Aston Villa vs Arsenal (12.45 kickoff) thread

Bounty Hunter

Aston Villa Vs Arsenal

Team News

Injury-depleted Aston Villa are bolstered by the return of John Carew and James Collins from calf injuries.

However, Gabby Agbonlahor (illness) and Jonathan Hogg (ankle) are doubts, and Marc Albrighton is unavailable after an operation to remove his appendix.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Eboue are sidelined with respective hamstring and knee problems.

Manuel Almunia is fit after a two-month lay-off, while Gael Clichy should overcome a back complaint.

Aston Villa

Doubtful: Agbonlahor (illness), Beye & Hogg (both ankle)

Injured/unavailable: Albrighton (appendicitis), Cuellar (calf), Delph, Heskey, Petrov & Reo-Coker (all knee), Sidwell (Achilles), Weimann (ankle)

Arsenal

Doubtful: Clichy (back)

Injured: Diaby (ankle), Eboue & Frimpong (both knee), Fabregas (hamstring), Vermaelen (Achilles)

guess at the Villa lineup:

............................Friedel

L.Young.......Dunne...........Collins....Warnock

...................Clark/Hogg
..................................Bannon
S.Downing........S.Ireland...............A.Young

.......................Gabby/Carew


guess at the Arsenal lineup:

...........................Fabianski

Sagna........Koscielny.........Squillaci......Gibbs

..............................Song
..................Wilshere..........Nasri
..Walcott..................................Arshavin
.......................Chamakh/RVP

Stats:

• There has been a 90th minute goal scored in three of the last five Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Villa.

• Villa have won just one of the last 23 Premier League matches against Arsenal.

• Arsenal have picked up more points away from home than any other team in the Premier League, 14.

• A fourth successive away win in the league would mark their best run since a five-match winning streak from May to September 2004.

• Villa's games are yet to see a red card in the Premier League this season, while Arsenal's have produced eight (the most).


• Villa have only won one of their last eight league matches (W1, D4, L3).

• They have dropped more points (12) from winning positions than any other club in the division.

• Ten of their 16 Premier League home games in 2010 have been drawn, with five wins and a defeat

---

My prediction: unfortunatley given all Villa's injuries and that those who arent injured are either just back or possibly carrying injuries (Carew, Gabby, Dunne) while playing beside inexperienced although talented youngsters I dont think we will be strong enough to stop Arsenal bouncing back from a number of below par performances and if I had to guess a scoreline id back 2-1 to the gunners. Hope The boys in claret and blue will prove me wrong though

http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=95551&part=sports

Frisbee

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

guess at the Arsenal lineup:

...........................Fabianski

Sagna........Koscielny.........Squillaci......Gibbs

..............................Song
..................Wilshere..........Nasri
..Walcott..................................Arshavin
.......................Chamakh/RVP

I reckon it will be Djourou in there instead of Koscielny, or at least I hope so. From what I've read Clichy should make it too. Think I'd prefer Chamakh to get the nod in this one too, but having not travelled during the week RVP will probably get the nod.

Bounty Hunter

Frisbee wrote: »

I reckon it will be Djourou in there instead of Koscielny, or at least I hope so. From what I've read Clichy should make it too. Think I'd prefer Chamakh to get the nod in this one too, but having not travelled during the week RVP will probably get the nod.

Would Gibbs not start anyway? Clichy hasnt exactly been setting the world alight recently and wouldnt be 100%

this match will most likely also feature this man against Arsenal which will be odd for an Arsenal fan id imagine

Pepe LeFrits

Arsenal's away form is good this year and Cesc's form was horrid so he may not be much of a miss - so who knows.

Still can't get myself up for this though.

Frisbee

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

*swoon*

efb

Pires!

Frisbee you can have him! I'll nurse cesc back to rude health!

2-1 Arsenal

sonic85

i know villa have a few injuries but i think theyll frustrate arsenal - id say thisll be a draw.

Bounty Hunter

just saw these line ups posted (cant confirm em)

Our line-up today:
* 01 Friedel
* 02 L Young
* 03 Warnock
* 05 Dunne
* 21 Clark
* 29 Collins
* 06 Downing
* 07 Young
* 08 Pires
* 25 Bannan
* 10 Carew

Pires starts, Gabby apparently not even on the bench

Arsenal:
* 21 Fabianski
* 03 Sagna
* 06 Koscielny
* 18 Squillaci
* 22 Clichy
* 07 Rosicky
* 08 Nasri
* 17 A Song
* 19 Wilshere
* 23 Arshavin
* 29 Chamakh


RVP and Walcott on the bench

Frisbee

Aston Villa: Friedel, Luke Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Ashley Young, Clark, Bannan, Downing, Pires, Carew
Subs: Guzan, Ireland, Delfouneso, Beye, Hogg, Lichaj, Herd


Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Rosicky, Song, Wilshere, Nasri, Chamakh, Arshavin
Subs: Szczesny, van Persie, Walcott, Denilson, Djourou, Gibbs, Bendtner

Bounty Hunter

that would make Villa something like:

.......................Friedel

L.Young.....Dunne........Collins....Warnock

..................C.Clark
..............................B.Bannon
..R.Pires...............................S.Downing
......................A.Young

.......................Carew

Frisbee

And us:

---

Fabianski

---

Sagna

---

Squillaci

---

Koscielny

---

Clichy

---

Rosicky/Nasri---Song---Wilshere

---

Rosicky/Nasri

---

Arshavin

---

Chamakh

---

Galvasean

Pires starts! :eek:
I hope he has a terrible debut followed by a revitalised career.

sonic85

cant see bobby having any impact to be honest. at 37 years of age his best years are well gone. be nice to see him do well though - he was always one of my favourite players. djourou on the bench and kos starting? cant understand that at all

keano_afc

Any streams? Nothing in the thread at the top of the page.

shano_88

Bobby never had much pace to begin with. Its his positioning and finishing that id be worried about.

Frisbee

keano_afc wrote: »

Any streams? Nothing in the thread at the top of the page.

Sopcast 6816

everdead.ie

They guy downing was holding hands with was the same size as him :eek:

Frisbee

everdead.ie wrote: »

They guy downing was holding hands with was the same size as him :eek:

And then the next kid was about 2 foot tall and got paired with Carew

roryc

stream?

Bounty Hunter

Arsenal startng well.

streams in the link in my OP

Xavi6

Super start from Arsenal. All over them.

everdead.ie

Squilaci in trouble and he does not look happy

Frisbee

How have we not scored yet?

everdead.ie

Frisbee wrote: »

How have we not scored yet?

Too many pairs of gloves and neck warmers :pac:

shano_88

Frisbee wrote: »

How have we not scored yet?

Shooting has been so poor so far but good stuff atm.

Frisbee

everdead.ie wrote: »

Too many pairs of gloves and neck warmers :pac:

The commentators have taken real issue with it haven't they?

That rest midweek seems to have done Shava some good, he looks really up for this.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Song back to what he does best so far in this match.

Weird seeing Koscielny with no name or number on his back.

everdead.ie

Frisbee wrote: »

The commentators have taken real issue with it haven't they?

Have they? I actually just remember someone doing a table up and in the winter teams with more gloves and neck warmers did worse on average.

Frisbee

everdead.ie wrote: »

Have they? I actually just remember someone doing a table up and in the winter teams with more gloves and neck warmers did worse on average.

Some token: "You wouldn't have seen that in your day would you?" going on.

everdead.ie

Frisbee wrote: »

Some token: "You wouldn't have seen that in your day would you?" going on.

Ah sure if Andy Gray lost his boot in the six feet of mud he left it there and played on he didn't need it

Ronan Raver77

Villa are not awake at all today!!!!Arsenal to win i reckon:(

NeoKubrick

Arsenal need to attack through the middle more and ping the ball around Dunne and Collins rather than go wide to the flanks.

matrim

this is depresing as a villa fan. Where's the hunger to get the ball back.

Frisbee

I don't know why but I found Nasri screaming 'Jack! Jack!' there very funny for some reason.

efb

Jaques, Jaques, non?

keano_afc

We're just lacking that final ball. Need to be wary at the back though.

NeoKubrick

Further proof that Song should be told to sit back and be a defensive midfielder. If it was not for his crazy passes, this would be one of the best possession games of the season.

fullstop

That's handball FFS

matrim

feck

shano_88

SHEVA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Goal from Andrey3000! Now don't fall asleep to ****

TanG411

Nice finish from Arshavin. Brutal defending by Villa.

everdead.ie

Goal it was coming

matrim

thank **** he missed

TanG411

What. A. Miss.

Well it's not terrible, but could have hit the target considering the goal against Spurs.

amacachi

Why doesn't he bother his arse more often?



FFS, Nasri just missed an opener, that's a guarantee that Arsenal will not win this match, I know the pattern too well.

Frisbee

So close Nasri. Although going in 2-0 would have made me too nervous.

CR 7

Nasri really should have scored there. That pass from arshavin was better than his goal.

everdead.ie

Villa have to get closer far too much time and space for Arsenal

Fuzzy_Dunlop

everdead.ie wrote: »

Villa have to get closer far too much time and space for Arsenal

It's a little too similar to the Spurs match for my liking.



Great save from Friedel!

NeoKubrick

You beauty.