Aston Villa (A) | Pre-Match Thread

[Gingers Dad]

My, the bedwetters are really out in force tonight. All too predictable.

I feared the worst when I saw the team for today. The balance wasn’t right and it showed. I don’t think City have the resources to fight on four fronts. No one has!

This might explain why it has never been done before. This season is a particular challenge given the compressed nature of the fixture list.

Maybe Pep realised this and selected a team that would possibly be eliminated?

The focus is now on the Villa match which will go a long way to settling the PL title and winning the League Cup.

The next three matches are critical. Strongish team against Villa and Spurs, strongest team against PSG.

Agree apart from Pep throwing the game. Balance of the team worked out wrong, that was Pep's fault. And some players just didn't play well.

 

[Gingers Dad]

We have been very tired after CL knock out matches and have had some iffy performances in the games after - West Ham, Leeds and Chelsea. The exception being Leicester.
I expect us to be back in the groove against Villa. There are a certain combination of players in our first team that really doesn't work but the team for Villa will have a good balance.

 

[Watters56]

Full stregth minus kev (protect) ans dias (Needs a rest).We need to put the league to bed and get some momentum/form. play the strongest available 11 from here on in with minimum rotation Based on injury/fatigue

ederson
walker stones laporte zinchenko
bernardo rodri gundogna
mahrez jesus foden

Spot on, definitely the right team

 

[Gingers Dad]

Problem is Pep has managed to well and truly disrupt the cohesion of a winning side that looked invincible. Opponents can see we are weaker and beatable. The lack of goal scoring threat is an utter condemnation of whatever passes as pre match training/coaching. We do not have a plug and play side. We look now like we did at the start of the season. I think we’ll stagger over the line as Champions but that in itself takes some of the gloss off. It’s just as well we have this cushion because any closer and I think we don’t have the form to get across the line. As for the 2 cups - not a chance against PSG, and if Pep plays rotation roulette against Spurs who knows.

You're right. That's why it's going so horribly wrong. Pep OUT!!! I don't know why we trusted the bald fraud in the first place. Tony Pulis is available to help us through to the end of the season. He reckons he could manage the City team sat in the dugout, with his feet up smoking a cigar

 

[paulsimpson]

This is a tough call now. On one hand, a defeat against Chelsea and a defeat vs Leeds in the last league game means we have to get back to winning ways, the league isn't finished just yet and we can't give united any hope, but on the other hand, we've got a massive game next weekend which we simply can't afford to lose now and half the team looked fucked tonight. Think it will be a mixture of who he can rest but still trust the replacement and who he thinks can play every game.

Dias gets a rest, he's looked leggy and off the pace last few games, walker saved for the final giving cancelo an extra game in the same position. Fernandinho has to play weekend so gets a rest here, torres and sterling should be nowhere near the side for the rest of the season and with KDB and aguero likely out the front 5 pick themselves. Best scenario is we get the game wrapped up early then bring off the likes of foden and gundogan.


Ederson
Cancelo
Stones
Laporte
Zinchenko
Rodri
Gundogan
Bernardo
Foden
Mahrez
Jesus

Agree with the team except Dias and maybe Sterling instead of
Jesus . If he plays Dias v Villa ( he will have had 4 days rest ) he can rest him for Spurs which allows him to play v Paris 3 days later . Dias can't play all 3 games

 

[sh249]

——————-—Ederson———-
Walker—Stones—Dias—Zinchenko
—Bernardo—Rodri—Gundogan—
Mahrez——-—Jesus—————-Foden

 

[blusull]

isnt it time of a little trial up front possibly mahrez de lap and palmer cant be any worse than the usual faces

 

[Greenjob]

isnt it time of a little trial up front possibly mahrez de lap and palmer cant be any worse than the usual faces

I like yer thinking regards giving Delap and Palmer a run out but we all know that isn't Peps' way. The thing with young players is they are unpredictable and offer that element of surprise you sometimes need. But the trade off is the loss of experience. Pep is too reliant on his regulars to even consider that option!!

 

[Blue Theatre]

Not convinced by the argument that we can afford to lose the odd league game, like Leeds or Villa ... as all we are potentially then doing, is heaping enormous pressure on our final 2 or 3 league games, with Utd (God forbid) breathing down our necks.

Better to try to wrap-up the league early, feel relaxed & confident, and be able to (hopefully) pick our best (& rested) players for the CL.

 

[chesterbells]

I like yer thinking regards giving Delap and Palmer a run out but we all know that isn't Peps' way. The thing with young players is they are unpredictable and offer that element of surprise you sometimes need. But the trade off is the loss of experience. Pep is too reliant on his regulars to even consider that option!!

IF we have the league won before the season ends, I deffo would like to see these two young lads getting some game time.