Aston Villa v Liverpool - Sun 14th Feb - 14:05

[Whitechapel]

match day chat.

 

[Art Morte]

Just watch this be the start of Villa's great escape...

 

[SALTIRE]

2 - 1 to Liverpool

 

[Whitechapel]

Villa are Liverpool's bogey team to be fair. Though not this season, I reckon 2-0 Liverpool.

 

[SALTIRE]

I think they'll make a hell of a game of it as they seen to be a bit better recently but Liverpool to nick it late on imo.

 

[Stevencc]

Surely even Liverpool can't lose this one.

 

[The Iron]

Surely even Liverpool can't lose this one.

Actually they can and they probably will.

1-0 Villa.

 

[JimJams]

Villa 0 - 3 Liverpool

 

[johnnytodd]

another 6 pointer for Loserpool

Villa win 2 - 0 probs

 

[danbylfc]

Rudy Gestede to start for villa surely? Loves a goal against us him. 1-3 Reds. Studge 15 min hat trick then go off injured

 

[Jackinky]

I don't think Liverpool will slip up, 2-1.

 

[SALTIRE]

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on having all his strikers available:

"It is the first time I've had this problem - usually anyone who could walk or stand up in a morning played! "

 

[G-Dragon]

Should be walk in the park for us tbh. Just gotta be there on the pitch to get full 3 points. Then go home, prepare for Europa League and look forward to League cup final that will be coming up soon.

 

[JimJams]

They're fighting for Premier League survival, you're fighting for fuck all. Probably not gonna be that straight forward. Though I did have you down as smashing them...

 

[SALTIRE]

They're fighting for Premier League survival, you're fighting for fuck all. Probably not gonna be that straight forward. Though I did have you down as smashing them...

Predicting a Liverpool win JimJams? You feeling alright?

 

[Bilo]

Resting players for this was pointless, but seeing as we have we should be able to win. Klopp needs to turn it around, not because it'll lead anywhere that matters this season but because fewer and fewer people will be confident of a successful 2016/17-season if he doesn't. That in turn will affect our already weakened appeal to players.

I haven't watched Villa much this season - in fact I haven't been able to watch much football at all aside from Liverpool. Times change I suppose but by all accounts Villa are more shit than ever. Seems like a lifetime ago we were competing with them for the CL places in 09/10. Come to think of it, that's six years ago now. Time flies, eh.

The problem now is that winning with Sturridge doesn't really mean much. We did that under Rodgers as well. Klopp can't disprove his doubters until he's injured again, because relying on Sturridge isn't and probably never will be the solution, unless his injury proneness somehow disappears. It's not unheard of and it's not completely impossible, but it's nigh on. So the pressure's on, in a sense.

So the only question right now, I suppose, is how long Sturridge will be available for. One, two games, maybe five? Longer than that seems unreasonable but you never know. Either way, if he starts we'll win. If he doesn't, we'll probably still win. We have to. Off the top of my head I can't think of the last time we won a game. Looking it up, Norwich away. January 23rd that was, three weeks ago. Like I said, time flies.

 

[SALTIRE]

Klopp has a free pass this season. It's a shame he can't get more out of the squad but maybe that says more about the players brought in than in his managerial ability. Anyway even if Sturridge doesn't play another game at least Coutinho and Origi are fit once more and will help a bit with some creativity upfront.

 

[JimJams]

Predicting a Liverpool win JimJams? You feeling alright?

Yeah, Liverpool are nowhere near as good as their fans think they are but you're/they're better than Villa, even if you don't know who will start for you.

 

[SALTIRE]

Yeah, Liverpool are nowhere near as good as their fans think they are but you're/they're better than Villa, even if you don't know who will start for you.

Liverpool have options for the first time this season, hopefully they can kick on a bit and get higher than ninth or wherever the fuck they currently sit.

 

[Benji]

Sturridge is good at scoring comeback goals. Actually, I think all his goals are comeback goals.

 

[SALTIRE]

Nice early goal, come on lets get going here and grab a few!

 

[Art Morte]

I laughed when we scored, not out of joy, but out of how unbelievably easy it was. Summed up in one moment why Villa are bottom.

 

[The Iron]

2-0 Get in!!

easy, easy, easy.

 

[Art Morte]

This is too funny

 

[SALTIRE]

Milner makes it two, yippee!!

 

[Renegade]

Not sure if Villa would even be in Championship play-off contention with this squad.

 

[The Iron]

Two shots and two goals for Liverpool so far.

 

[SALTIRE]

Save by the Villa keeper.

 

[Bilo]

We're actually not playing very well and even then Villa are lucky to only be 2-0 down.

That's actually one of the worst halves I can remember from a premier league side. I can't think of a single thing they got right, or did well, this first half. Baffling.

 

[Art Morte]

Not sure if Villa would even be in Championship play-off contention with this squad.

Probably not, there are plenty enough examples of relegated teams from the Prem going on to do really bad in the Championship - and many of them haven't even been as bad as Villa this season.

Watching teams like Villa and Newcastle make me think is there some sense in buying British players after all. Both these clubs have shopped plenty abroad - particularly in France - and it just seems to me many of these foreign players don't show the do-or-die attitude once they're in the Prem and end up flopping. Guys like Veretout, Jordan Ayew or Gueye - or a number of Newcastle purchases - were doing well in France, but just don't seem to bother in England.