Europe comes to Villa Park again tonight with Bosnian side HSK Zrinjski (or Zrinjski Mostar). Like Legia Warsaw they’re off to a good start in their league play and came back dramatically to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-3 in their first group-stage match.

Me, I’ve no idea what to expect other than a clearly plucky side who will be well up for it. Zrinjski have previous lost out in Champions and Europa league qualifying, so the Conference League has become their opportunity for European glory. Given Villa’s home form, you’d like to think a rocking Villa Park and a strong squad will see us through, though. You’d probably also think Villa’s 6-1 dismantling of Brighton should buoy the squad, but the comeback win against Palace didn’t have that effect. But, there were the five changes in the side.

While Wolves may have just signaled that this weekend’s fixture certainly won’t be a stroll, I’d think Emery might well have fewer reservations about going all-in for what very well should be viewed as a must-win match. We’ll soon see what theory of rotation and expectation will be on display tonight.

And now we have it:

Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Digne, Dendoncker, Tielemans, Bailey, McGinn, Zaniolo, Duran

Subs: Cash, Luiz, Traoré, Watkins, Torres, Chambers, Olsen, Marschall, O’Reilly

So, Jacob hasn’t made it, likewise Diaby and Kamara, but Carlos and Traoré have reappeared.

Fingers crossed Tielemans and Dendoncker have redemption and a point to prove on their minds. Would also be as good a time as any to see one of Zaniolo’s rockets bulge the net.

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 42

  1. jbd656

    Any bets on when Bailey the Delicate trips over his boot lace and has to go off. Hopefully, if we give him a good slagging off before the game he will prove me wrong and set up a 3 goal lead (before falling over aforesaid boot lace).

  9. jbd656

    No grumbles about Bailey!!! Tielemans trying hard. Carlos looking cool calm and collected at the back. Zrinjski absorbing the pressure and lining us up for a sucker punch.

  25. John Clark

    Great hearing SJM’s song ringing round the ground.

    No less than we deserved…It’s like they had 11 men in the box.

    But finally the move was just quick enough and SJM had that little bit of space. Took it very well, just spun away from the keeper’s reach.

  26. John Clark

    Most important, kept pressing to the end. Such an important win, now one hopes they can grow into it and kick on from here.

    The belief something will come is everything.

  30. Plug

    It was a must win game. I have to admit that when I saw the starting lineup, I was dismayed. Six changes is far too many. Expected very much what we got and it muted the crowd. I’m not being critical of Unai, he has a squad to keep happy but the first half was dreadful. Bailey played down the right and looked a threat, but we only played down the left and ignored him. Lucky to go in at HT level after Emi’s top class save.

    Parking the bus was all the opposition had. As the game wore on, the fear of a sucker punch increased. The 3 changes at HT helped. Bailey switched wings but then we looked more dangerous down our right after Cash came on. Bailey is unable to beat his full back.

    The noise level after VP detonated when SJM headed home was incredible. But we did nearly blow it FFS.

  31. Plug

    Looking at the changes made, I have no idea what the injury status was beforehand. Two changes to the back 4 and both holding pivots replaced. The back 4 were completely AWOL when their LW flew away but luckily for us the CF didn’t convert. Dendoncks and Tielemans are not Kamara and Dougie but at least Tielemans tried to get some through balls forward which were mainly intercepted so his stats will look bad, as opposed to Dendocks whose stats will look good but did zilch.

    When the bus is parked, the way past is usually down the flanks as the goal eventually proved. But in the first half, Duran was feeding on scraps.

    Looking forward, we have some tougher assignments in this competition. If we are going to get out of the group I’d suggest a significantly stronger starting lineup than last night.

  32. James Gill

    Tielman got feel sorry for,tries hard like beundi always looking to get things moving yet has only really got chance in cup games with so many changes,with news that ramsay is out to after Xmas our squad is being tested to full
    Seems to bit news on ollie new contract too,so not a bad week to be a villan

  33. James Gill

    Plug
    We are in bad need of cover for cash,and that moreno is back after international break
    Carlos looked decent last night ,lenget not very brave when his chance came along

  34. Desmond Magrath

    A major blow with Ramsey out for a good while.
    We’re getting too many injuries and this makes for a very difficult period ahead.
    I don’t understand how JJ was passed fit,if he’s aggravated (?) the same injury he sustained in July.
    Moreno seems to be taking an age to recover from his operation. We probably won’t see him before November.

    Emery has to face up to the fact this squad is desperately small to be playing this very full fixture list.
    Plug
    I agree we have to play a team with minimal changes. 6 last night was far too many.

    Tough match at Wolves on Sunday. Not sure of our recent record at Molineux.

  35. John Clark

    On depth, think there will obviously have to be some business done in January. There’s no way Emery thinks this is optimal, and that’s why he’s making so many changes midweek. Saw where he said he has to get everyone understanding and playing in the system.

    JJ, it’s tricky whenever a player comes back. Nothing in rehab compares to playing, the various stresses, contact, fouls. Once a player is pain free, has full mobility, can do all the drills and tests and feel fine, you have no choice but to roll the dice and hope they get the first three-four games under their belts without recurrence. Emery was limiting his minutes, but it only takes one step, kick, whatever.

    Diego’s had a bit of a ride coming back…often you injure something else trying to compensate or protect the point of injury, and you might not be conscious of it at all (the favoring/compensation).

  36. John Clark

    Plug,

    Hope you enjoyed the late thriller.

    Good points…Diaby and Kamara weren’t on the bench, and Emery’s got to protect Luiz as much as he can. Post-match he pointed to needing to get everyone integrated and up to speed.

    We all saw what a difference Luiz made, though.

    The left/right emphasis is down to the setup, which FB starts if Emery wants the three CBs. Konsa just can’t emulate Cash’s characteristics, so it went through Digne first half, then switched when Cash came on.

    Seemed to me we tired them out pretty well in the end, and that’s usually when the goals come against a parked bus. 75% possession, I think it was, they did a lot of chasing around.

  40. John Clark

    That is excellent news, JG. Up until the hat trick, I’ve wondered how that might be affecting him.

    You can add Martinez and Luiz to that list. 🙂 We basically still have the same spine he built.

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