Aston Villa (A) - Sat 21st Dec, 12:30 | PL | Pre-Match Thread

[Zenmanc]

I genuinely wouldn't start him. At the moment he's a square peg in a round hole. I think a game or two on the bench could focus his mind and it'll give our powder puff midfield more control. I dont think Pep will do it though. A week to prepare gives us the slimmest of chances as apposed to none at all.

Yes he's the most capable striker on the planet- but the way he's been playing of late- I'd entertain offers for him come summer. He basically stands by whomever has been tasked to mark him, shrugs his shoulders after a few minutes of realizing he's not playing vs a U18 caliber defender and then proceeds to do fuck all to shake them. He looks annoyed when there's no service yet barely looks to find openings and counts on magical passes to capitalize on. After starting the season looking like he'd shaken off the multiple misses that plagued him last year- he's again whiffing on the few opportunities of late that fall to him. He looks bored, tepid and basically like he's waiting for a beach to come and find him. He's been found out and has become a flat tracker who disappears in games where there's any semblance of threat vs us which this season has become every single game. You can't keep blaming "lack of services" either fucking evolve your game or admit you're not the generational phenom you think you are.

With the money we'd get for him- we could fund 2 hungry strikers who have more of a rounded approach to their game.

 

[tommybooth]

We will win. Don't worry.

 

[chickaroon]

The lads are short on confidence , they are playing like they are afraid of making a mistake , how do you get them back, i dont know

I agree with this. That's why it was such an awful game yesterday. Two scared teams afraid of losing. It always makes you a yard short. It's the mindset we have to overcome.

 

[ali benarbia's studs]

With Rogers, Mcginn and Duran playing so well....it ll be a tricky fixture again. But as a team we owe them 1 for last year.

Need a bounce back after that mare of a finish.

 

[Tico Warrior]

Loving the positivity in this thread and the strong mindset of many.

What is there to be positive about with the way we have been playing? And I don't know what mindset has to do with it, we can write anything on here, what matters is we keep putting out the same team and playing the same way which ends with the same result

 

[argyle]

If walker is the captain
I am checking out

Please give captain to someone who cares

He will still be captain on Saturday.

So....

 

[Mr. Shush]

Loving the positivity in this thread and the strong mindset of many.

Well, there's not much to be positive about, right?

 

[Dereck Jeffries 3 wd]

You guys putting McAtee, O'Reilly or Wright in the side ....just not happening with Pep.

He'll just shuffle his 'first team' squad again, it's got to point that there's no need for them to even be on the bench, they're not ever getting on let alone starting.

These players and others over the years should have had plenty of game minutes when we were coasting on the top of our game but no, we'd either keep the starting 11 out or bring on a regular.

I have calling out for weeks to play players in their correct positions. Teams have just waking through our midfield, he must play the youngsters ( above) Gundo, Bernardo and Rico are far too weak! Many will say he can’t play them we will get beat? Please check the results we are getting beat anyway!!! Give them a chance ( this will give the older guys a rest) Please Pep!!! And buy some players in the window!! You never know a couple of new players, or older stars getting a rest and a couple of younger stars getting a few games. We might come through and win CL and a FA Cup??? But obviously not the League!!

 

[Gumzy97]

This could be embarrassing. Villa have energy in the midfield and rely on counter attacks/quick transitions theyve lost so they will want to put that right in front of their fans. Our midfield will get cut to pieces against theirs. Could end up 4 nil, if Emery has them motivated

 

[lasereyes]

Villa aren’t in great form and threw away their game at Forest just like we did today. That said, they actually did carry a threat going forward and Forest are a better team than the rags. It’s difficult finding much to be optimistic about in this one.

A is better than B is better than C doesn't always work. We beat Forest 3-0. We usy beat Villa - just last year we have lost albeit they walloped us