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

[Dr Marvin]

-------------Ederson
Walker--Dias--Gvardiol--Lewis
-------Kovacic--Grealish
--------------Foden
-Bernardo--Haaland--Doku

Subs: Ortega, Stones, KDB, Mubama, Mcatee, Savinho, O'Reilly, Gundogan, Nunes

I am more optimistic about this game because of the return of Kovacic and Foden. Lewis will be available. Stones might also be back but I don't know how fit he is.

Get Akanji back and Bobb and then we are at full strength with the exception of Rodri.

 

[M23 Citizen]

I would imagine that there won't be a single player, at any level in the club, who will be confident that we can get a result at Villa.

Sunday's abysmal showing, and even more abysmal result, will have almost certainly have destroyed quite a few of our players psychologically.

Pep's second biggest challenge this week will be to lift morale and confidence in the dressing room. His biggest challenge will be to convince himself that he can do that.

While a point or three would be welcome, I would have no problem with a 1-0 defeat at Villa, provided our team spirit, commitment, and overall performance shows a significant improvement on recent games.

I'm not at all confident that we'll see any improvement on Sunday to be honest.

It could be the opposite of that. It could be that it is the final straw and turns this all around.

 

[M23 Citizen]

Just not looking forward to games at the moment at all. I hope the manager and players are!!

I’m feeling a massive fire in the belly, like these games are in a title run-in or Cup semifinals/final, for games at this stage of the season that I’d usually be calm about.

I’d usually be turning up thinking, ‘wonder if we might score four or five today?’. Now I’m simply hoping we can get a win of any means.

 

[RayCTID]

Not sure giving them a chance to prove themselves in one game can do any harm. It's unlikely the old gaurd will get much out of this game anyway.

Youth can still add more issues than it solves depsite the extra energy.

 

[N1985]

Looking forward to it. Things will turn eventually. Whether that's in 3 days time or August. Is what it is. CTID

 

[bearcityblu]

After our display at Villa last year they have to be favourites to beat us. They have been a bit up and down recently but their midfield and Watkins will be looking forward to playing us.

 

[Malcontent]

At least we will have had a week’s break, which we didn’t have when we lost to United on Sunday.

 

[Fordyboy46]

At least we will have had a week’s break, which we didn’t have when we lost to United on Sunday.

Doesn't usually benefit us pal, our worst performances used to be when we had a week's gap in between games

 

[Big Dave Watson]

Grealish back into midfield please as he was against Forest.

 

[Platt Lane 59]

After our display at Villa last year they have to be favourites to beat us. They have been a bit up and down recently but their midfield and Watkins will be looking forward to playing us.

I admire Emery.
His team's play attacking, fast football.
If things are not working out, he changes things early on.
We are due an energetic, committed performance, soon.
Please Pep, make early subs if things are going badly.
Also, please remember the starting eleven can all be subbed if they are knackered...