Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers League Cup semi final 2nd leg

mike65

This is on BBC 1 tonight, Villa take a one goal advantage into this with Big Sam muttering about this being an important game for the whole season (it is if they wish to get thrashed by a Manchester club in the final).

We are not the favourites to go through but if we do it will be our biggest result since reaching the final in 2002 [under Graeme Souness]. The Premier League is secondary, it doesn't mean anything to us at the moment. The entire focus is on trying to get to Wembley.

I'll let fans of the two sides guess the line ups and what they expect/fear for tonight

invincibleirish

Think MON will play same team as usual swapping Guzan for Friedel and perhaps L. Young for Cuellar.

90 mins from Wembley....

UTV

Bounty Hunter

Id like to see NRC & Luke Young play and know Guzan will but id agree with Invincibleirish as far as Villa's team selection but if Villa were to take a lead in this match having already got the goal advantage then in the 2nd half id love to see The Fonz get a run out.

JPA

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Id like to see NRC & Luke Young play and know Guzan will but id agree with Invincibleirish as far as Villa's team selection but if Villa were to take a lead in this match having already got the goal advantage then in the 2nd half id love to see The Fonz get a run out.

NRC is injured.

rgiller

Come on the Villa - I'd like to see us in 4-5-1 with midfield defense as a priority and with Gabby up front to roast them on the break when they commit too many men forward.

invincibleirish

Isn't NRC out injured or something?

Ah here we go some team news from the beeb

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan is expected to start the second leg of this Carling Cup semi-final, as he has done for all of their cup games.

John Carew has suffered a knee injury in training and is doubtful, while Nigel Reo-Coker has an ankle problem.

El-Hadji Diouf returns to the Blackburn squad after completing a ban for his red card against Villa in the FA Cup.

David Dunn and Morten Gamst Pedersen missed Sunday's win over Fulham but are both available.

Aston Villa

Suspended: None Doubtful: Carew (knee), Davies (fitness)

Injured/unavailable: Bouma (toe), Reo-Coker (ankle), Salifou (compassionate leave)

Blackburn

Suspended: None Doubtful: None

Injured: Grella & Jacobsen (both thigh), Roberts (knee)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/8466159.stm

Unless Rovers don't show up at all then i feel it in the pit of my stomach that its gonna be a nervy night down VP.

Bounty Hunter

JPA wrote: »

NRC is injured.

ahh. I Miss always having SSN on in the background.

eagle eye

mike65 wrote: »

This is on BBC 1 tonight, Villa take a one goal advantage into this with Big Sam muttering about this being an important game for the whole season (it is if they wish to get thrashed by a Manchester club in the final).

We are well capable of beating any Manchester club if we get to the final. If we did somehow manage to pull this one off, that would be Chelsea and Villa in the last two rounds.
The lineup I'd like to see starting tonight if everyone is available would be

---

Robbo
Chimbonda

---

Samba

---

Nelsen

---

Givet

---

Reid

---

N'Zonzi
Hoilett

---

Dunn

---

Olsson

---

Kalinic

Reid had a great game Saturday in his first start since September 2008. Samba and Nelsen were immense in that game, young Olsson has broken through now and so has Hoilett. I'd like to see this lineup with Benni sprung for the bench for the second half if required, I don't think he is fit to start after playing 90 minutes on Saturday. I'd like to see the ball kept on the ground in this one, we have tremendous pace on the wings if we use Hoilett and Olsson. Kalinic has really come on in leaps and bounds over the last while, he was put on a very heavy fitness and strength program when he came to Rovers and it seems to be paying dividends now.
I don't have any idea what team Big Sam will pick for this one, I just hope whatever one he does pick can keep it tight early and allow us to get to halftime still in the tie and then be able to use some of the players who won't be fit to start. This is our 4th game in 9 days.

JPA

VILLA: Guzan; Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock; Downing, Petrov, Milner, A Young; Agbonlahor, Heskey.
Subs: Friedel, L Young, Sidwell, Albrighton, Delfouneso, Delph, Beye.

BLACKBURN: Robinson, Samba, Givet, Nelsen, Emerton, Dunn, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Olsson, Kalinic, Chimbonda.
Subs:Brown,Salgado,Reid,Andrews,McCarthy,Hoilett,Di Santo

JPA

Fantastic atmosphere at Villa Park.

Come on Villa!

Villain

Yep JPA super atmosphere.

Now come on Villa lets do this

UTV

JPA

****e

eagle eye

NIKO KALINIC!!!!

delta_bravo

Excellent

paul150

2-1 on agg game on

JPA

We are playing absolutely ****e.

delta_bravo

Pressure of a possible final getting to villa i think

dobsdave

Come on Villa, wake up.

dobsdave

dobsdave wrote: »

Come on Villa, wake up.

Thats better

JPA

GTF in there.

Ronan Raver77

In for a great game tonight..come on Villa

Krusader

Warnock you beauty, c'mon the villa

Rekop dog

Brad Guzan looks like one of the hobbits from Lord of the Rings

Krusader

dodgy


MILLLLNNNNEERRRRRR!!!!!

matrim

Crosáidí wrote: »

dodgy

Definite peno looking at the replay

Get in there

JPA

No confidence in Milners pens.


get in there, reverse psychology works.

Ronan Raver77

whoop whoop

dobsdave

Dont agree with a red card, in that situation.

matrim

dobsdave wrote: »

Dont agree with a red card, in that situation.

In fairness, it was last man back with Gabby just about to shoot

mike65

Quiet thread for a cracking game.

Villa were clueless but then woke up, the peno was correct as was the red card in my book, he was the last man.

I'd expect at least two more goals now.

Krusader

I think this could be a rout with Rovers down to 10 and sitting very deep, they have to come out in the 2nd half looking to score which will leave gaps for milner young and gabby

JPA

FFS Villa, talk about doing it the hard way!
We need another goal or 2 to kill off Blackburn.

dobsdave

matrim wrote: »

In fairness, it was last man back with Gabby just about to shoot

The ref was correct, I just dont agree with the law itself.

Villain

We are shocking when under pressure or favourites. People are saying Ashley Young is having a bad season but who crossed a stunning ball to get us back in the game? His delivery creates goals.

Now let's just hold it together and get another on the break

artanevilla

Fu cking hell, that was a first half.

Töpher

Cracking so far, another 45 that entertaining would be quality.

Krusader

Ashley young usually has a ratio of 5:1
5 sh*te crosses and 1 perfect
Frustrating for Villans at times

Villain

Crosáidí wrote: »

Ashley young usually has a ratio of 5:1
5 sh*te crosses and 1 perfect
Frustrating for Villans at times

If that 1 leads to a goal I have no prob with 5 crap ones

Krusader

Villain wrote: »

If that 1 leads to a goal I have no prob with 5 crap ones

Not this season, Milner is the baby this year

Villain

Jimmy is the star but did you see the Chelsea win;)

fullstop

dobsdave wrote: »

Dont agree with a red card, in that situation.

LOL

JPA

Woohoo, Dunne Dunne Dunne

Krusader

Que sera sera what ever will be will be
we're going to Wembly
que sera sera

matrim

JPA wrote: »

Woohoo, Dunne Dunne Dunne

Should that not be OG OG OG

noodler

Only just realised how epic a Villa - City final would be.

matrim

Milner

Krusader

Screamer from Milner, he just gets better

Villain

Jimmy you legend.

Jesus we can never do it the easy way though

Headshot

going to Wembley

delighted for villa

dobsdave

fullstop wrote: »

LOL

Easily amused I see.

JPA

WE'RE GOING TO WEMBLEY