Match Prediction: Liverpool at Villa Park
Wednesday, 08 August 07, 11:12 AM · Comments (54)
I was going to change the format around for the match preview section this season but for a couple of reasons I haven't. It's an easy method of doing it so one I'm going to stick with. I'm also happy to be having to think about it again!
We couldn't have asked for many better starts to the season in my opinion than Liverpool. They're one of the big three and we've got them at Villa Park; this match won't define our season but could give us a huge morale boost and I reckon we could get the three points.
To get the three points though we've got to play with Craig Gardner at right back, unless we manage to sign someone and get his papers sorted by Friday night and we'll also probably start with Stuart Taylor in goal, again unless we sign someone by Friday and get his papers sorted also.
John Carew will have a late test on his groin but is expected to start or at the very least make the bench which could also give a start to Marlon Harewood.
If anyone has any doubts about Craig Gardner playing at right back, dismiss them now. He is a work horse and a naturally gifted footballer and while right back isn't his preferred choice, he'll give 110% for 90 minutes; I'd have that over Aaron Hughes any day.
Stuart Taylor is also a fine keeper that hasn't been given a proper chance at Villa so we shouldn't be too unhappy at him playing, in fact quite the opposite. I'd still like Craig Gordon, especially now as talk 107 are backtracking on their claim that he signed for Sunderland, but I'm happy with Taylor between the sticks and I'm sure he'll do a decent job.
We'll also see Reo-Coker start. This transfer is either going to go one of two ways for us. He'll either turn out to be the next Paul Ince or he'll be the next Smiler McCann. You all know who I'd prefer.
To my prediction though and Liverpool. It's been so long since the team played a real competitive match that we're either going to come out and surprise a few people, Alan Hansen included, or we're going to come out spluttering. I hope that we come out and win, but as its the first game of the season, you just don't know.
Liverpool have made some really good signings. They've cemented third place and I wouldn't be surprised to see them kick on for second, if they can keep Gerrard fit, if Torres is as good as everyone says and teams do well against Chelsea, which I expect we'll see more of this season. However, it is Liverpool we've got and not Birmingham City.
The thing is; will they be firing on all cylinders come Saturday evening and will a no doubt very loud Villa Park put them off? I don't think they will and I think it might. I also think a few Villa players are going to want to prove something on Saturday.
It's only because I'm a Villa fan but I've got to go for a home win but I wouldn't be surprised with any other result, especially after what Mellberg said about Torres earlier in the week.
I'm not predicting a score but I think we could snatch this by a goal but I also expect Liverpool to get at least one.
The match, in case you didn't know is also on TV, just not Sky. You can get Setanta for I think less than £10 a month and they've got loads of games this season and quite a few Villa ones. You know what to do if you're interested; click here.
So, to summarise; a loud Villa Park, sun and a home win. What more could you ask for on the first day of the season?
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54 Comments · Add yours
Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool
Much as i'd love to say we'd start the season with a 2 or 3 goal win i don't think it'll happen against the scousers! I just want a good solid performance and for us not to lose and i'd be very happy! Anything else would be an excellent bonus! ;D ;D ;D ;D
I think our best chance to beat liverpool is to play them very early in the season 1-0 villa
Liverpool can start slow out of the blocks but Benitez is a class act and I don't think he's going to want this season to start anyway but quick and sharp.
Don't think a win is in the cards for Villa in this one.
Astion Villa Win For Sure ;D
2-0
1-1, Harwood to score :)
I think 3-1 to Villa. Woundn't be surprised if Luke Moore starts up front with Carew or, if Carew isn't fit, as a lone striker. I'd love to see us win and I think we could do it. Can't wait for this season I reckon it's gonna be a cracker and as competitive as it's been for some time.
1-1 Barry penalty..We need to set a good tempo and attack..
COME ON YOU VILLA BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1-1 for me if we NRC can keep gerrad quite i think we have a chance with our pace,look at liverpool bak 4 and they aint the quickest just gotta hope mellberg/laursen have stormers and so does taylor!!!
I saw pool V Feyenoord the other day and they lacked invention. Im gonna go for [b]2-1 to Villa[/b]. I think we will go a goal down towards the end of the first half then knock them dead in the 2nd. Barry penalty to draw us level after gabby running them ragged in the box, and Moore to knock one in late on. I also think Taylor will prove his critics wrong by pulling off some decent saves.
We always get dicked by liverpool 1-2 to them, :)
common people..
u expect villa to win???
u must be dreaming..hahaha
I say 2-1 Villa, dpn't care who scores
I'm with AVFC We Love U!!, 2-1 to Villa with Moore getting on the scoresheet. UTV!
come on the villa !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
to predict honestly I would say 3-1 to liverpool coz they have the squad who can do this and if Rafa choose the following formation,4-2-3-1( Finan,Agger, Carigher,Rise--Maschrano, Alonso--Gerrad, Kewel,Benayoun--- Torres) the score sheet may exceed morethan 4 goals and cleansheet... hope so
1-0 villa goal from substitute Harewood....just against all odds.
