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Aston Villa Lineup Questions for Wembley

By Clayton Nass

WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Keinan Davis (17) and Tammy Abraham of Aston Villa (18) celebrate victory in the penalty shoot out with team mates after the Sky Bet Championship Play-off semi final second leg match between West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa at The Hawthorns on May 14, 2019 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Keinan Davis (17) and Tammy Abraham of Aston Villa (18) celebrate victory in the penalty shoot out with team mates after the Sky Bet Championship Play-off semi final second leg match between West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa at The Hawthorns on May 14, 2019 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /
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Moving on to obvious debate v1.1, who will play in the deep-laying midfielder role for the Villans? I have absolute faith that both Conor Hourihane or Glenn Whelan could get the job done at Wembley, but only one of them is going to get to start. Here is the case for each of them:

Conor Hourihane: Has been crucial to the Aston Villa attack this season, racking up 8G and 11A, including the match-tying goal in the first leg of the playoff semifinals. He has (somewhat quietly?) become one of Aston Villa’s top performers, despite having played through an extreme mid-season lull. He’s currently in solid form.

Glenn Whelan: One can’t say enough about the renaissance that Whelan has experienced this year. Since the arrival of Dean Smith, Glenn has looked like a man transformed. His penalty miss vs. Preston now forgiven, this is a player that exemplifies the engine and heart of a team. Quiet leadership coupled with professional performances have made Whelan indispensable.

Verdict: In the two matches against Derby County this season, Aston Villa have scored 7 goals. Conor Hourihane has 3 of those 7. Whelan has been great, but Hourihane is Derby kryptonite. Edge, Hourihane.

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