Ridiculous request IMHO...should just have played the reserves. The ultimate self jinx Would be very ****ed off if I were a villa fan ... last home game of the season moved to a Thursday night with just 2 weeks notice ffs.
even with how rusty Kulu is? I thought he was terrible in the first leg and felt as though his lacklustre performance, regardless of why, bought the standards of the whole team down, not sure we can afford that on Thursday. Just think Maddison is more in form, Kulu can score important goals though now n again. didn’t watch him against West Ham.
It wouldn't have changed your mind... he was - being kind - peripheral to events! Others thought differently, but for me there would have to be a massive improvement in 4 days to warrant him starting. Trouble is, it now looks inevitable that will happen.
I think our strongest side would contain both Kulu and Maddison, I much prefer Kulu cutting in from the right. I just wish we played Maddison more as his natural number ten role - like we done in the first leg, where he was great. It’s a drum I’ve banged many, many times (apologies!) but I really do believe we have a decent bunch of players, there’s just unfortunately issues with tactics that are holding many back.
I don't think it's a coincidence that our press is less effective after moving Deki from RW to CM Also has to be said (as Dustin from Carty Free Captain said on Sunday) in the first leg our midfield was marking man-to-man which allowed Bissouma a couple of seconds to get the ball moving, but against West Scam it was back to the usual disorganised scramble in the centre of the pitch
My point was that on current form and fitness Kulu is not offering anything - and in the likely febrile atmosphere on a cold dark night in Northern Norway, on a plastic pitch, we need at the very least the strongest, fittest MF available. On his day, he's a really good player, no doubt, but he ain't got back to anything like that level yet.
Oh yeah he’s been well off it the last few weeks. I think though the only hope is that we play him back into form and fitness, he’s probably still been our POTY overall I’d say and he’s one of the players in our side who can create something from nothing, now especially with Maddison, Son and Bergvall out. Big call for Postecoglou though.
Kulu will come good again and we need to play him on Thursday as this may be his time to get on form. We don’t exactly have other viable options!
Yeah he looks well off the pace. I'd like to see Archie playing as a DM on Thurs and push Bentancur further forward where he can cause more damage with his technical ability. But there isn't a chance that'll happen.
Saw a video on Bluesky outlining our press and why it worked in the first leg It was because it was disciplined: because Bodo and/or Glimt sit deep we didn't bumrush the first player with the ball which is what usually sees a chipped ball or two take out 90% of our outfield players, instead we pressed a second or two later so their keeper and CBs were already committed to a pass they now couldn't make - which was further aided by Richy and Johnson playing more narrowly than our wingers usually do
please log in to view this image Thursday 8th May 8pm Europa League Semi-Final 2nd Leg Aspmyra Stadion Dragusin, Maddison and Bergvall are out. Son and Solanke are doubts. Neither side has any suspensions. Lineups for each side's last league game: Spurs: Vicario; Gray, Danso, Davies, Spence; Kulusevski, Bissouma, Sarr; Odobert, Richarlison, Tel. Subs: Kinsky, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Johnson, Ajayi, Moore. League form: LWLLLD. Bodo/Glimt: Khikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Saltnes, Hauge; Maatta, Helmersen. Subs: Lund, Nielsen, Moe, Aleesami, Auklend, Sorli, Fet, Hansen, Hogh. League form: LWWWDW. Ref: Maurizio Mariani (ITA). VAR: Marco Di Bello (ITA). Mariani has reffed two of our games. They were both away against **** teams. We lost both 1-0. TV: TNT Sports. How would you like to line up for this one and how do you think we actually will line up?
Agree. Maddison has been a lot more inconsistent than Kulusevski all season yet suddenly because he’s injured too many are acting like he’s been the main man for the last 18months when he hasn’t. Mikey Moore in the CAM role would be my choice
Maddison isn't reliable. At a stretch you'd call him 'Mercurial', but you cannot depend on him, like you could with, say Eriksen. Kulusevski at his best is influential, but he is so far from that level right now I'm not sure I'd be relying on starting him in such an important game. Mikey at CAM is an interesting one: he has many of the attributes and is more mobile than other available options.
Ange won't pick Mikey I am sure of that, Bissouma and Bentancur seem certain to start, the third midfield place is less certain, I think Ange will play Kulu and hope that he does find some sort of form, the only alternative that Ange might consider would be to start Sarr and play Rodrigo further forward. A lot may depend if Solanke is fit to start.
Think the season ends tomorrow but Ange was being very chilled in his press conference today...seemed very confident
