So. Cardiff. Win, and we draw within four (though the Bluebirds have a game in hand). A true six-pointer with only four to play after. Could make for a fantastic finish.

I have to say, I’m not optimistic, though, given our recent run. And right now it might be more important that Derby play Wolves. So c’mon Wolves.

Besides our form, the quick turnaround is another reason I’m not terribly optimistic. All I have to fall back on is that we’ve managed to get results when we’ve really needed them. It’s been a bad stretch since Wolves, but we did beat them, so maybe anything’s possible.

Anyway, I think I said most everything on my mind in the Norwich match review. Tonight, we’re either up for it or we aren’t.

Obviously, it will be more than interesting to see if Bruce has any answers. If it didn’t seem to be the case that we struggled with energy on Saturday, I’d say let’s see put the same team out. On the other hand, we don’t really have a better team, by and large, than the one we played.

We could start Keinan Davis, and change things round. Maybe Birkir and Conor need a rest. I dunno. I trust you’ll all have plenty of ideas.

I’ll settle for seeing some fight. If we go down swinging, so be it.

Over to you.

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John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.

Comments 40

  1. daveyb

    we have played better against some of the better teams recently but you have to say we are about as low as we can be,,,,

    maby the fact that it is a big big game will fire us up and we will see some urgency,,,
    we need to play well tonight,,, any points a bonus

  2. Clive Evans

    We should be fired up for this; I am sure the team need no urging to play to the best of their ability. Against Norwich I was not impressed with Taylor and I think his poor display upset the defence so that it was skewed to the left at times.
    Birkir played his heart out and I see no reason why he should not start, even if we need to bring on a more defensive sub after gaining a good lead. We need a fast start to achieve this – we are at home after all!
    I think Hogan has to play as it is not going to be easy to get heads on crosses against the Cardiff defence; maybe Grabban to hold the ball up with Adomah alongside and Keinan Davis in reserve. This suggests to me that Axel is preferable to Elmohamady. Then what do I know – UTV

  3. Plug

    The problem SB has now is that the lack of opportunities afforded to the youth players over the season means he can’t use them to freshen the team up. So he will have to rely on the same squad that he put out against Norwich plus Davies and Hutton if they are fit.

    Don’t think Davies will get any change out of Bamba and Morrison. He did have 4 attacking players on the bench last game though so he could use those. We need a fighting midfield. Has SB got one?

    Warnock said after Villa lost in Cardiff at the start of the season that they’d played Villa at the right time. I believe he’ll be thinking the same thing this morning.

  4. Paul Pears

    MK,

    I think you have hit the nail on the head in your post about how the age of Bruce’s players has increased, and they just do not have the energy, because the game has altered so much since his playing days, when there were a lot more older players still playing. Today, you can almost count the number of older players, i.e. 36 year olds, at the top on one hand.

    Frem,

    Really great to see you still here, even if more than a little frustrated by Bruce, which a majority of fans that are at every game, have become, because of his methods, and failure to recognise that he needed a younger squad.

    I will be there tonight, as I love the atmosphere, sharing the highs and lows with the fans around me, and tonight is sure going to be one of those nights. Looking forward to meeting up with some great guys, who are Villa fans from Llanelli!

    Will be back home tomorrow to give an update..!!

    Big threats on social media from a CCFC gang of what looked like kids from Evesham..!!! Insulting Villa fans and looking for a fight..!!

  7. Mark King

    PP- Hard to tell if Bruces leaning to older players is through want or need due to lack of funds, That Jan window was all fairly young players last season. He did bring in a few of his old Hull players and JT and Wheelan, wheelan was fairly cheap but JT not so for one season. The contrary dialogue of Bruce and Xia about Youth points to it being a ploy at least partially though imo.

    Fingers, toes and all available parts crossed for tonight, wouldn’t bode well to go into the play offs with a caning from one of the potential opponents. I would put Grealish out left for Albert and let him drift and bring lansbury into midfield but thats about it.

  8. James Gill

    mk
    think tonight is one to leave grealish out,warnock will have his players trained on grealish to kick him,wind him up ,grealish is easy wound up and could get another red card or hurt,my team for tonight,its going to be a war with warnock
    elmo [if no one else fit] bree chester terry
    snodgrass jedi houriane birr kodja
    davies[battering ram]

  25. Paul Whiting

    From, yes Hourihane is shite.
    Thank fuck for the 3 points but that was another in a series of poor performances.
    The passing was shocking; if you can’t keep the ball then you can’t keep pressure on.

  26. r0bb0

    Well that just about guarantees us play offs which is more than just about everyone on here (or other blogs) predicted so thanks Steve Bruce for getting us this far. . . . . . 4 games now to prepare for the ones that will ‘really’ matter!

  28. Mark King

    Good second half, enjoyed it in the end, just felt the longer it went goalless we would get one, well done Johnson and fantastic finish from Jack. shame we buggered up so many points this was our chance. Thanks Wheelan for some excellent comedy moments.

    Frem- Hourihane needs to practice with his right a lot, still not sure that Kodjia is fit but worth a punt if not Hogan with Grabban, Grabban looks a better player from deep so how do we fit him in? 442 4411? jack out left for adomah is my guess and play grabban in his place.

    Watch out for Millwall, 16 unbeaten now and in 6th worth a couple of bob to get promoted I think.

  34. John Clark

    Well, the only thing I’d say about the form teams is that those are some pretty long streaks. They don’t last forever.

    It wasn’t a pretty game, but we did show fight and stuck at it. Got lucky a couple times, obviously, but didn’t lose our nerve. Beat Wolves and Cardiff, lose to QPR and Norwich. Go figure.

  35. Trinity

    JL
    Agree, it’s a win. Should be stoked. Cardiff have been a great side this year. Villa is in the Lotto group. If they get up, they’ll certainly have to improve the squad-heaps. They know that. And SB, God bless him, isn’t the man for the PL.

  37. John Clark

    Ha…no worries, Iana. Good to see you.

    Agreed, we need someone much more sophisticated who has a plan and knows the players to fit it. Will be struggle staying up. If we do, then I think we’ll be okay.

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