[Archived] Aston Villa Vs Blackburn Rovers

[Bing]

That midfield must be the worst that we (and possibly any team) has put out in Premier League history.

[Bobby G]

Worst Rovers line-up Ive seen for a long long time. Other than Roque, Olsson and to a degree MGP, where are we going to get a chance from?

[BRFC1995]

is it houlliers birthday, must be.

that is one poor looking team, givet on bench? no one else on bench i'd want starting and players starting that i don't rate in the slightest not a good mix.

how unfit can rochina and formica possibly be as 19 and 22 year olds to not get amongst that shower.

[chaddyrovers]

I'm at villa park and i can't believe the team Kean has picked. No Kalinic and no dunn.

But Villa are 4-5-1 aswell with Young and Albrighton wide and Pires, Reo-coker and Downing in middle.

Massive decision to play 4-5-1 and with the team selection. Hope it pays off tho. we need the 3 points.

Andrews and Grella have to step up to the plate now. Come on Andrews scored!!! Andrews midfield playmaker

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

If ever a saw a team that's come for a point that's it ! Will we get one ? I doubt it !

[Al]

Couldn't have picked a worse team if he had tried. Kean has no idea. I despair.

[Darwen Rover]

4-5-1...

At first glance I was gutted to sse Andrews playing, although must say Nzonzi has been shocking of late so out of the two I'd rather play Andrews...

I would actually have played 451.. but I would have played Givet for Andrews, and stuck Pederson with Grella in CM with Olsson on the left mid...

COYB!!!!!!

[BRFC1995]

there must be a betting market for time of substitutions through injury, i'd say roque less than 20 minutes, grella at half time and a very large bet on robinson being our MOM

[80s russ]

Very worried, and very worried with Kean in charge, what kind of formation, Andrews, Grella and Givet on the bench. No sense at all

[Clitherover]

No; he's not even made the bench.

Shame really, we could do with a miracle.

[Exiled_Rover]

Andrews is playing

Game over

Well I WAS going to make the effort to watch it. I don't think I will now.

[nellybc]

Worst Rovers line-up Ive seen for a long long time. Other than Roque, Olsson and to a degree MGP, where are we going to get a chance from?

absoloutely despair for those that have made the trip

fingers crossed we can somehow keep them out and nick one from a set piece! Saying that, does that midfield have enough creativity to create a set piece!!

god help us! Andrews again.

i will happily eat the biggest humble pie if i am proved wrong but i can see nothing other than a defeat!!

[Bobby G]

Im trying to get my head around this. Why is Givet on the bench? Still not fit?

I cant believe why Formica is not good enough or ready enough for the bench this week but will be next week, considering we have an injury crisis of sorts (or selection crisis).

[Exiled_Rover]

I'm at villa park and i can't believe the team Kean has picked. No Kalinic and no dunn.

But Villa are 4-5-1 aswell with Young and Albrighton wide and Pires, Reo-coker and Downing in middle.

Massive decision to play 4-5-1 and with the team selection. Hope it pays off tho. we need the 3 points.

Andrews and Grella have to step up to the plate now. Come on Andrews scored!!! Andrews midfield playmaker

Isn't Dunn injured?

[grizfoot]

Looks like the diamond has been abadoned. I take it we are lining up like this:

--------------- Robinson --------------

Salgado, Hanley, Nelsen, Olsson

-------- Andrews --- Grella -----------

--- Emerton --- Jones ------ MGP -

----------------- Santa Cruz------------

Looks like our lone goal threat will be a Santa Cruz since the "supporting three" are Emerton, Jones & Pedersen all of whom aren't exactly prolific infront of goal. Ona brighter note at least the defence and particulary Salgado will have some defensive cover with three defensive minded central midfielders plus Emerton & Pedersen who work hard and track back.

[rovers1993]

Pathetic team..

[Bobby G]

absoloutely despair for those that have made the trip

fingers crossed we can somehow keep them out and nick one from a set piece! Saying that, does that midfield have enough creativity to create a set piece!!

god help us! Andrews again.

i will happily eat the biggest humble pie if i am proved wrong but i can see nothing other than a defeat!!

No humble pie either way. If we somehow do get a result or performance out of this line-up be sure that it will be that 1 in 10 occurrence.

[michaelthomas]

Not a forward pass in sight with those 3 in central midfielders.

[Bobby G]

On paper with the selection he has made, in theory Kean is trying to make us solid and hard to break down.

[sweet]

I can understand formica being given time. If they are working on building him up for a month or so. But rochina must be good for 15 mins at the end of the game at the very least. He hasn't come from that poor of a backgroud!

[Exiled_Rover]

No humble pie either way. If we somehow do get a result or performance out of this line-up be sure that it will be that 1 in 10 occurrence.

Shut up. If the team he puts out manages to hammer out a result you have to hold your hands up and admit Kean was right and you were wrong.

You can't have it both ways.

[deftangel]

Not sure what to make of that, at least he hasn't completely ignored the defensive frailties but it seems like a bit of an over-reaction playing Andrews AND Grella AND Jones.

4-5-1 I can agree with, is Junior injured though? Would have taken a point yesterday and still would today. This is an away game at a difficult place to travel.

[philipl]

Looking forwards to a riot of super sexy football to please the owners back in Pune. No way would Sam have picked such an attractive creative line-up for such an important match.

[Miker]

To be honest, I like the look of the side out wide with Peds and Emerton being able to offer a lot more defensively to help out the full backs. It looks like absolutely shocking choices in the middle though, with Hanley and Nelsen in defence not filling me with a great degree of confidence and Andrews, Grella, and Jones being possibly the most creatively-devoid midfield I've ever seen. Sam tactics?

[thenodrog]

Looks like the diamond has been abadoned. I take it we are lining up like this:

--------------- Robinson --------------

Salgado, Hanley, Nelsen, Olsson

-------- Andrews --- Grella -----------

--- Emerton --- Jones ------ MGP -

----------------- Santa Cruz------------

Might be wrong but I'd wager that Jones and Andrews will swap places in that team. I've also a suspicion that Jones and Grella might get under each others feet.

Obviously set up to nullify the opposition and settle for a stalemate and a point which I am not against at all..... but surely Sam could have done that too.