Arsenal

Think we are well set for this.

Fabregas was the only difference in the first encounter, if we can counter that threat i see nothing to fear.

Hope we have had a good look at the Stoke game because if we get at them in the same manner and with Villa's attacking ability i see no reason why we can't take all the points.

Seem to be repeating this to often, I hope Gabby gets a good goal maybe 2 with South Africa getting ever closer, Ash needs to be focusing on his delivery, Milner above all else needs to be up for this.

A few Villa fans seem a bit negative on this, reckon they're going to tear us a new arse, strange expression that.

Should be a great game.

could goanyway, games with Arsenal have been closer at VP lately, what with the draw last season and the season before when we lost 2-1 despite completely outplaying and outpassing arsenal (thats right Lion dont know if you watched it or not all over them we was)

IMO, we are a lot better than last season, stronger physically and better organized in defence and as Dunne said after the Man Utd game, Villa are team that like to get the ball down and attack with pace, I think we can offer them some footy tomorrow night.

Mal

Dont think we can take any notice of the Stoke game, the whole back four will be different and far stronger than what they had out on Sunday. I do think we can give them a good game, as we did for 60 minutes at the emirates. Need to get in their faces and not let them get into their stride. I think Diaby is still injured and Song away, so dont think they will have a genuine holding player in the middle, so think we can cause problems with our own football. MON may be tempted to go 4-5-1. Ashley Young seems to be getting a bit of his form back, lets hope he can have a big game tonight

Think we're without Warnock tonight so that's Luke Young at left back with Cuellar on the right.I'd be tempted to go 4-5-1 tonight bringing NRC (If he's fit) or Delph in to do a man marking job on Fabregas.Ok it's probably a negative tactic to employ at home but Fabregas is a truly class act who cannot be allowed the room we afforded him at the Emirates.I think we'll get beat tonight but I also thought we'd lose at Old Trafford and at home to Chelsea so there is always a chance of a surprise.

Will be a very hard game.. Arsenal are playing well at the moment (minus the Stoke result).. If we win it will be a tremendous result.. lets hope i dont have the same feeling as the Liverpool game

Avfc_4eva_Sotc wrote:could goanyway, games with Arsenal have been closer at VP lately, what with the draw last season and the season before when we lost 2-1 despite completely outplaying and outpassing arsenal (thats right Lion dont know if you watched it or not all over them we was)

Ha Ha

I was at that game - from what I remember Villa didn´t get a kick after Gardner scored until the interval

In the second half Villa were certainly on top however not by outpassing - but by playing the ball down the channels where Carew had a storming half hour spell

Exciting certainly - but not Holland 1974

Lionheart wrote:

Avfc_4eva_Sotc wrote:could goanyway, games with Arsenal have been closer at VP lately, what with the draw last season and the season before when we lost 2-1 despite completely outplaying and outpassing arsenal (thats right Lion dont know if you watched it or not all over them we was)

Ha Ha

I was at that game - from what I remember Villa didn´t get a kick after Gardner scored until the interval

In the second half Villa were certainly on top however not by outpassing - but by playing the ball down the channels where Carew had a storming half hour spell

Exciting certainly - but not Holland 1974

Exciting football obviously isn't enough then?

QBVILLA wrote:

Lionheart wrote:

Exciting certainly - but not Holland 1974

Exciting football obviously isn't enough then?

What Villa fans are interested in seeing exciting football? QB, have you lost it?

Injury news:

Stephen Warnock and Marc Albrighton look set to miss Wednesday's clash with Arsenal through injury.

The duo picked up knocks in the FA Cup victory over Brighton at the weekend and join Nigel Reo-Coker (ankle), John Carew (knee) and Marlon Harewood (foot) on the sidelines.

Skipper Stiliyan Petrov has had a scan on his achilles injury and must wait to find out if he can take on the Gunners.

However, Emile Heskey returned to training on Tuesday following a foot injury and is back in contention.

Manager Martin O'Neill admitted he may consider recalling players from loan spells, with Nicky Shorey possibly returning from Nottingham Forest as cover for Warnock.

