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High-flying Aston Villa welcome Arsenal to Villa Park this weekend as the Villans look to continue their unbeaten start to the Premier League. Arsene Wenger will be hoping to bounce back from the late goal conceded at home to City by taking all three points home this Saturday.

Fabian Delph has started the season in fine form, and as such was rewarded with his first England call-up. The midfielder has managed to complete more sprints than anyone else in the Premier League, with 222 according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

It is Delph’s teammate, Andreas Weimman, who is closest to him in the sprint rankings, recording 204 sprints in the first four games. The pair combined are likely to put the Arsenal side to the test, and such energy has the potential to hurt a fatigued Arsenal off the back of a midweek game.

Villa’s strong start in the Premier League has largely been down to their solid defensive displays. The first choice back four have made a combined 82 clearances so far this season, and despite missing a game through injury, 21 of these were made by Ron Vlaar, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The Villa captain is likely to miss out through again through injury and could prove to be a big miss for Paul Lambert’s side.

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has completed the most passes in the opposition half with 225, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. In addition, Ramsey has completed the second greatest number of overall successful passes, with 310, trailing only Spurs’ Etienne Capoue.

New signing Mathieu Debuchy has completed the most tackles of any Arsenal player, making fourteen successful tackles in the Premier League thus far, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The right back has also made more clearances than any of his teammates, with 28.

Laurent Koscielny has made the most interceptions within the Gunners’ squad. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index indicates that the French centre back has made a total of 13 interceptions so far this season, which also ranks him fourth out of any Premier League player. Koscielny is likely to be put to the test this weekend and it would be no surprise to see him add to this tally considerably. Arsenal are 19/10 to win without conceding with 888sport.

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Matt Turvey
Matt is the owner of, and chief writer for, Aston Villa Life. He is also a columnist for the Wolverhampton Express & Star, appearing in the Kick Off pullout on Saturdays and the Final Whistle pullout the Monday after Aston Villa play, as well as every Thursday as a blogger on their website. He has previously been featured as a writer on Football365 and Life's A Pitch, and was a regular pundit for Sports Tonight TV on Sky.

Comments 181

  1. Frem

    Mmmmmmmmmmm. My God I want us to win so badly. We could actually go top of the league, and then play Chelsea next week. The Holte will be rocking if we do. Hope Benteke is the bench

    I have a feeling we a draw might be the best we can do though. I don’t think parking the bus is something we will get away with Arsenal for 90 mins. That seems are only plan though. I hope we get into thee faces from the off and hassle them

    Get Gabby getting in behind Mertasaker. Hes so so so slow. no man marking a CM player today

    I expect the same line up as against Pool

    Please please win Villa

  2. Mark King

    Its like school exams day, feeling confident about what the questions will be but not sure if the teacher gave us all the right answers. I expect another tight game but as frem says parking the bus might not work as arsenal often play through by quick passing moves and quick players we might have to stun them with something they don’t expect

    COYVB

  3. rogermuffin

    AS pre Frem and Mark – we cant park the bus today, Some bus parking will be needed but not fot whole game.

    And
    mark yes it does fell a bit like exam day – and welcome otr end as it does also feel abit like xmas 🙂

    I think we will c a a different line up to liverpools.

    Not much different but instead of cleverly, we may see nzog and / or sanchez to start if they don’t then they will both come on around 60 mins, whether we chasing shadows or not. If nzog starts then grealish will come on for him / or we may evenget a random surprise and he may start?

    Wilshere may not playing welbeck has not quite settled in yet ( but likes to score against us)

    le arse may have quite a few missing today

  5. rogermuffin

    Also to Mark John & Jen much thanks for all the interesting comments / info lately.

    It been v good to see such a difference on here this last week

    I like to think i know a lot about the history/ universe / life /the force etc… and tbh dont often hear /read people i know ( well not in the flesh yet), having similar thoughts.

    I have to say i have learnt a few things i didn’t know.

    have to look up lemura

    Atlantis could also be in the middle of the atlantic – or even south america when sea levels where alot higher

    http://beforeitsnews.com/beyond-science/2013/03/atlantis-in-south-america-the-evidence-2441492.html

    The radioactive city in northwest india i sure i saw on discovery channel program to Harappa or Mohenjo-Daro known as the Harappan Civilization – Indus Valley Civilization

    https://www.forbiddenhistory.info/?q=node/130

    also plenty on youtube vids about this

    have any of you read /watched/ listened to the secret?

    And finally Sci-fi space travel is coming ever closer to reality

    http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/19/6538231/nasa-is-about-to-send-the-first-3d-printer-into-space

    UTV

  6. rogermuffin

    Also to Mark John & Jen much thanks for all the interesting comments / info lately.

    It been v good to see such a difference on here this last week

    I like to think i know a lot about the history/ universe / life /the force etc… and tbh don’t often hear /read people i know ( well not in the flesh yet), having similar thoughts.

