Teamsheets: West Ham vs Aston Villa

Big game, big opportunity today. Here are today’s Premier League matches followed by the confirmed line-ups for Aston Villa and West Ham:

Birmingham City (16th/35pts) vs Sunderland (13th/38pts)
Everton (7th/44pts) vs Blackburn (15th/35pts)
West Brom (10th/39pts) vs Chelsea (3rd/58pts)
Blackpool (17th/33pts) vs Wigan (20th/31pts)
West Ham (18th/32pts) vs Aston Villa (14th/37pts)

West Ham
Aston Villa

1
Robert Green
1
Brad Friedel

37
Lars Jacobsen
36
Kyle Walker

22
Manuel Da Costa
29
James Collins

15
Matthew Upson
5
Richard Dunne

36
Wayne Bridge
2
Luke Young

16
Mark Noble
6
Stewart Downing

11
Thomas Hitzlsperger
19
Stiliyan Petrov

32
Gary O’Neil
20
Nigel Reo-Coker

33
Victor Obinna
7
Ashley Young

35
Robbie Keane
18
Emile Heskey

9
Carlton Cole
39
Darren Bent

Subs
Subs

31
Ruud Boffin
33
Andy Marshall

4
Daniel Gabbidon
24
Carlos Cuellar

18
Jonathan Spector
21
Ciaran Clark

13
Luis Boa Morte
8
Robert Pires

26
Zavon

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Two down, six to go, next up: The Hammers and der Hammer

It seems like a lifetime ago that our 2010/11 season kicked off amidst a mood of confusion and uncertainty with a surprisingly emphatic victory over West Ham at Villa Park. For the Hammers, it was a glimpse of the months that lay ahead for them. For us, it was very much a false dawn.

Of course, it was actually only eight months ago, but here we now are in the middle of April, West Ham occupy the relegation zone where they

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Teamsheets: Aston Villa vs Newcastle

With the exception of West Brom grabbing three points in Sunderland, all of yesterday’s fixtures went exactly as we needed them to. With Arsenal hopefully about to do the business in Blackpool (although they’re not making it easy), Newcastle’s visit to Villa Park provides the perfect opportunity to move away from the danger zone and relieve a little pressure.

Here’s how Gerard Houllier plans on getting the job done (not listed: The 12th Man):

Aston Villa
Newcastle

1
Brad Friedel
1
Steve Harper

36
Kyle Walker
12
Danny Simpson

29
James Collins
2
Fabricio

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Teamsheets: Everton vs Aston Villa

With West Ham still leading West Ham, lifting the Hammers up the table as things stand, here’s how we’re going to have a crack at the injury ravaged Everton today:

Everton
Aston Villa

24
Tim Howard
1
Brad Friedel

2
Tony Hibbert
36
Kyle Walker

6
Phil Jagielka
5
Richard Dunne

15
Sylvain Distin
29
James Collins

3
Leighton Baines
2
Luke Young

18
Phil Neville
20
Nigel Reo-Coker

5
John Heitinga
17
Jean II Makoun

7
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov
6
Stewart Downing

23
Seamus Coleman
7
Ashley Young

21
Leon Osman
11
Gabriel Agbonlahor

16
Jermaine Beckford
39
Darren Bent

Subs
Subs

1
Jan Mucha
33
Andy Marshall

Aristote Nsiala
24
Carlos Cuellar

19
Magaye Gueye
16
Fabian Delph

30
Shkodran Mustafi
8
Robert Pires

Adam Forshaw
19
Stiliyan Petrov

Conor McAleny
12
Marc Albrighton

Apostolos Vellios
18
Emile Heskey

 

Wolves preview: Cuellar and Makoun return

I don’t really know what happened at Champneys spa resort, I’ll leave the speculation to others. Sufficed to say that the incident was dealt with swiftly, both James Collins and Richard Dunne have been punished and it turns out neither player is fit for this game in any case.

We’ve got more important things to worry about right now, like winning some football games. Starting with Wolves at what could well be a sold out Villa Park tomorrow.

At first glance, Wolves

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Teamsheets: Bolton vs Aston Villa

After Manchester, Gerard Houllier names a full strength team today. Luke Young rejoins the team, filling in at left centre back, Fabian Delph retains his place and will partner Reo-Coker in the middle.

Bolton
Aston Villa

22
Jussi Jaaskelainen
1

Brad Friedel

2
Gretar Rafn Steinsson
36

Kyle Walker

31
David Wheater
32

Nathan Baker

5
Gary Cahill
21

Ciaran Clark

4
Paul Robinson
2

Luke Young

14
Kevin Davies
6

Stewart Downing

8
Stuart Holden
20

Nigel Reo-Coker

6
Fabrice Muamba
16

Fabian Delph

10
Martin Petrov
12

Marc Albrighton

15
Daniel Sturridge
7

Ashley Young

9
Johan Elmander
39

Darren Bent

Subs
Subs

1

Adam Bogdan
33
Andy Marshall

17

Ivan Klasnic
8
Robert Pires

7

Matthew Taylor
19
Stiliyan Petrov

27

Lee Chung-Yong
31
Chris Herd

16

Mark Davies
13
Michael Bradley

19

Rodrigo
18
Emile Heskey

25

Marcos Alonso
11
Gabriel Agbonlahor

Bolton preview: must win? Duh, winning!

No, I don’t know what Charlie Sheen has to do with Aston Villa taking on Bolton either, but at least he’s providing some much needed light relief at the moment and having some fun. You remember fun, right? He’s also doing a decent job of making Stephen Ireland look sane. Some achievement, and for that I thank you Charlie Sheen.

He’s also seems to be doing a splendid job of claiming victory from what appears to be a stinging defeat, perhaps

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Teamsheets: Man City vs Aston Villa

Gerard Houllier says he’s determined to erase memories of the “lowest moment of his career”; the 4-0 loss at Eastlands to close out 2010. How’s he going to do it? Here are the starting lineups:

Man City
Aston Villa

25
Joe Hart
1
Brad Friedel

2
Micah Richards
31
Chris Herd

17
Jerome Boateng
5
Richard Dunne

19
Joleon Lescott
21
Ciaran Clark

5
Pablo Zabaleta
16
Fabian Delph

24
Patrick Vieira
25
Barry Bannan

18
Gareth Barry
19
Stiliyan Petrov

21
David Silva
13
Michael Bradley

42
Yaya Touré
11
Gabriel Agbonlahor

13
Aleksandar Kolarov
14
Nathan Delfouneso

45
Mario Balotelli
18
Emile Heskey

Subs
Subs

12

Stuart Taylor
33
Andy Marshall

32

Carlos Tevez
36
Kyle Walker

11

Adam Johnson
8
Robert Pires

10

Edin Dzeko
20
Nigel Reo-Coker

27

Jo
12
Marc Albrighton

38

Dedryck Boyata
7
Ashley Young

57

Reece Wabara
6
Stewart Downing

Winter break, one Ian Taylor, one Randy Lerner, one Martin Laursen, plus Blackburn

The unofficial Aston Villa winter break finally comes to an end today against an all too familiar opponent. If there is a single team out there that don’t require a preview post right now, it’s Blackburn, so I won’t waste your time or mine, but let’s just take a quick refresher of who’s in and out and a few of the news stories that haven’t made the blog here recently.

Blackburn will be without Canadian David Hoillet. Carlos Cuellar is out

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