Haven't Villa got a cup tie tomorrow night too? Hopefully we're using the time off well, for the first time this season I'm excited about the options we have.
So Villa lost their Cup tie at Millwall to cap off a pretty shitty week for them. They've conceded a lot of goals recently off of set pieces, of course as we all know, we can't score off a set piece to save our lives. This match will be like when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object.... Given the signings we know have in its anyone's guess as to how Pardew lines up... he may not throw them all in straight away, he has a tendency to put signings in slowly. Of course though, that is when we've been performing well (I just remember Villa last year when Cisse didn't start, but came on pretty quickly after Best got injured). I'm thinking we could line up: KrulDebuchy Coloccini Yanga-Mbiwa Santon Cabaye Sissoko Anita Marveaux Cisse Gouffran With a bench of Elliott, Saylor, Perch, Obertan, Bigi, Shola, Jonas. I couldn't find a place for Haidara or Williamson in there, for the first time in ages the squad doesn't pick itself... Allez le Lads.
Only one problem with that lineup, Russ. Who do we float all the set pieces to without Williamson on the sheet?!
Does everyone think it's safe to say we're committing to the 4-3-3? Personally I don't like it as Cisse seems to always be stranded up front all alone. And without Ben Arfa out on the wing, I don't see it as being our most effective formation. I'd rather see some variation of 4-4-2 with Sissoko pairing with Cabaye in the center and Cisse up top alongside Gouffran. If we're worried about not enough attacking flair play a diamond midfield with Cabaye in the attacking midfield role.
According to my source, team tonight is Krul, Deboosh, Colo, Saylor, Santon, Perch, Cabaye, Sissoko, Jonas, Gouffran, Cisse. Marveaux injured.
ooh look a 4-4-2 with Jonas in there! Now that's surprising! or it could be a 4-5-1 with no width what so ever! OR even worse a 4-3-3 with Jonas and Cisse wide!
forgive me if i'm not allowed to post this, online link for newcastle match: http://myp2p.cd/ then click any of the links further down. click any pop-ups off straight away. marveaux injured. disappointed perch and jonas are playing.
Bench - Harper, M'Biwa, Willo, Marveaux, Bigi, Perch, Shola. OI OI #AVFC team: Guzan, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett, Baker, Lowton, Westwood, Bannan, N’Zogbia, Benteke and Bent.— The Villa Blog (@AVFCBlog) January 29, 2013 #AVFC bench: Given, Ireland, Lichaj, Holman, Gabby, Weimann and Bowery— The Villa Blog (@AVFCBlog) January 29, 2013
The best part of that Cabaye goal is that we all know he meant it, has done it before, and will do it again.
43' Insomnia booked. Villa going down if our team that's never played together before can boss them around the park.
Got them on the ropes here, other than Insomnia's rattler they've not been able to get a foothold in the game. Sissokho looks as immense as I thought. Can't wait to see HBA back with this midfield.
Good first half. I'll reserve judgment on our march back up the table after seeing these guys with more time together and against a better side.
Debuchy is turning out to be sort of a dud. Cards in both games, one foul here that could have been a card and now a PK given up. Weimann came on for someone and Villa has made Krul make two saves in the first three minutes before the pen.