Man City are a very good team, regardless of who they put out on the pitch.
That’s the bleeding obvious out of the way and I suppose we should expect another spanking, similar to what should have happened against Leicester.
Fortunately, I called that game totally wrong, I suspect along with the vast majority of us and football did what it always has done, in saying no result is guaranteed.
Which is the total beauty of the game that sets it apart for me.
So while it would be fair to say we should be beaten fairly easily, I think if we set up right we can frustrate Citeh, just as we did Leicester.
Straight into squad news and little has changed.
Davis is still a couple of weeks away and all our long term injuries are just that; out for ages.
The interesting one is Jonathan Kodjia, who apparently hasn’t trained because of whatever illness (probably manflu) affected him on Wednesday.
I personally think that’s total rubbish and my money says he’s off, which is a massive indication of what Dean Smith thinks of him. Even if Smith doesn’t rate him, it says it all that he’d rather play without a striker than play Kodjia, particularly in our current position.
I suppose of course that Kodjia might genuinely be ill and there is a lot of it about, where I’ve personally seen very hardened grafters taking time off over the last couple of weeks.
As some of you know, I love a conspiracy theory and it just seems all too convenient to be ill right now.
As for Citeh, Kevin De Bruyne is fit after coming off against Utd midweek.
Aymeric Laporte is close, but not ready, same as Leroy Sane.
Will Drinkwater start?
I’d definitely think so as he has the ability to offer more than Hourihane and certainly Lansbury, in his overall game.
What does Pep think?
“It’s a historic club with a fantastic stadium. They changed their set-up, with five at the back rather than four at the back.
“Unfortunately, they had a big injury in the last week. We’ll try to maintain the dynamic we have.”
Not much about the game itself, then.
But the five at the back comment pleased me, as it backs up what I keep saying, in that we don’t play 3.
No doubt I’m just being pedantic, as we all saw how we played midweek, but it just bugs me.
And if we stick with the five, I suspect we might be able to get something out of the game.
Going gung-ho is definitely not the way to go, against a side like Man City, who will punish you on the counter.
I’m cautiously going for a 1-1.
Given that this should be a shoe-in on paper for Citeh, I’d definitely take that.
If we can nick one and hold them off, I’d be ecstatic.
But I think that’s pushing it.
UTV!
Bloody hell, I’ve only just realised we play on Sunday!
No problems Badger – sorted
Smith hinted at maybe playing the same system. The difference between this match and Leicester is huge though. Leicester were slightly cautious in the first half before getting at us in the second. City won’t be, and they have more quality. Once they score the game will be over. I’ll be happy to avoid a drubbing. 0-3 or maybe worse.
At Citeh we frustrated them first half and came out 2nd half and conceded almost straight away. Concentration is a massive thing when playing against top sides where we are constantly defending and chasing possession.
I agree with Badger that against a lot of teams we will be 5-4-1 but first half against Burnley we were more 3-4-3. It was Guilbert who scored on Wednesday which suggests full backs can be braver with this formation. Taylor however doesn’t offer the same threat down the left but defends better than Targett.
The obvious change from Wednesday would be Drinkwater for Nakamba most likely who was awful yet again. Luiz wasn’t much better but is a better passer.
We won’t be signing anyone before Sunday from what Smith said. I really hate all the rumours as lazy journalism becomes more rife. It’s just another way for Sky Sports News to roll out Jim White with more utter b***ocks!
Prediction wise, I don’t expect anything from the game. I think 0-2 if we keep it tight first half. Concede early though and it could be 5 or 6!
It appears we have signed Pepe Reina on loan from AC Milan for the rest of the season. Now I think this is probably a good move – expect Kalinic to be shipped out.
Nyland will hold the jersey for now but Reina will be a good Number 2 and both Nyland and Sarjic will benefit from his presence. He’s also reputed to be a very positive influence in the dressing room
Dwight Gayle is now being linked with a loan move from the Barcodes. It appears one stumbling block is that the Barcodes want a buy option included in the deal.
I think Gayle would suit our style of play and wouldn’t be a bad option – with my Mr. Realistic hat on.
will be tough against city certainly. Leicester was a defensive game plan to make sure we were still in the tie. objective achieved but there were parts of our game which need to be improved. it was obvious we need to keep the ball better. picking when to quickly break also, when the opposition are short at the back we need to counter quickly. drinkwater will bring experience into the middle where we lacked the a important calm head. we got mings at the back conducting things, but when the ball in our middle. luis and nakamber often pick the wrong pass or they are caught dwelling on the ball. both have got enough skills and abilities they just lacked leadership and drinkwater will improve them and us.
this really is a toughie, can not see us holding out like against leciester for 90, where i thought we rode our luck to the maximum. we have to be cautious but we have to counter well and most importantly keep good possession and work them. city will defiantly do what leciester should have done from the start, press high forcing villa in to going long to nobody or forcing a deep mistake like where leciester scored from. we have to play through the press which is hard or go longer into the channels but if we go the second we have to support these breakaways. hurt a team on the break they will be more respectful and cautious committing forward.
i see a defeat 0 2 i am being honest 🙁 hopefully catch city on a bad day and we win it isnt a game we should expect anything from so any bonus points will be welcome
Horses for courses. Different tactics needed for Citeh. The danger from Leicester is their flat out speed on the counter and the accuracy with which they can finish, despite having to do so at that pace. Sitting back blunts Leicester.
Citeh are the opposite. Sterling may appear quick but both Mings and Hause can outrun him, when he has to run with the ball. Citeh’s strength is unlocking packed defences with interchange of passes. Sometimes firing the ball into the shins of a defender and relying on their exceptional speed of reaction to pounce on the ricochets. We need to play a high line to counter that.
Expect Citeh to try and injure Jack – yes I really mean that! I hope they don’t succeed and the ref sees it for what it is.
