Aston Villa v Liverpool (FAC3) Friday 8th January 7:45pm KO - Pre Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

I hope Liverpool play their first team!  The way they are playing of late, an out of sorts, over-playing Arsenal morph of a team, we will be firm favourites.  If they play their fringe team, I think they stand a better chance!  They really look out of sorts just lately.

After today there is no chance whatsoever they are playing anything like a first team.

[Hillbilly]

I'd like to see Engels get a game if only to prove he's not keeping a couple of concrete blocks company at the bottom of the Fazeley cut.

[dave17]

Win. And win the cup.

[JJ-AV]

I suspect wholesale changes but I'd like to see a half and half side

Somehting like

Heaton
Elmo - Konsa - Hause - Targett
McGinn- Nakamba
Anwar - Ramsey - Grealish
Watkins

With Barkley getting some minutes if back

[sid1964]

I have been fortunate enough to see Villa win the League, European Cup, etc. but the 1 trophy I would love us to win is the FA Cup (even if we have to watch the game from our living rooms)

Villa to win 2-1

[tomd2103]

We shouldn't really fear anyone in this competition and would like to see us play a full team on Friday night.  Given the congested fixture list in the rest of the month though, I think we will see a lot of changes.

There are a number of players that need a game as well. 

[Brazilian Villain]

As strong a team as possible with big Emi in goal (in case it goes to penalties).

[TaxDodger]

Please can we just play a full first team? We stand a really good chance of doing well in this cup if we take it seriously. I'd say we'd be about 5th favourites if we treated these games as our most important fixtures. If we're 3-0 up against Liverpool reserves then we can take off Grealish/Watkins etc. at that point.

[OCD]

Start with the team that started against United and then make 1 or 2 changes only. Maybe Ramsey for Traore with Ramsey played in the number 10 position and Jack and El Ghazi in the wide positions. Traore needs to improve his defensive side of the game like we're seeing from El Ghazi recently.

[Lastfootstamper]

5 substitutes allowed, and a sixth if it goes to extra time.

[ChicagoLion]

We need to rest players , SJM has played every minute, Jack should be on the bench, Ollie looks tired.
Heaton
Elmo Hause Mings Taylor
Marvelous Hourihane
Traore Davis AEG

[Meanwood Villa]

 I, like many others, will be disappointed if our second string go out with a whimper to Liverpool's second string. However, I also recognise that a lot of players have played a lot of games and a rest may be in order. Genuine question here, if we do play a full strength team on Friday would people be OK with players being rested for league games? If so, how do you decide which league games to rest players for? Do you rotate it? Jack rests one game, SJM the next, Ollie the next etc. It is a bit of a conundrum so I can understand why wholesale changes get made in the cup. Won't make me any happier if it looks like we chuck it on Friday though.

[levico]

Struggling to work up any enthusiasm for this tie particularly as Deano will field a second stream.

Hope for the best but maybe an early exit with dignity might be a better solution

[Nev]

I've just seen Klopp's ridiculous comments about last nights game so I've changed my mind.

Play a full team and hammer them into the middle of next week. That'll give the Bingo lookalike something to moan about.

[Risso]

I've just seen Klopp's ridiculous comments about last nights game so I've changed my mind.

Play a full team and hammer them into the middle of next week. That'll give the Bingo lookalike something to moan about.

I was wondering what you meant, then thought of the Banana Splits. A quick check shows it to be a brilliant comparison.