So we beat Brentford, beat Southampton and won in Europe again to make it three wins on the trot. Can we make it four?
Just as it frankly amazes me that we’re sixth in the league, given our recent form, it amazes me even more that Forest are actually a place higher. I’m sure that says something about the Premier league this season, but I’m not sure what. It’s probably that most teams have been pretty rubbish.
I really ought to be confident about this game, but I’m not quite there yet. I know results show that we look like we’ve turned the corner and got through a rough patch, yet I have a feeling that the Champion’s league is taking more and more out of the squad. We so badly need to automatically qualify and by-pass that next stage so the lads have a couple of months away from Europe, but then of course, we might be fighting on the FA cup front.
Squad news and Ollie Watkins will have a late assessment. I’m not sure it matters much, because I think Unai will start Jhon Duran, who surely deserves a start? It would however be nice to see Ollie on the bench if we require an option. Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey’s fitness hasn’t been updated, so the assumption is nothing has changed and they won’t feature.
Forest don’t have many problems, but Alex Moreno isn’t eligible, which is probably a bit of a loss for them, as he’s apparently been very good, while Ibrahim Sangare and Danilo are both long term injured.
Forest have a very similar record to us this season. They’re on the same points, but have a better goal difference. Not much, but they concede less and score more at the same time. Given that we’ve conceded 23 in 15 games, it’s really not hard to see where our problem lies. It’s in the defence and we need a right back so Konsa can return to by far his best position. But we’ve been saying that for ages and I have a feeling it won’t be addressed in the upcoming window either. Given our position in the CL and even the Prem, considering we’ve been so poor, it’s hard to criticise Emery though, I suppose.
I certainly didn’t expect us to be doing so well in Europe.
All this begs the question of if we don’t buy a right back, what position will be strengthened? Not long until we find out, but you’d expect we’ll get at least one player in.
This seems to me to be a game all about strikers. Duran is going to start, it’s just been confirmed, as is Mings, who will surely be wanted in trying to keep a lid on Chris Wood, who’s on a roll.
This game looks drawish to me and I’m going for a 1-1, which I’d be okay with.
UTV!
“Clapped out? See if Villa are interested.” Grealish is another player touted this week.
Sorry but Jack has been utterly ruined by Pep. City can reshape and take a breather when the ball is passed to Jack on the left wing. Jack goes through the same routine every time before passing the ball backwards to the full back and City can build again.
100 million for that – a brilliant piece of business by Villa! Jack used to take players on. He would lose the ball sometimes, a cardinal offence in Pep’s book, but he would get through the banked defences often enough to set up scoring chances. Now he has had the nerve extracted.
Utterly.
Was Gerry also watching the game, didn’t know you were monitoring it as well.
Napoli – 40 million euros for Duran, apparently. That gets you his head (hair is included). Multiply by 3 and we can MAYBE start to THINK about WHETHER to open negotiations for the rest of him. Someone’s having a laugh.
Too bloody right!!! I’m surprised Spuds or ManU haven’t offered a bag of crisps and a KitKat for him.
Paid in installments obviously.
Brain wave: Djed Spence. Right back. Was superb in Forest’s promotion season. Moved to Spurs as a result. Now languishing. Worth a try?
Look at the teams in the League Cup semi final. And the teams that have won it in the past 10-20 years. I don’t get where the ‘inferior’ label comes from. Bad press and nothing else. The clear facts suggest the top clubs value and take the competition seriously. Villa should, too.
Question is – who doesn’t take it seriously?
The players, Emery or all of them?
Primary focus for everyone at Villa is the Champions League?
It’s been an issue long before Emery, Hitch.
Interesting observation BFR.
Doesn’t it suggest, though, that Villa were actually capable of being competitive in Cup competitions pre NSWE / Emery? Some might argue with that assertion?
Foden is guaranteed to score today. He’d had the most shots than any other player without scoring, apparently. The question is how many…🤦
At some point City will start to show some of their quality. I hope it’s not today.
M. Cash
L. Digne
J. Durán
Pau Torres
B. Kamara
E. Konsa
E. Martínez
J. McGinn (c), Captain
A. Onana
M. Rogers
Y. Tielemans
Substitutes
L. Bailey
R. Barkley
L. Bogarde
E. Buendía
I. Maatsen
T. Mings
K. Nedeljković
R. Olsen
O. Watkins
Anyone know the latest news on Ramsey’s injury?
Carlos out of the Squad?????
I’m worried lads, Pep playing Grealish against us I wonder why? I wish I had the confidence to think we will do it today I just can’t think we will, hope I’m wrong.
Great game to watch. Better at making decisions today but still not good enough
Can you believe that.
I don’t think I have taken a breathe for 15 mins
Shut my mouth over Rodgers, brilliant performance and Tieliman’s outstanding.
Bloody hell! Could do with another.
Who’d a thunk it!!!! Long way to go yet though…Duran seems to be drawing the fouls well!
Just perfect. Gonna enjoy Christmas
Villa brilliant today – shame we couldn’t keep a clean sheet.
Tielemans, Rogers both top players today
How you lament the dropped points to Forest, Palace and Bournemouth. We’d be 2nd.
Great win today! Really solid performance.
Bill, still a Chesty hater? 🤣
Merry Christmas Villians!!!!!! Ho ho ho!!! 🎅🤶🧑🎄🧑🎄
No mate he’s changed my mind, great shift by the team and given me a nice Christmas.
Rogers was good – very good – but he hogs the ball too long when he should release it 4-5 seconds earlier to a teammate in space, which is frustrating. But for his age, very very good!
What a performance! The pairing of Kamara and Onana is superb and allows Tielesman to focus on great passes / through balls. The version of Rogers we saw today is the one that is going to becomes a dominating figure in the premier.
Even better, we played with purpose and this is the Villa we love.
Here’s to you Unai Emery!