Aston Villa v Forest Pre-Match Thread

[Dave]

Forest basically need to win three of their last eight games, which given they've got matches to come against Leicester, Everton, Palace, Spurs, Brentford and West Ham in that lot, feels like they probably will manage it. Away to us tomorrow and home to Chelsea on the last day being the other two.

If they do that, it means that three of the four teams behind them need to win six or seven of their last eight games. And while one or even two could do that, it feels unlikely that three or four will on current form. If Forest win four of those eight games then they'll be on 69 points, which means that three of the four teams chasing them need to win pretty much every game between now and the end of the season.

Beating them on Saturday will definitely shit them up a little bit though.

[Smithy]

Maybe I've done my maths wrong, but if we beat Forest (entirely possible) and Chelsea and Man City both win at the weekend (also entirely possible), Forest would be 2 and 3 points ahead of them with 7 games to go, and both chasing teams have a better goal difference than Forest.  AND Forest have to play both of them.

I'm also ignoring Newcastle in that, who are a point further back, but would actually be nearer to Forest than both Chelsea and Man City if they win their game in hand.

It feels like the race for Champions League is a lot closer than you've made out (not dismissing the possibility I've got my maths wrong of course!)

[LeeB]

Forest basically need to win three of their last eight games, which given they've got matches to come against Leicester, Everton, Palace, Spurs, Brentford and West Ham in that lot, feels like they probably will manage it. Away to us tomorrow and home to Chelsea on the last day being the other two.

If they do that, it means that three of the four teams behind them need to win six or seven of their last eight games. And while one or even two could do that, it feels unlikely that three or four will on current form. If Forest win four of those eight games then they'll be on 69 points, which means that three of the four teams chasing them need all win pretty much every game between now and the end of the season.

Beating them on Saturday will definitely shit them up a little bit though.

It will, and a subsequent defeat could set of all sorts of alarms in an inexperienced team. It's also that time of the season when results you'd never have seen coming happen and deadwood like Leicester pull out a big performance from nowhere.

In an ideal world they'll give eveything in an epic semi against Man City and blow up completely, then get funeralled by us in the final.

[Footy-Vill]

A must win match.
Should have beaten Forest at their ground having outplayed them for majority of match.
14 games unbeaten at home now a nice 2-0 victory

Martinez
Konsa Mings Pau Maatsen
Kamara Tielemans
Ramsey McGinn
Rashford Watkins

[Brend'Watkins]

Forest basically need to win three of their last eight games, which given they've got matches to come against Leicester, Everton, Palace, Spurs, Brentford and West Ham in that lot, feels like they probably will manage it. Away to us tomorrow and home to Chelsea on the last day being the other two.

If they do that, it means that three of the four teams behind them need to win six or seven of their last eight games. And while one or even two could do that, it feels unlikely that three or four will on current form. If Forest win four of those eight games then they'll be on 69 points, which means that three of the four teams chasing them need all win pretty much every game between now and the end of the season.

Beating them on Saturday will definitely shit them up a little bit though.

It will, and a subsequent defeat could set of all sorts of alarms in an inexperienced team. It's also that time of the season when results you'd never have seen coming happen and deadwood like Leicester pull out a big performance from nowhere.

In an ideal world they'll give eveything in an epic semi against Man City and blow up completely, then get funeralled by us in the final.

Watching them scrape over the line against a poor ManU gives me hope.  They're grinding out wins  which is fine but it's not sustainable.

[VillaTim]

A must win match.
Should have beaten Forest at their ground having outplayed them for majority of match.
14 games unbeaten at home now a nice 2-0 victory

Martinez
Konsa Mings Pau Maatsen
Kamara Tielemans
Ramsey McGinn
Rashford Watkins

That backline would be a concern vs these lot

[OCD]

Forest basically need to win three of their last eight games, which given they've got matches to come against Leicester, Everton, Palace, Spurs, Brentford and West Ham in that lot, feels like they probably will manage it. Away to us tomorrow and home to Chelsea on the last day being the other two.

If they do that, it means that three of the four teams behind them need to win six or seven of their last eight games. And while one or even two could do that, it feels unlikely that three or four will on current form. If Forest win four of those eight games then they'll be on 69 points, which means that three of the four teams chasing them need all win pretty much every game between now and the end of the season.

Beating them on Saturday will definitely shit them up a little bit though.

It will, and a subsequent defeat could set of all sorts of alarms in an inexperienced team. It's also that time of the season when results you'd never have seen coming happen and deadwood like Leicester pull out a big performance from nowhere.

In an ideal world they'll give eveything in an epic semi against Man City and blow up completely, then get funeralled by us in the final.

Watching them scrape over the line against a poor ManU gives me hope.  They're grinding out wins  which is fine but it's not sustainable.

They've been doing it all season. And in most games they've had low ball retention. They're well organised and are a threat on the counter, something we have to be careful with as we usually struggle against this set-up.

[Dave]

They've been doing it all season. And in most games they've had ball retention. They're well organised and are a threat on the counter, something we have to be careful with as we usually struggle against this set-up.

Yup. I remember saying earlier in the season that they're basically a better version of O'Neill's Villa. Sit back, play on the break, get it wide to the fast, tricky wingers and use a big (but good) striker to balance it all around.

But let them have the ball and they don't really know what to do with it, and just get frustrated.

I reckon going straight at them is the very worst thing we could do, and our current strategy of boring teams to death in the first half then coming out harder in the second is exactly what we should be doing here.

[London Villan]

Is Wood out for them?

[Dave]

Their fans seem to think that he won't be risked.

[VillaTim]

Is Wood out for them?

50/50, can see him being on the bench and coming on if things aren't working for them , they can then start launching some aerial bombardment

[Brazilian Villain]

Their fans seem to think that he won't be risked.

They'll be wary of Pau roughing him up when Wood's just back from injury.

[Drummond]

I feel certain that Mings and Onana will start tomorrow. Their stature and strength is exactly what's needed against this lot.

[Stu]

Their fans seem to think that he won't be risked.

We all know he's going to be playing and playing well at that, right

[eamonn]

If it's muck and bullets coming our way, I'd rather Disasi take the ammunition than delicate Matty.