[Archived] Rovers vs Aston Villa preview

[Clitherover]

Hope I'm wrong but I think a draw is the best we'll get, far too often we've been the team to play against to turn poor form around, I fear it will be the same with Villa on Saturday.

If I was a betting man I'd put money on Heskey to score at some point.

Prediction.

Rovers 2 - 3 Villa

[RoyRover]

This is such a big game. As it stands Aston Villa are the team sitting above the bottom five clubs and 8 points above ourselves. If they win this, I can't see us getting any higher than 16th, meaning that relegation will be decided by the current bottom 5. If we could draw another club into the relegation scrap, we would have a better chance of staying up. Aston Villa are without Darren Bent through injury and Robbie Keane has gone back to L.A, so they will be desperately short of fire power. Agbonlahor and Heskey don't get many goals, but then again they are playing against our shoddy defence. This is another must win home game. Steve Kean usually pulls a win out of the bag when he needs it the most and hopefully this will be the case again on Saturday.

[LeChuck]

If they win this, I can't see us getting any higher than 16th, meaning that relegation will be decided by the current bottom 5.

I'm quite amazed you think these two scenarios aren't already nailed on certs anyway.

I know Villa aren't great but no way are they worse than any team in the bottom five, certainly not going to be relegated. As for us finishing above 16th, we can confidently say already that there is no chance of that happening.

This is just a huge game because it's one of the best opportunities for three points that we have left. It doesn't have any great effect on the dynamics of the table though - it will be 3 from the bottom 5 and we won't finish above 16th regardless of the outcome.

The biggest danger to the "3 from 5" is QPR getting a run together and pulling away, leaving 3 from 4. Hughes has historically started very slowly at clubs before embarking on solid runs, and soon they can pair Zamora and Cisse together. They're the only team in the bottom 5 capable of breaking away from the pack.

[SharrockDownSouth]

1-1, load of rubbish from both sides

[Ricky]

Villa could get sucked into it IF we beat them. The loss of bent and keane will be a loss for them for the run in. They may still have enough quality to go on a run and pull away from the bottom 5 but a loss to us could hit them hard.

[Bobby G]

There is no way Villa can get sucked in. They need a couple of wins from their last 12 games or so to stay up if everyone is saying 35-36 points is enough. Superficially they may get sucked in but in reality there's no way they will be in actual danger.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The Kean hybrid looks like something from the film THE HILLS HAVE EYES.

Looks like a relative of Brad Friedel to me

[Gav]

we will win this game 3-1

Hope you're right Waggy, but I just can't see that happening, 1-1 for me, another load of rubbish and a step closer to the drop

[deryck guyler's spoon]

I was discussing with a Villa fan on another site how bad a game it would be and if it was a good game we should change our avatars to Kean / McCleish hybrids, they will now haunt my dreams:

The hybrid has a look of Jimmy Somerville. Which somehow makes it even more unsettling

[den]

Martin Olssen a doubt, so seeing that we have sold all our defenders, anyone want to play left back?

What a bunch of clowns.

[alexanders]

Martin Olssen a doubt, so seeing that we have sold all our defenders, anyone want to play left back?

What a bunch of clowns.

I have NO problem with giving Henley the opportunity. Been good when I have seen him earlier. Especially at Old Trafford.

[Bobby G]

Henley isnt even a left back as far as Im aware but if Olsson is out then I dont think we have much choice

[alexanders]

Henley isnt even a left back as far as Im aware but if Olsson is out then I dont think we have much choice

He might not be, but didnt he start there on new years eve against United? He was up against Valencia.

Another suggestion might be Marcus Olsson even though I think he is mainly a winger.

[cn174]

Martin Olssen a doubt, so seeing that we have sold all our defenders, anyone want to play left back?

What a bunch of clowns.

He'll probably put the other one at left back and hope that noone notices!

[Ricky]

Oh no, does this mean Gamst at FB again

[LeChuck]

So our defence is likely to be...

Orr Dann Hanley Henley

It's barely Championship standard.