Trezeguet’s shooting from the right of the penalty box may be our best route to goal.
Delph anyone?, more fake news coming out . Talk is Delph wants to come home, Benteke like the sound of joining Villa. Sod it going back to my Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey.
Should we rest Grealish and Mings tomorrow? Keep them fit for the more winnable games?
Word has it Benteke coming back ,deal done Monday.. thing is it again paper talk.
Delph would be a walking disaster area: Benteke a static ditto.
Agreed.
There’s desperation and then there’s desperation!
well no major signings yet 12 days into the window. drinkwater loan i think will be a success in the middle of the team the engine. but without a striker which is the one unit which is responsible for the finishing of the play. goalies and strikers two important pieces and we had to get them both injured on same game. what is our luck like.
wesley was not everybody cup of tea, but i saw him improve game on game. he struggled to begin with just fitting in to the system, then suffered lack of confidence with lack of chances created for him. he was finding his feet just before the injury such a shame for us and the player. heaton was brilliant when mings got injured he took over as the godfather figure, he was the voice they heard and the support when they needed it. so both out for rest of season both very integral part of our team.
now we need two strikers in the time remaining of the window, i just can not see us getting a salah or any world class player, i think we are gonna struggle getting one in with premiership history. finding any striker will be a achievement in the time we have left. can only see us loaning them. otherwise it will be a panic buy. high wages and high demands all in player and selling club favour.
what if we were unable to buy/loan any strikers? it would be disastrous, kodija is not the answer, he just is not interested. davis is not ready to play premiership, but without anybody who is he will have to play, but then his injury record is dreadful he wont be able to play half a season and stay fit. very worrying indeed. vassilev and archer two players i havent heard much off. they have to be introduced, that is why i was so bemused that they did not get more game time against fulham.
all this shit to worry about but first we play man city 🙂 one more conundrum to why we will struggle recruiting, our position in the league isn’t inviting to wannabe signings. if we can beat city today who knows maybe salah will come, if not him somebody else will knowing we are going to stay up and the position we are at this moment is false one.
Salads gone off the boil now so would be a rubbish signing…LOL
what about that bartender on simpsons moe. he is always on the razzle
From press reports, with all the normal caveats, we appear to be closer to signing another defender – Vida from Besiktas than we are a striker! 30 year old Croatian CB who played in the World Cup Final although it would seem there is a difference over valuation. I suppose it supports the argument that Smith is now going to play with three CBs.
Also Bergavic in Milan (loan from Bournemouth) suggesting Reina will be joining us this week.
Love to see us get a point today (love a win even more) but sadly I can’t see us getting anything out of the game. Ah well.
UTV
I can’t contemplate a situation where we don’t get a decent striker, or preferably 2, in.
If we don’t, it would be amazing to stay up.
It’s difficult enough, even if you have a striker that’s scoring.
I agree about Wesley; there were signs he was starting to get to grips with the game.
If it’s a Bournemouth defender he’s no good, Watford 2 up on Bournemouth at the minute.
I don’t understand the side Smith has picked. Are we playing 5-4-1 at home? And why is Luiz starting and Guilbert isn’t but Elmo is?
Sorry but I’m completely confused.
Oh well, as expected we will be in the bottom three before kick off and almost certainly after the game too.
If we don’t get a striker in we will be relegated. We could do with signing two because Sod’s law we would sign one and then get injured. Also it seems that Davis will spend most of his career as a crock! I don’t know what is happening with our medical team or are we just unlucky?
I was surprised looking at Villa players wages that Lansbury is second highest earner just below Heaton! No wonder we can’t offload a lot of deadwood. It will be a massive achievement to stay up with mainly Championship quality players. I don’t think any decent player would want to join us with relegation looking likely. As much as I hate them I think loan deals are the most realistic solution.
Aston Villa:
Nyland, Taylor, Hause, Konsa, Mings, Elmohamady, Luiz, Drinkwater, Hourihane, Grealish, El Ghazi.
Subs: Kalinic, Chester, Lansbury, Nakamba, Trezeguet, Guilbert, Vassilev.
Manchester City:
Ederson; Joao Cancelo, Stones, Fernandinho, Mendy; De Bruyne, Rodri, D Silva; Mahrez, Aguero, Jesus.
Substitutes: Bravo, Walker, Otamendi, Gundogan, B Silva, Sterling, Foden.
Actually, that’s not far off what I expected.
It’s all about trying not to concede.
Yep, looks like a 5-4-1, but expect it to be fluid, with the aim of playing 3 up front if we get a chance.
Holte, I’m beginning to wonder if the whole of the club knows what they are doing. Watford just finished winning 3 nil, we are now in bottom 3 and we are stagnated in players Crocked, useless, and going nowhere. Who do we blame for our plight, bad luck or incompetence. I’m trying to hold on thinking we cannot be that bad a football club surely.
I don’t think we are over blessed with luck!
Lansbury is a hang over from the bad days as is Kodjia – the latter will be gone either now or at the end of the season. Lansbury may well be shipped out on loan particularly having got Drinkwater to cover for McGinn’s absence. Probably can’t sell him because of his wages.
Given our recent history you can see what the new owners are trying to do to reduce the wage bill whilst buying players with future value (Kodjia for instance paid £16m and will go for nothing – we were totally ripped ditto, ditto).
As for relegation, we’ll I haven’t given up on the season yet. Brighton, Bournemouth and Burnley all can’t buy a win at the moment.
UTV
Bill, read that exactly 12 months ago we had just been beaten 3-0 away to Wigan and sat 12th in the championship. For me, this is part of the problem. We got promoted over better teams than us (Leeds and Albion) and it all happened so quickly that we haven’t had enough time to prepare for Premier league.
Agreed