    I have to say i have learnt a few things i didn’t know.

    have to look up lemura

    Atlantis could also be in the middle of the atlantic – or even south america when sea levels where alot higher

    http://beforeitsnews.com/beyond-science/2013/03/atlantis-in-south-america-the-evidence-2441492.html

    UTV

  9. Frem

    Think Cleverley will start for sure. Big time player according to Lamberk

    Wonder If Grealish will get of the bench today? Can’t leave the guy on the bench for two games. hes 19 and our most talented player. get him on the pitch

    OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH CHRITAIN BENTEKE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    If we don’t win, thats four games at Vp this season and only 1 win. Still issues

    COYVB !!!!!!

  10. Frem

    Sold out today. Its games like this I have missed. With MON for a bit, 3 o’clock kick of’s on Saturdays with the Holte packed out and Villa getting in the opposition faces and battering them. Can’t wait

  11. Mark King

    bloody hell roger that was spot ready to burst 😉 have you ever listened to Coast to coast AM its a talk radio show in America you can get the podcasts loads of weird and wonderful stuff 🙂

    frem

    would great to get the place rocking been a long time

  12. Ed

    Whooooo! It’s here, can’t believe I’m so exited! I was going to put my team choice up but with so many options (wait, really ?) then I’m having a bit of a struggle. Do we need Sanchez as a rock, but then does cleverly not get a start, who I am really fond of. Frem I would also love to see benteke on the bench but for more of a lift rather than anything else, I would get an equal buzz from seeing our young jack getting a start. I’m going to wait for the line up before I write anymore. But hello to you all and I wish you a very happy villa day!!!!!!!

  13. Trinity

    Welcome Ed.

    I don’t think Benteke should play at all today. Apparently, he’s not properly fit. Remember when he started back too early from that hip problem last year.

  16. Frem

    Mark- I read an article saying we also want to sign Keane up to a longer contract. Wonder if that will happen. Still no Vlaar, Delph or Grealish though

    I think the beast might be on the bench you know but as Trinity says, he was bought back way to early last season and he never recovered

    Welcome Ed. It’s nice to have competition in the squad for once isn’t it. I think we will start as we did against pool, Lambert very rarely changes a winning side, he rarely changes a losing one. With the way we are playing, Sanchez doesn’t deserve to just walk in. Westy is doing just fine at the min

  17. Mark King

    frem- he’s only just kicking a ball mate its been running only, they will be accessing him for a while as trin said we ballsed it up last time and at the moment there’s no real pressure to rush him. if we’d lost 3 and drawn 1 different matter.
    Wenger has stated maybe Keane has found what he’s best at, less direct confrontation with players and press, lambert does the softly softly stuff, who knows could be a gift for us, as usual time will tell

  19. Clive Evans

    Good post as usual Matt; welcome Ed.

    Wish I was in VP today instead of watching on-line in Thailand. More chance of Bent than Benteke and both far fetched with the way we are playing – if it’s not broke…

    Arsenal were dire in UEFA match mid-week; they’ve gone back to the Henry days of trying to walk it in but failing. If our defence keep its shape and concentration we should shut them out. Having said that they are going through the home game nervousness we experienced for the last few seasons and might feel under less pressure away.

    It seems to me to be a game that will be heavily influenced by the referee; will he be fooled by the poor little hard-done-by Wilshire or the other thespians in the Arsenal squad?

    A tight game and that is how I will probably be by the end; UTV

  20. Mark King

    qpr are woeful, harrys melted welly face not looking happy.
    harry explained that they had to buy a new team as most of their players were loanees last season, where as leicester still have the team they came up with, sound familiar?

  22. John Lerwill

    rogermuffin: The radioactive city in northwest india i sure i saw on discovery channel program to Harappa or Mohenjo-Daro known as the Harappan Civilization – Indus Valley Civilization

    Yes, that must be it. On reflection I came across that some time ago when watching a video on the Harappan Civilization.

    It is this civilisation that was also identified with the Arian legend (I think originated by Müller in the 19th c.), but the Arians appear not to have been a race but the people within the race that pursued the teachings of the Vedas.

  23. Jenny Truman

    You’re all wrong 🙂 Clark for Baker and otherwise unchanged . Haha just heard on TS

    Best time to play Arsenal – embarrassed by BD , fans getting at Ozil and AW , tired from mid week game and our confidence sky high . Would like to see them throw caution to the wind and get at them from the start and press . An early home goal could see the confidence drain out if them more . With our comfortable table position – a 40 thousand crowd – let’s take the risk and take advantage of their current misfortunes . And if we lose 8-0 then blame me . I predicted three points at the scousers and I predict a win today provided we go out strong , confident and with the belief and fight they showed last week.

