Thieves, crooks and Villains. Aston Villa (H) 19.4.19

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

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Pick the bones out of that - AFAIK Brockbank is a centre-back, so unless we're easing him in at RB, is Hobbs playing on the right? Or a back three, in which case, who's WBs?

Brockbank, Connelly, Luca Connell, Williams - youthful side, apart from all the old blokes...

Brockbank was on the right of a back four in the pre-match warm-up. My best guess is that it's a 4-2-3-1 with Williams behind Donaldson and O'Neill on the right.

Yeah, I guessed similar, but 4-3-3 with Gaz and the loan kids behind Buckley/Don/Luca. We'll see.

Some will say we should play our strongest XI, others will say we should blood the youngsters. Can't please 'em all.

[TANGODANCER]

A scintilating encounter in view, or......? Anyway, it's game on and.....

[officer_dibble]

I see young Jaaskelainen is making his league debut today. Go on lad!

[TANGODANCER]

Mic box lads chat feverishly, tell us it's a lovely day and....reminisce about out and nowt, then...lots of noise from the visitors......and...we have a couple of passes ...and Brockbank wins us an early corner...Hello....a bit of this and that and some Greelish adoration from the society, then..Ben gets his first touch. We clear, they have a throw...

[TANGODANCER]

Cheerful chat about relegation, then some scores and...Juke scores down there somewhere, then El Mohamedit (sp?) gets a first mention. Then....Charlie and me, we had a cup of tea and...won a throw. Chat, mumble, crowd count, then....the visitors come, er...visiting. Mic men chat almost as if we were there....some scores again, they come, we clear, they come back and Brockbank gets anothe mention as ..Bury go one down, then equalise immediately. Sign Maynard Phil....

[TANGODANCER]

A bit of mention about our game, then.....a recount of the action so far....ahem, then we have a bit of a sally, Donaldson gets floored and....the ref ignores it....and the visitors have two shooting chances and...win a corner. And....we part clear but back they come and....a chance and....Greelish crosses and....they almost score...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If, as Nicholaldo predicted and Iles seems to have confirmed, it's a back four with Buckley and O'Neil as the wide attackers, our midfield trio are 22, 21 and 17.

[TANGODANCER]

Free kick them (nowt new there) then...they sweep forth and....tell you what, come on (and a shout for a header crossing the line is refused) lets try an attack lads....We have a bit of passing....then....El Hamadi? gets a yellow card for a foul on Buckley. Free ,kick us and...nowhere.

[TANGODANCER]

Mic man mubles about Bury.....then they get a throw....sigh. Oh, for a shot or header on their goal. A Donaldson spurt goes nowhere and mic man bows and scrapes about Villa's quality etc....
A shot, a shot, my kingdom for a shot....and Rotherham go one up....We attack and....they clear. Williams makes a "perfect'" challenge but the ref gives Greelish the free kick.

[TANGODANCER]

Greelish gets yet another free kick and...that's almost in our box and.....Greelish and......it goes nowhere..thankfully. O'Neil loses out and....they break and........we clear. Corner them via Wheats (Player of the season?) Hey, we sally and.....Connelly gives a free kick away....

Meanwhile....Wheats clears, and they get another corner. Funnily, it seems to be all Villa, and McGinn lashes one and....Ben saves well. Another corner....and we clear for a throw to them. Blackburn go one up, and Wigan do likewise....

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Blackburn go one up, and Wigan do likewise....

Wigan have gone one down, to Leeds. And a man down. As it stands, they're in the drop zone.

[TANGODANCER]

43rd corner for them and...Ben collars that one. And they get another free kick and...Shall we join in lads? I mean, I'm not asking for an Atherton Colls display, but at least try a wallop or two....(have we actually had a shot yet?...I'm almost embarrassed to ask?) ) and...they get another ..something as Taylor goes down and needs treatment. Taylor and McGinn go to the sideline and ....and.....they sally at us and....hey up, we get a free kick.....get-in....
Wheats goes to ground and receives attention....and....and....Beevers arrives to replace him.

[TANGODANCER]

Blackburn go one up, and Wigan do likewise....

Wigan have gone one down, to Leeds. And a man down. As it stands, they're in the drop zone.

Sorry, must have heard that wrong D.S.B. Mea Culpa....

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Blackburn go one up, and Wigan do likewise....

Wigan have gone one down, to Leeds. And a man down. As it stands, they're in the drop zone.

Sorry, must have heard that wrong D.S.B. Mea Culpa....

That's alright TD, you do a sterling job. Just didn't want others to absorb the wrong news, for what it's worth.

Wheater off injured. That could be the last time we see him – and on the day they took Sweet Caroline off the pre-match music. Farewell, Big Dave; we appreciated you.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Rotherham dip back below Wigan and the dots, because their hosts Swansea have equalised through useless old Oli McBurnie's 20th of the season.

EDIT Heh, Millers back in front. Long way to go, but Wigan being relegated would at least be funny.

[TANGODANCER]

Mean while, Ben has a wallop, Donaldson tries a nod and.....back come Villa and....we clear it. Ben has another wallop chance and.....ohhhh, Dolaldson tries a surprise snap shot that has to be saved. Bit of good play apparently. They reply with a sally from Greelish and......and....we clear, but Don't get a free kick for an attack on Donaldson. And then......corner and...Hobbs heads clear. Villa throw (72?) and....they attack to no avail as Williams clears. Who's on the deck now? A stretcher comes on and not needed...for........O'Neill....and....he rises....phew.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Magennis on for O'Neil.

[TANGODANCER]

Magennis arrives for the Whites and replaces Gary O'Neill. Are we planing an assault......with lemons time approaching rapidly, with 5 added minutes. Goal kick us and.....Donaldson cleared that. Come on lads...get in there.....Mic man makes the poin that Villa are the better team...really? Ben wallops, they clear, Connelly clears in replay and....and...Ohhhh Buckley almost stabbed that in and....that was from a good Brockbank cross.
...A handball appeal goes nowhere and And Charlie and me we have a cup of tea and.that's half time.....0-0.....

[Harry Genshaw]

Battling performance so far. Brave substitution to replace O'Neill with Magennis and give us a more offensive look

[TANGODANCER]

Right said Phil, we can win this.....cos right now we are getting nowhere and you have had a cup of tea, so....get in there. We've got em worried....Part Two commences....