Aston Villa Vs Sunderland Official Sunderland Not606 Match Thread please log in to view this image Villa Park please log in to view this image Match Appointments please log in to view this image Aston Villa Team News Villa will be without long-serving forward Gabriel Agbonlahor, who triggered a one-match ban by picking up his fifth booking of the season on Boxing Day. Former Black Cat Kieran Richardson is also banned, while Ashley Westwood (knee), Philippe Senderos (thigh), Nathan Baker (knee), Libor Kozak (leg) and Joe Cole (hamstring) are all sidelined. Sunderland Team News Billy Jones returned from almost three months out in the defeat to Hull City, with his comeback ideally timed due to injuries to Anthony Reveillere and Patrick van Aanholt – both will miss out again. Wes Brown could come back into the side after being rested on Boxing Day, while Connor Wickham returns after completing a one-match suspension. Gus Poyet will also be able to call on Emanuele Giaccherini, who made his first appearance since September when he came off the bench against Hull. Stats & Facts Head to Head There have been six red cards in the last 11 Barclays Premier League meetings between Aston Villa and Sunderland. Sunday’s game marks the half-way point of the 2014-15 Premier League season. Sunday’s game will be the 179th all-time meeting between Sunderland and Aston Villa. Aston Villa Aston Villa have kept no clean sheets in the last seven Premier League matches at Villa Park and won just one of the last six (W1 D2 L3). Villa have won none of their last eight home Premier League matches between Christmas and New Year (D3 L5). The Villans have netted just four goals in those eight matches and failed to score five times. Sunderland Sunderland have kept three clean sheets in a row in the Premier League away from home. Sunderland have taken eight points from their last four away games. Sunderland have kept 4 clean sheets in their last 7 game but only netted 4 times Previous Meetings please log in to view this image Form please log in to view this image Last Corresponding Fixture please log in to view this image Betting http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/aston-villa-v-sunderland/winner Links http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/ParkingInformation Streaming http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=293111&part=sports
Well done matey GUS POYET faces a defensive headache for tomorrow’s trip to Aston Villa, with Celtic centre-half Virgil van Dijk unlikely to offer Sunderland some respite in the January transfer window. Full-back Billy Jones returned from more than two months on the sidelines in yesterday’s miserable defeat to Hull City, yet Sunderland boss Poyet continues to be down to the bare bones in terms of his defensive options. Centre-half Wes Brown wasn’t risked against the struggling Tigers, while Santiago Vergini only passed a fitness test less than two hours before kick-off. With full-backs Anthony Reveillere and Patrick van Aanholt on the sidelines too, Poyet admits he will have to be cautious with his back-line at Villa Park, as Sunderland look to bounce back from their post-derby bubble bursting against Hull. “We need to be careful, especially at the back,” said Poyet. “We’ll have to look at Billy today and see whether he can play two games inside 48 hours. “We’ve got some issues and we need to sort it out the best we can; adapting to the players and the games. “There are a few I know who can do it and there are others who have it a bit more difficult. “Consistency needs to come into the equation as well, not changing eight or nine players. “You have to be realistic and play the games in a certain way.” As the Echo reported earlier this month, in-demand Celtic defender van Dijk is a name who remains on Sunderland’s shopping list after the Black Cats held talks with the SPL Champions over the Dutch international last summer. At that stage, Poyet – who had scouted van Dijk as a youngster in Holland when he was Brighton manager – was wary of paying £10million for a player untested in the Premier League. Poyet revealed earlier this month that Sunderland were likely to wait until the summer to sign a new long-term centre-half, with Wes Brown and John O’Shea reaching the end of their careers and Sebastian Coates and Santiago Vergini only at the Stadium of Light on loan deals. And when asked about van Dijk yesterday, Poyet said: “We were in talks with them (Celtic) from the past, but there’s a certain amount of money you can have, so I think it’s a bit too early.”
I have got my ticket for the game, am going with a load of Villa fans but sitting on my own in the SAFC end. We need a result or I am going to be on the end of a lot of piss taking. We need to sort out the defence, we have no cover at all and to be honest when Brown is out of the side we look nervous at the back. Lets hop Wickham is raring to go, we missed him yesterday.
Alvarez would drop to the bench for me. More style than substance I fear. Its not ideal but I think we missed Wickham so id bring him back on that left flank with Johnson on the right. Id also throw Rodwell in there in place of Gomez and Bridcutt in for Cattermole. Games coming thick and fast, its time to use the squad. Pantilimon Vergini Oshea Brown Jones Bridcutt AJ Larsson Rodwell Wickham Fletcher Giaccherini, Alvarez, Gomez and Buckley attacking options from the bench. Catts and Coates defensive changes.
Connor not playing yesterday portrayed the physical aspect needed against some sides with hull being a prime example as we were bullied a lot of the time without him also his work rate and his presence defending set pieces in particular corners.
Gus needs to realise that with the players we have we cant defend high up the pitch, if we try this against Villa they will murder us even with Aggy out. Against Hull we had Catts trying to win the ball in the oposition half, absoloute madness imo. Briddo was missed no doubt about it but the *system* must be obeyed, haway the lads.
I have yet to be convinced that Jones can play left back he has had a few tries and never looked as comfortable as on the right, we really are struggling at the back, hence the need for two DM's for the time being at least.
If we get a result against Villa, that would be 6 points in the last three games.....something we would have snatched your hands off for, that's for sure !
I'd go with thisline-up. Was Alvarez poor on Saturday, or did he suffer from the very poor distribution from midfield/defence?
Actually, i'd make achange at the back and go for the following: Jones Brown Coates JOS Looked like Vergini needed a break, and Jones is better off in his natural position.
Good luck fellas, got work 2moza so can't watch as it's on 1am here.. Some respect put back into the jersey will go along way to their performance!
Personally I'd go with this of Brown and Vergini are not fit. Pantilimon O'Shea Jones Coates Johnson Buckley Larsson Catts Bridcutt Wickham Fletcher 3 at the back 5 in the middle. Play with Johnson and Buckley on the wings Larsson as playmaker and catts and bridcutt helping the back 3
This looks good to me, the mid-field needs rejig as well, to many tired players in there methinks. I would settle for a boring couple of draws in the next two games, but am hoping for springing a surprise win somewhere, to end the year on a high. Come on Gus get them playing again.
Just setting off now to meet up with Monkmaster, give me a shout when you're there mate Haway Lads, no messing about today, Villa want battering in the true Christmas spirit.