The former Liverpool full-back has a shin injury, while Albrigton hasn't been able to shake off the ankle problem which forced him to leave the field against Brighton.

QBVILLA wrote:

Lionheart wrote:

Avfc_4eva_Sotc wrote:could goanyway, games with Arsenal have been closer at VP lately, what with the draw last season and the season before when we lost 2-1 despite completely outplaying and outpassing arsenal (thats right Lion dont know if you watched it or not all over them we was)

Ha Ha

I was at that game - from what I remember Villa didn´t get a kick after Gardner scored until the interval

In the second half Villa were certainly on top however not by outpassing - but by playing the ball down the channels where Carew had a storming half hour spell

Exciting certainly - but not Holland 1974

Exciting football obviously isn't enough then?

QB - didn´t say that - just commented on the outpassing bit - which clearly it wasn´t

roadoftrinity wrote:

QBVILLA wrote:

Lionheart wrote:

Exciting certainly - but not Holland 1974

Exciting football obviously isn't enough then?

What Villa fans are interested in seeing exciting football? QB, have you lost it?

Never fecking had it in the first place kid

Lionheart wrote:

QBVILLA wrote:

Lionheart wrote:

Avfc_4eva_Sotc wrote:could goanyway, games with Arsenal have been closer at VP lately, what with the draw last season and the season before when we lost 2-1 despite completely outplaying and outpassing arsenal (thats right Lion dont know if you watched it or not all over them we was)

Ha Ha

I was at that game - from what I remember Villa didn´t get a kick after Gardner scored until the interval

In the second half Villa were certainly on top however not by outpassing - but by playing the ball down the channels where Carew had a storming half hour spell

Exciting certainly - but not Holland 1974

Exciting football obviously isn't enough then?

QB - didn´t say that - just commented on the outpassing bit - which clearly it wasn´t

Lion SOME of your points make sense BUT to bang on about it over and over again is dull... to disect victories and say this and that wasnt right is ridiculous.. yes we would all love to play like Arsenal.. but virtually noone can.. yes possession is good and means you win games and at times we do conceed too much to the opposition but we are no Wimbledon.. we play good attacking football.. use width etc.. when we were finishing in the bototm half of the table how were we going to attract players who were techinically brilliant but also had the stomach for the fight.. IMO Oneil has done wonders with his buys.. to not shop abraod and still pull out quality without Champions Lge football is a majour coup in itself.. Would love a player like Modric.. but for every Modric how many Pavlechenko De Santos Kaboul Anderson Nanis would we have lost shit loads on?? To get a Vermaalen how many Kuldrop Sendoros would we have picked up??

villanfromluton wrote:Mal

Dont think we can take any notice of the Stoke game, the whole back four will be different and far stronger than what they had out on Sunday. I do think we can give them a good game, as we did for 60 minutes at the emirates. Need to get in their faces and not let them get into their stride. I think Diaby is still injured and Song away, so dont think they will have a genuine holding player in the middle, so think we can cause problems with our own football. MON may be tempted to go 4-5-1. Ashley Young seems to be getting a bit of his form back, lets hope he can have a big game tonight

Luton: Agree, we really do need to get at them tonight, not give them an inch of space, we have the quality to do that, I also agree with the point MON maybe tempted to go 4-5-1, that may work very well for us in 2 ways, Ashley Young looked to me to be getting better and better as the Blackburn semi final game went on, and again at the weekend, possibly if we played Gabby up front on his own it may inject some pressure on him to start scoring again which he really needs to do if he as any chance of the world cup. Should be a very good game IMO.

Looks like Arsenal are going all out for this one:


Almunia, Sagna, Fabregas, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Eduardo, Gallas, Denilson, Ramsey, Clichy, Arshavin.

Subs: Fabianski, Nasri, Walcott, Traore, Campbell, Eastmond, Bendtner.

Overall i thought we were the better side, moved the ball around well, we had some chances in the first half, Arsenal also came close hitting the woodwork, what we lacked is a real goal poacher.

Ash Young looks like he's coming back to full potential, thought Downing looked good, but as good as we are in these dept's we have to have a goal scorer to make it pay.

