Well lads another "break" over and its all systems go until the end of March before we have to press the pause button again...!!!!!!!!
Villa versus leeds 8pm KO this Wednesday and its the start of a very difficult block of games in my opinion (everton, manure, loserpool, spuds & Leicester) so anything we can pick up on Wednesday will be gratefully appreciated.
Aston Villa Football Club was founded in 1874 and is based in the city of Birmingham.
They started playing at Villa Park in 1897, a stadium which was often used to host FA Cup Semi-finals. Founder members of the Football League in 1888, in 1982 Villa became one of few English clubs to have won the European Cup when, under the management of Tony Barton, they defeated Bayern Munich in the Final obviously they hadnt to put up with a bent official unlike another English Club a few years prior to this victory.
Aston Villa have also won both the First Division and the FA Cup seven times each.
In 2006, long term chairman Doug Ellis sold the club to American Randy Lerner. The takeover cost the American entrepreneur an estimated 62.6 million. Villa lost their status as ever-present members of the Premier League in 2016 when they were relegated for the first time since 1987.
Home ground history:
Wilson Road, Aston Park and Aston Lower Grounds - 1874
Wellington Road in Perry Barr - 1876
Villa Park - 1897
Famous Villa supporters
Violinist Nigel Kennedy
Harry Potter star Oliver Phelps
Mrs Doyle from Fr. Ted Pauline McLynn
David Cameron
Lee Child, author of the bestselling Jack Reacher Books
Tom Hanks
Ozzy Osbourne
High-jumper Tom Parsons
Brendan Gleeson - Actor (was in Harry Potter too)
Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor from Duran Duran
UB40's Brian Travers
Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi
And so is his fellow Sabbath band member Geezer Butler
David Bradley -actor (also in Harry Potter)
Benjamin Zephaniah - Poet
Ian Bell Cricketer
Jane Sixsmith Hockey
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
6 of the Chuckle Brothers
And Douglas Bader the treble leg amputee, south paw 8 knuckled bare first boxer and world recorder holder for eating the most amount of chilli's in one hour (2,354)
But enough of these muppet's and back to the football
Currently Villa are in 11th spot 21 games played with 26 points - 28 goals scored and with 32 conceded last 5 fixtures in the PL 2W, 2D & 1L
Leeds are 15th in the table with 22 points from 21 games also with 24 scored but a horrific 40 conceded. Our last 5 games are 2W & 3L
This will be the 103rd meeting of these two clubs Villa won 40, Leeds won 32 and there have been 30 draws in that time.
In the PL, top flight only, (1992)
Villa won 9
Draws 9
Leeds won 8
so history shows us there isnt much between us but every game is different and with slippy G in charge at Villa now and with his 1st win as manager for them in the PL under his belt away to everton he will want to show in front of his own fans that he is well capable of running their Club.
With players like Coutinho, McGinn, Buendia & Watkins they will be handful ive no doubt but with Mings & Konsa at the back we can get at them. That's their Achilles heel and if we can get James, Rapha, Jack running and turning those two in particular we can cause them plenty of problems too.
Our heaviest defeat against Villa was 5-1 in 1926 (away)
We have beaten them 4-1 twice on their patch 1982 & again in 1991 and another away 3 goal win for leeds was when Paddy B scored a hattrick in October 2020 what i wouldn't do for something similar on Wednesday night.......
On the injury / away list
Villa
Leon Bailey (thigh) is expected to be back for Wednesdays game
Nakamba (knee) out till April
Trezeget - AFCON duties with Egypt last night, may not feature
Bertrand Trarore - AFCON with Burkina Faso but they have been knocked out so should be available
Leeds
Cooper - Hamstring
Kalvin - Hamstring (could be too risky on Wednesday)
Cresswell - Shoulder
But three above have been seen on the training pitch in TA recently which is encouraging
Bamford - Foot (wont make it for Villa)
With KP & PB now after missing 9 matches its time to get these two first choice players back onto the pitch.
Possible team
my guess is that he will go back to the west ham team lineup and formation
James
Harrision Foreshaw Klich Rapha
Koch
Firpo Pascal Ayling Dallas
Meslier
While id love it for shacks and Geldhardt to see some game time i think we need some stability on the field to allow the players to produce some stable performances / results.
The probability stats read Villa win 53%, 24% the draw and leeds win 23% so id gladly take a point and hopefully the path to PL survival is another step closer
MOT
So who's doing the Everton thread?? Looking for a hero!!!!! ๐
A veritable tome sir! Well done.
I've no doubt you'll get some constructive feedback from Mouseman, but not until this evening when he's had chance to get over it ๐
Wishing you all the very best for a mighty run - I think we'll sneak a point on Wednesday
1 - 1 (Dallas)
Great MDT Bull and lots of researching done by the look of it!
Long may you reign and I hope you can take us to safety, or at least closer to it.
Firpo wonโt make this game according to MBโs press conference this morning, heโs almost there, but not quite.
I would take a point now for this one, but who knows what might happen, depending on which Leeds turns up on the night?!!
Therefore Iโm going 3-1 to The Mighty Leeds, with Raph, James & Jack on the scoresheets. Cummmmmonnn u Mighty fookin Whites! ๐๐โฝ๏ธ๐
Cheers Macwhite
Didnt know about firps so in that case i'll push Bill out to wing back and bring Llorente into the CB with Pascal, keeping the 4-1-4-1 formation.
forgot to say 1-1 with jack harrison for us in the 56min.
Great MDT Bull. Good Luck!
If I were MB:
Meslier
Ayling Llorente Pascal Dallas
Koch Forshaw
Rafa Klitch Harrison
James
Just hoping for a good LUFC performance.