Aston Villa travel to City Ground tomorrow in another Championship road test. Nottingham Forest, fresh off acquiring Ross McCormack on loan, look for three points in their relegation battle.
Before we reveal our projected Villa lineup, we have some good and bad Villa news. First, the bad: Gabby Agbonlahor tore his hamstring – meaning he is most likely out for the season. Moreover, Mile Jedinak is not quite fully recovered from his groin strain.
Jedinak’s absence is another blow to the balance in central midfield.
Agbonlahor has tore his hamstring, out for a while. Jedinak won't make it, Elphick could be recalled after Brentford horror show. #avfc
— Gregg Evans (@greggevans40) February 3, 2017
As for the good news? Rushian freakin’ Hepburn-Murphy finally signed a new contract. RHM’s new deal runs through the summer of 2020. Hallelujah. There remains a decent chance Hepburn-Murphy features somewhere in the eighteen tomorrow.
Forest sit in 19th place, though, it is worth noting, they are eight points above the drop zone. McCormack might feature from the bench.
PROJECTED ASTON VILLA XI (4-4-2 Diamond): Johnstone; Bree, Chester, Baker, Amavi; Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Grealish; Hogan, Kodjia.
SUBSTITUTES: Bunn, Elphick, Hutton, Gardner, Bacuna, Green, Hepburn-Murphy.
The inclusion of Scott Hogan – a notion Steve Bruce confirmed yesterday – warrants a change in formation after the drubbing at Brentford. A switch to a midfield diamond allows a strike partnership of Jonathan Kodjia and the aforementioned Scott Hogan.
Here is where missing Mile Jedinak hurts Villa. In this scenario, Henri Lansbury plays at the base, which is a slight problem. Lansbury is more of a box-to-box figure known to make a rash challenge. Think Jermaine Jones with the U.S. National Team.
Can Lansbury sit behind and shield the back line? He proved at Brentford he was not able to in that match. Perhaps Birkir Bjarnason is a better fit while Lansbury and Conor Hourihane flank him in the tucked-in midfield roles.
Next: Goodbye, Ashley Westwood
Jack Grealish plays at the tip of the diamond, just behind Kodjia and Hogan. Nineteen year old James Bree replaces Alan Hutton in the starting lineup.
Neil Taylor warrants a spot on the bench, but that will have to wait until next week.
Does Steve Bruce return to his favored 4-3-3? Possibly, but a 3-0 humiliation and no Jedinak justifies a switch in formation. Kickoff is 12:30PM Eastern Time.