Just about to settle down and watch Fulham’s opponents on Sunday afternoon, Aston Villa, against Rapid Vienna in the Europa League at Villa Park.
A decent opportunity to take a look at Villa ahead of our return to Premier League action at the weekend. We’ll be travelling to Birmingham in good heart after our success in Russia tonight and hopefully we’ll be welcoming a few of key players back into the side. Perhaps Danny Murphy might be available again after Ricardo Carvalho’s studs caused him to miss the second leg.
Regardless of whether the skipper makes it back, Roy Hodgson will have the option of fielding his new signings. Kagisho Dikgacoi will be keen to get a taste of English football after completing his move from Golden Arrows (international clearance permitting) although I suspect he might have to wait for his opportunity. Jonathan Greening, no stranger to the Midlands, might step into the engine room as well.
There’s plenty of danger in the Villa side as well. It looks John Carew, once a Fulham transfer target a few years ago, has returned to fitness and he might be partnering Emile Heskey, as he is tonight. Then there’s the likes of Petrov and Ashley Young to keep quiet. It certainly won’t be easy.
Wasn’t all that impressed by the Villa myself.
They looked very ponderous in defence. Cuellar’s not that great and the fact that Curtis Davies (who I’ll always remember fondly for giving away the free-kick that TAFKA #21 scored from a couple of seasons ago) dislocated his shoulder leaves them badly short of options at centre back. Presumably Warnock will replace Shorey at left back and maybe Delph might drop out of central midfield.
I’m not saying that we can win at Villa Park because that would be foolish, but we certainly shouldn’t fear them.
I did a similar thing for abiout half an hour. (The Vienna fans were amazing)
I think thing we have to fear is their pace. I have always rated James Milner. However I am not convionced that their pace atually results in a huge amount of qulaity end product, other than clearly demonstrated last night rash tackles in the box. This could be our undoing as bioth the Pantsman and Konch could easily get sucked in.
Key for us is how we line up up front. Dempsey is a midfielder. I would like to see some pace up front so Dio is the man as AJ is out. Alongside Dio I would pick Erik for no other reason than it worked well towards the end of last season. I have not seen too much of a spark when BZ plays with anyone other thatn AJ.
It is a game we can get something from, they will be wounded an their fans will be expectant, keep them quiet with little tyo shout about for half an hour and we can dream……
Those Vienna fans were something else. I think I’ll decide against taking my shirt off at Villa Park on Sunday, though.
Young goes down very easily and, one would hope that having seen those two penalties last night, Roy will be telling the full backs not to dive in.
Clint’s got to play in midfield – I absolutely agree with that. He’s far more effective there. This all presumes that he was rested last night as a precaution and that the injury’s not more serious.
I get the sense that Roy doesn’t seem to fancy Kamara, but would be inclined to go with him and Nevland. Does anyone know if Bobby will be fit for Sunday?