Stoke City V Aston Villa: Saturday 27th February at 15:00

by **Sandie** Mon Feb 22, 2016 12:46 am

So back in action this coming Saturday and it is a return to the venue of, what some would argue, was the moment that locked us into our protracted tailspin into the Championship, The Britannia Stadium. In March 2009 we threw away a two goal lead against Stoke to draw and drop valuable points in the Champions League battle. Did we ever truly recover from this moment and the subsequent pissing away of a top four challenge?

This time we visit there a completely different proposition, a team in complete disarray, destined for almost certain relegation. Are we to expect a surprise start of a rebirth or yet more disappointment?

I'm saying the latter, 2-0 Stoke.

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Feb 22, 2016 12:57 pm

Stoke must be rubbing their hands together at the thought of playing our dysfunctional Villa team. If we play the same system with the same players we'll get hammered. Names don't matter any more but performances do. Lyden should start. We've got better footballers, but none that have more heart and soul.

3-1 Stoke, with our goal coming from a set piece.

by **Sandie** Mon Feb 22, 2016 2:12 pm

Remi himself has said he will pick an 11 that will fight for the cause. Plainly, not many of the players who played against Liverpool fit that description. Would like to see a few of the kids (like Lyden you mention) get a chance.

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:56 pm

Gestede should be back, so should Sanchez. Grealish should be fit, but he hardly fits into the battling category. I wonder whether Clark will feature, because although he's made some woeful mistakes you can't fault his attitude and energy. Gabby will be over his "illness", but he's a major problem for us with his attitude and refusal to fully embrace Duverne's training methods. Traore is only two weeks away according to PhysioRoom, so there's a bit of excitement on the horizon.

by **Sandie** Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:28 pm

villabromsgrove wrote:Traore is only two weeks away according to PhysioRoom, so there's a bit of excitement on the horizon.

Will Garde pick him though?

The story about the U21s beating the first team might mean that a couple of those lads will force their way into contention. There's Lyden and also a few that have made the bench recently like Niall Mason and Keinan Davies. Is there any more there who we might see? Who should be bombed out?

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Feb 22, 2016 7:30 pm

Mason is a cultured player but is probably not right for a first match against Stoke. Davies is tall and skinny with loads of energy but I wonder whether Garde will risk going into the unknown?

by **Sandie** Mon Feb 22, 2016 11:41 pm

Which players should miss out?

by Chris Harte Tue Feb 23, 2016 8:42 am

villabromsgrove wrote:Traore is only two weeks away according to PhysioRoom, so there's a bit of excitement on the horizon.

I simply cannot get excited about Traore now. I'm not sure if its because we're doomed and there's nothing he can do to change that, or if its because he appears to be built from glass, and simply won't stand up to the physicality of either the PL or the Championship.

by **villabromsgrove** Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:52 am

It's true that Championship defenders will be looking to kick him out of games. With his kind of pace they're not going to stop him fairly. I like him and if he can become more of a team player he could be a real asset.

by **Sandie** Tue Feb 23, 2016 1:56 pm

It's all relative. Traore is only exciting because of raw potential and how unexciting the rest of the team is.

by **villabromsgrove** Tue Feb 23, 2016 2:47 pm

Sandie wrote:It's all relative. Traore is only exciting because of raw potential and how unexciting the rest of the team is.

We haven't had much success at convincing our players to get the ball in the box or get into the box themselves even. Here we have a player who will attack the box at every opportunity. He may be raw, but we need him in my opinion.

by **Sandie** Tue Feb 23, 2016 3:36 pm

My feeling is that Traore's entry in the annals of Aston Villa has already been written. Rather than as a promising player he's going to go down as an example of the incompetence of the present regime however much truth there is in the contract story.

Shame.

by **Sandie** Thu Feb 25, 2016 12:54 pm

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5373185,00.html

Gestede fit again, Adama still not ready, Grealish, Sanchez and Kozak still out.

by **villabromsgrove** Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:08 pm

Gestede needs to play, and he needs to put a physical 90 minute shift in. It's not going to be easy against a robust Stoke defence.

by **Sandie** Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:13 pm

Aye. It's not any endorsement of Gestede though as he'd only get in my team because he's that little bit less crap than Gabby or Sinclair.

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