Aston Villa v Fulham, Sat 21st Oct @ 3pm

JuanPabloAngel

JuanPabloAngel

Alert Team
So, moving swiftly along.....we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and we go again.

Jekyll-and-Hyde Fulham are the visitors on Saturday. They've only lost twice this season, but have managed to draw 6 of their 12 matches. Play-off last season, but this time around? Who knows.

They are only a point behind us, so this match will be a big measure of where we are. We need to be getting results against the likes of Fulham, teams who will be 'in and around' us (as Andy Townsend would say) if we have serious promotion aspirations.

If we genuinely were just beaten by the better team on Saturday, we should have no problems getting back on the horse against Fulham.

I am hoping this is the case, and I'm expecting a routine 2-0 win. Kodjia and Hourihane to score.

:94:
 
Fulham are better know for their "pretty football", but last Saturday they showed some real steel to come back and get a 2-2 draw after being 2-0 down. We on the other hand have been "winning ugly" until being outclassed by Wolves.

As a neutral I'd sadly put my money on Fulham, but because I'm not a neutral, I'm going to back Villa to bounce back after a poor performance and win a scrappy game 2-1.
 
Fulham embarrassed us at their place towards the end of last season, I think it was one of Bruce's ill fated attempts at 3 at the back.

We need to take the game to them as we don't want to be going into the blues game on the back of 2 defeats. A draw wouldn't shock me but right now I'll say 1-0 in a rubbish game decided by Kodjia doing something special.
 
If we just concentrate on not conceding, we give the too much licence to attack, and Fulham, while they're not Wolves, are good enough to take advantage of it. We have to find a way of creating danger in the final third. On the basis of the last two matches we'll find it difficult.
 
We need some legs in midfield.... a bit more energy/mobility. I'd bring in Lyden for Whelan, leave him on the bench. Lyden has been scoring for fun in the U23's surely it's time to give him another shot now he's back to full fitness.

With that in mind, I'm not sticking my neck out to predict a score until I have some clue to what our team will be.

 
We need some pace and drive in the centre of the park.

It won't happen though. Bruce will set up as usual. The way of working the ball to the flanks from the central players will carry on. Fine if it works but when it doesn't there is no plan b.
 
Melon Donkey - 18/10/2017 19:12

We need some pace and drive in the centre of the park.

It won't happen though. Bruce will set up as usual. The way of working the ball to the flanks from the central players will carry on. Fine if it works but when it doesn't there is no plan b.
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Made exactly the same point over on the Wolves thread and the longer this game goes on without us scoring I can see Fulham nicking it.
 
Can see him maybe put Onomah on for Davis who looks like he could do with a bit of respite. The rest will probably be unchanged from last week.
 
It won't happen just yet but I would love to see Davis up front with Grealish , O'Hare , Onamah and Albert buzzing around him , I could see possibilities in that.
 
The Football League have now announced the Match Day officials that will take charge of the game between Aston Villa and Fulham this Saturday.


<br><br><a href ="http://www.vitalfootball.co.uk/router.asp?7523705">Click here to read the article</a><br><br>
 
Aston Villa's Neil Taylor will be out of action this week as he serves an automatic suspension.


<br><br><a href ="http://www.vitalfootball.co.uk/router.asp?7523706">Click here to read the article</a><br><br>
 
Aston Villa are at Villa Park with Fulham the visitors today, this will be a 3pm kick-off.


<br><br><a href ="http://www.vitalfootball.co.uk/router.asp?7523711">Click here to read the article</a><br><br>
 
From what I've seen of Fulham, they are trying to be the Barcelona of the championship. I don't have a good feeling about this game, if we let Fulham have the ball - which I think they will - we will get tired chasing down and get caught.

It'll be interesting to see what Brucey does. I would have us press high, let them play the ball out and then be all over them. The problem is we have to do this as a unit as I don't think we have the players who want to do that particularly.

It's important we get the first goal, I hope it's fast, attacking football from us from the start.

For all my endorsements of 4-4-2 and how it should work for us, perhaps Saturday is the time to go 4-3-3 to get the wingers out closing the full backs down and being able to get a flat 5 without the ball. The Kodj seems to play better (try harder?) in a 4-3-3 but it would be harsh on Keinan.

That said I'll go 1-1
 
sirdennis - 19/10/2017 13:25

It won't happen just yet but I would love to see Davis up front with Grealish , O'Hare , Onamah and Albert buzzing around him , I could see possibilities in that.
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I think you should be manager Sir Den
 
sirdennis - 19/10/2017 13:25

It won't happen just yet but I would love to see Davis up front with Grealish , O'Hare , Onamah and Albert buzzing around him , I could see possibilities in that.
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Will never happen with Bruciosaurus in charge.
 
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