  29. Mark King

    Westy not well in warmup don’t know about baker I’m assuming Clarke in as better on the deck and arsenal not known for winning headers in the opposition box

  49. Mark King

    They need to tighten up roger and get there shape back. Then work our way back in. Hutton way out of position for the second. First just typical arsenal. Sanchez just doesn’t keep the ball moving

  52. Paul Whiting

    Normal service is resumed…this is a nice reality check that very little has improved this season; oh and by the way, Sanchez is shit; just jogs around and does nothing. 6 shots on target in 4 games against Stoke, Hull, Newcastle and a well below par Liverpool. Long hard season ahead…Chelsea already installing a cricket scoreboard for next week

  55. Frem

    And back to earth with a bang

    Only four more years of this twat. This is why you don’t give a new contract to guys who do well for 3 games. That’s orient, Newcastle and Arsenal now at home this season. He still hasn’t figured out Home problem

    Sanxhez, wow. Get him of. Get

  56. Mark King

    Roger they have all got it 🙂

    Jen- I said in the week it would be interesting if we go one down, without Westy and Clarke in we are to strung out. After the first they should of tightened up then go again not try and hit them straight away . You need a minute to get your composure and they didn’t take it. Still if you miss chances like we have it happens

  57. Mark King

    Frem -Sanchez is playing in the position he does for his country but it’s a different formation. He doesn’t speak English either your right to far off the pace

  58. Dee

    Utterly dreadful football. Our good defensive record blown away in 3 minutes. I don’t blame the defence, it’s that useless excuse of a manager who expects 90 minutes of backs to the wall defending and whose attacking gameplan is a hopeful lucky bounce or bobble from a guzan punt to one of our equally useless forwards!! i’m switching over to watch b. munich!

  60. Dee

    How is a 19 year old, however talented, meant to change things when the entire dynamic of the team is wrong? That useless PL should take of sanchez and richardson and bring on cole and n’zog as a last role of the dice. Utter drivel. i give up.

  61. rogermuffin

    mark, i think do indeed have the shitz , i smell a conspiracy,, didn’t they poison spurs before a big game a few years

    Yeh that’s whats going on, Definitely, its not normal service at fault

    🙂

  69. Jenny Truman

    One of the great managers (so great I can’t remember who it was ) said the best time to score a goal is within the 3 mins after you’ve just scored – because the ones who have conceded’s heads are still on the floor . They went better and scored three but I remember it happening to spurs last year – the centre forward still doing his laces up and wham another one goes in. My stream won’t work so I didn’t see it only heard it . It will be a good test to see how they handle this set back – which IS recoverable .

  72. Mark King

    Jen – he’s right, when a goal goes in there’s a moment when everyone looks around hoping its not their fault you need leaders to get a grip and reset the team we didn’t,we went headless and strung out

  74. Dee

    with the pressure off at 3-0, surely the players should try to play a bit. Again we make the opposition look like worldbeaters. I can’t stomach another season of Pl let alone 5!

  77. Mark King

    We need to push up way to strung out no pressure on arsenal, I can only think they’re all knackered , cleverly the only one with energy, Delph very quiet maybe they all have west woods bug it’s possible

  82. rogermuffin

    Mark King
    8 mins ago
    Hutton at fault for two goals he was miles off his man for first and second goals today. Give a man a contract he relaxes

    Yup – ditto lambo –

  85. John Lerwill

    The Match

    Oops.

    This has certainly shown the deficiency of being defensive-minded … when you’re down you don’t know how to start creating tome back up. There was barely any creativity from Villa today.

    About the team changes – the presenters were talking about a virus that had his the Villa team (Baker, Westwood …more?), and if that is true then we could begin to understand why Richardson and Sanchez were so poor. But in fact most of them seemed to be sleeping apart from The Rock.

  86. rogermuffin

    its possible a few of them had this bug mark.

    ” pick ourselves up and go again” to re-appear again today at some point

    after they’ve all cleaned they’re pants 🙂

  87. Mark King

    JL I think it might be true as much as it looks like an excuse just read this.

    It kept out Westwood, Darren Bent, Nathan Baker and made Andi Weimann come off at the half. I’d have to imagine others were feeling its effects.

    up to 30 mins though we matched them just same old not converting chances

  88. Dee

    MK we did not match them up to 30 mins but merely contained them. We were utter drivel, we thought we could “do a liverpool” against arsenal. this brand of football only gets you so far. By the way, Sanchez is the new sylla!!!!

  89. Jenny Truman

    I didn’t see it but just like four unbeaten games doesn’t make us top 6 contenders neither does 1 bad game make us useless .

    Disappointing to hear we fell apart for 3 mins as we have experience on the pitch now so can’t blame naiivety. That said, I feel sorry for Sishiko , just one bad decision and it seems Hutton and Sendross lost their heads too.

    I don’t think the poor performance has got anything to do with contracts being signed : I bet they are mortified. Even harder for them when they’ve had this great start to fall flat on their face in front of your home fans .

    The Q for the manager was what do you say at half time – and what tactic do you use . From the sound of it we battened down the hatches . It’s a dilemma . I remember Fergie spitting wasps at his team when they lost 6-1 to Arsenal (or was if Man City) about four seasons ago . They were getting truly thrashed . He said he was furious with his players as when they were 3-0 down they kept pressing and leaving themselves wide open. I thought that interesting .

