Aston Villa Vs West Ham Match Preview
Kick Off: 8pm (Villa Park)
Villa are back in B6 as we face West Ham United in a Monday Night Football clash under the lights at Villa Park.
Contributed by Korben O’Brien – Join The Team
LAST TIME OUT
Villa fell to a 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace with former striker Jordan Ayew the match winner, but there was real drama at the death.
Ayew bagged what would prove to be the winner with a fine finish on 73 minutes.
However, Dean Smith’s men didn’t give up hope and looked to have levelled in the dying seconds at Selhurst Park
Henri Lansbury fired home but with celebrations starting, referee Kevin Friend waved back play and booked Jack Grealish for supposed simulation in the build up.
It was undoubtedly a bitter pill to swallow and has been broadly recognised of one of the worst decisions of the VAR era.
This also prompted some unsavoury scenes in the away end, with a Police officer appearing to baton a number of travelling Villa supporters.
Full of frustrationÂ
Sometimes you feel upbeat in spite of a defeat because you’re able to focus on the positives.
This, however, was not one of those games, despite having encouraging moments, especially the effort and resilience to try and keep Palace at bay after being reduced to ten men.
In truth, Villa did struggle to establish a foot-hold in the game, but with positive substitutions had seemingly managed to claw a draw from the jaws of defeat. Unfortunately, VAR and referee Kevin Friend ultimately had the final say.
Jack Grealish time to move forwardÂ
Jack Grealish says it’s time for him and Villa to take it to the next level following the international break.
The Villa Captain turned 24 on Tuesday and has already started thinking about building on his best year yet in the next 12 months.
He is also stated his determiantion to put recent misfortunes behind the club and get back up and running in the league, and start gaining the points that recent performances have warranted.
On this, Grealish remarked:
“It’s been my favourite year yet.
I scored against Blues twice, got given the armband, ended up getting promoted and playing in the Premier League.
Im hoping for another positive year ahead, even though I don’t look too far ahead. I try to take things as they come.
We’re sitting here on three points out of four games. We should definitely have a few more. We’ve dropped points where we could have come away with them.
But that’s the Premier League for you, let’s hope for a few more up’s this month. “
PREDICTIONS
Korben’s Prediction:
My prediction for this week’s game is that it will no doubt be a tough game against an in-form West Ham side. But I think that Villa haven’t been playing bad and will edge a victory under the floodlights at Villa Park.
Result: Villa 2 West Ham 1 with John McGinn and Tyrone Mings scoring.
Villa Underground Prediction:
West Ham present a deceptively tricky home tie, with the visitors looking steady and on their best start to a season in five years. Villa are [in my view] sitting in a misleading position, having been competitive until the latter stages at Spurs, guilty of two mistakes against Bournemouth and victims of a dreadful VAR/referee decision against Palace. That said, we do need to start making our own luck, with the glaring issue being that we appear awfully one dimensional going forward as a result of a lack of striking options.
There are also inconsistencies, Guilbert was superb in the Everton win, but looked lost at Selhurst Park. Similarly, Douglas Luiz is visibly adapting to the pace of the Premier League.
Villa must channel the competitiveness of the Spurs performance and the tireless work ethic of the Everton win if we are to take all three points, but I do worry that West Ham might have their own agenda for the evening ahead.
Result Prediction: 2-2
Key Facts
- Head to head – Aston Villa total wins – 13 – West Ham total wins – 9
- Aston Villa Form guide – LLWLL
- West Ham form guide – WWDLW
- Villa have won seven of their last nine home games in all competitions
- Aston Villa have lost just two of their last 18 home league games against West Ham ( W8 ) (D8)
- Villa will be without Jonathan Kodjia and Matt Targett.
- James Chester has resumed first team training.
- Referee: Mike Dean
- West Ham will go joint second in the Premier League if they win.
- Sebastien ‘The Baller’ Haller is one to watch – The Hammers fought off Bayern Munich for the former Eintracht Frankfurt man. Haller has three goals in his last 2 games.