Aston Villa v Man City League Cup Final Pre Match Thread

[pauliewalnuts]

Still not excited about this. More concerned about the potential impact on the Leciester game. That said, it should make it less disappointing in the event we do lose and even better should we win.

That's my take on it, by and large.

I just hope we have a go at winning it, that's about it really.

[nigel]

Jack plays a blinder, and scores the winner
We stay up, but, he goes to Real Madrid for £200m
We rebuild the squad and win the league.
The following season we get to Champions League final, where we play Real Madrid
We’re winning 1-0 when we concede a last minute penalty in front of the Villa fans.
As penalty taker, Jack steps up to take penalty, he hasn’t missed all season
He balloons it over the bar Into row Z
Whips of his Madrid top to reveal a Villa t shirt with the logo ‘I’m coming home’
and runs to the fans. 👍

[Demitri_C]

As long as we show pride passion and effort the result will be irrelevant.  We are not expected to dk anything.

Lets hope we do it but i do fear a hiding based on our form and that they have beasts like aguero and sterling to unleash on us.

[Toronto Villa]

Still not excited about this. More concerned about the potential impact on the Leciester game. That said, it should make it less disappointing in the event we do lose and even better should we win.

That's my take on it, by and large.

I just hope we have a go at winning it, that's about it really.

I’ve had such a hard time thinking about it. On the back of the Southampton game, then starkly contrasted by Man City coming back to win at Real Madrid, I just don’t have any real belief or optimism about this. One of those where I hope that a miracle will happen but expect to be down 3-0 at HT.

[Richard]

I'm not going but can understand the lack of enthusiasm. We are in a relegation battle that's all consuming. Its also hardly a novelty playing at Wembley. We will likely lose. The weathers shit.

I just hope we give 110% as a certain League Cup legend would have said.

Head says 3-0 to them, the heart is going for it been decided on pens.

[rob_bridge]

I doubt we will win. In fact this is the first time I recall a final when I give us bugger all chance.

They simply have too much firepower.

[SamTheMouse]

Since I'm on the Isle of Wight for a few days, I'll be going down the pub to watch Sunday's game, and I'll be proudly wearing my Villa shirt.

My reasoning being that by the time their fifth goal goes in, everyone will be feeling so sorry for the poor bugger in the claret and blue top, that they all start buying me drinks.

If we perform like we did against Southampton, I may have to have my stomach pumped.

[darren woolley]

I'm looking forward to seeing Aston Villa in a Final again and I'm praying we upset the form books and win it will be difficult but not impossible as long as we put in our best performance and give 110% and fingers and everything else crossed we win it.

[chrisw1]

I'm just hoping for a spirited performance and a cracking atmosphere.  That will do me.

[Footy-Vill]

This is an unearthly difficult match without wanting to look at facts like Villa concede the most goals and most shots in the league And that on the field of play , Aston villa this season have been remarkably inconsistent in performanced  It's left me feeling frustrated. It is also not helped by the fact that Man City are the highest scorers in the league , Just had a morale boosting win Vs Real Madrid and have recorded and impressive 4 wins in 6 season of the EFL cup.

But here's the good thing and where I can keep shades of enthusiasm.
I'm assuming that the players have been told and can see this is a one off match.
Form ,statistics and facts have no bearing as this is just one match  and all they have to do is win it outright.
The league cup will be won by the team that scores the most goals on the day.
I can obsess about all the quality  man city players have but I'm obsessing about all the good in the Villa players. There is quality there and there is ability to score goals, play football and perform.
No matter who we play.

What Villa players and Dean Smith can have is a want to be better and want to be better than any other performance they have had this season. And especially in recent performances!
The cup final is really a chance to show all the lessons learnt from the season so far.
It stands to reason that playing high quality opposition means Villa already know they have to raise their standards and this can only be a good thing.

The fear of Villa losing and Villa losing heavily is only based on the past experiences
The actual reality is , that a team don't have the generally -considered, better players to win a cup , I don't think the better team always wins a football match. Sure the best team wins a league but a cup match ? Not always.
And we could bring the argument of best team on the day wins a football match..
And why not? Villa could be the best team Sunday
What Aston villa do need are more than 2 or 3 players performing.
And because it's a cup final I believe that the whole team will look to super perform so have some level of  enthusiasm to what can happen in a one off match.
All the players selected have an opportunity to make a positive difference and contribution and I would say I'm more hoping that expecting a positive outcome because with these players and this team we just don't know what could happen

Up the villa.

[cdbearsfan]

Ta. I'm going Marylebone. I thought the replacements were replacement buses, that's not so bad then.

Bakerloo to Wembley Central. Easy.

Thanks mate.

[Demitri_C]

Man City 1st half/ Villa 2nd half   125/1

Best bet you will ever make.

I actually stuck a tenner on that. Odds are crazy.

Imagine the scenes Barry named on the bench  comes on and scores the winner. Would there be any scenario better?

[Richard]

Remember the chant:  "We'll be running round the Bull Ring with the Cup" ?

Was that just a 70s thing - or did it last longer? With all the redevelopment of the city centre we may need to amend it. Any preferences?

I remember it being sung in the 90s.

It was sung in 94. Along with:

Tell big Ron, big Ron, to put the champagne on ice, we’re going to Wembley twice, tell big Ron, big Ron.

Robbie Fowler put paid to it with a 13 minute hatrick at Old Trafford if I’m not mistaken!!

Fowler scored the hat trick in 96 just after the win vs Leeds and when Sir Brian was manager.

[robbo1874]

The way I see it when you look back to the ‘84 team is we haven’t got a bosnich, Richardson, McGrath, Teale, Townsend, Saunders, dalian, or Yorke . Absolute class side

[robbo1874]

Who cares really about details? Wembley wins against man Utd and Leeds  scum Utd was alright.