Aston Villa v Man City League Cup Final Pre Match Thread

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Wahay! We've got 1 goal to look forward to being scored according to a previous poster's prediction . Bet it goes to var and gets disallowed. Boo!

[robbo1874]

                Nyland

Elmo Engels Mings Taylor

             Nakamba

Vassilev Grealish Hourihane Targett

              Samatta

Subs: Reina, Guilbert, Konsa, Hause, Luiz, Baston, Trez.

If McGinn is fit enough to be on the bench, he should start. He won't be.

I'd toy with putting Guilbert and Elmo in, but I worry if we go too defensively they'll hammer us, which is what happened before.

City are bloody great but we can score goals too.

I wanted Reina in, but given our league form, I'd bring Nyland in and show faith. He's done well in the competition and maybe he's the talisman.

along with El Ghazi, I think maybe Reina is one other who may have played his way out of the Wembley 11, if he was ever in it. I’d give Nyland the nod in goal. Not sure what else we can do. Maybe Vassilev and if we really want to go left field Louie Barry. I’d probably have Guilbert over Elmo. Just wish McGinn was fit for this. Midfield looks piss weak

[LeonW]

I want to be hopeful. I want to believe that in a one off game anything can happen. In Jack Grealish we have a player capable of causing all the top domestic teams trouble. I want to think that the recent poor performances have been due to players saving themselves for the cup final and that afterwards the league performances will pick up.

But the reality is:

* Villa don’t keep clean sheets
* The number of high scoring opportunities we give to all opposition is one of the highest -if not the highest-in the Premier league and I think in all top European leagues. And it hasn’t reduced since the start of the season despite the change in shape with more defenders.
* Villa’s form has been poor.
* Apart from the Leicester semi final Villa don’t beat the top teams.
* Villa’s plan is to give Jack Grealish the ball and hope he does something. There is no plan B.
* Villa still haven’t cut out giving away stupid mistakes 7 months on from the first game of the season last August.

DS may also have backed himself into a corner by saying some players have played their way out of the cup final with the performance at Soton. Where does he go from there if Villa don’t win or if there are not wholesale changes made.

It’s horrible to be this negative going into a cup final which is something we all want to be in. I’m hoping a load of people will point out all the reasons I’m wrong and make me change my mind to be hopeful for Sunday and beyond.

[Richard]

Just tweak the current system and play 3 5 1 1 not as someone else alluded to this 2 wide forward shit which leaves us so open in the middle.

Nyland - as he's the cup keeper and deserves it after Leicester

Konza
Engels
Mings

Fred or Elmo
Marv
Doug
Conor
Targett

Jack

Samatta

Subs: Reina Elmo or Fred Trez Barry Davis Vassilev Hause

[SoccerHQ]

If we could take them to pens - somehow we have a chance as city have been reallg woeful penalty record.

Do they do ET for sure in a final? Not straight to pens?

They are good at pens when it matters, beat Chelsea in last year's final on penalties.

Would be interesting if we'd bring Reina on with a minute left if it was going to a shoot out, I'd imagine so.

[Drummond]

I want to be hopeful. I want to believe that in a one off game anything can happen. In Jack Grealish we have a player capable of causing all the top domestic teams trouble. I want to think that the recent poor performances have been due to players saving themselves for the cup final and that afterwards the league performances will pick up.

But the reality is:

* Villa don’t keep clean sheets
* The number of high scoring opportunities we give to all opposition is one of the highest -if not the highest-in the Premier league and I think in all top European leagues. And it hasn’t reduced since the start of the season despite the change in shape with more defenders.
* Villa’s form has been poor.
* Apart from the Leicester semi final Villa don’t beat the top teams.
* Villa’s plan is to give Jack Grealish the ball and hope he does something. There is no plan B.
* Villa still haven’t cut out giving away stupid mistakes 7 months on from the first game of the season last August.

DS may also have backed himself into a corner by saying some players have played their way out of the cup final with the performance at Soton. Where does he go from there if Villa don’t win or if there are not wholesale changes made.

It’s horrible to be this negative going into a cup final which is something we all want to be in. I’m hoping a load of people will point out all the reasons I’m wrong and make me change my mind to be hopeful for Sunday and beyond.

*Villa score goals and the game is about scoring more than the opposition.
*We have Nyland who has a great shot-stopping ratio in this competition and was Man of the Match in the Semi. Leicester out-shot us by more than 3:1.
*Yet we are in the Final for a reason. We have beaten Crewe, Brighton, Wolves, Liverpool and Leicester (the latter two were both above Man City at the time of our victories)
*We beat Liverpool. Their only defeat until last week.
*That's not the plan. But he's a great player who can cause lots of damage, to pretty much any team. He has a great knack of scoring good goals and assisting others. And, barring a disaster, he'll be lining up on Sunday as our Captain.
*Mistakes happen. Every team make them. Who's to say, being roared on by our passionate supporters in a Wembley final (that could be their last) that our players won't step up.

Smith will make changes. Nyland will come in. AEG will be out and when he comes on as a sub later, he'll have a point to prove. Like he did at Wembley when he last played there.

[Drummond]

If we could take them to pens - somehow we have a chance as city have been reallg woeful penalty record.

Do they do ET for sure in a final? Not straight to pens?

They are good at pens when it matters, beat Chelsea in last year's final on penalties.

Would be interesting if we'd bring Reina on with a minute left if it was going to a shoot out, I'd imagine so.

I wouldn't.

[in exile]

2-4 to Man.City

[Three Spires Villa]

We beat Liverpool under 23s, not Liverpool. You know and I know that a full strength Liverpool would probably have beat us. I know anything can happen and I am hoping that in a one off game it does, Man City are below par, and we play as we never have and win the bloody thing. In all honestly I dont think we will win. I will go and sing and hopefully have a great day.

[Ads]

I'd go with;

Reina

Targett
Mings
Engels
Guilbert

Hourihane
Nakamba
Luiz

Grealish

Davis
Samatta

I'd change the system as I think Hause and Konsa have been poor and error ridden for too long. Engels and Mings are our best centre halves.

I'd have Daivs as the ball will stick. A long ball is still an out ball and I'd back him physically against their defenders.

I'd have Nakamba and Hourihane very disciplined as a defensive two to try and choke space. Onus on Hourihane to find a pass. Luiz has a decent turn of pace. Jack can play where he likes.

[cdbearsfan]

Davis is, unsurprisingly, injured.

[Ads]

Back in training today.

[Drummond]

Back in training today.

If he's fit I'd put him in too. The ball sticks to him and would give us some respite. With Samatta they could cause a stir.

[Drummond]

We beat Liverpool under 23s, not Liverpool. You know and I know that a full strength Liverpool would probably have beat us. I know anything can happen and I am hoping that in a one off game it does, Man City are below par, and we play as we never have and win the bloody thing. In all honestly I dont think we will win. I will go and sing and hopefully have a great day.

We beat the team put out in front of us. We were beating them in the league until the final minutes when they snuck the win.

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

If football always ran to form no one would watch it - anything can happen on the day.