Villa – Newcastle; Quite looking forward to this massive game

After a restful couple of weeks for the lads, the games are coming thick and fast again.
Chelsea on Friday, the Barcodes tonight and Sheffield on Saturday. I love it, as much as we know it’s not great for the players.

So it’s as per the headline really and I have a feeling this game could define our season. Win it and the wagon keeps on rolling. Lose it and I think it might be fair to say it’s probably indicative that the wheels are in the process of falling off.

I’ve been reading around and I’ve just seen the dreaded “Newcastle haven’t won since mid December”. You can guess what my immediate thought was. But we’re not the same team that we have been over the last few years.
I really ought to move away from that negative thinking, but I don’t feel we’re quite in that position yet. The draws at home to Sheffield and Bournemouth have ensured that loss of 100% confidence.

Squad news then and there’s nothing new. Pau Torres, Lucas Digne and Jhon Duran are all out, the young striker possibly until April, having done his hamstring. Why was I under the impression that he’d only tweaked it and it wouldn’t be for long? Unai has said we’re okay, because we have Zaniolo as a back up striker should Watkins get injured. I wish I was equally as convinced.
Still, I’ve consistently said we can score from all over the pitch, yet we haven’t been doing lately. It seems like we could do with someone to take the lead in helping us get our shooting boots on again and if Ollie was to get injured, you wonder who that might be. Then again, he needs to get his on first.
I’ve seen talk that Jacob Ramsay (the 100% definite target for Newcastle until Eddie Howe told them they were miles off) might be involved but I don’t think they’ll risk him yet. I can see this being a bit of a tough game and we don’t want him to aggravate the injury, which has already happened once.
Traore is still at the Afcon, I believe. Oh and Olsen is fit. Not that that matters much, as he won’t be getting on unless Martinez is in serious trouble.

As for Newcastle, they have quite the injury list.
Pope, Wilson, Barnes, Willock, Anderson, Joelinton, and Targett are all out. There’s some very decent players there and looking at that I can see why they haven’t reached the heights of last season.
And then to cap it all, Trippier, Lascelles, Almiron are all doubtful and Tonali is suspended.

Oh dear, how sad, never mind, to coin a phrase.

In all seriousness though, that is some list and hopefully it will be good for us.
What do I think then?
Well, this might be a bit controversial, but I’d actually drop Matty Cash and put Konsa in at Right back.
There. I’ve said it.
It’s just that his one decent effort on goal apart, I thought he was poor against Chelsea, as much as I saw he’d got good ratings in a couple of papers I read after the game. That and I just think he’s been off it for a few months now. I suspect the manager thinks it too, which is why he’s rested him previously. Why we haven’t signed a new RB or at least given one of the kids a proper go is something I find perplexing.
Which all of course, means Diego Carlos comes back in. I think that’s not a bad idea for this game, as he’ll help cover the back, which should let Luiz maraud forward a bit more.
I’d also be inclined to drop Diaby too, but I think Emery is trying to play him back into form, so doubt that will happen. He should though, be hooked at half time if he’s proving ineffective again, to be replaced by Bailey, in my opinion.
But what do I know? Emery often does things that surprise me and I’m sure he’ll do similar tonight.

Right, I’m sticking my betting hat on, as much as I don’t really bet and am going for a 2-1 win.
Losing this is unthinkable and I’m not even sure I’ll be at all happy if we draw it either.
In fact, I know I won’t.
I know you can’t expect to just keep winning games, but it’s this sort of game that sorts the wheat from the chaff and if we want to stay with the big boys, well, we just need to get the result somehow, as much as I see it being a bit of a bruising game, which will be played out in the midfield.

2-1 it is then.

UTV!

146 Comments

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  1. BFR
    BFR January 30, 2024 at 9:50 pm . Reply

    “That is a proper goal” says McCoist. If you mean the type that aren’t scrubbed out for offside by bent VAR decisions, Ally, yes.

  2. BFR
    BFR January 30, 2024 at 9:50 pm . Reply

    And just as I was saying, we get shafted again.

  3. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum January 30, 2024 at 9:51 pm . Reply

    As I was saying before Bailey interrupted us with his goal, shame about the 2nd too, Kamara and Luiz haven’t been the same since their suspensions.

    Why didn’t Bailey start?

    1. BFR
      BFR January 30, 2024 at 9:53 pm . Reply

      Maybe Unai is trying to get some value for the 50 XL…

    2. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand January 30, 2024 at 9:58 pm . Reply

      Agree totally, much better than Diarby who imo lacks the physicality for this league.

