M31: Villarreal vs Sevilla [2019-20]

Sevilla FC Sevilla FC Chat
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VILLARREAL CF (7th) vs. SEVILLA FC (4th)

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START TIME: 1330 EST / 1930 CET / 0330 AEST

Lopetegui: “The fight for the Champions League is very difficult. Every match will bring you to your limit.”

It’s the business end of the season, where most teams are involved in a fight for either the title, a European spot, or to avoid relegation. Today we have a chance to put an even greater distance between us and a direct rival in Villarreal.

The Yellow Submarine has set itself up nicely to make this a proper battle for a Champions League place. Being the only other side apart from Real Madrid to win all 3 games since the restart, they have taken full advantage of the slip-ups by Getafe, La Real & Valencia. They now find themselves only 5 points behind us. With lethal players in Cazorla, Moreno & Alcácer, this encounter will be just as tough as our last outing.

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The entire squad has travelled to Castellón, with the addition of cantera players Lara, Pepe Mena & Genaro. Both Navas & Vázquez are at risk of suspension if they get booked.

Projected XI (4-3-3): Vaclík; Navas, Kounde, Diego Carlos, Reguilón; Fernando, Gudelj, Banega; Ocampos, De Jong, Munir.

Despite earning a draw against Barcelona, a strong case can be made that a victory was rather deserved. Many points have been dropped after failing to kill off matches. By now, we are well aware of how Sevilla can show a lesser version of themselves after getting a positive result.

Games against Villarreal are always a tight affair. Our 3-2 comeback win at the Cerámica in the 2017-18 season was the last time we beat them altogether. Inversely, we suffered defeat by a 2-1 scoreline in the reverse fixture last December. Is payback on the cards?

#VamosMiSevilla
#BackToWin

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This is going to be a very tough game today, against a team who have yet to concede since the resumption.

At least we have a full squad to choose from. I wonder how likely it is we will see any of the three young lads in or around the first team next season possibly as a bit of a money saving exercise to bring in players in particular positions.

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Villarreal away are always tough, adding Alcacer to their attack makes them lethal as ever and don’t forget Bacca can also wreak havoc in a substitute role, Sevilla lost 3-0 in the same fixture last season in an abysmal first half.

Lope would probably favour such games when he can shut down the match but with the amount of games coming hard and fast rotation is required. Suso and En-Nesyri may need to start and let Ocampos or Munir come in for the last 30 minutes or so.

Navas is the only right back the squad has but he could use a breather, the next three games are home against Valladolid, away to Leganes and home to Eibar, no offence to those teams but I wouldn’t mind if Navas lunged for a yellow to take the next game off.

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Well, if we’re playing in ‘El estado de la cerámica’ we need to break their plates and vases.

Those 3 games should be 9 points but if today goes tits-up then we really put the pressure on ourselves and the nerves will start, right when you don’t want nerves against weaker teams.

It’s going to be tough, I don’t expect an easy ride or a pretty game. But I don’t subscribe to the tiredness excuse, a professional footballer should be able to play 3 games a week especially after a two month lay-off.

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Tough match again. A draw would be a decent result here. It would leave us sitting okay with a nicer run of games to come. We would maintain the 5 point gap over Villarreal. If we can pull off a win we probably have one foot in the champions league next year. Hopefully the lads turn up and Lopetegui gets his tactics right. Vamos Sevilla!

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Starting 11

Vaclik, Koundé, Sergi Gómez, Diego Carlos, Escudero, Jordán, Fernando, Banega, Suso, Rony Lopes and En-Nesyri.

So En Nesri, Rony & Suso to start, Ocampos gets a rest.

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Yeaah extremely important game again, I always respect Villareal their performances relative to budget, their attacking mindset and mentality of the club to play positive football, you can count on them to be though and most of the time they deliver.

Contrary to what I´ve been reading mostly here, I´m not sure about Lope and the opinion that we are actually improving, I still think our forward play hasn´t been good at all, except some counter attacks and set pieces or individual moments. So that didn´t change at all. The thing that did improve in my opinion is not related to tactic or lope his influence at all. Its just players stepping up on a individual level. Especially Koundé and Fernando as we all have been seeing, even Jordan showed a good shape and performed decent against Barça which he didn´t in a long time. In contrary, im getting more and more annoyed by Reguilon´s performance. blindness, reckless, unprecise and generally stupid. I was so impressed the first 4 or so games he played and it just went down from there weekly. Navas on the otherhand still great, nothing more than respect. Vaclik very doubtfull as always. Munir stands out and Ocampos does his thing, furthermore nothing out of the ordinary. But very true about the substitutes, non of the substitutes are working out in a positive way lately. Let´s see what it brings today. I am a bit nervous and semi hopeful again but believe we can pull through just because we have done it before out of the blue or out of the video referee.

Eitherway, Vamoss mi Sevilla!

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Very interesting, hyped to see Rony and Suso together with the drive of En Nesyri up front. Let´s go boys.

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Bloody hell! Rony’s alive! :rofl::raised_hands:t3:

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More Importantly Navas gets a rest!

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Villarreal - Champions League challengers…not.

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So no Navas. Lope has stoked up the defensive aspects and hopes to nick it with second half changes.

Haha haaa +100

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Exactly, but if they do it, they bloody deserve it with that fixture list.

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Must’ve used the wrong wording there, my bad. Tiredness should not be an issue but buildup of fatigue in the muscles could lead to a injuries. I’m assuming we can make it to the latter stages of Europa League so that means football till the end of August. Navas has done very well but he has played almost every minute of every match so far so a rest is needed, I didn’t believe it till I saw it on whoscored.

Cazorla and Chuk on the wings, we’ll see how Kounde and Escudero fare against them, Vamos!

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That is an absolute bastard run in. :sweat_smile: If they qualify after that quite frankly they deserve it.

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Vaclik again ffs

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Solid period of great play from Villareal, lot of struggling to get it out and punished by Alcacer.

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Can say that for sure, im not surprised anymore tho. Also I don´t wanna blame him for everything lol.

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Yep bad start but credit to Villarreal. They are a good side. Will be difficult now but hope we can get a draw here.

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We’re gonna get stuffed if we don’t change things, methods or heads.
The Ref is also “questionable”