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!
So we play with no striker yet still try and play long balls time and time again. We get to half way line, panic then pass it all the way back and hoof it.
Turned it off – going to be a bad day.
It’s going to be just how many they score
Game over! Just a case of how many now.
Is Drinkwater playing for us or Citeh? I take it all back, bring back Nakamba.
Quite embarrassing.
It’s just far too easy.
Anyone got a sweep going for how many City will score. I’m in for 6.
You said it Holte goal 2 nil, we are frightened of City . Our goalkeeper kicks balls in their box, we hit balls into a defenders.
Just take a look at how we are playing 3 now . I’m turning it off.
Watching Keira Knightley – much more exciting 🙂
Drinkwaters not at the races. Substitute him now for goodness sake. We are all over the place!
Its pathetic losers tactics from dean smith. We will never get a shock result against the big teams because we cant pass and stick 11 men behind the ball. Its a joke even Norwich wouldnt do that. This could be worse than 0-9.
Smith OUT. Smith is a disgrace spent 130 mil on championship players. Konsa Hause all rubbish.
Keeps playing Hourihane who can’t run can’t tackle offers nothing one if the worse players at Villa.
Drops Guilbert best player against Leicester.
If Smith is a Villa fan he would resign.
Sack Smith now.
SMITH out.
Drinkwater, Luiz and Hourihane all lightweight. Non existent midfield without any forwards. We shouldn’t be shocked that we are getting hammered.
Who in their right mind thinks Drinkwater is the solution to our midfield!?? The guy has been a loose cannon for 2 years and barely kicked a ball. Our recruitment team need shooting.
Not good enough for Burnley but good enough for us!
Some of the body language is poor.
As in “what the fuck’s going on?”
We have the attitude I don’t won’t to be here, my advice to Jake Grealish get out of Villa, I don’t want to see a great player ruin his footballing life playing with shit players and management.
It’s not Drinkwater, It’s his first start.
Why is it so hard to see Hourihane does nothing?
Count how many times he is involved the guy is rubbish should never play again along with Konsa, Hause and El Ghazi.
This is all down to Smith if Bruce was in charge the boos and chants for the manager to be sacked would be echoing around the ground.
SMITH out
Mings had the ball at the back and made an arm movement to Elmo, as if to say “why don’t you move forward, so I can pass to you?”.
This is truly worrying, as the players don’t seem happy at all.
This game is going to destroy whatever confidence we have. Why is it teams like Norwich, Sheffield United and Watford manage to give the big six a game?
We appear to have a massive inferiority complex – it was the same in the Championship.
Expectations far too high.
Holte got it in one – we were promoted at least one year too early.
So a I agree with Ted – we should sack Smith for being too successful last season 🙂