Aston Villa (home)

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After Tottenham its back up to Goodison to tackle Aston Villa. Villa have had some good form of late and will be looking for all three points against us on the day. Villa are rumoured to be targeting Lukas Podolski, a German striker who is also being targeted by us, Everton. They have some good threats in attack with Agbonlahor and Carew with Barry behind who likes to have a crack at goal.

 

Overall I would say that the odds are in our favour but with our recent results that could be the wrong prediction. We have Vaughan out and Saha back into the team (played against Tottenham) so we have a mixed strike force with Yakubu being brought off in the Spurs encounter.

 

What do you think? Should we fear Villa?

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Aston Villa lost thier game this week against Fulham. This will give them low confidence coming away to a technically in-form Everton. We have managed to keep a good run of games on paper and we should be the favourites heading into the game.

 

Villa have lost against Middlesbrough and Newcastle recently and have drawn against Manchester United. They managed to beat Arsenal but this has been thier only win in five games now which puts them on a bad run of games, if we keep playing like we did last season and like we did against Tottenham Hotspur then I have every confidence that we will win the game.

 

Thier threats shoulden't get past Jagielka (and Lescott if he continues his Spurs form) so we should be looking for a 1-0 victory, I say 1-0 because Yakubu, Saha and Vaughan are out injured. A goal from midfield methinks.

[Romey 1878]

They drew against Fulham mate.

 

I'm not even predicting the result for this game because we're so unpredictable it's unbelievable. Villa will cause us problems with their pace all over the pitch so our defence is going to have to be solid or we will be punished, the midfield will have to tighten up and not leave the defence exposed. And we'll have to hope someone pops up with a goal or two, our striker crisis is not going to help us there. Anyone know if Carew will still be missing?

[joemac92]

Im going to cross all my fingers and toes and say....1-0

[The Regulator]

I'm not surprised that Villa drew with Fulham because fulham away from home have been a very good side. Liverpool could only draw with em as well.

 

Villa are as unpredictable as us when it comes to results, moreso away from home. They've won against Tottenham, Wigan, West Brom and Arsenal, and they lost against Chelsea, Stoke and Newcastle. The way their away season is going theyre actually due a loss in the next game. While our home form has been poor at best, off the heels of today's win we will be brimming with confidence, especially at the back.

 

i think the key is having the seniors who were so influential last year all playing at once. With our striker shortage this could very well be the case. Cahill, Osman, Arteta and Pienaar are all used to playing with each other, and it showed today that they all have there importance. We didn't have pienaar against wigan, but as soon as he came back look at the impact he made. That will fill the boys with a confidence to play as well as they have done in the past and he does add a lot of creativity to the team that we've been lacking all season.

 

Villa will test us as they didn't just beat the aforementioned teams away they hammered 'em. Arsenal and Wigan especially. So we can't underestimate them but at the same time I think people are making far too much out of them this season. A lot of teams can start of with a good spell, but it doesn't mean that theyre suddenly title contenders. Villa are still villa, top ten yes, invincible hardly.

 

As long as we play with confidence we will get through them fairly easily, however we will not be very aggresive going forward so I see a late goal or 2 from us and an early one from them.

 

2-1 or 1-1. Too early to tell at this point.

[EFC-Paul]

I think it will be a tougher task then Spurs if we had a fully fit squad i would go for 2-1 to us but with Yak and Saha and JV out i'd settle for a draw 2-2

[carlmc25]

I think Villa are a decent side, but nothing special - if we play like we can I'd expect us to win this game, the question is just which Everton will turn up. By all accounts it was our best performance of the season on Sunday, the Everton of last season, hard working, composed, brilliant in defence and dangerous on the counter attack. It was the most balanced line up Moyes has selected all season and hopefully, apart from the one obvious change - Anicehebe, he'll stick with it. Arteta seemed a lot happier in DM, he used to play there for PSG and I think he won foreign player of the year whilst doing so. He's a quality player who even when playing badly usually remains composed and rarely gives the ball away, good quick thinking on the free-kick as well. Hopefully Arteta will now get back to his best because there is no doubt we have missed him and it was becoming more and more obvious that he was no longer effective on the wing consistently, but due to Pienaar's injury and lack of depth we had no option but to play him there. We HAVE to play 451, we just have to, we flirted with 442 and it was an unmitigated footballing disaster of abysmal football. As long as Anichebe stays fit I think we'll be ok, I've been impressed with him this season, his hold up play and workrate is unrecognisable from last year and he has all the attributes - pace, height, strength - plus he's not a bad finisher and that was an excellent effort with his left foot yesterday.

 

Roll on the weekend, if we play like we can, get after them then we can do them, the only worry is Carew, he always causes us all sorts of problems, without him Villa are nowhere near as effective as they rely on a lot of long balls and set-pieces for their goals.

[Gwlad]

Victor's got to come up with the goods - it's his chance for a run in the starting 11 and he must know it. Agbonlahor is the AV player I fear most. He has a habit of scoring against us.

[Blue 250]

Poor old Anichebe!.....were all expecting him to do what the Yak was having problems with this season....score goals.

He is some peoples fall guy, but you can't doubt his passion.He will give all he's got, maybe to some people that won't be enough, but surely we can't expect to go on and score loads of goals.

I think he's improved big time, he wins balls in the air (better than the Yak), holds the ball well, isn't afraid to shoot....and can score goals.I say good luck to the lad, could just make a man out of him.

 

With Cahill, Pienaar, Fellaini, Arteta and Osman, opponents should if they all play as well as they can have plenty to watch other than Victor, if he (Vic) can just keep working hard, I think we have a chance.

Villa have a european game on Thursday, a lung bursting, physicaly punishing encounter!!I just hope they have something left in the tank when they roll into Goodison, because I think Vic will be up for this.

