Sunday kickoff (booo) for this. I think Villa will find us lot a bit more approachable than Legia fans the other night Thinking back to the start of last season when we beat Villa under Gerrard, their improvement in the 18 months since is really impressive, fair do's. This will be a good test of our own recent little improvement. We seem to be picking up an injury a game at the moment which isn't ideal (although I think every club is seeing similar). If we can keep the tempo and quality somewhere near where it's been just lately, we'll give a decent account of ourselves. Whether it'd be enough to get something we'll see but I'd take a point to build on.
We have lost five matches this season in all competitions and conceded in the first 15 mins of each one. Once we get past that unscathed we win (apart from one draw). The template on how to beat us is simple - press high early on and score before we can take over control of the game. I'm sure Iraola has done his homework and will go for it from the first whistle. Kamara is suspended unfortunately so Tielemans will likely come in for him. Moreno is back and was Motm last night but probably won't start. Hopefully Ramsey will be fit enough to start as we have missed him.
Tough match as Villa look great this season. It's good that I am hopeful of a point - the feel good factor has returned, but of course it can easily be reversed!
We are not great on our travels , but we need to get something out of this game as we have Citeh and Arsenal on the bounce after. Hoping for a 1-2 win .
A fantastic game of football so far between two evenly matched sides, end to end and enthralling, but utterly ruined by a complete clown show of a referee. Booed off by all stands at HT. Nobody has a clue what's a fair tackle, a foul or a yellow. It's an utter lottery every challenge. And I suspect the result will be decided by whoever gets a red card, because someone will. Give this game a competent ref and it'd be a cracker.
A shame to concede the late equaliser. I'm still happy though, as we're a totally different animal these days. Savages off the ball, relentless. We'll be OK if we keep this going, sides struggle to handle us. Villa had to use every trick in the book to get the equaliser, most notably stealing 10 yards at every free kick and throw. Something of course the ref never let us do when it was going the other way. But they clearly aren't bad and will give anyone a game with Watkins doing his thing. Frustrated but happy. Weird. Bring on Palace, we can get in their faces.
Exactly, he looks a real talent. Getting a prolonged run in the team whereas last season he was a sub. Overall we have to be happy with a point from this.
He's so very raw, but such a threat. Has to be starting these days rather than only off the bench. Never know what shimmy or turn he'll do next, or whether he'll pop up left or right. He's one who definitely benefits from Iraola football rather than O'Neil, given his workrate and flexibility. End product will always be an issue I think, but for a manager who prizes workrate, ground covered and chaos, he's ideal.
Gotta be happy with anything on our travels , two huge games at B6 now, oh and i won myself hospitality tickets for the Citeh game no freezing my knackers off for me this week
