Villa on Saturday

Well, our first traditional Saturday 3pm KO comes in the form of an away game at Aston Villa, we head down to that dump once again, and yes, I am still slightly bitter about the whole treatment we got when relegated. A win down there would put the subject to bed from my point of view.

This is arguably our toughest test. A lot of people including myself thought QPR would have been, but I don't really rate Jay Bothroyd as a proper test. Players like Bent, Agbonglahor, N'zogbia and Albrighton are players who will be a huge threat to us, and the first 2 prove a real goal threat, something I don't believe we have faced so far.

It's going to be a tough game and I do believe our first defeat will come on Saturday, however there are certain things that could change my mind.

Villa have good defenders, but they struggle to handle pace. We have to play to our strengths and not focus mainly on keeping them quiet. After much thought and discussion on here with a few members, I am persuaded that Obertan should start again, but so should Marveaux. One or the other should play behind Best or Ba upfront. Gutierrez should keep his place at left wing, Davide Santon should come in for Ryan Taylor.

Santon and Simpson always offer support, and I would trust them 2, along with the front 4 just mentioned, to create a lot more chances than Monday night. Leave Cabaye and Tiote to pick up the pieces in the middle, and use Cabaye to find the right option going forward.

It all sounds so pretty and so easy to grasp, but will Pardew go for this? No, is my straight answer. He will go for the same team that has been unbeaten so far this season, and this disappoints me greatly as there are better players on the bench(and even in the reserves in Gosling) that should be pushing to start these games.

The one most important person we have to beat is Shay Given. I won't clap him nor boo him, he's just some next Newcastle player to me now, but we all know how class he is and we will struggle to beat him. Coloccini and Taylor will be key again, and Krul could be kept busy as there is no doubting that in every game apart from Arsenal really, our defence have been kept busy.

I am going for a 1-0 defeat, but that's under the assumption he will just start the same team.

Thoughts?

 

Nzog versus Simmo scares the life outta me!

Bents pace versus Saylor scares the life outta me.

So......3-0 to us! LOL

Seriously though, I agree this could easily be our hardest game. We should play 1 up top and play Marv behind as you suggest

 

I sense the unbeaten run is coming to an end. Been a nice start to the season, but I only can only see a defeat this Saturday. Would be lovely however, if i were wrong.

**** the Vile!

 

Watching ROI last week the Russians murdered us and if it wasn't for Given and Dunne we would have lost 4/5 nil so that's 2 we have to get past plus the 4 mentioned above.I agree it will be our hardest match and would be delighted to get something out of it.

PS it's on live on SETANTA IRELAND so might be on in Irish pubs or the Irish centre.

 

If Raylor is on the pitch, jonas must start on his wing, as his work rate is the only thing stopping a barage of attack down there.

Would love to see Santon get a game, and the idea of Oberton or Marv sittin off the striker is pretty nice.

 

I'd be pretty amazed if we started two strikers seen as how over-run we were in midfield v QPR. I'd happily take another draw now to be perfectly honest. Bent has been pretty quiet so far this season so lets hope it stays that way. Two goals for Gosling for the reserves, I'd quite like a central midfield trio of Gosling, Tiote and Cabaye with the later given a bit more license to get forward with Gosling and Tiote protecting the back 4.

Anyone else going? I'm in the lower tier, can't remember the exact seat - row/block Q springs to mind.

 

I'll be there, 2nd away trip out of 3 in 8 days. 1,226 miles, not bad eh? I'm in the upper tier, **** knows where.

 

Impressive! My next is a fortnight after at Wolves (if I get a ticket). I've got a roundtrip on Sat of about 20 miles, then for Wolves a round trip of about 5 miles. A little easier going.

Haven't been in the upper tier at Villa, was in the lower tier last season. Managed to get my face on Sky a couple of times.

 

I too fear that Saturday will see us get beat, unless Pardew makes some changes and plays 5 across the midfield.




****ing hate losing to villa!!

 

I hope we can carry on our unbeaten run, but i can't see us doing it, and if Shola starts then i'm going to punch myself in the bollocks!

I agree with most of what you said, the only thing i want to see is Marveaux start ahead of Obertan. He seems lost after he's made a run and doesn't seem to know what he should do.

 

been saying it for ages we need to play 4-5-1 or the variation of that 4-2-3-1 teams will find it hard to play against (ahem us v QPR) actually Pardew said this is what he was going to play and hasn't played it yet maybe this is down to players fitness who knows but we have players available who can play that system now

my team

4-5-1
..........................krul

simmo......saylor........colo.........santon

ober.........caybaye....tiote.........jonas

.........................marv
.................................Best/Ba

4-2-3-1

..........................krul

simmo......saylor........colo.........santon
.
..........caybaye...........tiote

ober.................marv.............jonas

.....................Best/Ba

 

Le Zog has been ****e for them so far, their very VERY fickle fans are already on his back. Would be typical for him to really show up against us tho. Can see a defeat down there.

 

Web cam and pay per view access may alleviate the pain.

 

If we play a attacking 3 of

Cabaye. Tiote
Jonas, Ober, Marv. They MUST be given license to swap places

 

Potentially we could get humped if we play like we did against QPR.... put Bent into the positions Boothroyd got into for QPR and we could be on the wrong end of a 4-0 thrashing.

I hope Pards has given the lads a rocket up their arse. Its time to stop blaming Ramadans, gelling together or the fact we didnt get a striker in.... time for Pardews team to step up and start playing well.

Drop Ameobi for Ba, Jonas for Marveux and Taylor for Santon....... Done. If Tiote plays as bad as he did Monday (worst player on the pitch IMO) i would take him off for Gosling, maybe drop him a few games to give him a kick up the arse.

 

Ba for Ameobi maybe, but would like us to play 4-5-1. Dropping Jonas for Marveaux won't change anything in terms of how we play, it will still be too negative. I would play Obertan, Marveaux and Jonas, one in behind the striker. We need pace. Agree with Taylor.

 

Krul
Simmo, Taylor, Colo, Santon
Tiote, Cabaye,
Marv, Ober, Jonas These 3 given free roles
Ba

 

This.

 

Ba has played no better than ameobi or loverkrands so far. the only strikers that have done anything to date are best and sammeobi, and sammi is an impact sub for the moment.

i frankly haven't seen anything to speak of from marveax. I'd swith gosling for ameobi and santon from raylor, and hope for the best

 

My personal one :

Krul
Simpson Saylor Colo Santon
Cabaye Tiote
Obertan Marvo Guti
Best