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

[Blue2202]

Would like to see a midfield of Kova - Grealish with KDB just in front but I'm terrified Pep will somehow find a way to include Gundogan and Lewis in there.

Resigned to us getting nothing out of this game after the performance last week which in my opinion was the worst of this dreadful run of form. Despite leading for the majority the lack of hunger and drive shown to kill off and win the game against an awful united side was most damming. We didn't look remotely interested in whatever the outcome of the game was going to be.

If we're not prepared to put up a proper fight at home to united we're hardly going to turn it on at villa park. Of course I hope I'm proven completely wrong and we can somehow scrape a win - by any means necessary.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Just got a feeling today we're going to produce and get back on the horse.

Absolutely no reason for us to go back to being prime City but, I think we'll do some damage in a few hours.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Where are the goals going to come from.

At the moment gvardiol looks like the only one who could score out of that team.

They can all score, with a bit of good fortune! After all, if Rico can top bins one at Palace, all things are possible!

These are not bad players, they’re just disjointed. Our game is based on ball and player movement, and like any well-oiled machine that’s half a cycle off, we look and sound a bit rough at the moment.

Yes, there are players that are looking ragged and showing their age, but we have been “almost there” numerous times, against keepers playing out of their heads!!

 

[Scott mcfc]

Early train on the smash,result is what it is,get our players back fit in jan buy a couple,and go an smash fuck out of the champions leauge,its more than doable

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Early train on the smash,result is what it is,get our players back fit in jan buy a couple,and go an smash fuck out of the champions leauge,its more than doable

Sounds smashing!

 

[skillman]

Dreading this.

Villa, and more importantly Emery, are the worst team to come up against for this team right now.

Relentless but clever in their tactics.

 

[MadchesterCity]

Dreading this, might go out Christmas shopping and realise too late it’s an early kick off

 

[bluetonium]

Really struggling to get motivated for this at all. I may do some cleaning instead of watching. Feel a bit guilty for not giving my support, even from behind a TV, but I just can't see us putting up a fight. Hope I'm wrong but I imagine it will be the same old story, decent start, minimal shots, capitulation in the second half. Got enough on my plate without that.

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

I don't hold out much hope today after the shit show last weekend but we might hopefully get a performance more like against Forest than against the rags.

 

[Haaland94]

Not that it matters but they need something new.

---------Ortega
Akanji Stones Gvardiol
---------Kovacic
Bernardo Foden Grealish
---Kev Haaland Doku

Kev in that RM role that he played a couple of years ago just occupying that space and playing crosses to a speedy Doku who can cut back to Erling.

Play the defensive line a little deeper to combat the running of Watkins and Rogers.

Kova, Bernardo, Foden and Grealish to occupy a larger space in midfield. They are all brilliant dribblers and good at ball retention. Just need to show that fight again and wake up. Jack should be up for this?

I really like your 11, I think it would address a lot of our problems. Having said that, I, sadly, expect too see this:
Predicted XI: Ortega Moreno; Walker, Akanji, Gvardiol, Lewis; Kovacic, Gundogan, Foden; Bernardo, Haaland, Grealish.

4-1 Villa