Yes, I know.
On the face of it, it’s a really negative question.
But I’ve just been reading the Birmingham Mail (or Live, whatever) where their new Villa correspondent, Ashley Preece, is writing his usual incredibly over-optimistic views of anything Villa related.
Don’t get me wrong. Let me say straight out that I love the optimism.
It’s just that my experience tells me that if you expect a neutral outcome or even disappointment, you’ll feel a hell of a lot better if things exceed that.
That and the disappointment doesn’t hurt quite so much as it would otherwise.
So, with my approach in mind, I wondered how we’d feel if we were to draw this game?
Ashley informs us that this is a total sell-out and a quick check at the on-line ticket office seems to confirm this. That’s great, as Bournemouth aren’t usually such a big pull and it shows that if you can entertain the fans, they’ll turn out in droves.
Roll on the stadium expansion, if things go our way over the next couple of seasons (temper that expectation, Badger).
Ash goes on to say how Villa Park will be a cauldron if the players work their guts out, perform and win.
He’s dead right, simple.
But the point in this post is what if things don’t go our way tomorrow?
Would a draw be a total disaster?
I view this as a game, where we really ought to get three points.
Indeed we NEED to get three, to keep the optimism up.
A draw, in my opinion would be a bit of a setback, but let’s keep it real.
I fully expect Targett and Guilbert to start tomorrow.
I also expect Trezuguet and Luiz to maybe start too.
It’s the sort of game we need to try to win and I think Dean Smith will have realised that sitting too deep and trying to defend does you no favours. The truth is, I don’t know what he was thinking, given the way the game played out against Spurs on Saturday, but what do I know?
I’d fully expect us to attack Bournemouth a lot more than we did Spurs.
But Eddie Howe is no mug and Bournemouth, while not particularly being a club/side that stand out in the Premier league, are a very efficient side. One that to me, we’d be doing okay to equal at this stage of the season.
We have to bear in mind, that if Smith starts a lot of new players, they might not quite gel from the off, is what I’m trying to say.
Team news, then.
Bournemouth have Arnaut Danjuma, Lloyd Kelly, David Brook, Dan Gosling, Simon Francis, Lewis Cook and Junior Stanislas all out
Blimey, what’s happened there, that they have so many players unavailable, this early in the season?
As for us, Chester, Hause and Kodjia are all injured.
I find Kodjia’s injury convenient, given his links to Besiktas, but whatever.
Otherwise, we’re all good and I’m sure all our fit players are chomping at the bit for a start.
So what to think?
Well, I’ve asked a negative question and expect some pelters for even thinking of us not winning this game at home.
But I’m actually reasonably confident that we’ll get the win.
I’m going for 2-1, as much as I think it’s going to hard drawn out.
See above for a working link.
We can’t keep giving the ball away like that!
stream on …..we look all over the place…need something to give us a boost…..
yep, poor up to now.
This is looking better.
Stream gone again and tried above link and got a porn site….havin a bad day…..
You have to get past that, but the link is working well, with a good pic.
Billing lucky not to get a second yellow then.
Wesley sets up Trez, but no joy.
I see good things in those two.
HT 0-2
Overall, outplayed, but looking better as it goes on, imo.
first off we have been poor and nervous
secondly the referee has been a joke and not a funny one. akinson has been very harsh on villa and very lenient with Bournemouth. especially with 29 billing. straight after getting a yellow for persistent fouling, he immediately fouled again and again and again how many chances does this guy get.
villa need to calm down and play #ball and we can get back into this game. need to score next keep the faith
2 preventable goals. Heaton and Luiz both sloppy and we got punished. If anyone here watching by tablet try universal sports app. Choose live tv option and there are 4 streams. You have to sit through ad before you can close it and occasionally it will freeze but go out of it and back in.
Ref has saved them…they will sub their animal and keep 11 men…..changes to come for us…all those set pieces and no Hourihane
Also we missed Hourihane for his dead ball deliveries. Numerous opportunities gone wasted with poor crosses.
http://livestreaming24.eu
is also one to be bookmarked, as it has loads of links, albeit with the usual hurdles to get past.
Ah Martin Atkinson – loves the Villa I don’t think
Not watching but I get the impression we’re creating good chances but no one to finish them
I’m really concerned this may be a real problem for us.
What a strike from Luiz.
1-2
Now we’ve got a game.
All over.