FA Cup Semi-Final: Aston Villa vs Liverpool Pre-Match Thread

[PeterWithesShin]

I think it will go to extra time and we end up losing to a dodgy penalty decision.

Who is Ref ?

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant Referees: Stuart Burt & John Brooks
Fourth Official: Lee Mason

[silhillvilla]

Averages about 4 yellows a game, not too trigger happy on reds.

[AV82EC]

At least it's not Mason, a homer of a ref and always favours the Sky 4.

[silhillvilla]

At least it's not Mason, a homer of a ref and always favours the Sky 4.

4th official though !
He will hold the board up that says 8, if we are winning on 90 .

[Des Little]

Regardless of who it is, the referee is a w*nker

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Can anyone recommend anywhere to park? Happy to get the tube in to Wembley but really need to drive, early start the next day and all that.

Uxbridge if you're going on the M40. Stanmore if you're going on the M1.

I prefer Uxbridge as there's some nice pubs there too. Both offer a direct tube to Wembley Park.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

I think it will go to extra time and we end up losing to a dodgy penalty decision.

Who is Ref ?

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant Referees: Stuart Burt & John Brooks
Fourth Official: Lee Mason

He's refereed 3 of our games this season:

Crystal Palace (a) W1-0
Leicester (a) L0-2 - sent of Clark and one of theirs in the 90th min
Hull (a) L0-2

He also sent Clark off a couple of seasons ago, against Everton.

He's refereeed Liverpool 4 times:

Man City (a) L1-3
WBA (h) W2-1
Arsenal (h) D2-2 sent off Borini in the 90th min
Chelsea (a) L0-1

[Lizz]

Danny Baker has been going on about this lately. It's because the media, advertisers and those running the game are so sheilded from the real world in their corporate style universe. No interaction with supporters whatsoever, a seperate, steralised existance away from the £56 seat in front of a roof support, away from the bile and abuse batted back and forth between rival fans, with no memory at all of aberrations by the players that they laud, of the twisted hypocrisy of so many managers and turning a blind eye towards the direction in which the game travels, gerrymandered by the adminstrators to reflect the fantasy world created in the name of money. Where we all love the game above our clubs, where the EPL is king, where half and half scarves become the norm and where everyone wants Stevie G to lift the FA Cup.

Fuck them.

Someone I know who works in events management, conversationally mentioned that part of his role is to maintain segregation. He meant keeping the human attractions away from the paying punters. Don't think it's anything new, it's probably we have a greater awareness of celebrity in this day and age.

[AlwaysAVFC]

It's that Chelsea game for Liverpool that keeps jumping out at me. Where Costa stamped on Emre Can & stood on Skrtel and Oliver didn't give anything. I just hope that's not in his mind at all as otherwise there could be a soft/harsh decision. That aside he seems like at decent ref.

[pbavfckuwait]

Just go for it Villa, god knows what team he will be able to put out, but whatever, they will not like a team going for their throats, They have players that can do us damage, but we have players who can do it to them, get rid of the stench that Lambert left around the club.

[frank black]

To be fair to Lambert he seemed pretty good at getting us going against Liverpool.

Come on you Villa boys!!

[Matt Collins]

We need to protect ourselves against courinho and sterling
But I agree the best chance we have is to go for the jugular against this Liverpool defence. It's a bit ironic that lambert actually had Rodgers number tactically in games away from home at least

It doesn't look like gabby will be fit but he could be vital if he is. Their weakest positions are full back and a lack of pass in front of the back four and at centre back. We need to be direct and positive and for me that means we play three out of benteke, gabby, Sinclair and nzogbia if we can.
Shwrwood has talked of tweaking the way we play. I wonder what he has in mind?

[Richard E]

To be fair to Lambert he seemed pretty good at getting us going against Liverpool.

Come on you Villa boys!!

Can we reinstate him for one game only?

[Ron Manager]

To be fair to Lambert he seemed pretty good at getting us going against Liverpool.

Come on you Villa boys!!

Can we reinstate him for one game only?

and Peter McParland for two?

[tomd2103]

We need to protect ourselves against courinho and sterling
But I agree the best chance we have is to go for the jugular against this Liverpool defence. It's a bit ironic that lambert actually had Rodgers number tactically in games away from home at least

It doesn't look like gabby will be fit but he could be vital if he is. Their weakest positions are full back and a lack of pass in front of the back four and at centre back. We need to be direct and positive and for me that means we play three out of benteke, gabby, Sinclair and nzogbia if we can.
Shwrwood has talked of tweaking the way we play. I wonder what he has in mind?

If all are fit, I would play Benteke and Gabby up front with Sinclair just in behind.  Grealish has started the last two games there, but I think Sinclair could offer a bit more pace and threat playing there.