League Cup Semi Final - Bradford City

[Boz]

I'm not sure what to make of Europa League football.
Lots of Thursday and Sunday games to navigate

I'd absolutely love to see Villa back in Europe.

Me too but I'd rather not be in the Europa. Its just a fucking mess.

I wouldn't mind being in the Europa, Granted it's a bit of a nightmare with having to play on thursdays in somewhere like Ukraine or Estonia but it's still European football and we're not getting in the champions league anytime soon.

I miss European nights at Villa park and once out of the group stage who might end up with a decent draw against a decent team.

The other good thing is that Lambert will take it seriously unlike O'Neill.

We need to get back in Europe, but it's a worry the following season if Newcastle are anything to go by this season.

[PeterWithesShin]

Paul Lambert doesn't want cup fever to affect the main focus of climbing the table.

Lambert is obviously delighted to see his side in the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup but insists now is not the time for excitement levels to rise, with a tough top-flight programme on the horizon.

He knows it will be "two hard games" but accepts his team have a chance to reach the showpiece if they "do the right things" and fend of complacency.

He said: "The lads will know themselves. They don't need me to stand there and say 'it's a great opportunity'.

"It will be two very tough games but we have chance to go through.

"It's two hard matches. People look at it and think 'over two games we should get through' but cup football?

"I remember playing Chelsea with Wycombe and we drew 1-1 at Adams Park. We kept the tie alive. You never underestimate it.

"We've got a chance. The cup game will take care of itself. What's going to happen, it will happen.

"It's further down the line and I'm not really thinking about it.

"It's an old cliché that whoever you get will be hard. It's a semi-final over two legs. It didn't matter if it was Bradford, Swansea or Chelsea. We've earned the right to try to get through.

"The fans are right behind us. The support at Norwich was frightening and ferocious. But I know that because of the tradition of the club and history.

"They will go to Bradford in their thousands and then ram Villa Park. They have been brilliant with me.

"If we do what we've been doing of late and do the right things and not be complacent, we've got a really good chance."

Lambert also dismissed suggestions that a cup final appearance would be tremendous for him personally in his first season in charge, insisting: "It's not about me."

He added: "I always think it's never about myself - it's about the team and the people who come to watch.

"I never put great significance on myself getting to a final. My time is all done. I can't win anything anymore as a player so it's about the team.

"I never look at myself as important. Myself is not an issue. The team and the fans are the most important."

[villajk]

Tickets sorted.  Just need to find a suitable pub.

That'll be tricky most of the decent boozers have shut down around here!

Noooooo.  We'll have to go dry then.

[villajk]

Tickets sorted.  Just need to find a suitable pub.

Try the Corn Dolly on the Bolton Road. Not a bad place last time I was there and not too far from the ground either.

Thanks, Steve.  A note has been made.

[Holte L2]

Bradford Home and Away Booked.  Can't Wait.

[davevillan]

So will Bradford only have the normal Premier League allocation for the 2nd leg as seems a tad unfair on them ?

We have also restricted Ipswich in the FA cup. They were given 2900 and are sold out. Apparently no more available from Villa which is surprising as we a closing half the ground due to anticipated low crowd.

Bradford have been given around 6300 tickets for Villa Park.

We're selling them for the other areas Ipswich could have, they turned down the chance of more and we're only closing the Upper Trinity. Do get your facts right, lad.

According to an Ipswich fan I know we offered them an amount on sale or return and then asked them if they wanted more but they had to buy them.

Ipswich declined to buy the extra qty as they were unsure of the demand, then sold all there allocation really quick and when they went back to us and asked for more we told them no.

Not sure if its accurate but thats what they are saying

That seems to bethe norm in cup games. We were given the same criteria at Arsenal last season. We could have had the extra, but we had to pay for them with no return, hence why we only had just over 5k.

[davevillan]

29 quid for the home leg a week before the payday after Christmas, on telly and midweek? That's a bit sharp!

Not for a cup SF surely ?

Same price as it was for the Blackburn semi, 3 yrs ago so can complain too much.

[silhillvilla]

I understand the clamour for European football, I'm on board with it too, but the Europa league really is a crap format and a complete poison chalice.
Wish it was just 64 teams in a straight 2 leg knockout format. UEFA really have made a dogs breakfast of the old UEFA cup .

[Clampy]

29 quid for the home leg a week before the payday after Christmas, on telly and midweek? That's a bit sharp!

Not for a cup SF surely ?

Same price as it was for the Blackburn semi, 3 yrs ago so can complain too much.

I think they could have made it slightly cheaper for ST holders maybe. Some may be tempted to watch it on the tellybox knowing they'll have no problem getting a ticket for Wembley should we get there.

[Ad@m]

29 quid for the home leg a week before the payday after Christmas, on telly and midweek? That's a bit sharp!

Not for a cup SF surely ?

Same price as it was for the Blackburn semi, 3 yrs ago so can complain too much.

I think they could have made it slightly cheaper for ST holders maybe. Some may be tempted to watch it on the tellybox knowing they'll have no problem getting a ticket for Wembley should we get there.

I reckon we'll still get a better crowd than the average league game this season so you could argue £29 is actually cheap.

[silhillvilla]

£29 for a SF is not unreasonable
They could easily have gone £40, then you'd have a legit reason to throw a fit

[kippaxvilla2]

Cannot believe Ill be in feckin Austria on a works do when the 2nd leg is on.  Anyone know any boozers in Vienna I can go to to watch it.

[eastie]

29 quid for the home leg a week before the payday after Christmas, on telly and midweek? That's a bit sharp!

Not for a cup SF surely ?

Same price as it was for the Blackburn semi, 3 yrs ago so can complain too much.

I think they could have made it slightly cheaper for ST holders maybe. Some may be tempted to watch it on the tellybox knowing they'll have no problem getting a ticket for Wembley should we get there.

I reckon we'll still get a better crowd than the average league game this season so you could argue £29 is actually cheap.

I think a lot will depend on the 1st leg score- if we win by 3 goals I think we will be home and dry and with the 2nd leg on tv some would stay away if the tie was basically already dead and buried.

[Holte L2]

I understand the clamour for European football, I'm on board with it too, but the Europa league really is a crap format and a complete poison chalice.
Wish it was just 64 teams in a straight 2 leg knockout format. UEFA really have made a dogs breakfast of the old UEFA cup .

It's a terrible format. Completely agree, get rid of the group stage and make it a straight knockout!

[dave.woodhall]

Conversely some will want to be there to celebrate/build up their chances of a final ticket.