Pre-match thread: Rapid Vienna v Aston Villa

[Mister E]

I'm slightly shocked at the callow rawness of this squad (and by seeing Osbourne anywhere near it). My main concern is that - aside from NRC - the MF looks very light. Unless he plays Beye in there ... he cannot be thinking of Ossie surely?

[Holtenderinthesky]

Well I am mightily pissed off.  I am in Vienna staying with  friends who are Rapid fans that I met at Villa Park last season when they were over and I have been telling them all week that we'll tonk them.  Now I have seen the squad I have changed my prediction and having paid all that money to come here to watch the Villa I now have to watch the reserves and people like Isiaah Osbourne.  Gutted.

[Summers]

So, is Sidwell dead or something?

[Monty]

So, is Sidwell dead or something?

Injured, supposedly. I hope it's just a cover for him leaving.

[supertom]

I'm slightly shocked at the callow rawness of this squad (and by seeing Osbourne anywhere near it). My main concern is that - aside from NRC - the MF looks very light. Unless he plays Beye in there ... he cannot be thinking of Ossie surely?

Hope not. But then again Ossie might do well under K Mac. He is after all the new Patrick VierBANG...

Phew, missed me. But no, I think Nige can handle the physical duties by himself. Vienna weren't particularly bruising last year. If he needs to throw in some extra beef, Lowry, Warnock, Beye, maybe even Clark could play a holding role. Clarky certainly looks very comfortable on the ball for a defender. Hogg's a midfielder isn't he? Dunno if he's any good mind.

I do think however, first on Kevins mind is to play football and retain possession.

[not3bad]

I went to Hamburg and I can see a similar result happening here.  So much for Europe for another season.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Well I am mightily pissed off.  I am in Vienna staying with  friends who are Rapid fans that I met at Villa Park last season when they were over and I have been telling them all week that we'll tonk them.  Now I have seen the squad I have changed my prediction and having paid all that money to come here to watch the Villa I now have to watch the reserves and people like Isiaah Osbourne.  Gutted.

Exactly the same as me last season pretty much against Hamburg. When we saw the squad we made the most of the local hospitality, I suggest you do the same pal!

[RussellC]

Not too sure about the look of that squad at all. Whatever team he picks from that is going to be light at centre-back and centre-mid with absolutley no creativity from anywhere but the flanks and therefore hugely predictable. I'm amazed that he hasn't taken Petrov, Ash and Carew, even if only to bring-on should we find ourselves a couple of goals down by half-time. I'd take a nil-nil now.

[TheSandman]

Not absolutely happy about a depleted squad being picked but it could be enough to get us through. It's not like Rapid are a near CL quality team like CSKA.

Just as long as Osbourne doesn't play.

[Toronto Villa]

what if...KM has actually watched and scouted Rapid and along with Sid and Tony Mac devised a Baldrick like Cunning Plan for tomorrow night?

[kitster]

I really feel like a lost dog at the moment.  I feel for the fans who have been able to travel to watch the game,  most are probably Season ticket holders who could go and see the reserves play for free if they wanted too.

I know that K Mac has a better understanding of these players than MON did but it looks like Villa are once again laying down in Europe (at the first hurdle this time).  I only hope that these youngsters rise to the potential that we hope they possess.  We all spoke so highly of the effect the fringe players had against West Ham and took much comfort that the 'interim' manager managed such a result.  The fact is that the team had been preparing for the start of the season for weeks and even given the upheaval before the game, it would have been a dissappointment to not get a result against West Ham at home.  I reserved judgement for the next game - I'm not confident..

[garyfouroaks]

Gutted by that squad. PL prize money dwarfs Europa League prize money, and it seems that money talks. We should just offer our place to someome else if we are not going to take Europe seriously.

[D.boy]

I wonder what the reaction will be if we get a good result in Vienna. Will we see Kev Mac as a genius? I thought MON stated sometime ago that the fringe players would be given a chance in the cup games. I don't think the team that is picked will be expected to get beaten and I don't believe for one minute that the club want to go out of the competition at the first attempt. IMO Moscow was a completely different scenario.

[Villafirst]

What a joke that squad is! What's the point of getting into Europe if you're not going to take the competition seriously? After the surrender two years ago in Moscow haven't the powers that be learned anything? Will take a draw now.

[JUAN PABLO]

I think that squad is good enough to get a result...