There’s no doubt that Tim Sherwood’s appointment, like him or loathe him, has caused a stir and even an air of excitement down the Villa.
That said, after the mediocrity of Paul Lambert, where I think we were pretty much guaranteed to go down had he stayed, anyone could have come in and give us a gee up.
But Sherwood it is and he’s come out with some encouraging talk about how he’s going to approach the way we play, in actally trying to score goals.
It’s exactly the right approach, as it was obvious to anybody except Lambert that our lack of goals was going to relegate us.
So we face Stoke today and from what a Stoke supporting friend of mine says, it’s a really good time to be playing them, when you consider Stoke have most of their defence out injured and our lads will have new manager syndrome on their side.
So basically, it’s all about us scoring and I personally think we will today.
Shock, horror, I even think we’ll get more than one, which would have been unthinkable with the previous incumbent in charge.
But at the same time, Stoke, although weakened at the back, are no mugs, hence we won’t be able to go with an approach that’s too “Gung Ho”, as they have the ability to hurt us, if we’re not careful.
Which is what will make today’s game interesting.
Indeed, the rest of the season is going to prove interesting, as I see us winning some and getting caned in at least a couple.
Whatever happens though, surely can’t be any worse than what we’ve suffered for most of the season and I’m sure we’ll at least try to achieve the objective of the game; putting the ball in the opponent’s net.
Squad news then and Villa have Gabby and Gil back in contention.
I’d expect both to start, but am wondering how Sherwood will approach this.
Will he play Gabby in a two, with Benteke?
Injury-wise, Baker and Sendoros are not available.
Those two apart, we’re doing ok squad-wise.
Stoke have Shawcross out, Muniesa has been ruled out for six weeks and Cameron is banned.
They could have Wilson and Pieters back though.
What do I think then?
As I’ve said, I actually expect us to score today and that’s good news in itself.
Sometimes, the game is not purely down to how good you are. You also need a bit of luck, something that was sorely missing under Lambert and yet another sign that we were massively failing, if the saying that you make your own luck, is true.
I think Sherwood will prove luckier than Lambert.
In short, I’m going for us to win, 2-1.
This is a game where we need the points and I think we’ll get them.
Any alternative is a very scary thought.
6-0 VILLA get our goal diff down get in there. 😀
Benteke hatrick the BEAST has awoken.
3~ 0
can’t wait to see the team selection. who will be the two centre mid’s and will they cope having for once not a holding midfielder just sitting in behind. will sanchez career be over now. all will be revealed lmao
I’m not sure why Sanchez’s career would be over Nath?
He does try to get play going forward and if we can improve on our movement, he looks like a very decent outlet, to me.
I do get the gist of what you’re saying though and selection carries with it a hundred questions, just like an episode of “Soap” 🙂
It’s nice to see big scores being predicted, as it’s a sign of positivity.
Realistically though, I’m going back to that luck thing.
Even if it ends up bouncing off Gabby’s arse and going in the net, I’ll take it.
A great performance would be a big bonus, of course.
if you watched him play for his country or his former club side hes a holding midfielder. a shield which allows the other create midfielders to play. but cos our midfielders pants hes looks just as good as them going forwards. that said i remember a sherwood interview at spurs were they were beaten convincingly by a top 4 team, he claimed he won’t play the holding mid role in his team he believes they should do all roles defending and attacking creating. so sanchez will need to be more combative if he gonna play and thats goes to westy also. delph and WHO,i think is the centre midfield
Sherwood is on records saying how he hates holding midfielders.
Feeling excited and a bit nervous. For the first time in a long time I am looking forward to a Villa game. Players and fans will be fired up for this. Come on the Villa . 2 – 1 VILLA
Good point Dave. The crowd will be well up for this one.
Me, I’ll have to make do with watching it in a bar in Gran Canaria 🙂
The point is and I won’t be alone in thinking it, is that I feel we can win this.
I’d probably have been looking for a draw at best under Lambert.
Sherwood’s appointment has to be a good thing, just for that alone, imo.
Given or guzan today?? Me thinks given will be rewarded for last week,tbh that’s how it should be playing for your place.
Of course Given will start, they’re old buddies.
Hutton, Okore, Vlaar, Cissokho
Bacuna, Sanchez, Delph, Sinclair
Gil
Benteke
My preferred selection but will no doubt be something completely different. I’m going for a 2-1 win – Weimann off the bench with the winner 😉
my guess is as you have it except
Gil on the right instead of Bacuna and Weimann alongside Benteke up top.
Ye your probs right mate, I just think Bacuna is better passing and running with the ball. (although still not great)
I agree with your selection Helenius and the score line.
I do think that is the best line up we have with pace on the bench from Gabby.
i wonder who will be taking the corners and freekicks, villa have delivered loads of poor deadballs. hopefully they will have been working on this. other week i think was the hull game, we had 7 or 8 corners not one was delivered into the box and three players tried.
Thankfully one of those in Westwood is apparently dropped
VILLA: Guzan, Hutton, Vlaar, Clark, Richardson, Sinclair, Sanchez, Delph, Gil, Agbonlahor, Benteke. Subs: Given, Westwood, Cissokho, Weimann, Cleverley, Bacuna, Okore.
Fucking Richardson…..mind you, new manager he’s bound to have a good game. I thought TS had more bollox, but slinging the ever awful Gabby straight in is a kick in my groin!!
I didn’t think youth would get a look in yet, right decision IMO.
Cmon Villa
When lamberk put Richardson in at left bk we all slated it. Just saying
thats probably the best 442 we could field with players we have, big concerns with richardson and how will sanchez cope with a faster approach, can’t wait to see this
yeah gabby walks straight back in shows the strength in depth we have at present
Surprised guzan got the nod nice to see cleverly & westy on the bench,Richardson also a bit of a surprise.oh well let’s see how we get on.
Richardson??? Really??? Did he watch any of our games this season? Would hav gone with bacuna instead of sinclair too but we’ll see how he does starting, have a feeling we will lose this now because I don’t see gil and sinclair tracking back too much and richardson is a huge liability especially when you see how we have defended without cissoko this season!! The only thing I can think of is that cissoko is shite at attacking and that’s why richardson got the nod but still feel that’s a mistake, 4-4-2 and all out attack it seems.
Why do my comments always go into moderation? Even if I don’t swear? And it takes hours for them to show what’s that about? Did I piss ooh ah off too much?
Some strange decisions there, can’t understand why Richardson has got the nod over Sissoko, or Guzan over Given, or Gabby over Bacuna, very odd, still, we will have to give Sherwood the benefit of the doubt until the final whistle goes.
Scott Sinclair!!
Get in there is Sinclair now our top goal scorer??
While we have scored, I don’t feel we are playing any better. I thought there would be more intensity to our game, in this half especially.
Definitely playing with more intensity, final ball especially from Gil still hasn’t been great which is why I wanna see Bacuna come in as he is still our best crosser/free kick taker. Playing it more in their half when we have the ball than between Clark, Vlaar and Richardson in our own half which they’d be played into trouble.
No one’s having a bad game which is shocking. Richardson has even looked a decent player.
Biggest positive is Hutton isn’t constantly out of position anymore though. He’s not being forced to play on the halfway line when we’re being attacked.
Sanchez, Delph and Gil all poor so far, final ball has been awful.
Disagree on Sanchez, he’s not been bad at all. Delph definitely.