Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Match Thread

[Dante Lavelli]

I'll be furious if we go out of the cup tonight.

More so than normal?  Is it a spurs thing?  I can't stand them either.

[dave.woodhall]

Back in the days when Martin & Randy could do no wrong, our inevitable early rounds cup defeats were invariably followed by comments along the lines of "Cups don't matter" and "I'd rather get three points on Saturday." I bet nobody says that tonight.

[Rigadon]

To be fair though during those days we had an outside shot at CL qualification.  That's not the case anymore.  Bit disappointed with the team selection but maybe they'll prove us wrong!

[Smirker]

More so than normal?  Is it a spurs thing?  I can't stand them either.

More so than normal yeah, I'd like us to give it our best shot this year after last year. Also I don't like London.

What's your reason?

[pauliewalnuts]

If you look at Spurs side and then ours, even if you bear in mind the Bale money factor, they are now on an entirely different planet to us these days.

[Rigadon]

I've tried to praise spurs, I just can't. 

[paulcomben]

World media shock at surprise centre back and playmaker selections! Baker & Tonev?!! Nope...Luiz & Mata.

[Dante Lavelli]

More so than normal?  Is it a spurs thing?  I can't stand them either.

More so than normal yeah, I'd like us to give it our best shot this year after last year. Also I don't like London.

What's your reason?

I've got to be honest, I have an irrational hatred of spurs and because I think they'll win I'm going to try and pretend the match is not happening.  Then I can shrug nonchalantly when I'm given grief by spurs fans tomorrow at work, pretending I don't care. 

[TonyD]

Brad should play.  No excuses there. 

It's on BBC 5 extra tonight.   Come on the babbies. 

[Tuscans]

Tonevs going to score a worldy....you heard it here first!

[PaulWinch again]

It doesn't make any sense that we're not starting Helenius.

[Olneythelonely]

More touches than any other villa player on sat!!

Would you really risk Gabby or Delph carrying knocks tonight??

If they are anywhere near fit, yes. I would have also started Guzan, Clark and probably Helenius.

[dave.woodhall]

Tonevs going to score a worldy....you heard it here first!

Can we have less of that Soccer AM nonsense please?

[Tuscans]

Whats's the crowd, looks about 10,000

[Mister E]

Lambert's pretty much playing the team available to him.
I don't have a problem with Steer being given a run out; Lambert obviously rates him.
I'd love to see Helenius play but Lambert has obviously decided he wants 2 wingers and three combative players in the middle. I'm sure Helenius will get more game-time today than previously.
Baker is obviously getting some gametime after injury and Bennett is in (to public acclaim, based on the slating Luna has had on here recently).

As someone else has said, Spurrrrrrs are in a different class to us currently; they've spent x5 what we did over the summer.