    I am sure Roy Keane will be pointing out the error of their ways and the importance of focussing on the next kick after conceding a goal . Past is past , stay in the now . I hope that there isn’t a witch hunt either . We want to build confidence and not let this over shadow the improvements that we have made so far . Maybe this will be the biggest test for RK as their coach , How to learn from setbacks without damaging self esteem .

  92. Jenny Truman

    I meant you saw it and I didn’t so you have more info than me . Did their heads go down second half and did we defend well at least in the last 45 mins ? Damage limitation ?

  93. Mark King

    dee don’t know what you were watching but fair play if thats what you saw , phil thompson on sky said the same as me and the commentators , and bloggers all over are saying the same.
    Lambert just said a virus has gone through villa park, delph and guzan have had it all week, as have many staff plus westwood bent baker weimann and you can only guess most were effected. they are going to shut down for a couple of days.

  96. Mark King

    jen- Lambert has said he thought they would crash after the adrenaline faded and they did. my brothers firms staff have been wiped out by a virus this week it happens

  101. Mark King

    jen
    was only joking about the contracts. two goals came from huttons side from crosses and he actually watched ozil run in behind senderos without trying to mark him. most of arses best moves came down his side, delph was lifeless too down his side, cleverly was like a man possessed. i hope sanchez was ill because he was poor today

  104. Jenny Truman

    Dee – I’d say that was a lot less painful as it’s a grey wet day here ! Lucky you !

    Mark – that’s a shame about mutton given his Phoenix like rise from the ashes .

  107. rogermuffin

    well I don’t feel so bad about it now. if half of vp has had this virus.l they did well to get s team out.
    a dude at work had it and was of work all week. . down broad St now with matey whose a scouser fan.

    with tekkers still to come back. it’s not the end of the world. plus we can give them payback at Highbury.
    seems easier to type on this android Swype keyword than a lappy .

  108. r0bb0

    Sanchez looked way off the pace today but maybe he’d been ‘bugged’ too. What I liked though was that he kept trying to make himself available even after he’d made several dud passes and been caught in possession. Attitude didn’t seem to be a problem.
    Grealish was called into the changing room part way through the half time kick around, presumably once Weimann started puking. He needs to learn how to copy with players man-handling him (as Chambers did several times…..unpunished!) but again looked real class on the ball. It looks increasingly obvious that the boy is the real deal. Part way through the second half Gabby instructed him to move off the wing into the centre and he did well there…..could he become our playmaker?
    We’re not top 6 quality, but when you looked at the players out there, we have some creative ball players now and there is just a chance that things could be looking up.

  110. Mark King

    robbo- I think grealish could end up there he certainly has the skill and the vision. as a winger he’s not that fast has speed of thought. chambers should have walked but that wouldn’t have changed much they all looked shagged out bar Gabby and cleverly. shame was looking forward to the game

  111. r0bb0

    Mark, I agree. I don’t see Grealish as a winger long term either. There were a few times when Cissokho was expecting him to dash down the line for the ball played through or lobbed over the top but I’m not sure that’s his style or if (as you say) he has the pace for it. He does however seem to have the guile and vision to play the ball around in the centre of the park. With him, Westwood, Delph and Cleverley in the squad, you can see us retaining a lot of possession (if we want to) against lesser teams.

    On a separate point…….I’d be happy if Arsenal missed out on fourth place on goal difference. They showed such little ambition in the second half against a team that could have been there for the taking and unlike us, they didn’t (as far as I know) have illness as an excuse.

  112. Mark King

    robbo- they were probably thankful for the rest after chasing dortmund around so to be honest it suited them. Lambert missed as trick we could of claimed it was Ebola and the game would of been off, possibly for good 😉

  113. Trinity

    A reality check.
    As Jenny said, one bad game doesn’t make a bad team. Illness seemed to play its part today.
    0-3 at home is disappointing for the fans who traveled to VP, though.
    Guess it never pays to get one’s hopes up too far concerning Villa.
    Looks like Liverpool’s bubble has burst.

  115. @RonnieBiggs

    Wasn’t able to catch the match and don’t know the illness situation but it certainly would be nice to get a Benteke and Vlaar boost soon.

    We’re still in a good position but the next two matches are tough as we all know.

    I’m behind the team being the happy clapper I am!!! 😉

    UTV

  116. Heroes-and-Villans

    Its not really illness. Its the simple fact arsenal have ££££££££££££ more than us. Ozil cost them 42 mill…..our team cost 13!! What do people expect the outcome to be. Get man city, chelsea out the way. Get vlaar tekkers fit and top 10 is do able. Games against arsenal is not our benchmark.

    Other results went fir us today and its still been an amazing start to the season.

  117. Jenny Truman

    We did better against the bigger teams than those around us last year I seem to remember though . Have our tactics or style changed or do we just have slightly better or experienced players in the team. Time will tell.

  118. Paul Pears

    was at the game and Villa for the first 30 mins were good value for money, then 3 mins madness, killed us off.

