Aston Villa v Man City League Cup Final Pre Match Thread

[andyh]

Davis and Samatta…..yes please.
This should be easy to accommodate by dropping AEG (although I appreciate how difficult that is given his superhero, manly, world saving, win at all cost, over my dead body heroics at the weekend)   

[PeterWithesShin]

Of course we have a chance, the history of the game is littered with teams winning games against much better sides. I do have to say though that trying to pass off beating the youngest side Liverpool have ever fielded as any kind of achievement is pushing it.

[Ads]

99 times out of 100 we get beat on Sunday, regardless of how well or not we play. I have no confidence we'll get anything but beat, but there still remains a very remote possibility that something inexplicable happens and we win.

[Drummond]

Of course we have a chance, the history of the game is littered with teams winning games against much better sides. I do have to say though that trying to pass off beating the youngest side Liverpool have ever fielded as any kind of achievement is pushing it.

Well, yes, I know that but I'm clinging on to the hope that the records will show that we beat them and that we gave them a great game in the League too.

[PeterWithesShin]

Reality is, if Man City are on it, we're fucked, If they are really on it and we don't turn up it could be humiliating. But if we turn up and they have an off day, and they are prone to them this season, then it's very much game on.

[Risso]

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.

We need to talk about that midfield.

[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.

I wouldn't.

Well Reina has already saved a penalty for us, saved one for Milan in his only game for them in October and was part of many winning penalty shoot outs for Liverpool so assume he saved some in those games.

Can't remember if Nyland saved any penalties in the championship, possibly one?

I don't for one second think we'll be at a point where we'll need to make that decision though.

[SoccerHQ]

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.

We need to talk about that midfield.

The alternative is Henri Lansbury.

If Hourihane starts as I suspect we need to show some ambition and actually win him some corners to take. No corners in the FA cup final suggests it's not a given if we're camping on the edge of our penalty area.

[Hookeysmith]

Just hope Madrid kick lumps out of them and they lose the game so really need a big effort on the return leg the following week

Other than that I do not think I have ever been to Wembley with such a negative feeling - which is really sad

[mallo]

Whilst I'm not writing us off, I am preparing myself for a loss. I just hope we turn up and give them a game. About 100 times what 'turned up' against Southampton.

[ktvillan]

I didn't qualify for a ticket until tonight at 5, and I was kind of relieved to see it's sold out.   I would have tried to get a ticket more out of habit than anything but I'm not sure I want to spend a small fortune and a whole day to witness it, so resigned am I to it most likely being a proper humping.  Not even sure I'll want to watch it on TV.  Sad to feel like that, but I do.   

[walsall villain]

Just hope Madrid kick lumps out of them and they lose the game so really need a big effort on the return leg the following week

Other than that I do not think I have ever been to Wembley with such a negative feeling - which is really sad

I’ve been very lucky to have gone to all our Wembley appearances since spurs in 1970 and I too have never felt so pessimistic. Can only hope City fail to take us seriously. First time I don’t feel nervous though, wish I did.

[andyh]

The odds are stacked against us...hugely, massively.
The team has a regular tendency to 'not turn up'.

But, despite all the doommongery, its a cup final for fecks sake.
Virtually every club in the country would want to be there on Sunday and it might be a long time before we are in another one.

I have put the misery of the weekend behind me (for now).

Lets just fecking enjoy being cup finalists for a few days.

   
 
       
 

[Ads]

I don't know. The inevitability of the defeat makes it a bit of a chore and totally overshadows the usual enjoyment of being at Wembley.

[darren woolley]

I'm looking forward to seeing Villa at Wembley again in a cup final I just hope and pray we perform a miracle and bring the cup home I know we are massive underdogs but I still believe we can do it I'm praying to every god out there to get us a win at Wembley.