11/12 Premier League thread

[tHuG $TyLe]

Odd game today against Hull. 3-1 but played pretty woeful.

 

[Bobby Sands]

a decent side would have beaten Man Utd today.

Hull have a lot of poor players.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

damn i was really disappointed with the scoreline. i was checking the scores from work and saw it at 0-0 then 2-0 and then at FT it was 3-0. we havent scored for the first time since the opening day. this is a huge dent in our top 4 ambitions.

 

[Duke]

Roons did it for Utd today.

 

[Flipmo]

I watched it with Duke, we were not really entertained.

 

[Duke]

We weren't. It was slighty entertaining in the later part of the first half, but after the 1-1 it was a total borefest.

 

[lyrical start]

Great game. Fabregas might be out for be 3 weeks :unsure:

damn i was really disappointed with the scoreline. i was checking the scores from work and saw it at 0-0 then 2-0 and then at FT it was 3-0. we havent scored for the first time since the opening day. this is a huge dent in our top 4 ambitions.

Not really. Villa have already beat Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool this season. 9 points from the top 4 isn't a bad thing.

 

[DPG iz all I C]

I'm still convinced that Liverpool will take 4th spot.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

I'm still convinced that Liverpool will take 4th spot.

they are not that far behind, especially if spurs and man city drop points today.

COME ON STOKE!!

 

[Flipmo]

You mean West Ham? They won 2 - 0.

Modric scored. 2

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

I'm still convinced that Liverpool will take 4th spot.

I concur.

 

[hizzle?]

Fulham leading Chelsea 1-0.

 

[Duke]

Unfortunate OG for Fulham

 

[DPG iz all I C]

Great result tonight for City. Tevez and Bellamy both playing well.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

any predictions for villa v liverpool tonight?

ashley young is banned as he picked up his 5th yellow against arsenal.

 

[Duke]

I'm not sure. I kind of want Villa to win cos I think they deserve the succes and a Villa win is good for fantasy footy, haha.

On the other hand I just want the best team to win tonight. I want a good match to see.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

me too, except i want villa to win even if liverpool are to be the better team tonight . a goal is a goal, doesnt matter how you get them. of course, i'd like villa to be the better side tonight and also do the double over liverpool.

we will be determined to bounce back from the away defeat at arsenal and also do the double over liverpool. but liverpool will be determined to even the score and beat us, not to mention their urgency to pick up points on the road which will be crucial to them getting that 4th spot.

if liverpool win, they go 7th and blues 8th.

of course, my main concern about tonight is that we've only had one day's rest, whereas liverpool have had two.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

from the avfc.co.uk matchpack for tonight's game:

Check out the key facts towards the bottom.

FORM GUIDE

It took something a bit special to end Villa's eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Arsenal, inspired by Cesc Fabregas's sensational 27-minute cameo, halted that run with a 3-0 victory two days ago.

Although Villa will see that as a only minor blip, they will be eager to bounce back with a victory over the Reds.

Liverpool have been written off on numerous occasions this season, but they will take some momentum from a 2-0 victory over Wolves on Boxing Day.

The Reds come into this match knowing a win will put them right back in the mix for Champions League qualification.


KEY MEN

You can't help but give Steven Gerrard the 'Mr Liverpool' tag.

Not only is the Reds' skipper one of the most complete footballers in the world, he has been so often the talisman for his hometown club.

His never-say-die attitude has never been more apparent than when he skippered the Reds to their famous Champions League success in 2005.

Fernando Torres joined Liverpool for a record fee of around £20m from Atletico Madrid, but the man they call El Nino has been worth every penny.

The Euro 2008 winner became the first Reds player since Robbie Fowler to break the 30-goal barrier.

Another man who embodies the spirit of Liverpool is Jamie Carragher.

He has been instrumental to the club's successes over the past decade and was another of the heroes of Istanbul.


THE GAFFER

Liverpool supporters will always hold Rafael Benitiez in great esteem because of the remarkable success enjoyed in his first two seasons.

The Spaniard arrived at Anfield as successor to Gerard Houllier in the summer of 2004 and guided the team to Champions League glory less than 12 months later.

His playing career was spent mostly in the Spanish lower leagues, but coaching was always a big attraction for Benitez.

After a stint in charge of Real Madrid's youth team, his managerial career proper began in 1995 with Real Valladolid.

Stints at Osasuna, Extremadura and Tenerife followed before a remarkable success story with Valencia.

In just three years at the Mestalla, Benitez managed to break the stranglehold Real Madrid and Barcelona had on Spanish football, winning two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup.

Some asked, how do you follow that? But Benitez delivered the Champions League and FA Cup within two years of taking charge at Anfield.

A second Champions League title almost followed in 2007, but the Reds were beaten by AC Milan in the Athens final.


VITAL VILLANS

With Ashley Young suspended, Villa will be looking to James Milner and Stewart Downing to provide an attacking threat from the wide areas.

Young's absence could see Milner move back to the flanks after a successful stint in the central ground.

If selected, it will be a big occasion for Emile Heskey, coming up against his former club.

The same can be said for Brad Friedel, who had a spell with the Reds, and Liverpool-born Stephen Warnock, who stood on the Kop as a youngster.


BIG MATCH FACTS

Villa's win at Anfield earlier this season ended a run of 15 games without victory against Liverpool.

A Villa victory would complete a first league double over the Reds since 1992-93.

The Merseysiders are unbeaten in their last 11 league games at Villa Park.

Villa have scored just three goals in their last 10 home league games against Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard has scored nine Premier League goals against Villa - more than against any other opponent.

Martin O'Neill's men have lost just one of their last 13 top-flight matches at Villa Park.

Villa have not won three Premier League matches in a row on home soil since Autumn 2007.

The Reds have won just one of their last six top-flight away matches.

FLASHBACK

Villa's 3-1 success at Anfield in August set them up for an impressive run of results.

Curtis Davies, an own goal from Lucas and an Ashley Young penalty made sure of all three points.

Liverpool held the upper hand last season, earning a 0-0 draw at Villa Park before an emphatic 5-0 success at Anfield.

Steven Gerrard hit a hat-trick on that occasion as the Reds continued the impressive form that had seen them demolish Manchester United and Real Madrid the previous week.

 

[lyrical start]

Downing will cover for Young which shows Villas strentgh in depth..Villa are the better team IMO and they are playing at home. But I got a feeling Liverpool will win by some dubious decisions..

Like Duke said, I would like Villa to win because they deserve it..

 

[Bobby Sands]

you would like Villa to win because they deserve it?

explain that to me since the game hasnt even been played yet? that doesnt even make any sense.

and who got the dubious decisions at Anfield? Liverpool would have won the match only for the referee gave decisions to Villa.