  4. BFR
    BFR January 30, 2024 at 9:52 pm . Reply

    FUCKING COME OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!
    Bailey must’ve been Googling Chesty Morgan before he came on! 🤣🤣🤣

  5. DSVilla
    DSVilla January 30, 2024 at 9:52 pm . Reply

    Is Ramsay on? Haven’t seen him

    1. BFR
      BFR January 30, 2024 at 10:04 pm . Reply

      He just got megged, DS…

  6. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum January 30, 2024 at 10:04 pm . Reply

    Luiz has been well below par recently.
    Zaniolio is just mental. He just runs anywhere.
    Barcodes just playing for time now.

  7. The Ron Saunders Stand
    The Ron Saunders Stand January 30, 2024 at 10:09 pm . Reply

    There’s always one team that has the measure of you and our case that team appears to be Newcastle.
    I’m really not convinced by Diarby and if I was in Emery’s shoes I’d off load him in the summer.

  8. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson January 30, 2024 at 10:10 pm . Reply

    I don’t want to see Diaby in a Villa shirt again , Newcastle wanted this game we didn’t,

  9. Holte
    Holte January 30, 2024 at 10:11 pm . Reply

    Zaniolo has been a disappointment since coming on. I was hoping for more.

  10. BFR
    BFR January 30, 2024 at 10:12 pm . Reply

    McCoist confirms, Bum Bum. “Daft” he calls Zaniolo. Daft. Shit. It’s all the same really…

  11. Holte
    Holte January 30, 2024 at 10:15 pm . Reply

    Can Diaby come good in the same way Bailey has? Maybe the first season is a massive learning curve. One thing he can’t change is his physicality. Emery needs to take him out the team because we can’t keep playing him in the hope he comes good.

    1. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand January 30, 2024 at 10:20 pm . Reply

      I don’t think so, you could see there was a player in Bailey -hot and cold maybe but always a spark.
      Diarby? I don’t see it, gets out muscled and constantly makes poor decisions.

  12. BFR
    BFR January 30, 2024 at 10:18 pm . Reply

    Thanks for the entertainment, lads. Final comment on the Villa: 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩

  13. BFR
    BFR January 30, 2024 at 10:19 pm . Reply

    I’m off to Google Chesty Morgan… 👍

    1. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand January 31, 2024 at 2:31 pm . Reply

      Not be confused with Lieutenant General Chesty Puller, the most decorated U.S. Marine in American History. 😂😂

  14. Sidforever
    Sidforever January 30, 2024 at 10:24 pm . Reply

    I think Emery needs to reflect on the style he wants to play and who he asks to execute the plan.

    With Lenglet playing the killer pass to midfield or attack by Torres is no longer there. This in turn makes Diaby ineffective. Further, Tilesman is not finding space to help the ball out from the back. More over it allows the opposition to close down and we lose the ball.

    I must admit to being surprised with Bailey playing so well before the international break with him being in the subs bench. Diaby must be outstanding in training!

    I’d like to see Ramsey in for Tilesman so he can link up with Moreno on the left like last season and Bailey in the right allowing us to attack down the other flank.

    Funny how Watkins becomes effective with balls being played in with pace.

    Time for a rethink Unai.

    1. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand January 30, 2024 at 10:33 pm . Reply

      Since Tielemans has been getting a shirt both our form and discipline have gone south.
      Never liked him at Leicester, didn’t see what all the fuss was about.
      Squad player at best.

  15. Holte
    Holte January 30, 2024 at 10:30 pm . Reply

    If Spurs beat Brentford tomorrow at home then we will be 5th! Right now I would take 6th if offered it.
    Emery now has to turn things round. At Arsenal he started great and then the wheels fell off and the fans got noisy before he was dismissed. We need to keep faith even though it’s not fun watching performances like that. My concern is our high line and high percentage possession is being exploited more frequently. Is it Torres being out that’s causing this issue or are we not giving the opposition enough credit?

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 January 30, 2024 at 10:54 pm . Reply

      Holte the same thought about Emery at Arsenal crossed my mind but one swallow doesn’t a summer make or in this case one defeat.

      I don’t doubt his coaching ability but is he too one dimensional? The EPL requires the best managers to adapt their tactics to suit the challenges of any one game but have we seen that enough with Emery?

      Accepting I only watched the first 35 minutes it seemed to me that he had not learned from the manner of our defeat in the opening game of the season.

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