 

By all accounts the team played really well at Spurs.....just do it again on Sunday boys!

[marcopaulo]

2-0 to us vic and cahill

think we'll be up for this i really do

[Ian C]

2-0 Villa, Agbonlahor brace, Young providing the assists.

[adamsmith69]

For some reason i am feeling optimistic. 2-1 to us.

 

 

Osman and Pienaar (both in my fantasy team) Agbonlahor for them

[pete0]

ne1 see the villa game last night, they were shockin! 3-0 win to us, cahill with 2 and ossie in the las minute.

[MikeO]

ne1 see the villa game last night, they were shockin!

 

Be a very different starting XI on Sunday though...we can expect something a lot stronger than...

 

22 Guzan

20 Reo-Coker

16 Knight

24 Cuellar

02 Young

26 Gardner

17 Salifou

27 Osbourne

07 Young

14 Delfouneso

09 Harewood

 

....I'd be delighted with any sort of win. I feel a draw coming personally.

[Finn balor]

Villa are not that good to be honest. In my opinion they are not as strong as we have been for the past two years to grind out results and without Carew they look a different outfit. If we shackle Gabby whotsisname i think we will do them. 2-0 Cahill and Felliani.

[Jesse11]

I think Villa are actually very good. Expecting a loss.

[Ant#1]

I had a dream last night that tim cahill kicked a double and the score was 2-0

[dark]

I would be really pleased with a win, I think that Villa are a very good team and will cause us problems at the back (especially Agbonlahor) and will probably score at least one goal. I know it sounds obvious but in order to win this game we need to score goals. I say this because with Villa's attack it is inevitable that they will score one or two goals past us so we need to make sure that we put a few past them to make sure we come home with at least a point.

 

I'm tipping that we will win, 3-1.

[EFCfanatic]

I see it going a bit like last years game. A we score, they score type game.

 

So a 2-2 for me.

[Ezy Rider]

Alright all, Villa fan here - expecting a draw to be honest, I can see it getting to 1-1 and then both sides being fairly happy with that. Or at least, happy enough to not risk losing to chase a win.

 

Carew is def out for us, line up will probably be:

 

Friedel

 

Cuellar

Davies

Laursen

L Young

 

Milner

Sidwell

Petrov

Barry

A Young

 

Agbonlahor

 

Although MO'N always likes to do something unexpected, so don't discount a 2-6-2 formation with McGrath and Cowans back in the side

 

 

What's your lineup likely to be? I don't know what he's like when you see them every week, but I'm a big fan of Osman and Pienaar and they don't seem to get much press - how've they been playing?

Edited December 6, 2008 by Ezy Rider

[Blue 250]

Hello Ezy Rider,

 

Not sure of the team for tomorrow, but pretty sure Pienaar and Osman will be there.Both good players, who are capable of pulling the strings for our forwards.....erm I mean forward <_<

 

Bit short on forwards at the moment, with just Anichebe available.Thing is he (Anichebe) will be up for you boys, and I don't think it will take him too long to get a yellow card.If he stays on the pitch he will cause your defence problems, and while they are dealing with him.......up pops Pienaar and Osman to win us the game

 

Seriously, we both need those points, can't see Everton being happy with a draw.

[Blue4Ever]

Don't no why but I have a good feeling about this.

 

----------------------Howard------------------------

 

Neville------Yobo---------------Jags--------Lescott

 

Osman-----Fellaini------------Arteta-------Pienaar

 

------------------------Cahill-------------------------

 

----------------------Anichebe-----------------------

 

You never know where about in midfield Osman Arteta and Cahill will be but im sure that will be the 11 that start, just hope Arteta is in the middle with Fellaini.

 

2-1 COYB..

[dark]

I am looking foreward to seeing the result in this game. If we attack well I think that we will come away as the comfortable winners, Anichebe needs to prove himself and he will do on his first real senior start. He's always been a sub or just thrown in, for me this is the first game that he's played where we are really relying on him to get some goals in the bag.

 

With the back 4 of Nev, Yobo, Jags and Lescott anything can happen but after a good performance against Tottenham I am being optimistic.

[Sprooly]

im really pumped for the game since last monday morning when we woke up and i checked and we beat spurs (i had an exam couldnt watch it) doing an all nighter with my mate who is an everton fan and another mate who goes for pompey hsould be good i reckon everton will play shit and get thumped or play well and win COYT i predict 3-1

[Sprooly]

3-1 win*

[Romey 1878]

I'm thinking a draw atm tbh. That being said, our consistent inconsistency may mean anything could happen so I reckon we're in for a twitchy bum afternoon . I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we come out on top.

[jamiemaher85]

I actaully have no idea which way this game will go, the next part of our season really depends on how much Vic can step up his game, this season he has put in some of his best performances (unfortunatly they where on the wing but hey ho).

 

We are so inconcistant with our level of performance I just can't predict what will happen, I would be hugely surpirsed if we won though. I'll take the safe bet and plump for a draw, i'd be very happy with that as well.

[iggy]

Hmm, tough one, Villa have a good away record and we haven't done that well against them since MON took over.

Also, like us you never know which side is going to turn up.

IF we put in the kind of performance that we did at Spurs then I can see us getting the better of them, but anything less and they will win comfortably.

[Randomness]

villa are a good team, however dependant on the right winger much like tottenham and with a fast as striker... like tottenham, they have a good english midfielder who can pass the ball nicely.... like tottenham,

 

 

if we perform as we did versus tottenham (played more like a team and that quality began to show) we'll get something.

[Ezy Rider]

Bear in mind we beat Tottenham as well. I love these games, proper teams, proper ground, good players throughout both sides, no idea what's going to happen. Good luck for the rest of the season from 6pm today, I hope if we don't get 4th you lot do