Aston Villa vs Birmingham City Pre-Match Thread

[Jimbo]

I hate it. Utterly detest playing them. It's never fun, we have nothing to gain, everything to lose, always hate-filled. We have no choice, it's something we must do, so I shall be there, as ever, tomorrow, to watch my team. But I'd take different opposition every single time.

Totally agree. Playing them is like clearing a blocked drain. There's no glory in it, it's filthy work, but occasionlly necessary. All you can really achieve is the removal of shit.

[Legion]

I hate it. Utterly detest playing them. It's never fun, we have nothing to gain, everything to lose, always hate-filled. We have no choice, it's something we must do, so I shall be there, as ever, tomorrow, to watch my team. But I'd take different opposition every single time.

Totally agree. Playing them is like clearing a blocked drain. There's no glory in it, it's filthy work, but occasionlly necessary. All you can really achieve is the removal of shit.

Very much so.

[john e]

This could sound horrible, John. But if you don't,  and haven't lived here, I don't think you do get it. It is fucking awful.

No it's not horrible, it's a good point which is why i mentioned it in the final line
Coventry is the closest I ever got to Birmingham, but I've always loved this game my first was back in the 70's when Trevor Francis was playing for them, they won, 

[cheltenhamlion]

After all the angst that goes in to it before the game, the only good feeling is being able to grin at them occasionally after if we win.

That is it. The sum total of the joy we can take from it. And then you look the other way round...

[QuintonVilla]

I can see what you mean about it being a 'nothing to gain' game for us but it has got people buzzing. It will be the best atmosphere of the season, hostile and noisy. If we were playing someone like Reading at home there would have been 23,000 there, no atmosphere and nobody would have cared too much.

If we hammer them then that's the way for us to really win and gain. I actually think if we do win then it will be convincing, 4-0 or it will be a disaster and they'll win narrowly. If we win it won't be close, if we go 1-0 up the crowd will be rocking and the players will relax. Their best chance is get to twenty minutes at 0-0 and frustrate the crowd.

[Damo70]

My Small Heath derby record is been to 17, won 9, lost 7 and just the one draw. Goals for 24, goals against 19. My first was at the sty in the championship winning season when I was nine and we won 2-1. The worst would be the Enckelman game, the return game that same season and Boxing Day 1982. My top three would be doing them 6-0 in the Simod Cup on my eighteenth birthday, beating them 1-0 in the infamous 'Battle of Brum' in 1983 (a week or two previously we had just got our first video recorder and I taped the brief highlights off Central Sport on the Monday) and the Easter Sunday Gary Cahill game which helped to relegate them.

[QuintonVilla]

Best: The 5-1 demolition. Carew unplayable. Their end empty after 60 minutes. VP rocking.

Worst: Enckelman game is up there. I was only 15 and my first visit to The Sty, horrible night. The stick I got at school was ridiculous. However the worst for me is the 2-2, Stern John. That felt worse than any of the defeats, I felt like id been punched in the stomach and didn't say a word for hours after the game.

[Legion]

030303 was the worst for me.

Best was obviously the 5-1.

[silhillvilla]

Is the orange dot due a run out

[ciggiesnbeer]

I don't have to look any Blues fans in the eye if we lose so I am looking forward to it.

Win and we can get a nice little spring in our step for the next league game, lose and we can shrug it off, its just the cup and the league is really the only thing that should matter to us right now.

I hope Sherwood and the team go into it hoping to enjoy themselves rather than playing with fear.

We can leave the obsessed bitters and blues to talk about us, thats what they always do. We can ignore them either way and enjoy ourselves for an evening where the result does not impact our survival chances.

[Legion]

Is the orange dot due a run out

It failed miserably last season so has been retired.

[brontebilly]

Bunn

Richards
Clark
Lescott

Sinclair
Vertoot
Sanchez
Westwood
Grealish

Kozak
Gabby

I think he caught 3 at the back tomorrow

Im not against three at the back but Sinclair and Grealish as wing backs? 

Id be bringing Clark back in and Richardson too, Amavi needs a break/kick up the arse

Maybe a mixture of width through wing backs to suit our stagnant forward line and one schemer in behind is the way to go here

Id go with

------------------Bunn
---------Richards, Ilori, Clark
Bacuna, Sanchez, Westwood, Richardson
--------------Gil/Grealish
-----------Kozak, Ayew

[LukeJames]

Best: The 5-1 demolition. Carew unplayable. Their end empty after 60 minutes. VP rocking. By

I watched the whole of this game this morning in bed and this is going too sound strange but despite the score line we played some horrible football, I actually got bored watching the constant hoofs.
And yes I'd take a repeat performance and result tomorrow, without a doubt.

[class-of-82]

Just beat em please lads just beat them

Also folks got one ticket spare for upper holte row 24 centralism son just been told he gotta go work in Leeds till friday

[LTA]

Why the bloody hell am I seeing pictures of Karen Brady on here?  I'm trying to eat my dinner here.....