Match Day Thread Aston Villa v Liverpool

i think we need to consider really who is defending the left and right wings here.

coutinho will defend the left side so will borini or sterling be defending on the right side?

i think borini will play up top and sterling right.

 

Bogey team Villa, think we will stumble here.

 

depends on three things.

Do we work hard.

and

Do they press us high with intensity

and finally.

does benteke destroy skertl

if we let our intensity drop or just play ****e......... we will lose... i have seen this all too often, lads just thinking they can swan about.

villa are quite inconsistent but every time we have been hurt by them they have pressed up and kicked our arses, and the first season villa played benteke v us he destroyed us utterly.


it'll be interesting.

as long as we work hard if we get beat by benteke being good... fine.. **** it.

 

I'll nip down to Melwood and dig some potholes .

 

Benteke might play well to get us interested in a transfer.

 

There is good news on the injury front at Anfield.

Adam Lallana is ahead of schedule in his comeback from a thigh injury, while Glenn Johnson is back in training and could be fit to face Aston Villa on Saturday. Steven Gerrard's fitness will be assessed on Friday.

The big news is that Daniel Sturridge is back and "working well".

"He's obviously not ready to play as of yet, but he's working well, so hopefully in the near future he'll be ready," added boss Brendan Rodgers.

"We just want him fit and there's no timeline on that as such."

Sturridge certainly looked OK in training this morning, as this picture shows...

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Joe Cole is a doubt for Villa's game against Liverpool on Saturday, but Fabian Delph is available again after suspension.

New signing Carles Gil, from Valencia, is available to make his debut.

 

i reckon theres at least two weeks whre some behid closed door games are arranged before sturridge is seen

 

I don't mind if we don't see him until February, make sure he's ready

 

Few papers are saying Ibe is being recalled and will be in the squad for saturday

 

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has urged frustrated fans to call off a planned protest at the start of Saturday's clash at home to Liverpool.

Three unofficial fans' websites - Villa Blog, My Old Man Said and A Villa Fan - have called on fellow supporters to boycott the opening eight minutes of the game.

 

Not sure that's a great idea. He seems to be developing well at Derby; why not let him continue for now?

 

I agree

 

Villa are a bogey team of late especially at anfield but we do seem to have their number when it comes to villa park.

I stand corrected but no team has taken points of Aston Villa more than us in the premier league.

What Rodgers needs to work on is the fact that the last 3 starting line ups have leaked way over 24 hrs before the match day.

 

i think its prob gerrard..............

 

Bad enough that news is Johnson may be fit, but Allen may also be available. It just goes from bad to worse!

 

Villa are only our bogey team at Anfield due to their style of play. Their style of play is also the reason we have a good recent record at villa park.

In fact our best defensive performance under BR imo was the away win at Villa last season - its probably the only time we've defended with any real dicipline

I am confident we will win this one

 

If Gerrard plays in midfield, we'll draw at best.
If he's on the bench or shoved up field, we'll win.

That's basically my predictions for every game til the end of the season.

 

Villa are without a goal in their last four Premier League matches, having not scored since Christian Benteke found the net after 18 minutes against Manchester United on 20 December. But they have £3m signing Carles Gil ready to make his debut.