A.Villa v West Ham United

[fraser]

Massive match Sunday and we need to take something but a win will take and keep us out of the bottom three. 

Hopefully Summerville is back and if he is just one decision for Nuno to make and that is which of the centre backs misses out... Really tough decision for him as Disasi has been great since arriving, Dinos and Todibo were both outstanding against City. 

If Summerville isn't fit I'm guessing he'll go for another midfielder and hope he does as I'd prefer not to go three at the back again. 

[fraser]

Harder than city? 

They've won one of their last eight league games 3 league defeats on the bounce. 

You really are into past form recently, rolling out stats all the while. Just saying.

Well yes as it makes them definitely not a harder game than City now when we played them when they were on their run of 12 wins or whatever it was and they were flying and we were doing the opposite it was a massive ask and they beat us then but they weren't that good. 

It's not past form it's current form, Wolves are bottom and playing really well so you also have to take in how they're playing in their last 5 they've drawn with Arsenal beat Villa and Liverpool and drawn with Brentford so you wouldn't say they were an easy game because they're bottom. 

[Massive Attack]

All considered this is a good fixture to have at just the right time. We need to capitalise on it. Be very disappointed wirh a loss having done most of the hard work getting to this point. We can definitely get a decent result out of this and really hoping we can win it which is very possible. Poor League form coupled with less rest because of Europe as we've had plenty can make all the difference, especially after our confidence boosting draw against City as well.

[Manuel]

Harder than city? 

They've won one of their last eight league games 3 league defeats on the bounce. 

You really are into past form recently, rolling out stats all the while. Just saying.

[Tomshardware]

They will have had less than 3 day rest, we will have had nearly 8. We need to make it count. I agree with Boleyn this will be a tough game.

[fraser]

Harder than city? 

They've won one of their last eight league games 3 league defeats on the bounce. 

[BoleynGone]

Villa rested quite a few, expect Mings,Cash and Konsa to start in defence.Watkins and Buendi too. Harvey Elliot must have triggered the permanent clause now,very strange use of him. He'll surely be an option to replace Rogers more often if required.
A point here will be great,harder than against City.They'll be buoyant and now that 5th place has been secured as a CL place have two fronts for qualification there.
Need to start strong . Mavro assist 1-1 

[wingdamage]

Hoping for Lille to score and extra time. They'll be knackered and if we start strong as we have been doing of late we can control the game. Wishful and doable. 

[John Drake]

Villa’s poor form coincided with injuries to Tielemans, Kamara and McGinn. Only McGinn is back by now. On top of that Watkins has played like a donkey for most of the season and they only have Abrahams in reserve. The main threat will be Rogers – any chance of an injury tonight?

[fraser]

tough this one. What we wouldn't give for a win but a Villa side smarting from defeat against Man Utd and probably needing to win to keep CL qualification on track will be a tough prospect.  Think we'll play ok but realistically will be defeated 2-1 in this one. It's going to go to the wire......

They've lost 4 of their last 6 league games only Forest and Spurs are in worse form over the last 10... It isn't just Man U who have beaten them. 

[nychammer]

tough this one. What we wouldn't give for a win but a Villa side smarting from defeat against Man Utd and probably needing to win to keep CL qualification on track will be a tough prospect.  Think we'll play ok but realistically will be defeated 2-1 in this one. It's going to go to the wire......

[Nutsin]

I think we will come home with all 3 points. I’m going for a 2-0

[Mex Martillo]

If Summerville is fit it's back to our winning 4-4-2 for me.

Hermansen
Wan Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf
Bowen, Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville
Tatty, Pablo

We can win this. Form says we should win this!

[Rossal]

Id rather push Diouf forward if Jimmy's out, than have that monster inflatable anywhere near it.

I think Pablo, only got taken off last week as he was coming back from that injury.

If Jimmy's out I expect they'll start same as v Man City 

Wouldnt be against this and playing Mayers LB.  He has looked solid and think they play Bailey or Buendia wide right who he is capable of taking care of 

[honky cat]

Id rather push Diouf forward if Jimmy's out, than have that monster inflatable anywhere near it.

I think Pablo, only got taken off last week as he was coming back from that injury.

