Crystal Palace v Aston Villa Saturday 22nd August 2015...3pm kick off.

DelboyVilla wrote:I think Gil came off in second half for U21 with a tight groin so it maybe too soon for him on Saturday? I can see Grealish and Traore on the bench. Hopefully Gestede in for Gabby?

There's an argument to be had that they are both one-trick ponies: Gabby has his speed, Gestede has an aerial dominance.

The difference is that Gabby can usually be nullified by one defender whereas the best way to negate Gestede's influence in the box is to crowd him out...and that means that we should have a couple of free players lurking!

Gestede for me!

Bet victor has us at 4/1 for an away win, 3 1/2 to 1 generally available elsewhere.
I love it when we are underestimated.

South London Villan wrote:Bet victor has us at 4/1 for an away win, 3 1/2 to 1 generally available elsewhere.
I  love it when we are underestimated.

Got 4-1 on us Yesterday at the bookies over here. 20 Euros well spent in my view.

I hope we win but I reckon 1-0 Palace.

I've paid no attention to our opposition aside from when they played us last season and if they didn't impress me against the load of shit we put on the pitch then, they're not likely to impress me much now we've got a new side. 

2-1 win that should have been a 5-1 win.

Why are Palace so highly regarded by the media? Even their highest rated player, Bolassie, seems so lackluster to me. Zaha is shit, Puncheon is as consistent as Gabby is, And Wickham is incredibly poor for a striker. Cabaye is a good player, but the rest of the team is just so... Meh...

Just picked up my tickets for the game tomorrow, I am i  the with the Palace fans. I hope I have to struggle to keep quiet.
Looking forward to seeing those Palace cheerleaders.

"We're due to give someone a right thumping"

Just how overdue is that now?

Matchday's arrived, with a clearer view on squad fitness my line up guess would have just one change.......


Guzan

Bacuna....Ricahards....Clark....Amavi


Westwood....Veretout....Gana


Traore.......Gabby......Sinclair


He's made his bed about Bacuna I think and Gabby will be an unpopular choice but I think he gets a few more games before we see Rudy as main striker.

So the back 8 virtually pick themselves and he will want to start either Traore Gill or Jack, for me Sinclair gets the nod over Ayew so expect to see Traore even this soon. Rudy and Jack to come on as Gil probably realistically another week away from 1st team.

It honestly feels like a draw to me but if we start Rudy over Gabby I'd say we could edge it 1-2

Traore won't start today. Might not even be on the bench. The noises are that his fitness levels are just short of ideal at the moment, so I'm not expecting him to figure yet.

Can't wait until he does, obviously.

Grealish might start. Gil might not make the squad. Again, due to fitness. I think most fans want to see Traore, Gil and Grealish in the sane team, and we will. Just might be a couple of weeks.


Not many pundits expecting us to get anything out of this. I think we will.

Stunning to think that a player good enough to get in the Barca squad isn't fit enough to start a Premier League match.

It's a bad sign for me at 44, slightly* overweight and JUST about able to get through one half of Over-35's football without a cardiac incident....guess I should finally give up on my dream of playing for the Villa, huh?








*this is a lie. I'm like a beached fucking whale at the moment.

I think you need another level of fitness for this league. I also think Sherwood is trying to protect him, keep expectations modest and phase him in. Which I suppose is fair enough.but having such a tight arse owner, spending this much money on Traore is a statement. Whatever Sherwood says now.

He'll be thinking of playing him soon, no doubt.

When was the last time we signed someone with so much immediate expectation on them? Bent? At least he was a known quantity; this kid (and he is a kid) will have most of VP on their feet the second he touches the ball.

Let's hope he doesn't "Guzan" it, eh? :)

I think Traore might be on the bench and might be given a go at some point. 

FWIW The wetherspoons down here I'm in is a little bit wanky. Home and away fans and they seem decent enough. But the trek to the bogs is ridiculous

It's going to be interesting today what formation and selection he uses, I really think Gestede and Grealish should start as we looked really dull in attack vs United.

On Traore:

Tim Sherwood wrote:I think we need to remember he's a 19-year-old boy coming from Segunda. He's only played 63 times in that division.

With respect, it's a million miles away from the Premier League.

He's a development player. He's been brought in here for the future of the football club.

Hopefully we can see him at some stage this season. But for now, we need to cool our jets with him because he's a young boy developing.

He realises that. He's got a long way to go.

On the bench. Good like up, but I'm disappointed Vertout doesn't start, need to stick with him IMO

Villa_Dan wrote:On the bench. Good like up, but I'm disappointed Vertout doesn't start, need to stick with him IMO

YEP.... would prefer Veretout for Sanchez and Sinclair for Gabby..........but hoping this gels and loving Gestede from the start

Cannot believe Gabby starts again! Expect he will steal his wages this week as well...............

Probably have a blinder now I have said this. Hostage to fortune?

By the looks of the above picture, the goalposts are on the piss. That might suit us!

Well, I'm of the opinion that we don't need Westwood and Sanchez in there at the same time, so a 4-3-3 with Sanchez in the middle and Westwood on the right. That or a 4-2-1-3? I don't have a clue how this is going to work.

It is nice to see some decent options on the bench, that could possibly impact the game.

It's odd, that's for sure. It'll be an interesting first 10 mins.

It has to be a TS favoured diamond I think

.............Sanchez

Westwwod.........Gana

.............Grealish


.....Rudy..........Gabby