    Maybe in part to Arsenal having a great team going forward…look at the 3 subs they put on compared to ours…

    but am sure without the bug we would have given a very different account of ourselves…Guzan and Delph both had it and still played…..and it was so bad that the club has been closed down from after the match…..Even the Bluenoses team had sufferers….not just isolated to the Villa.

  119. r0bb0

    Jenny, I’ve been asking myself the same question.
    I’m sure that we do have better players this year:

    We have some new players in contention. . .
    Bennett or cissokho?
    Scilla or Cleverley?
    Tonev or Grealish?
    Senderos or Baker? . . .
    Which brings me to the next point. . .

    Some players have improved:
    Baker, Delph, Westwood?

    And others have been allowed back into the squad and seem to have improved:
    Hutton, Nzogbia?

    Will this be enough to see us winning games against mid table teams?

    The real question is whether we now have the creativity and style of play to break these teams down.
    The first few games suggest that we just might, although let’s not forget that although we won games, we didn’t create that many chances.
    Looking at a midfield with players like Delph, Grealish and potentially Cole, and with Benteke to come back then we really ought to have sufficient creativity there.
    We shouldn’t forget Gabby either. Yesterday his pace did seem to pose a threat again and he is looking keen. His name was chanted by the Holte 3 times and that’s a sign that he’s posing problems for the opposition.

    Before the season started I’d resigned myself to a miserable season for Villa. . . . Dammit. . . . it’s the hope that kills!

  120. runtings

    It sounds like there is an excuse for yesterdays non perfromance due to a virus

    Liking how koeman has brought a clear attackng passing phyloshy to the swans – they are playing the type of football i dream of seeing at villa

    The hammers fans seem more interested in seeing passing proggessive football than they do staying up and big sam has abandoned the long ball , they are currently playing so sweet football

    Hopefully we can get through the next 3 games with taking too much of a maulling or even better but i am not optimistic just hopeful

  121. John Lerwill

    runtings,

    Yes, the word “excuse” can be thrown at ’em, but if (for example) you take Delph’s knock towards the end of the first half, it looked as though he was badly winded and as he was one of those supposedly recovering from the bug it took somewhile for him to recover.

    Without being certain what type of bug it is that’s causing the problem, it would appear to be one that affects the bronchial system, so when you’re running around you would feel impeded and play below par. And it clearly caused several not to play or had to drop out at h-t.

  122. Heroes-and-Villans

    Just like we love anfield arsenal really do love vp. We have more of a chance at stamford bridge than beating arsenal at home!

    We must improve possession and the tempo
    /control of the game when playing other teams like us. Against man city, chelsea we cant take them on at playing football.

  123. Mark King

    I’m not surprised that some think the virus is some kind of cop out as a heavy loss was always going to bring a backlash. add a potential reason put out for a poorer performance and thats what people will think considering there non respect for Lambert.
    If you look at the game and the incidence surrounding it you have to be blind to think the illness didn’t have an effect. 3 players pull out on match day one man of the match at liverpool and westwood throws up in the warm up followed by weimann at half time. delph puts in a display lacking his usual energy and reportedly he’s had the illness for a week maybe before the pool game. Sanchez looked way off the pace although that could be lack of game time. richardson too was non descript completely different to his previous displays. thank god guzan didn’t have to run.
    second half with nothing to lose we couldn’t raise the energy to press them nobody thought that was strange? going on previous weeks it looked like the same game plan of sitting deep and letting them have the ball. maybe it was and Lambert had thought they are all knackered, damage limitations save energy and get well for next saturday a wise move, as killing yourself won’t make you well, it weakens the immune system and it was pretty much a lost cause.
    the midfield shielding that we have seen during the previous matches wasn’t there and maybe sanchez’s inclusion on top of health issues hit the hardest working players on the pitch the worst. even if you don’t throw up or show outward signs of fever their immune system would of been working overtime and your temperature rises, add running about to that, plus probable lack of proper food intake as you wouldn’t feel hungry or got disaster pants.
    so after half an hour of adrenaline driven play we conceded and panicked bingo 3 nil. at the time we looked comfortable and had the best chance to take the lead the commentators remark how even a game it had been and as good as arsenal were in taking their chances (they had three shots on goal, 9 in all) its was completely against what they were seeing.
    finally at the end of the game Lambert tells the world half of villa park have been down with a virus and to what extent. if more players had dropped out earlier in the week we would possibly of had cause to ask for the game to be postponed who knows. As it was they did their best in the circumstances, they probably all had pampers on, a mate of mine managed to soil himself during a match not a pretty site 🙂
    All I hope is that they are all well for chelsea but as it appears to have a two week cycle I doubt all will and maybe more will go down before the weekend.

    By the way Lerner was at the game and thats another possibility, he’s a JONAH!