If Jimmy's out I expect they'll start same as v Man City 

[Leonard Hatred]

WE WILL DEFEAT ASTON VILLA BY TWO GOALS TO ONE. 

YOU CAN TAKE THAT STRAIGHT TO THE BANK.

STAND ON ME. 

[honky cat]

I agree, it worked for City but we need that extra body higher up the pitch. Fingers crossed for a Jimmy recovery, if not put the Sumo wide left

I thought he was fucking awful when he came on against City a short sprint then looked fucked. 

 

On that 'behind the scenes' film, he looked fucked by the time he reached the carpet, jogging from the dressing room. 

[Mad Ferret]

The conversation about defence on this thread so far shows how difficult this call will be to make.  CBs at RB, Mavro out despite that performance, Mavro in but who to leave out.

It's a tough call.

Not like @Mad Ferret not to have chimed in by now to suggest anything is fine as long as Potts isn't in the Club.

Fucking hell son, rent free or what.

Fwiw, how many people you see putting Potts in their predicted lineups these days? He's been shown to be utter gash.

[Tomshardware]

Personally, I'd play Todibo right back instead of the give away a goal a game AWB. The top teams do it a lot with CB's, Arsenal are gonna win the league doing it. Gives us more stability, bit more arieally, and we won't be constantly targeted there. I also think he's quick enough and good on the ball to get forward at times, and he'll be over their winger like a rash.

That's a good shout, Todibo is also pretty good with the ball as well.   I like AWB but he has been at fault for goals quite a lot this season.

[stubbo]

The conversation about defence on this thread so far shows how difficult this call will be to make.  CBs at RB, Mavro out despite that performance, Mavro in but who to leave out.

It's a tough call.

Not like @Mad Ferret not to have chimed in by now to suggest anything is fine as long as Potts isn't in the Club.

Just seen he has and Scarles got the treatment lower down! 

[stubbo]

The conversation about defence on this thread so far shows how difficult this call will be to make.  CBs at RB, Mavro out despite that performance, Mavro in but who to leave out.

It's a tough call.

Not like Mad Ferret not to have chimed in by now to suggest anything is fine as long as Potts isn't in the Club.

[Massive Attack]

Can't shift out Mavropanos after that obscene herculean effort. 1st name on the team sheet!

[Rossal]

Mavro was unreal against City but for me our best pairing is Todibo and Disasi. Both quick, both good on the ball and both got a clean sheet last time away from home at Fulham. 

[Eerie Decent]

Personally, I'd play Todibo right back instead of the give away a goal a game AWB. The top teams do it a lot with CB's, Arsenal are gonna win the league doing it. Gives us more stability, bit more arieally, and we won't be constantly targeted there. I also think he's quick enough and good on the ball to get forward at times, and he'll be over their winger like a rash.

[El Scorchio]

He is quickly running out of time now to justify all the 'fuss' Nuno made with him, in fact I've almost given up on him being of much use at this point. Not a big deal financially, but we could have brought someone else in instead.

Not sure we could, for the absolute pittance we paid. We didn't even use our second loan slot in the end after sending Igor back. That tells a story about the state of things.

Possibly, think he's on 70k. There is always someone out there, christ even Lingard would have been better, but yea fair shout on the second loan slot.

Agree on the wages but I suppose that's the going rate now mad as it is- especially when you're desperate. The deal at least was 1 mill and then fuck all obligation if we go down which is good as we wouldn't be lumbered in the champ. I don't remember if there were any obligations if we stay up, though. The option of an extra year? Which I should think we wouldn't take. It is at least better than deals we've made in the past where from desperation we've signed similar players at similar situations and been stuck with them for 3-5 years. Hello Danny Ings, Luis Boa Morte and a truck load of others! I guess there was no-one better for that sort of favourable deal who was willing to come to a club who looked certs for relegation at the time.

I'm certainly not going to pretend he's made an impact at all aside from that first half against Brentford, but at least we can cut ties quickly and easily at the end of the season.

[Massive Attack]

Think it will be a draw and be happy enough with that but my god if we win it it'll turbo charge our survival chances and set us up nicely to stay up.