[davulsukur]

Oh no, does this mean Gamst at FB again

Please god no.

http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10303~2630554,00.html

Kean reckons Olsson will play?

"Martin Olsson has come back with a knock on his knee and his ankle. It is disappointing because we thought he was going to play 45 minutes but they kept him on for the 90 so that wasn't ideal.

"But we think he'll shake it off so he'll be okay."

So expect him to miss the game.

[MarkBRFC71]

So our defence is likely to be...

Orr Dann Hanley Henley

It's barely Championship standard.

Doesn't look great does it? Given the absentees though the defence pretty much picks itself.

Dunn's back, and I'd be tempted to put him alongside N'Zonzi as Petrovic's confidence looks at a low ebb and he seems to be the new Keith Andrews in terms of getting unfair dog's abuse. Time Pedersen was dropped too - he's been a passenger recently and there's no room for makeweights in our current situation. We need 11 who can offer something through the 90 mins, not 10 plus one who's there purely for his off and on ability to deliver a decent set piece.

Further forward I'd go with Vukcevic, Hoilett and Formica (Formica MUST start, and Vukcevic deserves a go as I think he's a better player than MGP), and the Yak up top.

[sharpysharps]

How many points did Birmingham have under McCleish at this stage last season? Just saying...

Bent out, Keane gone, Heskey on the wing i've seen in recent games, Agbonlahor out of sorts. They are there for the taking. Question is whether Kean decides to experiment in another crucial game like he did 2nd half against QPR.

I'd stick Henley at left back, even though he isn't a left back by trade, i'd rather have him there than Pedersen.

[Bobby G]

He might not be, but didnt he start there on new years eve against United? He was up against Valencia.

Another suggestion might be Marcus Olsson even though I think he is mainly a winger.

He was tormented by Valencia that night.

[joey_big_nose]

So our defence is likely to be...

Orr Dann Hanley Henley

It's barely Championship standard.

Wow.

If anything has relegation written on it....? The only defender who appears of the required standard is Givet. We really really really need Dann to step up and show quality.

[alexanders]

How many points did Birmingham have under McCleish at this stage last season? Just saying...

At the 5th of March they had 27 points and we had 29. They had an amazing first half of season and if I remember correctly Alex Mcleish was named manager of the month during the autumn.

From March to the end they managed

3 draws: Wolves at home, Rovers away and Everton away.

Two wins: Bolton and Sunderland. Both at home. Especially the draw against Wolves became very costly in the end.

[MarkBRFC]

Martin Olssen a doubt, so seeing that we have sold all our defenders, anyone want to play left back?

What a bunch of clowns.

Out of the defenders who have left, who would you have played at left back tomorrow is Martin is out?

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Doesn't look great does it? Given the absentees though the defence pretty much picks itself.

Dunn's back, and I'd be tempted to put him alongside N'Zonzi as Petrovic's confidence looks at a low ebb and he seems to be the new Keith Andrews in terms of getting unfair dog's abuse. Time Pedersen was dropped too - he's been a passenger recently and there's no room for makeweights in our current situation. We need 11 who can offer something through the 90 mins, not 10 plus one who's there purely for his off and on ability to deliver a decent set piece.

Further forward I'd go with Vukcevic, Hoilett and Formica (Formica MUST start, and Vukcevic deserves a go as I think he's a better player than MGP), and the Yak up top.

I agree about Simon - but I think that (if Henley plays) - MGP has to start to help provide cover.

[LeChuck]

I agree about Simon - but I think that (if Henley plays) - MGP has to start to help provide cover.

Agreed, although with Lowe unavailable and Petrovic unplayable, I'd put him in central midfield where he had some MOM performances earlier in the season. Also, a set piece still remains our most likely source of goals after Yakubu, so he's worth keeping in whilst there is a lack of genuine alternatives.

..................Robinson

Orr .... Dann . Hanley . Henley

........ N'Zonzi Pedersen

. Formica .... Dunn .... Hoilett

...................Yakubu

I'd probably (and reluctantly) go with that. Maybe swapping Hoilett and Formica if Henley needs someone harder working...although I suspect it is Orr that needs more help.