----------Benteke------------------Gabby-------------------

prediction: 2-1 or 3-1 for the Villa! UTV!!!

I agree about Cissokho, with Lennon down the wing he'd have a field day against KR

Again, I don't think it's a must-win either. Everyone was saying QPR was a must-win, but I was saying that it wasn't, it was a must-not-lose; I believe the case to be the same on Saturday. It makes West Ham a must-win if we don't win I suppose, but I won't be jumping off any cliffs if we get a draw on Saturday.

kimbo wrote:Again, I don't think it's a must-win either. Everyone was saying QPR was a must-win, but I was saying that it wasn't, it was a must-not-lose; I believe the case to be the same on Saturday. It makes West Ham a must-win if we don't win I suppose, but I won't be jumping off any cliffs if we get a draw on Saturday.

I only see wins or losses when it comes to Villa at the moment. I hadn't even thought about a draw.

Guzan

Hutton Vlaar Okore Lowton

Then it gets tricky.

Sanchez or Westwood. Westwood for his composure on the ball.

Delph and Cleverley. Playing well so why change?

Grealish. Drives at players and takes them on, picks himself.

Benteke and Gabby if fit is obviously the ideal choice.

If not then I'd like to see Sinclair given the same role playing off Benteke as he has the pace to do the same job.

Looks like it wasn't as difficult as I thought! Sanchez or Westwood is the only tricky decision but that's because they're so similar I don't think either would make an impact more than the other.