Aston Villa's owner, Mr Lerner, put the club up for sale early in the summer and has so far failed to sell it. Reluctant to put any more money into the club, Villa's summer transfer dealings were a "bit" desperate: they acquired Joe Cole on a free.

Philippe Senderos, who failed to cut it at relegation-quality Fulham, was also acquired on a free transfer.

And they actually had to pay money for our good friend, Aly Cissokho.

Whereas every other Premiership club were busy spending that ever-increasing TV cash, Villa's net summer spending stayed at about £7m, with defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez brought in for £4.7m as the marquee signing. Only Burnley spent less than Aston Villa.

In that light for Villa to have started the season with two wins and a draw, putting them third in the table, just goes to further highlight the genious of Paul Lambert - not that his genious needs any more highlighting for it surely is unquestionably clear for the footballing world by now.

So, Saturday's last kick-off promises to be quite the tough test on our team. Last season the fixture ended in a draw; let's see if we can defy the odds and go one better this time round.

Is Lallana ready to start this one? Or he'll get minutes from the bench?

I'd also be tempted to play the Italian duo Balo-Borini up front.

We've beaten Villa at Anfield only once in the past 5 seasons , always one of those days...hope we put it behind us this time.

Studge getting injured for this game is just going to make that stat even stronger

Actually not worried at all.

Sturridge being out and even if Hendo was injured it wouldn't big that big of a blow as now we finally after decades have a great squad with quality players who can come in and out and keep the same level.

-We can see the Italian duo up top if we want to continue with the diamond.
-May be move up Sterling to the Studger role and play one of Phil or Llana in the hole.
-May be go attacking at play Coutinho instead of Allen in the midfield 3.
-Maybe 4-3-3 with Marko and Sterling flanking Mario with the same midfield 3.
-Maybe rest Gerrard and have Lucas or Can come in the deep lying role.
-Even a chance of playing a couple pivot with Hendo-Can or Hendo-Allen or Allen-Can if we want to rest Stevie for midweek CL.

The possibilities are endless.

So excited.

I dont about exact stats but Villa perform good when playing against top 4 or 6 away from home, Paul Lambert Morty Man
But if, this time Lambert loses this game, BR

No Can, Allen and Sturridge for this.

I think Lallana and Lucas will come in.

Allen and Can are out too? Hm. Any idea what we line up like?


? I have to admit, against smaller sides this is such a strong line-up to score a lot of goals holy.

-------------Mignolet-------------
Manquillo-Lovern-Sakho-Moreno
-------------Gerrard--------------
------Henderson--Coutinho------
Raheem----Balotelli-----Markovic

-------------Mignolet-------------
Manquillo-Lovern-Sakho-Moreno
-------------Gerrard--------------
------Henderson----Lallana------
------------Coutinho--------------
-------Raheem----Balotelli-------

If Lallana just has the fitness to start, I think he should slot in nicely. He's played in the Prem and in the summer with many of our players at the World Cup, I would have no problem starting him.

After all, when you pay some £25m for a player, you should be able to count on him...

Lucas will start 100%. It'll be folly to play a Gerrard-Henderson midfield IMO when Villa's midfield is 5x times faster than us.

They are probably the fastest on counter along with us in the PL, Its just that they dont have enough quality upfront to make it count.

We play a 3 man midfield Nish, Rodgers, I think, only twice ever played with a double pivot and it backfired.

As for the line up bib theory suggests:


Dejan and Mario weren't training today for some reason. And they aren't injured so expect them to come in for Kolo and Lambert in that line up.

Raheem will be rested going by the bib theory after playing 90mins twice with England. Lucas won't be starting either going by the bib theory.

Allen, Skrtel, Johnson, Flanno, Sturridge out injured.

So this is what I expect:


Bench: Jones, Kolo, Enrique, Lucas, Raheem, Lambert, Borini/Suso.

Could be a decent game to test a new front 3.

I really wouldn't mind at least once this season seeing Mario-Fabio partnership in a diamond.

On paper seems like a match made in heaven considering both players strengths.

Maybe this could be the game.

Though I would feel safer if it was Lallana, Sterling, or Marko playing instead of Fabio.

The league cup game will be there for that imo. Lambert and Borini will start, With Markovic and Coutinho on the wings. Anyways thats for another thread.

So basically, unless Sterling needs rest, they're going to use my line-up. Just make me coach ffs

No one's getting my vote for coach until Adorjan's backing starting for us again tbf

El Cujo wrote:So basically, unless Sterling needs rest, they're going to use my line-up. Just make me coach ffs

You would get sacked right away for trying to sign Blind from Man Yoo.

Psh. Under me Skrtel, Johnson and Lucas would already be gone, and Memphis, Blind, Schar and Rodriguez would be here instead.

Would also bring in Loris Karius for competition with Mignolet.

"It's just about him getting the minutes and the game time, and we'll look forward to introducing him back to that over the next couple of weeks."

So no Lallana starting, Coutinho comes in then. He needs to work as hard as Lallana to fulfill that third CM role.

Nishy wrote:"It's just about him getting the minutes and the game time, and we'll look forward to introducing him back to that over the next couple of weeks."

So no Lallana starting, Coutinho comes in then. He needs to work as hard as Lallana to fulfill that third CM role.

Lallana wouldn't be playing in the CM role anyway. Coutinho is much, much better suited to it than Lallana is. If Lallana isn't starting they must be going with Sterling/Markovic?

Lallana is much more of hard worker hence assumed BR might play him at that CM role. Lana's crossing is also something Balotelli could thrive on.

Confirmed team.
Mignolet
Manquillo Lovren Sakho Moreno

Henderson Gerrard Coutinho

Markovic. Ballotelli Lallana

Six players of that starting XI weren't at the club last season, three of the back four and all three of the attack. This could be amazing or a disaster.