  124. Jenny Truman

    It’s pretty much accepted that we can’t take on the elite teams by playing like they do – and our counter attacking style paid dividends against them last season. Arsenal , Man City , Southampton (whilst strictly not an elite team ) we soaked up the pressure , averaged 30 % possession but got the 3 points . Didn’t Chelsea use this tactic to win the Champions League final to a degree ? Morinho also uses it when required . Problem comes when it is your only style or tactic . Last season we rarely succeeded against teams around us at home – who wanted to play ultra defensive like us – which led to stalemate and crushingly boring football. This is why I was and am , more confident when we play the better teams as on the break we do have speed when Gabby and Andi are on their game .

    With better midfield and defence players as RoBBo states ,I am hoping that we will develop an improved style and tactic for our home games . We have to . If WH can do it with their players , we can do it with ours, Their game yesterday showed that they can deliver better football than their long ball trademark .

  126. Jenny Truman

    Suffering from a virus myself ATM – I don’t know how they could run about for 90 mins – even though they are all incredibly fit . You don’t need to be a Dr to know that that type of exercise will delay recovery and is the worst thing you can do. I am surprised he didn’t play the virus free players (if there were any of course !) and say why pre and post match conference . No one is going to criticise PL for fielding a lesser team if the first team are ill . It must be serious to close down BMH for 3 days though .

  127. @RonnieBiggs

    I’d say this virus does sound legitimate but it also does serve as a clear reminder of the depth we have or lack of and that we must be 100% committed to win football matches especially against the cash rich clubs. it looks doubtful that Benteke will make much of an impact in the next few matches but will Vlaar be back soon, let’s hope so or that the Liverpool form Baker can deputize admirably (or Okore is ready) when recovered from this ailment. After this thumping the lads are acutely aware of the level they’ll need to be at to take anything from the next couple of matches; you never want to take a beating but sometimes it focuses you for the next run of matches. We may still be in a Champs League position after 5 matches and who would have ever thought that in July. UTV!

  128. Ed

    We’ll I’m still feeling good about our great team. Poor Sanchez for me, what a huge game to be thrown in. As much as I wanted to see him play it’s pretty clear the rock needs time. Let’s face it, sick bug aside I don’t think we had a goal in us test apart from that amazing save from Clarksville header. It’s tine for the beast to arrive!! And me and frem can be happy again

  129. Mark King

    Jen
    I watched lamberts post match interview and he told then how much it had disrupted the week. Im amazed we went into the game as positively as we did , he looked knackered himself

  130. Jenny Truman

    This season has started off brilliantly with the under dogs toppling the “elites” off their pedestals and who doesn’t enjoy seeing that . I hear Leicester have just beaten Man U 5-2 and the baggies have beaten Spurs . No doubt those who can invest more money in their squads will float to the top by the end when injuries kick in but what a great start to the season , With the publication of Rio Ferdinand’s book and nasty swipes at Moyes , this result couldn’t come at a better time . Who’d have thought the Leicester fans would be singing “can we play you every week”. 🙂

  131. Jenny Truman

    Good point about Sanchez Ed – a difficult game to be thrown into when half the team are ill.

    My friend went and said Keane only got off the bench once – now we know why 🙂

  132. Jenny Truman

    Sorry 5-3 Man U Leicester score . Didn’t see the game unfortunately – but evidently UNtied collapsed in second half – after VGs £157 mill spend . Might even force myself up to watch MOTD 2 for this one !

  133. Mark King

    This could actually Be the year we beat manure twice and they could end in the bottom half just above qpr. Ok maybe thats a bit much. But it is the chinese. year of the underdog

  136. Jenny Truman

    Maybe the big teams have focused too much on their attacking superstars as what today’s results are showing is that the underdogs can score goals against them. WH scoring 3 , Leicester an unbelievable 5 and Palace 3 . What an amazing day for football and to top it off Lampard scores against Chelsea 🙂

  139. @RonnieBiggs

    Well, here we are after 5 matches still sitting 3rd (on goal difference tied for 2nd on points) and going to the league leaders patch only one win behind them. Show me any Villa fan who wouldn’t take that!

    Would anyone want to be Spurs, Pool, Everton and especially ManU at this point?
    Surely Moyes would have been fired today if he had been put in charge this season with this gongshow happening in Manureland.

    The Prem like the Frem never ceases to amaze… 5-3 for Leicester that’s gotta be a typo.
    UTV

  140. Paul Whiting

    BBC Sport:

    “Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert plans to quarantine the club’s training ground to get rid of the virus sweeping through his side”

    Heartlands hospital has confirmed the virus as Chronic Lack of Footballing Ability

  145. Jenny Truman

    Oh link didn’t work 🙁

    Yes Mark – haven’t read your links but had to smile at Pellegrini saying that Chelsea played “like a small club all defensively “. Hahaha .

  147. Mark King

    hi jen- manure are certainly not frightening anyone at the moment, can see them get some proper pastings off of the top boys. just goes to show that massive change isn’t always successful and takes time to gel and implement.

    on another note, where have all the Lifers gone? surely the team doing ok and Lamberts contract can’t have scared them off can it. I was expecting a good shoeing over the arsenal game but all we got was pauls virus joke? i’m very disappointed as I thought this place had a good community. its not the blogs fault we are third

  148. Mark King

    jen – I have read a good few arsenal reports and they are going way over the top on ozil and others performances, not one mention of villa being on their sickbeds 🙂 even though they admit we were worrying them before the 1st goal.

