Aston Villa V liverpool [All Pre/during/post match discussion here]

ibh

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I don't know - good to have something in reserve that can change the makeup of the team if required.

Totally understood, but i dont think the team is balanced and i would rather that than the bench being strong.
Go out and try and win from the start and hopefully not need andy major changes from the bench.

monkey9

I can see this being one all, but with Chelsea dropping points, it's a chance to go top outright.

Guy:Incognito

Babel in the Lucas role would have been better, Let him run at players without the responsibility of actually haveing to stay on the wing. I reckon he'd do damage there. Rafa may wellhave this in mind for late on.

ibh

~Rebel~ wrote: »

what do you mean wher the fuk is babel?! He's clearly not fit to start yet, has been poor in his two sub appearances so far. Wouldn't expect anything from him from the start, at least there's some chance of him changing the game from the bench.

He was fit to play in the olympics and has been back from them longer than masch and lucas.

As i said i hope i'm wrong but i would prefer to go for it from the start than have Babel in reserve for if things were going badly.

If it were Gerrard instead of Lucas i would have no worries as he has qualities as a roving midfielder, i don't like the look of masch, xabi and lucas in the same midfield with no natural wide men in the team along with them.

Guy:Incognito

Worst.Visual,Ever.

I cant belive sky actually sent 2 groups of lads out to a field with a Barry jersey tied to a rope to film that. Shocking.

~Rebel~

ibh wrote: »

He was fit to play in the olympics and has been back from them longer than masch and lucas.

As i said i hope i'm wrong but i would prefer to go for it from the start than have Babel in reserve for if things were going badly.

Ya he was there, but he wasn't great and didn't look fit. Yet straight from a long injury to playing full games and has looked very poor since he got back. Just think it would be a massive mistake to start a guy who's off form and who does his best work from the bench anyway.

monkey9

It's donkey kong time, people!

SantryRed

That jersey is ugggggggggggggggggggggggggly.

LuckyLloyd

Lucas on the left; Masch and Alonso sitting; with Keane behind Torres dictating play.

EDIT: nope - Keane on the left apparently. **** it, I'm confused.

copacetic

looked good with keane behind torres for a few mins there too, lot of pointing and shouting at back for villa while they tried to work out what was going on.

Decent passing and movement from Liverpool to start with, but could be just villa struggling to make sense of the formation.

Guy:Incognito

SantryRed wrote: »

That jersey is ugggggggggggggggggggggggggly.

To be fair it's been the same Claret and blue muck for donkeys years.

mike65

Skrtel silly yellow

Mike

internelligent

Stekelly wrote: »

To be fair it's been the same Claret and blue muck for donkeys years.

:D:D

SantryRed

Stekelly wrote: »

To be fair it's been the same Claret and blue muck for donkeys years.

Well played:pac:

LuckyLloyd

20 mins in - little from either side so far. Two different approaches: Liverpool are all about the patient short passing build up; whereas Villa try to hit the channels much quicker - a more direct philosophy.

mike65

Listening to this (no stream is working atm) it sounds like Liverpool are the home side, no real penetration in the final 25 yards with Masch doing well.

Mike

Villain

Neither side creating anything, this game needs a goal

Guy:Incognito

SantryRed wrote: »

Well played:pac:

To be fair you set it up for me with a Schoolboy error. I couldnt believe my luck when you didnt mention Liverpool in the sentence.

LuckyLloyd

Torres has done his hamstring. ****.

Guy:Incognito

Well thats just no good at all.


It's ok. Keane will do th busi..........

copacetic

mike65 wrote: »

Listening to this (no stream is working atm) it sounds like Liverpool are the home side, no real penetration in the final 25 yards with Masch doing well.

Mike

yep, Pool with prob 70% of the possesion. When Villa get it they push it forward in a hurry. Looks like Torres may have just tweaked a hamstring

internelligent

oh oh!:(

mike65

Sh-ite Torres hamstring, Babel on. Put him up front with Keane

Edit Ngog is coming on.

Mike

Villain

Torres looks like he's finished, yep he's off!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Injured

tibor

Torres off with hamstring.

kryogen

Torres down with a hamstring problem by the looks of it, trying to jog it off now, poor pass from Masch to him and he turned sharply to try reach it and pulled up straight after, he looks to be ok but hes gone off for treatment...... oh wait hes actually gone off!! bad news for the pool

game has been pretty even, i think if either had a bit of bite in the last 3rd they would be winning easily

copacetic

ngog on. good decision. more of a front man than babel.
good chance for him to show what he can do.

