Aston Villa (H) - Wed 3rd April, 20:15 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[BlueMonkey79]

There are still plenty of opportunities to play through balls in our games but we don't, though I do take your point that for a lot of the game teams are sitting deep.

We give teams every opportunity to get 2 banks of 5 behind the ball, with our slow, walking football.

 

[bluealf]

Seems every game this season we don’t play to his strengths

Its says a lot about him that he still has managed to score so many goals, a L2 level player apparently lol

 

[MCFC Wirral]

I’d sooner have started Haaland and KDB tonight over at Palace on Saturday.

 

[heslops barnet]

Its says a lot about him that he still has managed to score so many goals, a L2 level player apparently lol

Last season he was a beast, not so much this

 

[SebastianBlue]

I'll say one thing about this line up, its fucked my FF team royally

The 50 million FPL Managers that forgot to change their captain seeing this:

 

[paulchapo]

Decent team, some young legs in there and we should press better. The team has looked stale lately and it needed freshening up. Due to dropping points earlier in the season we can't afford anymore draws so we have to go for it. If needed Kev and Erling can come off the bench with a point to prove.

 

[heslops barnet]

I’d sooner have started Haaland and KDB tonight over at Palace on Saturday.

Palace always hard games for us….

 

[Winchester]

Seems like they’re right

PF starts so half correct

 

[maurizio]

I'd just love one of those performances where everything goes to plan and we run up a few goals in the first half. It's been a while.

 

[heslops barnet]

Decent team, some young legs in there and we should press better. The team has looked stale lately and it needed freshening up. Due to dropping points earlier in the season we can't afford anymore draws so we have to go for it. If needed Kev and Erling can come off the bench with a point to prove.

KDB always seem to have a strop on nowadays

 

[bluealf]

Possession = Peps way

Yes and Haaland's is to run onto through balls, which is what we are chatting about.

False 9 is probably best for Pep football

 

[Gray]

Surrounded by day trippers in my seat. The regular fans seem to be giving it a miss.

 

[Gabriel]

Why should Grealish hold down the left so Doku can roam around?

Grealish is the best since Mahrez left at drawing players over to his side and then creating space elsewhere. He's also coming back from injury so holding the flank is slightly easier. The other three can keep rotating positions to move their midfield around. It doesn't have to be for prolonged periods, just enough to keep them guessing.

 

[heslops barnet]

Yes and Haaland's is to run onto through balls, which is what we are chatting about.

That never get played as our build up is so sloooooow

 

[ThreesKompany]

I’d sooner have started Haaland and KDB tonight over at Palace on Saturday.

If you understand Pep, he's always going to default to having strongest lineup for away fixtures. So this was the obvious choice and they can come on if needed tonight.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

Decent lineup that although I'd rather see Bobb on the right instead of Doku. I'm going 3-1, come on City!

 

[ray21]

I hate seeing Ferdinand on the City pitch.

 

[Phil1]

Last season he was a beast, not so much this

Been a few mitigating circumstances in fairness. 2 months out injured and a close family bereavement.
No doubt he’s had a couple of howlers as well where there’s nobody else to blame but himself yet he’s still on course TL for another golden boot.
We have to be careful not to take this kid for granted.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Last season he was a beast, not so much this

Last season teams were still trying to figure out how to defend him. And they hadn’t yet brought in players to do a better job of it (or the ones they did were injured when they faced us).

He still has a goal contribution every 88 minutes played in the league (compared to one every 66 minutes played for the full 22/23 league campaign).

He could very well achieve it again if his scoring picks up.

 

[He’stheleftbackremember]

Villa’s keeper injuries in warm up and no substitute keeper if this one gets hurt or sent off