  150. runtings

    Hi Mark

    i think the reason it is so quite on here is due to lambert getting a new contract — before that happened some had hope that we would end up with a manager they wanted to see at the club.

    Looking at the twitter response to lamberts new contract it would seem more people arew happy with it than not which did supprise me

    I think people like steamer may have had enough – droyd will be happy
    right off to counter a few more cheecky comments from the gooners at work

  151. Paul Pears

    Gabby being honest and saying that we should not blame the bug for the defeat on Saturday, although it was a contributor…

    Let’s hope everyone is fit for Chelsea and that we can give a better account of ourselves…

    This Premier season has gone mad already…bookies must be going crazy, trying to work out odds.

    We are still in 4th place, unbelieveable…

  154. Mark King

    runtingz- I thought as much mate but to be honest Lambert isn’t aston villa.

    paul- I said a few times lately that it would be a tester when we go behind, wasn’t quite expecting that meltdown though. the midfield was under par and gaps opened up that the defence couldn’t cope with and got stretched, hutton particularly got caught in no mans land a lot and clarke showed why he is not first choice. senderos isn’t mobile enough for such an open game.
    the bug I suspect cut our work rate to some extent coupled with Sanchez doing a rabbit in the headlights impression made it a bad day at the office. if clarkes header had gone in maybe we could of shut up shop but thats the game you have to put chances away.

  157. runtings

    Mark – agree of course lambert is not aston villa

    I guess you if you are not a lambert fan it is hard to blog anything different than the fact you are not happy with the clubs choices so many times before you think ooh sod it

  158. Jenny Truman

    I think Runtingz is right. Many supporters thought that we would not only have a new manager at the end of this season but a new owner. Now it looks like RL is here to stay given his appearance at VP and rumours in the press. The 4 year contract is a slap in the face for some including me. Delighted when we win of course, and happy to recognise improvement in the team. But four games does not wipe out 2 dreadful seasons. The timing was all wrong and does not inspire confidence that we are heading in the right direction. Maybe that is why the old hard core villa fans have thought enough is enough.

  159. John Lerwill

    Yes, Jenny, it is fair to say that the way the club is run – combined with the lack of intelligent, direct, communication – is enough to turn off all us “old hard core fans”!!

    If RL’s intention is to stay then why not say so instead of giving a lengthy contract to the manager as though that is enough communication to indicate his sticking put.

    But … when something seems to be moving in a successful direction, football fans then forget all the hurt and the nonsense and take the line of savouring what is on view. And I (to some extent) am like that also. I like Cleverley’s play (well, most of it) and am happy with the defence (when they’re able to field the first choice set), and will be even happier when Benteke returns.

    So … what problem with RL were we talking about…? 😉

  160. Mark King

    runtingz/jen/JL
    I totally understand the disappointment but what do you do if he turns it around and has some success? there are principles and then there is football. it really has none, its greed personified and very emotive , its a massive part of my life and I enjoy watching us rain or shine. if we lose i’m not ecstatic but I have long learned to distance what happens at villa park from ruling how I feel on a day to day basis.

    I think most can’t stand to see what they deem as idiots being upbeat if the truth is told, unfortunately blogs are for debate not lets all say the same or you won’t like me. I try to be balanced and look at the facts if people think its happy clapping or whatever it won’t change how I see things unless someone gives out a reasoned argument that brings something new or enlightening. its about the banter, things you learn and not taking yourself to seriously for me

  161. Heroes-and-Villans

    How did Grealish do for the 45 mins?

    Just saw the west ham highlights. After reading what the biased london media had to say about the game i expected total football.

    They had 37% possession scored a set piece, from a cross and last minute counter attack! Sounds like villa!

    Im just waiting to get the Man city, chelsea games out the way. And have Vlaar & Tekkers fit. If we can be top 8 after that it will be superb.

    The everton game is do able, we like goodison and they have had a shocking start.

  162. Lionheart

    Under PL.. we will be a hard workign team who will grind results out..

    He is not an attack minded coach..

    The defence is a lot stringer the middle three better too..

    But we have no creativity and flair really.. even once Benteke is back..

    Gabby is bang average.. Weimann a trier.. Grealish young and raw.. N Zog hit and miss..

    Things look a LOT better then they did in June.. but under PL it will be hard work safety first rather then attacking football…

    Get used to it..!

  163. runtings

    Mark in reply to your last post

    If Lambert gets villa to 7th then as far as i am concerned he is doing what most fans expect of a club of aston villa’s stature

    If he had approached things as he has now he could have got close to 7th in his first season imo

    both lambert and randy have made some chocking choices at the club – our club – we will still support villa when they are long gone as will half the kids we all have

    Andrew Grealish done ok but he spent most of the time covering the left back as we didnt get forward much and of course didnt keep the ball long enough to be able to work ourselves into a forward postion

  164. Andrew P

    Hello people. We’ve only played 5 games, so we’re still 3 or 4 games away from making a considered assessment of where we stand. But 5 games in and 2 games through our nightmare run of fixtures and we’re third in the League having lost only one game.

