Aston Villa v Rapid Vienna Pre-Match Thread

[Hookeysmith]

I think we will struggle to get 20K for this match - even with cheap offers on seats

I have not met anyone yet who is going   

[brontebilly]

I think we need a strong side out tonight to try and boost confidence, we can bring the young lads on if we are winning easily. Id go with

Friedel, Beye, Collins, Dunne, L Young, A Young, Petrov, Reo Coker, Bannan, Carew, Delfouneso.

Gabby to come on. He is crucial to us and we cant have him picking up an injury if he isnt fully fit.

I'm not overly bothered which of Collins or Cuellar partners Dunne. Whichever one is fitter I guess. Could be a big chance for the likes of Beye. I'd give Carew another chance up front. it is the kind of game where we are bound to create a few chances and I think he will be in a mood to put last weekend's display right.

[ajmant]

Which stadium will be the quieter? Blues with say less than 10,000, or us with say less than 20,000? Football in the second city is hardly thriving at the mo is it!!!

[deero83]

Stewards at New Street will have to be on guard as there is a long-running feud between Rochdale and Rapid involving Lisa Stansfield and her non-appearance at Vienna's end of season do in 1993 when she was booked as the star turn and 39 tickets were bought on the assumption she'd be present to croon about how she'd been around the world but still couldn't find her evasive baby.

Seems a tad unfair as though Lisa attended school in Rochdale, she was actually born and bred a couple of miles up the road in Heywood.

Love it

[levico]

We'll probably sneak a narrow win but the question is, at what cost? The match on Sunday is far more important in the scheme of things

[German James]

We'll probably sneak a narrow win but the question is, at what cost? The match on Sunday is far more important in the scheme of things

I disagree! I think we'll find it very difficult to finish in a European spot at the end of this season unless something incredible happens within the next six days, but I doubt we'll be struggling to stay up. So we should really go for all the cups, domestic and European. Just imagine chucking this UEFA league thing away, and finishing mid-table as well- not exactly a morale booster!

[UK Redsox]

I think we need a strong side out tonight to try and boost confidence, we can bring the young lads on if we are winning easily.

I thought that KMac had already said that he's more likely to play more of the kids rather than less of them

[Hookeysmith]

Has to play the strongest team available - simple

We are not Man U  / Chelsea / Shitty

Get the game won - we have a season to sort out the league - one balls up tonight and the season is as good as over

And another thing - this resting players because of tiredness after playing 3 games in 9 days - what a fucking shame

Not one of the broke sweat on Sunday so hardly taxing for them - the top tennis players play 3/4/5 hour games in ridiculous heat and then after 24/36hrs rest do it again

These fucking puff footballers are doing my head in

[pmk1981]

I think we will struggle to get 20K for this match - even with cheap offers on seats

I have not met anyone yet who is going   

well every season ticket holder who is in cup scheme is going because our ticket was free :-)

[myf]

Loads of Austrians decked in green mincing about the City Centre with cans and bottles of wine in hand.  They should make quite a sight tonight!

[Edvard Remberg]

Is the game on Sky? If so i can watch in the bar....

[Olneythelonely]

I think we will struggle to get 20K for this match - even with cheap offers on seats

I have not met anyone yet who is going   

I'm going.

[andyh]

I think we will struggle to get 20K for this match - even with cheap offers on seats

I have not met anyone yet who is going   

well every season ticket holder who is in cup scheme is going because our ticket was free :-)

Not sure about that. If you have a free ticket then its a bit easier to decide not to bother, given that its pissing down, cold and live on telly.

[Olneythelonely]

I think we need a strong side out tonight to try and boost confidence, we can bring the young lads on if we are winning easily.

I thought that KMac had already said that he's more likely to play more of the kids rather than less of them

He said that he's thought about playing more kids, but he's also thought about playing more experience.

[andyh]

Has to play the strongest team available - simple

We are not Man U  / Chelsea / Shitty

Get the game won - we have a season to sort out the league - one balls up tonight and the season is as good as over

And another thing - this resting players because of tiredness after playing 3 games in 9 days - what a fucking shame

Not one of the broke sweat on Sunday so hardly taxing for them - the top tennis players play 3/4/5 hour games in ridiculous heat and then after 24/36hrs rest do it again

These fucking puff footballers are doing my head in

Agreed.
The only one who should be knackered and should have a rest is Friedel.
He must be fucking wrecked after all the bending over he had to do on Sunday, picking the ball out of the back of his net !!!