Match Preview: Aston Villa v West Brom

Who are we playing?
West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday 3rd March 2015

Where are we playing?
Villa Park

Can I go?
Tickets remain available because people aren't exactly flocking back despite Lambert departure.

Easy to get to?
The traffic situation in Birmingham is getting ridiculous to be frank. It only takes someone to break a fingernail on the Aston Expressway and the whole thing grinds to a halt.

Can I watch it on telly?
Live on BT Sport1.

It takes a worried man...

Big game?
Huge.

So much for new manager bounce.

While Tony Pulis has has taken no time in transforming the fortunes of our opponents and dragging decent performances out of his squad, Tim has little tangible improvement to show from two weeks at the helm.

There were a few encouraging signs in the Stoke game and we flattered to deceive for brief periods against Newcastle, but by and large we are still as shite and as goal shy as we were under Lambert.

Certainly the speed with with this fixture descends means there's precious little chance of any radical transformation, so the only way he could really shake things up to change the personnel.

We were surprised not only to see Carles Gil being left out of the action but Charles N'Zogbia getting in ahead of him.

It's a tad early for us to be criticising Tim's team selections but he's only just got here. We've been suffering Gabby just going through the motions for years and are in no mood to see him being yet another chance.

Who let the Cat on the bed?

Do West Brom have any famous fans? 
Skinner. Chiles. Deeley.

However, we've got fiddle playing scruffbox Nigel Kennedy.

So we win.

Who's playing for us?
The close proximity of this to the poor showing in Geordieland should encourage Tim to shuffle his pack again. No point having a settled side if you are settling for mediocrity. We'd persist with Big Chris because, while not back to his old self, there were glimmers of the Benteke of old at times on Saturday. Left back may continue to be an issue.

Despite the Under 21s being moved to train next to the first team, yet to see someone cross that divide. We may do soon if there is not a vast improvement from the big boys.

Who's playing for them?
Happily, all three of their strikers have injuries with Berahino and Brown Ideye limping off on Saturday while Victor Anichebe didn't make matchday squad.

Any useless stats?
Of course, here you go:

• West Bromwich Albion have beaten us 53 times while we have 75 wins. There have been 35 draws.

• Mark Clattenburg was a busy boy in this fixture last term, dishing out four yellow cards and awarding us a penalty which was duly despatched by Big Chris to give us a 4-3 win.

• We beat West Brom 2-0 in the FA Cup Final of  1887 at Kennington Oval thanks to goals from Dennis Hodgetts and Archie Hunter.

• Our biggest win came in 1899, a 7-1 thumping including a hat-trick from Billy Garraty
  

Prediction
Going for a Desmond (2-2).