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!!!!! 😉