Aston Villa v Bradford City Pre-Match Thread

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

If Delph is out, then I'd put Clark in midfield to replace him, though that would depend on Baker being fit. Hmmm...

[manic-road]

5-1 After extra time.

[bradford113]

we are in league 2 but the boys will play with no pressure

Don't believe that mate. Your boys are 90 minutes from a Wembley Cup Final and start 3-1 ahead. They'll be stepping out into the biggest atmosphere they've ever experienced. They'll feel the pressure alright.

yes maybe you are right but not to the same degree that your young players are under! we have a few older heads who will hopefully be able to deal with any added pressure. but all the pressure is on your young team everyone is watching waiting to jump all over them if they mess up again. first 20 mins is key if you score we are in trouble if you dont the natives will start to get restless

[Big Dick Edwards]

we are in league 2 but the boys will play with no pressure

Don't believe that mate. Your boys are 90 minutes from a Wembley Cup Final and start 3-1 ahead. They'll be stepping out into the biggest atmosphere they've ever experienced. They'll feel the pressure alright.

yes maybe you are right but not to the same degree that your young players are under! we have a few older heads who will hopefully be able to deal with any added pressure. but all the pressure is on your young team everyone is watching waiting to jump all over them if they mess up again. first 20 mins is key if you score we are in trouble if you dont the natives will start to get restless

Hey, it's a semi final of a major competition. Everybody will be under pressure, including the fans of both teams. I just hope your boys do you proud but ultimately fall short.

[bradford113]

haha yeah im nervous already but exited and looking forward to it should be a cracking day and game!

[dave.woodhall]

haha yeah im nervous already but exited and looking forward to it should be a cracking day and game!

A word of advice. That bloke who said stick to Broad Street and Edgbaston was talking shite. Your pubs are also better than ours and your curries aren't.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

haha yeah im nervous already but exited

You will be if you don't behave on the night.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

I would play:

Shit or bust... i'd go;

........................................Guzan........................................
.Lichaj.............Lowton..............Vlaar.............Bennett..........
...........................Clark.............Delph..................................
....N'Zogbia...................Benteke.....................Gabby..........
......................................Bent.............................................

Subs; Ireland, Bannan, Wiemann, Marshall, Williams, Bowery, Carruthers.

I'm assuming Baker is out injured and Delph recovers.

[villan from luton]

Bradford, I hope you enjoy your day, but dont get to enjoy Wembley. Think you are quite right regarding the first 20 minutes, can see Villa causing a lot of problems for you, but there is always the problemat set pieces.

[Ron Manager]

Mondays Ok but Tuesdays forecast is for snow again. Could be called off early so the Bradford fans and our fans who have to travel have plenty of notice.

[SoccerHQ]

Your post is fair enough, it was the other bradford fan on here that was very cocky , i think its pretty much 50/50 regarding the tie in fairness but i think if villa go in ahead at half time then villa will be favourites - i hope you go out and also get promoted though as a club like bradford are too good to be in league 2 - enjoy your night  at villa park sir.

fair enough mate its probably just the fact im nursing one hell of a hangover and reading some of the posts on here that wound me up haha i spoke to a few villa fans in town after the first game and seemed a great bunch!
i still think you are edging it in reality all you have to do is win 2-0 after extra time against a 4th division team. i hope we dont just sit back and defend tho cos i think we are more than capable of scoring another
[/quote]

Yeah I'd be interested to see how Parkinson plays this. Most would expect you to sit back for the first half hour but wouldn't surprise me if you came out on the attack as I don't think we'd come back from concending the first early on.

Might aswell just play Hines again against whoever is masquerading as our left back on the night as you'll get plenty of free kicks and corners just from that.

[damon loves JT]

No pressure, Bradford. None at all.

[Risso]

haha yeah im nervous already but exited and looking forward to it should be a cracking day and game!

A word of advice. That bloke who said stick to Broad Street and Edgbaston was talking shite. Your pubs are also better than ours and your curries aren't.

There's nowhere else in the UK that does curries/baltis as good as Brum.  Not Bradford, not Rusholme, not London, not anywhere.  Actually, there's probably nowhere as good on the Subcontinent either.  Birmingham, Curry Capital of the World.  Tell the council they can use that if they like.

[PeterWithesShin]

Pressure is big for both clubs, and for different reasons. A big one for Bradford is that for most of their players this is the biggest match they've ever had, or will probably ever have. The pressure of being so close to a major cup final could get to them as many will probably know this is their one and only chance.

For us it is the pressure of expectation. However, despite how young some of our players are though, a number are internationals, and used to big crowds and atmospheres.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I have no expectation. I just dont want a loss to damage the teams fragile morale more than it has to.

Just no injuries for the league game please, and play the reserves (do we have any) against Millwall. That game really doesnt matter at all.