Aston Villa vs Middlesbrough (League Cup) Pre-Match Thread

[sickbeggar]

The whole competition is a nuisance given our aims this season. Rest some of the players from Barnsley or try and keep the momentum going by selecting the same team? Given they're a championship side and a win would increase the players confidence, I'm tempted to play the 1st team. 2-1

[Matt Collins]

Rotation rotation rotation

We're in a run of sat - tues - sat games. This isn't a priority. No brainer

[tomd2103]

Rotation rotation rotation

We're in a run of sat - tues - sat games. This isn't a priority. No brainer

To be fair we've got quite a few players who need a game as well.  Something Like:

                                 Steer

Bree / Hutton       Elphick            Samba             De Laet

Bjarnason      Lansbury       Onomah           Agbonlahor

                       O'Hare        Hogan


Edit - still want to win though. 
                       

[manic-road]

I'm looking forward to seeing more of O'Hare, from what I have seen of him this season he looks like he has a decent awareness of what's going on around him and a decent level of skill. Pretty sure he will get some more game time against Boro.

[PeterWithesShin]

I still love the LC, if it wasn't for this competition we'd have won 3 trophies in the last 60 years.

[Villa75]

I loved it when Villa used to take every game seriously, trying to win them no mater what the competition. Some of my best days have been watching Villa win League Cup games, especially semifinals and finals.

I know Man Utd were probably the first team to start disrespecting the cups, but a little bit of my love for the game died when we started doing it. Naively perhaps, I never thought I'd see the day we started doing it. It hasn't exactly got us very far, has it.

We're in the shitty 2nd division. If we can't be bothered with the cups now - with our 'best squad in the division' that 'should walk the playoffs, at least' - then will we ever bother again?

I know one of the big clubs will probably win it, but who knows what the draws will bring and what teams they will put out, especially early on. If we take it seriously, and others don't, it could bring some much needed pride back to our club.

I appreciate a lot of younger fans might not feel this way but, without the great League Cup Qtr, semi, and final wins of the past 40 years, my Villa supporting life would have been a lot duller.

[Three Spires Villa]

Nice 2-0 win, see a bit more of the younger players, progress onwards. Love the League Cup, maybe my age, but some great memories

[dave.woodhall]

I loved it when Villa used to take every game seriously, trying to win them no mater what the competition. Some of my best days have been watching Villa win League Cup games, especially semifinals and finals.

I know Man Utd were probably the first team to start disrespecting the cups, but a little bit of my love for the game died when we started doing it. Naively perhaps, I never thought I'd see the day we started doing it. It hasn't exactly got us very far, has it.

We're in the shitty 2nd division. If we can't be bothered with the cups now - with our 'best squad in the division' that 'should walk the playoffs, at least' - then will we ever bother again?

I know one of the big clubs will probably win it, but who knows what the draws will bring and what teams they will put out, especially early on. If we take it seriously, and others don't, it could bring some much needed pride back to our club.

I appreciate a lot of younger fans might not feel this way but, without the great League Cup Qtr, semi, and final wins of the past 40 years, my Villa supporting life would have been a lot duller.

That's spot on, but it ain't modern football.

[gpbarr]

Blood some of the youngsters - this is a 'free' match in that win/lose/draw, it wont be remembered long. Far bigger priorities I think

[tomd2103]

I'm looking forward to seeing more of O'Hare, from what I have seen of him this season he looks like he has a decent awareness of what's going on around him and a decent level of skill. Pretty sure he will get some more game time against Boro.

All of the above, but I also like his work rate and willingness to put himself about. 

[Clark W Griswold]

1-2

[Drummond]

Blood some of the youngsters - this is a 'free' match in that win/lose/draw, it wont be remembered long. Far bigger priorities I think

What's a bigger priority than the chance of winning a trophy?

See what happened after the last round to see what rotation does.

[gpbarr]

Blood some of the youngsters - this is a 'free' match in that win/lose/draw, it wont be remembered long. Far bigger priorities I think

What's a bigger priority than the chance of winning a trophy?

See what happened after the last round to see what rotation does.

The bigger priority is promotion. Only stating whats obvious when you look at how most of the 'bigger' clubs handle this competition. Winning the Caribou Cup (?!?!?) and failing to get promoted wouldn't make me happy.

[Drummond]

Blood some of the youngsters - this is a 'free' match in that win/lose/draw, it wont be remembered long. Far bigger priorities I think

What's a bigger priority than the chance of winning a trophy?

See what happened after the last round to see what rotation does.

The bigger priority is promotion. Only stating whats obvious when you look at how most of the 'bigger' clubs handle this competition. Winning the Caribou Cup (?!?!?) and failing to get promoted wouldn't make me happy.

I'd rather win a cup. It's been more than 20 fucking years.

[Villa75]

I loved it when Villa used to take every game seriously, trying to win them no mater what the competition. Some of my best days have been watching Villa win League Cup games, especially semifinals and finals.

I know Man Utd were probably the first team to start disrespecting the cups, but a little bit of my love for the game died when we started doing it. Naively perhaps, I never thought I'd see the day we started doing it. It hasn't exactly got us very far, has it.

We're in the shitty 2nd division. If we can't be bothered with the cups now - with our 'best squad in the division' that 'should walk the playoffs, at least' - then will we ever bother again?

I know one of the big clubs will probably win it, but who knows what the draws will bring and what teams they will put out, especially early on. If we take it seriously, and others don't, it could bring some much needed pride back to our club.

I appreciate a lot of younger fans might not feel this way but, without the great League Cup Qtr, semi, and final wins of the past 40 years, my Villa supporting life would have been a lot duller.

That's spot on, but it ain't modern football.

I know. Sad, isn't it.