We have lost 4 and drawn 2 in the last 6 lpool matches get real
1-4 to liverpool. Have u people seen our squad. Sorenson injured so 18 players to choose from?? Prob have a couple having to be on the bench with slight injuries etc. Joke!! We have the worst squad with least depth in the prem!!!
I have to agree with a few others here, Liverpool seem to be lacking the cutting play that comes with lots of matches together. Quite a few new signings, we all know we've had few, and are therefore a tight unit. I think we can snatch it by a goal even though we may be inferior in terms of players.
Taylor
Gardner
Pressed the wrong button. Villa win 1-0
Up The Villa
Mellberg has Torres' number
With a great atmosphere at villa park, and optimism after the pre-season performances and a slow start by Liverpool, i reckon 2-1 to the villa!! Lets make some noise for the boys!! UTV
Ohh, blind faith is such a pretty thing!! I'm confident we'll score but with Liverpools fire power against our defense I'm sure Liverpool will bang a few in.
i'd like to say 2-1 villa but draw more likely. i think NRC will be the man to watch. he'll need to keep all their attacks to a minimum.
i disagree about gardner though. i have seen the highlights for all the games and have been to the inter and walsall games. i just think he lacks the positional sense and with quality opposition in liverpool, cahill would be a safer shout.
seems gordan has definatly signed for sunderland. come on mon, lets get some players!!
2-1 villa agbonlahor and moore cmon villa mellberg will have torres in his pocket cmon you villa boys
I think a draw and f its not a draw then we will be on the loseing side liverpool i feel have more talent at the moment and a way better team
As for gardner at rb the poor lad is gong to get ripped apart against the likes of kewell and make him look like a sunday leauge player the kid hasnt got the pace to play RB
You'll be murdered: 4 -1
wonderful new yes ok craig will give 110% but after his challenge in the 2nd half of the game as Gary Cahill opened the game up at RB which was dreadful yes liverpool will tear us to shreads going at our weaknesses and that leads me to taylor glued to his line wont come for nothing just as bad as the dollop whos injured. Going forward we look great i just hope the defence can hold out for 1 more game until reinforcements come.
liverpool win, we are heading in the right direction just not sure were capable of beating em so early in the season 2-1
You lot are either stupid or on some I'm a better fan cause I support them whatever happens trip, we just lost a class keeper to some crap team and all we have are 1 average player from a near relegated side and an absolutely shite player in harewood, who else apart from wigan was mad enough to bid for him? us that's right. MON blah quality blah right player blah, we need nearly 30 players to be a proper team, we are in a shit state, how many players were we linked with? bellamy, dyer, swp, bosingwa, gordon, smith, sneijder, hangelaand, forlan, young, on and on, so what exactly have MON and his crap assistants been doing this summer ? I mean what have they actually done?
Liverpool are miles ahead of us they won bloody europe, villa don't even know what that is anymore, liverpool 3-0 wake up time!
i think were are going to win but we need our defense and reo coker to pull together because unless we get a good new keeper stuart taylor is a step down from sorenson. Who never has good games against liverpool. But to be honest i cannot see liverpool scoring 2-0 villa. Cummon YOU Villa Boyz!
i have to say we won't keep a clean sheet against liverpool and can't see us getting 2 so i would take a draw now but think it could be worse! i can't hide my disapointment over the craig gorden transfer, i am gutted i really thought we would get him and i really am frustrated at MON and they way he has dealt in the transfer market, if he wasn't such a great manager i would be voting to get him out but i think that is way over the top i am just so pi@£ed off with the way things have gone, why is there so much talk about us getting people and it comes to nothing, its like the dark days of doug. and why don't the club come out and talk to us and tell us what is going on? is it so they don't let slip their master plan? well it hasn't worked so far it is a joke i get the pi£@ed ripped out of me at work by west ham fans i mean please how can this be happening!!! having said that i now hate craig gorden and hope sunderland get relegated, that is not a football decision he wants to be closer to his mum i reckon the sad loser! well he will be a busy boy this year!
Would just like to say Torres was the worst signing in premier league history. Premierships requires spped and strength like shev found out and torres has neither in abundance.
Liverpool lack creation however will create chances against our back 4.
Liverpool wont be able to cape with our pace all over the park and i think the young vibrant blood will succeed.
Villa 2 - 1.
I havent read what Mellberg said about Torres and have read this site and many other Villa sites for a good few weeks now waiting for signings. Could anyone update me on what he said? a link or just a quote would be nice. Thanks
Im going for a draw on this one. We could nick it but then again they could stuff us. We usually play pretty well against pool and end up drawing or losing narrowly so i think it might be the same again.
Up the Villa
Liverpool are over rated, we'll win 1-0. i think it will be a close game, but i think we'll come through to win.
You lot are getting carried away, ayersey you will eat you words about torres, don't know much about football do ya or do ya think harewood is better? Villa lost a keeper to a championship side lol, we needed new players and mon has cocked up big time, liverpool win 1-3
Without sinings i think this team will start -- Taylor, Melberg, Cahill, Laursen, Bouma, Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Carew, Agbonlahor .. Bench-Bevan, Gardener, Berger, Moore, Maloney.