    Did anyone think we’d be sitting where we are at this point? No, me neither. That doesn’t make Lambert and Keane the new Clough and Taylor but it’s ok, actually better than ok.

    Lambert’s contract extension surprised me but I haven’t lost any sleep over it. I’d be amazed if there isn’t a clause that kicks in in the event of a takeover which allows the new owner to dispense of PL for a pre-agreed sum. Whatever happens, I’d be surprised if PL is still our manager in 4 years time.

    Grealish made no real impression when he came on, but to be fair it was game over by then. We were just keeping our shape and carrying out a damage limitation exercise in the second half.

  165. Paul Pears

    Grealish is still young and inexperienced, and did not get himself into the positions he should have when attacks were being built, but he will learn. he had a few nice touches, but there is a long way to go.

    Sometime we must be satisfied with our lot. Would you like to Manure fans having spent £157m with a new manager, and still be below Villa in the table….!!!!!

    Given time I am sure this team will come good, but how nice it would have been to have Milner and Downing back..!!! Both MOM in their respective games..!!

  166. John Lerwill

    Andrew P 5 games in and 2 games through our nightmare run of fixtures and we’re third in the League having lost only one game.

    The sadness is that 3 of those games have been at home and they have resulted in D, W and L. In short, the home record is not very heartwarming.

    But I’m content to wait those further 4 or 5 games to see what gives.

  168. proxopera

    Villa looked the more dangerous on saturday until arsenal scored and then they got suckered punch twice while they were still reeling. Under those circumstances they did well not to concede further. There are very few teams that can reverse an arsenal 3 goal lead. You play to your strenghts and villas strength is defence at the minute so just suck it up . I dont like the new contract being given to lambert but he is the manager for the forseeable so i’m prepared to give him another shot.

  169. Jenny Truman

    Mark – I agree with you – blogs are about opinions and it’s far more interesting to have differing ones ! If the steamers have decided to take a break for a while – or even for good – they will be missed massively here – for their wit, wisdom and knowledge . It’s very sad if this is the case . But ultimately , if you stop enjoying doing something then you will vote with your feet so if it’s not right for them , then so be it . I hope they don’t go for good as it’s not the sane without them 🙁 🙁

    As for PL – of course if we consistently improve under his management then my opinion will change . My point is it is too early to tell.

  172. John Lerwill

    Jenny,

    Makes you wonder why Downing left VP … It’s clear he works well at a club without the spotlight constantly blaring.

    Moi, a saint? I hope my wife doesn’t read that: she’ll have a giggling fit! 🙂

  173. Mark King

    runtingz- I know all about the fans expectations, its like man utd expecting to win the league forever just because they are man utd. we have been mismanaged during Lerners watch thats for sure. this is were there’s a disconnect for me expecting to find steaks when the cupboard is bare.
    maybe they could of done things differently last season but they would of had to of paid higher wages even to loanees to get those elusive players everyone seems to think would of come to villa park. they persisted in trying to get rid of the bomb squad and loaned most out to lower wages and brought in cheap players, this wasn’t done on a whim and I’m not expecting everyone to understand the finances, I certainly don’t fully understand.
    I think if our injury list had been less extensive we could of finished mid table comfortably it wasn’t so we crashed coupled with some horrible second season syndrome from weimann, lowton, and to a lesser extent westwood plus gabby was gash, and then we had the gruesome twosome .it was tough nobody expected it after the end of the previous season.

    the point i’m making is we can’t just expect to be gifted 7th and above things have to be put in place consistently to achieve it, MON’s reign fucked us up ultimately and we have just recovered. you cannot get around this fact, it won’t go away no matter where people think we should be.
    the biggest problem has been the utter tripe and misinformation the villa hierarchy have given us instead of just being straight. if they had said this is how it will be for a few years while we get straight we would probably got behind them instead they have alienated the supporters. thats how I see it, would I rather have southamptons staff and set up definitely but we haven’t , yet! given time who knows, it won’t happen overnight.

  176. Mark King

    JL- why do they all leave mate? usually they have their head turned on england duty in our case stevie gerrard whispers in their ear or wayne and their ego’s and the thoughts of fame and even more fortune pulls them out the door, simple really they believe their own hype

  178. Mark King

    really paul? how do you know this? considering the bomb squad shenanigans it wouldn’t surprise me but there had to be enquires from poop and a fee mentioned. when you think of the £24mil spent on bent and the shizer we were in it would make sense in a book balancing/wages way, complete rubbish in a football sense, which also follows lerners thought processes.

  180. John Lerwill

    Downing

    As I recall, he was saying one moment that he was happy at Villa and next thing we knew he wanted away when Liverpool pronounced their interest. His media ‘body language’ seemed to indicate that he was all for the move.

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