Match Threads Aston Villa vs Spurs - Match Thread - Day 29

[Bulletspur]

ASTON VILLA 0-2 SPURS
Vinicius, Kane​

Spurs: Lloris (C), Tanganga, Rodon, Sanchez, Reguilon (Davies), Hojbjerg, Ndombele (Sissoko), Lo Celso (Bergwijn), Lucas, Vinicius, Kane.
Subs: Hart, Dier, Dele, Bale, Scarlett, Devine.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings (c), Luiz, McGinn, Watkins, Traore, Trezeguet, Targett, Sanson.
Subs: Heaton, Taylor, Nakamba, Barkley, El Ghazi, Engels, El Mohamady, Davis, Ramsey.

Official Site Match Centre
Four changes to the team that started our last Premier League fixture at Arsenal last weekend.
Japhet Tanganga, Joe Rodon, Giovani Lo Celso and Carlos Vinicius come in for Matt Doherty, Toby Alderweireld, Gareth Bale and Heung-Min Son. It's Carlos' second start in the Premier League. Erik Lamela is suspended. Academy youngsters Dane Scarlett and Alfie Devine are on the bench.
Jose reports that both Toby and Serge Aurier miss out through illness.

REFEREE: ------ Mike Dean ???????

TEAM FORM: ----- Villa - LWLDD ------- Spurs - WWWLL ------ (All Competitions)

The pressure is mounting on Jose ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Aston Villa following our shock elimination from the Europa League. We suffered one of our worst results in our history by going down 3-2 on aggregate to Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday and need to quickly respond at Villa Park. We are eighth at the time of writing this, four points better off than ninth-placed Villa having played a game more than Villa.

Our 3-0 loss in Zagreb on Thursday, having led 2-0 after the opening 90 minutes of the tie, will mark one of the lowest points in our club's recent history. It was a performance that captain Hugo labelled "a disgrace", and one in which left Mourinho questioning the professionalism of our players yet again. We would have fancied our chances of going all the way in the Europa League, but instead our campaign now comes down to next month's EFL Cup final with Manchester City.

A top-four finish in the Premier League is not entirely out of the question just yet, though we find ourselves six points adrift of the Champions League spots. If nothing else, Mourinho will be desperate for a response from our players on Sunday, a week on from going down 2-1 to Arsenal in another massive setback for the Portuguese. That loss to Arsenal was our ninth in 28 Premier League games this term - equaling the most ever suffered by a Mourinho-managed side in a single campaign.

That includes a run of four defeats in our last five away league games, which is as many as we had lost in our previous 20 on the road (W8 D8). Villa will be looking to pile the pressure on us this weekend, knowing that a victory will keep alive their hopes of qualifying for European football next season. The Villans have struggled for momentum in recent weeks, having won just one of their last six in the Premier League. Villa followed up a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers with a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United. Villa now face three of the established top six in their next four games and risk seeing a season that promised so much fading into nothing more than a mid-table finish.

Team News

What made our collapse in Zagreb all the more remarkable is that our star man Kane started the game and indeed played the full 120 minutes. That would have taken it out of the striker and, with three England internationals on the horizon, Mourinho may well make a bold call to rest our star man at Villa Park. Fellow attacker Son will play no part because of an injury sustained against Arsenal last weekend, while Lamela is suspended for his red card in the same game. Hojbjerg and Ndombele were greatly missed against Dinamo and should both return in holding midfield on Sunday.

As for Villa, there is still a question mark over the fitness of playmaker Grealish, who has now missed five matches but recently returned to training. Traore is another fitness doubt for the Villans, though Smith will give both players every chance of being fit for the visit of Spurs. Fresh on the back of his England call-up, striker Ollie Watkins is certain to lead the line as he looks to build on a return of 10 goals in 27 league games this term.

Banner courtesy of @chrissivad

 

[Nerine]

 

[wrd]

The reality of the situation is this, we are up against it this game because morale will be low and we have 120 minutes in a fair few of our players legs. We need to win this game to have a reasonable shot of top4. If we win this game then we are in a position where we no longer need to rotate and the players will be well rested and we have all week to tactically prepare for each game. We have no excuses with the fixtures we have left, we have the team to win every single one of those games with the quality we have.

Let's see what the management brings with the tactics and the players bring in terms of attitude because we have very favourable circumstances for the rest of the season. Just need to grind a result in this one.

 

[Oscar22]

Honestly just make the point of leaving the ones who aren’t up for it out of the squad.
Stop playing people and then afterwards saying ‘these players don’t carry out my instructions’ let them sit at home.

Take some of the youth players along and if need be trust in them to take some minutes. Devine and Scarlett have likely already taken huge amounts just from being around the premier league matchdays, no reason players like Cirkin and a few of the others can’t have the same.

Simply out there are players who aren’t good enough for the starting eleven and seem to just cause an issue if they have to be subs, if these players aren’t going to give their all, don’t take them.

 

[db1]

Exactly, just play some youth players, what have we got to lose. We're losing a lot anyway, so why not play the highly motivated young guys, who at best will shine and get us a point or 3 and at worst will gain some vital experience to set them up for future games. Arsenal are going to benefit in the long run from preparing their young players this year.

 

[vuzp]

Great after the week we had, now we get Mike Dean as referee for this ?

 

[DCSPUR64]

I might even start Dane Scarlett for this one.

 

[Aphex]

Think we are in trouble with this one.

 

[Amo]

We're fucked for this one.

 

[rossdapep]

I'm a bad supporter I know but for the first time since the end of AVBs tenure, I am putting the game second to everything else this weekend and spending time with others, won't even have a signal to know the score. That Zagreb result has killed me and I cannot bear to even look at some of our players on the screen.

But, I hope we win and I hope the likes of Lo Celso can show us what we've been missing. Hope the drifters will be know where near the squad.

 

[DCSPUR64]

I'm a bad supporter I know but for the first time since the end of AVBs tenure, I am putting the game second to everything else this weekend and spending time with others, won't even have a signal to know the score. That Zagreb result has killed me and I cannot bear to even look at some of our players on the screen.

But, I hope we win and I hope the likes of Lo Celso can show us what we've been missing. Hope the drifters will be know where near the squad.

You are forgiven.
I will watch the game with absolutely no expectation.

 

[TheTanguy]

I reckon we will do reasonably well there; a draw or a 0-1 / 1-2 win.

 

[muppetman]

It's Spurs, we will win this one, probably play fairly well just to keep the whole shitshow ongoing.

 

[TheChosenOne]

Lost for words at the moment. Hurting bad.
.
Thanks as always to @Bulletspur & @chrissivad

 

[greaves]

Lost for words at the moment. Hurting bad.
.
Thanks as always to @Bulletspur & @chrissivad

A small silent scream...

 

[stevespurs]

Feels like I’m driving past a road accident, with the police and fire engines tending to it. Driving past but I just have to look!!

 

[Snarfalicious]

I don’t even have the belief in these players that they can play to the script and screw this one up bad enough to get Mourinho sacked.

Tottenham 4 - Villaa 1

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Well I’m excited. I feel this is season defining. Win this and we solidify our quest for top 8. Lose and we might be battling for 9th or 10th.

 

[Dougal]

Me v The Wife on a Sunday evening. Think I might volunteer to put the kids to bed.

 

[DiscoD1882]

I couldn’t care less. (Until 19:00 on Sunday)