[Dingle-Dingle]

Maybe...... Just Maybe ...... If we were to win the FA Cup...... Would JP release funds to drastically improve the squad to compensate for additional Euro commitments............ Or would he...... lets see how it goes.?? DD

[aries22]

I think I'd rather win the league game and then see Villa lose the Cup semi-final then get relegated. But to win either game game we can't have a rearguard performance like we put on at Sunderland. That was hopeless and completely lacked ambition. I want to see us attack Villa. So let's play as if we're playing at home, and shut the Villa Park faithful (but deluded) up, and make Tim Sherwood squirm even further down into his seat. Let's give him a record of played four, lost four.

[BaggieMan]

Maybe...... Just Maybe ...... If we were to win the FA Cup...... Would JP release funds to drastically improve the squad to compensate for additional Euro commitments............ Or would he...... lets see how it goes.?? DD    

DD, not so sure the FA Cup is that much of a money-spinner and that can certainly be said of the Europa League often playing unheard of teams from remote places. Cannot for the life of me see what the attraction is with European football at that level. Virtually every English team who enter struggle domestically - just look at Everton this year, Newcastle, Stoke etc in the past.

I'm in the UKip party when it comes to the Europa League - keep out !

[tidy]

We could end up in Europe without winning the Cup. Just getting to the final could see us having to participate in the Europa League.

We should all know that football has a habit of kicking fans in the teeth. We could win both games against Villa but are just as likely to lose both. Injuries to key strikers make the latter slightly more likely.

A draw in the league game would not be unwelcome.

[JH Baggie]

A cold Thursday night in some remote Polish town?





Yes.Feckin.Please

[Salopbaggie]

If the worst comes to the worst on Tuesday and we have no fit strikers then:

Foster
Dawson - McAuley - Lescott - Brunt
Gardner - Yacob - Fletcher - Morrison
McManaman - Sessegnon

Whatever players we have available we know TP will be setting us up for a draw in the league game, that is a given. The pace of the two up top would at least give us a threat on the counter attack. Gardner and Morrison have an eye for goal from the midfield and we can target set pieces where Dawson, Lescott and McAuley will dominate their woeful centre backs.

Don't fancy giving Nabi a shot up front then if we have no established strikers fit?

[valpayne]

My thoughts on this are, firstly, its a derby so if both sets of players aren't fired up for it no coach/manager's in the world pep talk will make any difference. That difference I believe is going to be tactics. I personally don't see Sherwood as being as tactically astute as TP. He's lacking experience and whilst he did ok with Tottenham, he had better players and so his 'up and at em lads' bully boy approach was probably enough, but, obviously not enough to have got the job permanently. So how come? Lack of experience for one and a loud, somewhat undiplomatic and unpredictable mouth for another. So that brings me firstly to tactics. Did any of you see/hear the post match autopsy saturday? TP clearly said, Koeman changed Saints formation an hour before the game and so TP changed Albions and it worked didn't it. RK, to his credit, he said, changed back again half an hour into the match because he could see he'd been outwitted. Likewise it worked so far as possession was concerned and saints had the better of the match from then on. But dogged defending and organisation plus some poor shooting (saints) was enough. Yes folks, rest assured TP outwitted RK and RK more or less admitted it in his post match synopsis. So rest assured, in TP we do have more than 'up and at em lads.' We have experience, desire, determination and finally a godam back up plan with tactical know how. This is what many of us could see was missing from AI. He just didn't have that in his locker. So to sum up, I believe we have the tools to beat villa twice, however I'm a long term baggie and I believe beating them twice probably won't happen? On the other hand I don't see them beating us twice even more so. I suspect at least one draw and one win, which way though? hmm!  I dunno I just think that will depend on who turns up on both nights? My dad is a villain btw He's already told me not to gloat he's virtually given up already and that says a lot about the way things are for villa right now. I'm just relieved we didn't opt for TS when it was rumoured and delighted we got TP instead Great move Mr Peace hats off for once

[Dingle-Dingle]

My brother and his wife are also Villa. Think they have given up too. Just sent me this.

   

DD 

[drewks]

That's a good post valpayne - TP HAS got the tactical nous AND a Plan B if things need changing; probably a Plan C too (maybe he'll need that this week if we have to play with no strikers!).

With that in mind I hope that TP again tries to outwit the opposition HC by NOT lining us up like he did at Everton and Sunderland; even with 0 or 1 specialist forwards we have the players that can hurt the opposition when going forward (Mozza, Sess, Mac) so I'd love him to pick an offensive team and really go for it for the first 20/30 mins. Sherwood will be expecting a defensive line up - let's get him really scratching his head and wonder how he's going to come back from being 0-2 down after 20 mins!

[Onetruebaggie]

Really looking forward to our week with the neighbours, I'm caught in two minds really, my overriding feeling is that we cant possibly lose twice in the week against the Villa based on form and confidence. My fear is that they always seem to play sh!t until they play us and become world beaters for 90 minutes and slip back into their ways after playing us.
I think they are probably running scared over the 2 matches compared to ourselves, but when it comes to the Villa, anything somehow is possible. I think we'll draw 1-1 in the league and win the cup match personally and I'd probably take that, I feel our need for the league points is obviously less than theirs and expect a fight on the pitch tomorrow. Somehow my mate has got me tickets in the Doug Ellis about 20 yards from the travelling Baggies, either way it will be sheer agony whatever the result.
I'm genuinely excited about this weeks fixtures and feel it is a major milestone in the season, that said, by this time next week it could be all over with only a major hangover to show for it, F*** it bring the Vile on!!!!!!!

COYB