Villa v Fulham Match thread

[Trotters]

I've no idea if Fulham are a decent side or not but after the total no-show v Wolves, Bruce had better have our lads fired up and ready to play football.

I'll go for 1-0

[avfc forever]

I will say 2-1 Villa we need to improve after the Wolves game.

[deadbuzzardalive]

I've no idea what the score will be, but can't say I'm feeling very confident. We really need to show that we can beat the better teams though, and that September wasn't just a flash in the pan, against the division's weaker teams.

If we do get the win though, it might give credit to the idea that maybe September really was the start of something, and it was the Wolves game that was the blip.

Hopefully this time tomorrow we're in the play off positions.

[Guest]

Don't care. Will be the same boring Steve Bruce shite. Hope we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

[Saunders82]

This will be a tough one, I just hope Brucie doesn't give them one of his gee up team talks, because frankly I don't think they work. We need to be on the front foot from the start, are we capable of that ??? I'm not sure,: just hoping for a 1-0 win.

[AstonThriller]

Last night there was an utterly devasting last-minute loss for my Chiefs, so the first sporting love of my life, the mighty Villa, better clear away this gloom from my soul tomorrow and get us a f#cking win.

Will Bruce be brave enough to go back to 433? The 442 could possibly work against the smaller teams. But imo we need to protect our midfield against the better sides otherwise we'll see performances like we put up at Wolves time and time again.

This is what I'd consider doing...

....................Johnstone......................

.....Elmo...Chester....Terry...Hutton.....

...............Onomah..Hourihane.......
.......................O'Hare.........................
............Snodgrass.......Adomah.......
........................Kodjia.........................


Might be harsh on Davis but imo it's more important for us to get Kodjia scoring, whilst also putting that extra man in the midfield. And I've gone for Onomah because firstly unlike Whelan the kid has legs, and secondly, he excelled as a defensive midfield for the England u20s before this season started. He has a goal in him too. I'd also play O'Hare because he's a natural "number ten" who can help out the midfield while still getting into those little pockets and being a goal threat. I fear if we go in with the status quo then Fulham will pass us off the pitch just like others have.

COME ON VILLA!!!

[Guest]

Don't care. Will be the same boring Steve Bruce shite. Hope we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

hahaha,this completely backs up my reply to another poster yesterday, thanks joppe (or thanks to one of the MOD'S)

[AstonThriller]

Don't care. Will be the same boring Steve Bruce shite. Hope we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

hahaha,this completely backs up my reply to another poster yesterday, thanks joppe (or thanks to one of the MOD'S)

You still backing potato head Jimbop?

[Guest]

Don't care. Will be the same boring Steve Bruce shite. Hope we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

hahaha,this completely backs up my reply to another poster yesterday, thanks joppe (or thanks to one of the MOD'S)

You still backing potato head Jimbop?

I'm backing aston villa football club mate, which Steve Bruce is a part of at this time, so yes you could say I'm backing him

[AstonThriller]

Don't care. Will be the same boring Steve Bruce shite. Hope we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

hahaha,this completely backs up my reply to another poster yesterday, thanks joppe (or thanks to one of the MOD'S)

You still backing potato head Jimbop?

I'm backing aston villa football club mate, which Steve Bruce is a part of at this time, so yes you could say I'm backing him

But what if we go on another poor run? Do you think we should consider a change if that happens?

[Guest]

Don't care. Will be the same boring Steve Bruce shite. Hope we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

hahaha,this completely backs up my reply to another poster yesterday, thanks joppe (or thanks to one of the MOD'S)

You still backing potato head Jimbop?

I'm backing aston villa football club mate, which Steve Bruce is a part of at this time, so yes you could say I'm backing him

But what if we go on another poor run? Do you think we should consider a change if that happens?

I honestly don't know tbh, I fockin hate us starting again over and over and over again. maybe if it gets to the stage where play offs/promotion is more or less out of sight then yes to build for next year. one thing I wont be hoping for tho is we get humiliated 10 matches in a row.

[achilles]

Fancy a draw as Fulham have pace which will expose us badly unless we have that extra man in midfield. Can't see us winning as Bruce really doesn't know how to set us up to stop Fulham who are starting to find a bit of form now.

[De Kuip]

Well a bit like AT  my other team are the Chiefs so at least I'm watching a winning side more often than mot (albeit rugby)
Villa however continue to frustrate me. I love this club and always have done, we've got so much history together how could I not, but fecking hell were hard to  watch nowadays. The whole approach is the antithesis of what I like to see in the game. I really long for the days when we were worth watching.
As for tomorrow, honestly I have no idea. I just never know how we'll perform. I can't believe we were top of the form table cos I always equate form with consistency and consistent we ain't.
1-0 to Villa. Or 2-0. Or 0-0. Or 0-1. Or 0-2.
Edit or 2-1!