Villain

Well done ref!!!

mike65

Ngog is coming on, he's looked quite handy pre-season so we'll see if he takes to the er " big match atmosphere"

Mike

machiavellianme

Has Keane moved in to Torres's position? (wondering about the formation now as i've no stream)

copacetic

machiavellianme wrote: »

Has Keane moved in to Torres's position? (wondering about the formation now as i've no stream)

no direct replacement, n'gog for torres

LuckyLloyd

Assume it will be as you were except with Ngog upfront instead of Torres. Have to admit, I don't know a whole lot about him - but he looks tall so should provide an aerial threat.

copacetic

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Assume it will be as you were except with Ngog upfront instead of Torres. Have to admit, I don't know a whole lot about him - but he looks tall so should provide an aerial threat.

couple of lovely finishes pre season, looked to have an eye for goal, decent pace and a good touch.

kryogen

ffs you have to finish that

Guy:Incognito

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

- but he looks tall so should provide an aerial threat.

Is that not what Crouch was supposed to be able to do?:)

machiavellianme

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Assume it will be as you were except with Ngog upfront instead of Torres. Have to admit, I don't know a whole lot about him - but he looks tall so should provide an aerial threat.

He's 6'3 apparently. Slightly taller than Torres

kryogen

Liverpool are really just sitting off now, inviting Villa to attack them and then when they get the ball they dont have enough maybe creativity is the wrong word? to do anything with it, they just inevitably give it back to villa after knocking it around the back 4

looks like they wanna try and nick the game if possible but as defense minded as possible

LuckyLloyd

Stekelly wrote: »

Is that not what Crouch was supposed to be able to do?:)

You're destroying this thread thus far, well played!

monkey9

Stekelly wrote: »

Is that not what Crouch was supposed to be able to do?:)

Ha! Yeah, the irony, Except at the moment, Ngog is more willing to sit on the bench than Crouchy is.

copacetic

kryogen wrote: »

Liverpool are really just sitting off now, inviting Villa to attack them and then when they get the ball they dont have enough maybe creativity is the wrong word? to do anything with it, they just inevitably give it back to villa after knocking it around the back 4

looks like they wanna try and nick the game if possible but as defense minded as possible

i think we are watching different games altogether.

LuckyLloyd

kryogen wrote: »

Liverpool are really just sitting off now, inviting Villa to attack them and then when they get the ball they dont have enough maybe creativity is the wrong word? to do anything with it, they just inevitably give it back to villa after knocking it around the back 4

looks like they wanna try and nick the game if possible but as defense minded as possible

we're away from home - this is what we do!!

mike65

Ngog nearly

By god Masch is king.

Mike

monkey9

Ah c'mon Dirk. You should have buried that. It this had been a European tie against Milan or something, that would have been in the top corner.
I have a feeling Ngog will score today

Sh!t, he almost did!!

internelligent

Best move I've seen Keane make so far. Encouraging!

kryogen

i know ye do llyod but really dont you think it would be better to be playing with two up top? i mean villa dont play a 5 man midfield and that was the first time we saw keane in front of goal and he almost produced! but the first time in 45 minutes?!

Harpy

machiavellianme wrote: »

Has Keane moved in to Torres's position? (wondering about the formation now as i've no stream)

download TVUplayer (it downloads very fast)
and go to sports and then the soccer channel its on there

it is about 3 or 4 mins behind

LuckyLloyd

GREAT take from Reina.

Guy:Incognito

mike65 wrote: »

By god Masch is king.

Mike

A touch of the Sissoko's with one or two of his passes mind.

Skrtel is going to need to go a bit easy with his tackling. Wasnt a whole lot wrong with that last one but he doesnt was to get sent off for a silly little tackle.

kryogen

masch has looked good until he gets the ball alright! great def mid though

LuckyLloyd

kryogen wrote: »

i know ye do llyod but really dont you think it would be better to be playing with two up top? i mean villa dont play a 5 man midfield and that was the first time we saw keane in front of goal and he almost produced! but the first time in 45 minutes?!

Well, no I don't. During the Evans era we were capable of scoring goals and played an exciting attacking system but would struggle mightily in ties like this away from Anfield. Benitez is all about being tough and organized and preventing the opposition from scoring as a priority. We've looked comfortable at the back thus far and have had two good looks up front. We'll get a couple of more chances in the next 45.