Malachite wrote:Overall i thought we were the better side, moved the ball around well, we had some chances in the first half, Arsenal also came close hitting the woodwork, what we lacked is a real goal poacher.

Ash Young looks like he's coming back to full potential, thought Downing looked good, but as good as we are in these dept's we have to have a goal scorer to make it pay.

It's funny how differently people see the same game.
I think, on balance, it was a fair result. I am not dissatisfied with a draw at Villa Park, given that we had Denilson and Rosicky playing, who for me are not the business. The return of Song will make a big difference to us. We hit the woodwork twice, incidentally.
Where I cannot agree with you though is on Downing. I watched him quite closely tonight and I thought he was poor.
Still each to his own. Eh?

I heard Ashley Young was class tonight, I'm going to watch it now and report back

Jak, agree with you about Downing. From what I saw, he looked below par today. Was pleased with the performance and both teams went for it and entertaining game for 0-0. I also agree it was probably a fair result, thought we were the better team first half, but you could have taken the lead in injury time and then a few good chances early in the second half. Like you, not displeased with the result. You are the only one of the so called top 4 that we wont come out at least even with this season. Do you agree Clichy had a tough time v Ashley Young, has suddenly come back to something like his best, which is good for us. I do realise Clichy is only just back from an injury himself

I agree it was a fair result, and Arsenal came the closer hitting our woodwork more than once, my point was overall, i thought we moved the ball well Ash Young for me was the best player on the park, don't think Downing was that bad, seen him better, but i thought Milner, Young, Downing, Petrov together were more than enough.

Strange thing is way before the final whistle i thought this has 0-0 written all over it.

villanfromluton wrote:Jak, agree with you about Downing. From what I saw, he looked below par today. Was pleased with the performance and both teams went for it and entertaining game for 0-0. I also agree it was probably a fair result, thought we were the better team first half, but you could have taken the lead in injury time and then a few good chances early in the second half. Like you, not displeased with the result. You are the only one of the so called top 4 that we wont come out at least even with this season. Do you agree Clichy had a tough time v Ashley Young, has suddenly come back to something like his best, which is good for us. I do realise Clichy is only just back from an injury himself

Clichy has looked very indecisive for some time now. He did get a rough ride from Young, who I agree looks in good form. Young is one of those players who you feel there is always more to come from, like Lennon and Walcott. I think he's much better than Lennon though and the jury's out on Theo.

We were the better team.. no doubt.. only difference was that Arsenal have Fabregas and Arshavin.. top top class.. and both created two class openings..

thought it was a good game and also agree that downing was a bit below par tonight, should have scored with that header.

I presume we had exactly the same amount of passes as Arsenal since it was a draw??? And im not sure on the final stats but didnt we have more shots then the arse? strange for a shit defensive team that never passes. Im presuming that arsenal really had the most passes, there was times in the game where they passed it around alot and never came near our goal, this is what we try to point out to lion but its all about the opta stats not the actual gameplay...

Avfc_4eva_Sotc wrote:thought it was a good game and also agree that downing was a bit below par tonight, should have scored with that header.

I presume we had exactly the same amount of passes as Arsenal since it was a draw??? And im not sure on the final stats but didnt we have more shots then the arse? strange for a shit defensive team that never passes. Im presuming that arsenal really had the most passes, there was times in the game where they passed it around alot and never came near our goal, this is what we try to point out to lion but its all about the opta stats not the actual gameplay...

Villa had 56% possession..

Ezekiel 25:17 wrote:

Avfc_4eva_Sotc wrote:thought it was a good game and also agree that downing was a bit below par tonight, should have scored with that header.

I presume we had exactly the same amount of passes as Arsenal since it was a draw??? And im not sure on the final stats but didnt we have more shots then the arse? strange for a shit defensive team that never passes. Im presuming that arsenal really had the most passes, there was times in the game where they passed it around alot and never came near our goal, this is what we try to point out to lion but its all about the opta stats not the actual gameplay...

Villa had 56% possession..

holy shit, are you sure.....

Lion must be pissed that his documentry, 'an annoying truth' on tonights game is ruined