[Guest]

Touche DK. Even if we solidified in the top 2 this season and looked like promotion material, does anyone enjoy the football? I sure as hell don't. It's so boring I'm actually starting to lose interest and that takes some doing. The sooner we can get in a coach and manager that knows his arse from his elbow it might be worth spending time again on this. But right now it sure isn't. I was considering a trip over for Boxing day, but with Steve Bruce I just can't be arsed. Not worth the money.

If we were promoted Bruce would be sacked within 4 months anyway, as there is no way in hell his football would make us do anything, but lose in the Premier League. Should just get rid now and at least have the remote chance of seeing a plan and style of play get implemented into this club before we turn into Nottingham Forest.

[deadbuzzardalive]

One thing I am confident in saying is that even if we win tomorrow, it won't be because we've played well, in fact I can almost guarantee that Fulham will the better side, we'll just hope we can sneak a goal or two, and they don't take their chances.

We're so starved of an actual decent display of football, that when we play just alright it gets the fans excited, because as I say they're so starved of good football. We're in the championship and are hardly ever clearly the better side, whoever we play.

On Bruce next season, I see a lot of fans suggesting that if he gets us promoted, the club will make a change and bring in someone better, but I can't see that myself, I think they'd give him a chance to prove his worth, if they haven't sacked him now, I can't see them doing so if he was to turn out to be a success this season, not that I can see him taking us up in the first place.

[NARLA24]

Villa to win 2-1 for me.
Thats just jinxed that then.

[FoxyAV]

I was at West Ham yesterday with a load of in-laws, they have about 15 season tickets so there's always one available when I visit. They were woefull - lots of possession but couldn't do anything with it. To a certain extent they were the architects of their own downfall as they didn't seem to have a plan or formation (couldn't work out if they were playing a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 but I think it was mostly a 3-5-2/4-4-2). They were too compressed (remember when we did that and wingers weren't seemingly allowed to go wide but had to cut in?), couldn't get the ball to the striker(s?) and scared of the ball. Brighton on the other hand looked like they were fighting for their lives, defended superbly and ran at and attacked the opposition where West Ham would have been passing backwards. One cracking run down their right wing left two WH players not only for dead but spinning in mid air where they'd both tried to take down the Brighton man. Sure, Brighton looked a bit lost at times (it's a big and intimidating stadium) but they kept their formation superbly and on the counter-attack picked apart West Ham mercilessly. The scoreline was absolutely correct. Amazingly Bilic, just like Bruce, didn't appear to make any tactical changes and the first subs only came on in the last 20 or so minutes. The curious thing was despite Brighton playing on the counter-attack they didn't keep hoofing the ball forwards but passed it out and made some excellent runs down the wings and into space. Brighton would have absolutely spanked us were we playing them last night. I think we have better players but I can't imagine us putting on a display like Brighton did last night, against any opposition. If we're going to try to get out of the Championship we're a hell of a long way off Brighton. Since we have some great players it's just down now to the manager and his assistant and coaches.

Off now to watch the wife's cousin play for West Ham U16s against Reading just up the road near Ilford. Wish I was watching Villa but it's too far unfortunately.

[deadbuzzardalive]

Back to 451, I can understand the need to play with three central midfielders, but I think dropping Davis might prove to be a mistake, him being in the side as pretty much coincided with our recent run of good results.

[Villa_Dan]

Playing 1 striker but has 2 on the bench. Fucking ridiculous

[Boldfinger]

We are at home - we must play 1 up front - mustn't we?

Go for the win Bruce you tool.

[Trotters]

1 up front and he's dropped Davis? I'm assuming Kodjia is the 1? Neither of them did much last game out by all reports but I can't understand dropping the big man.

And I REALLY can't understand 1 up front at home.

I think Bruce will have to be top 6 at the end of the month. Lose this and he's in trouble especially with a certain tough match looming.

I think he's psychologically beaten himself.

[deadbuzzardalive]

This is the side

Johnstone
Elmohamady
Chester
Terry
Hutton
Snodgrass
Whelan
Onomah
Hourihane
Adomha
Kodjia

[De Kuip]

This is the side

Johnstone
Elmohamady
Chester
Terry
Hutton
Snodgrass
Whelan
Onomah
Hourihane
Adomha
Kodjia

Great to see Bruce giving the Villa youngsters a run out.....

[FoxyAV]

21% possession in the first 10 minutes, we're doing well.

[deadbuzzardalive]

Here's a periscope link...

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1mnxerMEQgQKX?q=avfc

and we're winning now too

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