Wycombe vs Aston Villa pre match thread LC R3

[Toronto Villa]

How weak a team can we actually field these days?

To be able to bring on Bailey, Barkley, Maatsen, Duran and Buendia is hilarious. Especially knowing there's a Mings and a Kamara who aren't yet in the squad.

I was thinking the same the other day. Our “weakened” side isn’t exactly weak anymore. The players will all play to the same system. They all train with the same purpose and intensity. The same manager will be sat in the dug out. It’s not like when Emery first arrived and his methods and disciplines hadn’t yet been embraced throughout the club. The culture is very different now. The players who will play tonight all want major PL and CL minutes. So while this might the 4th ranked in terms of priorities and he will likely rest 7 or 8 players who have featured more regularly, the ones coming in can’t just take the night off. I expect the side he puts out tonight to be very competent and have more than enough ability to see the task through professionally.

[Risso]

The trouble is, however good the players are, the team performance always suffers when there are wholesale changes, as there's usually very little cohesion. We should still have more than enough to win tonight, but the challenge and decision for Emery will come if we win and get drawn against a difficult Premier League side next round.

[Footy-Vill]

Lost to Everton last season  with several changes including resting Watkins and Martinez and Duran playing instead I think it helps playing a league one side this occasion with anticipated changes like Gauci in goal and Duran starting again up front a year on expecting a decent showing and enthusiasm from those playing today.

[cdbearsfan]

Dont risk any first teamers please. If we lose we lose.
Frankly with the strains on players being a focus these days I think this cup needs a revamp, U21s and similar.

That sounds like an utterly dreadful idea, the sort of thing arrogant Man U fans come out with.

This is our best chance of winning a cup, and has been a crucial part of our history. I've no wish to turn it into a new version of the Windscreens Shield. We should be able to rest a few and still get through, though.

Fair enough, personally for me the bigger picture is champions league and premier league and our squad doesn't have the depth to fight on 4 fronts, even if we did win this cup in 1996 and we miss out on the £100,000 prize money. I don't think this is arrogant at all.

No, neither do I. It's clearly the least of our priorities. But saying it should be turned into an under-21 competition because it's an inconvenience was the arrogant bit.

[django]

I can’t remember going into a game like this, expecting lots of changes, but where so many of  the players coming in had a serious claim to maybe becoming first choice. And not because the first team is doing so badly they couldn’t do any worse.

It’s obviously very early in the season but I’m massively impressed by our squad building, especially considering the restrictions we had to deal with.

[olaftab]

As much as I hate to say it, put out the stiffs tonight - Sacrifice this cup for the greater good.

Need all the downtime we can get between now and Xmas (*Unai included). Keep the players fresh for a 2025 push for silverware, INCLUDING that damn illusive FA Cup!

I don't normally associate you with spouting bollocks but you have done so here.

[Ads]

I don't mind us doing a Liverpool and playing a load of nippers. I would rather win the league or the European Cup anyway.

[olaftab]

Or? Aston Villa FC must always compete in every competition to win.

[Clark W Griswold]

There is no need to play the nippers though when Maatsen, Buendia, Duran, Barkley, Bailey, Ned, Gauci, Bogarde and Carlos have probably averaged a couple of games or so each so far this season. Ramsey is also still building strength after a long term injury so play them all. It's great to be in the position to pick a team with those players because they could use the game time.

[PeterWithesShin]

Our squad players should be more than enough to see off a side that our U21s could face and that lost at home to sha.

[Demitri_C]

As much as I hate to say it, put out the stiffs tonight - Sacrifice this cup for the greater good.

Need all the downtime we can get between now and Xmas (*Unai included). Keep the players fresh for a 2025 push for silverware, INCLUDING that damn illusive FA Cup!

I don't normally associate you with spouting bollocks but you have done so here.

Relax no need for that.

I dont agree entirely with his opinion but i can see why he feels that way. Even unai has said this is lowest priority

[Baldy]

Unai will have analysed what it will take to beat Wycombe without taking too many unnecessary risks.

I'm expecting 8 or 9 changes from the Wolves game and a strong bench. If need be, we can send the cavalry in.

It is important we keep all squad players feeling 'included, involved and wanted' if we are to progress deep in the major competitions.

0-2 to the villa.

[Footy-Vill]

Whats the Wanderers thing all about ? It must be nomadic
There's Wolverhampton and Bolton which are completely different areas that's also called Wanderers.
Could these clubs not use the term now if they have settled.

[LeeB]

Whats the Wanderers thing all about ? It must be nomadic
There's Wolverhampton and Bolton which are completely different areas that's also called Wanderers.
Could these clubs not use the term now if they have settled.

Would imagine it's because of these chaps:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanderers_F.C.

[VillaTim]

just leaving London, theres lots of delays on the chiltern line around Banbury / Bicester for anyone heading down by train. Good luck