5-1 to the Villa...LOL
Forgot to say villa to win 3-1.
lol argos, Torres scored how many last year? 9? in a league where Kanoute is the top scorer.
Torres lacks speed and strength and his game does not suit the premiership.
Eto's game suits the premiership perfectly.
Argos i know alot more about football than you pal lol, what an idiot. Another fickle fan, probably never been to a game.
i thought shev would flop because he is vey similar to torres and he did just that.
And well shev is alot better and alot more prolific than torres on the international and european stage lets be honest.
26 mil, waste of money, 10 - 12 million gd signing above that, big mistake.
Of course i dont think harewoods better, you moan about our squad size then moan about him bringing in squad players.
I havent seen much of Torres but i think he could well go the same way as Sheva. I think Shev will have a better season this time around though. Of course Harewood isnt better but you have to ask yourself will Torres score 7 times as many goals(26/4=7)?
We will wait and see.
I really hope i'm wrong but unless the current 19 play absolutely out of their skin until January we'll really struggle unless the cheque book comes out tout suite IMO.
A really fired up villa/villapark was the un-doing of a tired Inter, we took advantage and they couldn't have hit a barn door in that game !
Our back up squad then only managed a 1-1 at Walsall, our effort being an own goal and Marlene not looking promising.
I haven't posted for a while but i can see most of us are gutted that Gordon isn't coming (me included)
I just read though that we may be getting Scott Carson on a year's loan.
Don't give up just yet...we've still had nothing confirmed /denied regarding Bosingwa, Hangeland, Davies, Hoyte etc. as far as i know.
I hope all this moaning is in vain !!?
UP THE VILLA ;)
It feels like 1995 all over again when the "mighty" Man Utd came to VP and were 3-0 down at half time with Villa playing champagne football.
I'm going for 3-1 Villa (Young, Barry, Laursen), (Gerrard)
Villa have pace and imagination, Liverpool have Gerrard and some overated foreigners
Seen liverpool play away from home a couple of times last year and they were absolutely shit. Dont think they'll have changed much this year which will be the reason they finish third again. As for the result, aslong as we can get our strongest starting 11 out from our tiny squad i think we'll do them. The atmosphere will be electric, the boys will be eager to impress and we've got rapid pace all over going forward!
NRC will boss the midfield and young and aggy will terrorise going forward. 2-1 villa!
Cheer up lads
HELP SOMEONE
IM CURRENTLY LIVING IN CANADA BUT I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE WOULD HAVE ANY IDEA HOW I COULD WATCH TELEVISED MATCHES OR WHO WOULD TELEVISE THEM OVER THIS SIDE OF THE POND
benitez is a tactical thinker and i can see him playing hyypia to cope with big john carew. that will be a mistake as we have the british 400m relay team in agbonlahor, young, moore and reo-coker. that is where we will get them. MON used to play 3-5-2 for celtic and it worked a treat. maybe this is why he is not too fussed about a RB at the moment. 5 in midfield will cloud out gerrard, mascherano and alonso and their defence is not the quickest so thats where we'll hurt them. mellberg marked torres out of the game when sweden played spain so i dont see the long haired wet as any problems to us. laursen can take care of crouch too. villa will pull it off 2-1.
Come on Villa
I'm getting flashbacks to first day of 95/96 season when we thumped Man U 3-1. We had a lot of positive vibes that day, but nothing like the optimism of this season. Was at Villa Park for Inter game and we destroyed em, irrespective of it being pre-season if we put in a performance like that, with gabby, reo-coker and barry firing on all cylinders we'll get a result - 2-1 up the villa!!
For Top_6_Villa..try to download the sopcast program..I used to catch the Villa on one of the channels there..
www.sopcast.com
I dont think 3 5 2 will work in our team, we have no natural wing backs. In that sort of formation you need players like eboue of arsenal etc. I would rather have Young, Barry, Gabby whoever will be playing wide to save there energy and do the damage in the final third rather than tracking back all game.
I can see villa scoring definately, just wether we can keep them out. I think there biggest goal threat will be coming from midfield and set pieces as opposed to any creativity from the strikers.
Villa 2 - 1 Liverpool
We'll probably line up 4-3-3 with Carew replacing Moore up front from the Inter game and Gardner playing at RB. I'm really optimistic about this game although the same can't be said for the rest of the season but that will have changed come August 31st when our defence has tightened up. it doesn't matter about the size of our squad for this particular game and our starting XI looks pretty good to me. I reckon we will hit the ground running and shock everyone with a 2-1 win, Petrov and Gabby with the goals maybe.
Liverpool to give a solid 3-1 thumping...odd to see such a scoreline with Liverpool but I'm certain thre will be a goal from the front and 2 from the midfield in this one for the reds. Sorry to go against the trend but without a 1st class keeper between the sticks it's bound to happen.
i think liverpool are a strong side wid there new buys but villa will get a result from dem
cum on u villa boys
villa 3-1 liverpool (carew)(gerrard)(barry)(young) :D :) ;D 8) :P