Vindiesel

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Any spares please PM me!

One spare adult Row A JL3 seat 74 Adult £38.

pm if interested

So probably:

Guzan

Beye Davies Clark Warnock

Albrighton NRC Bannan Downing

Heskey Weimann

Maybe?

That is exactly the team they surmised on Radio WM tonight.

I'm not particularly happy, as at this early stage of the season we should have kept an unchanged starting line up and battered these ****

How do you play an unchanged line up with Milner sold & Richard Dunne suspended.

Ceullar, Collins, Gabby, Sidwell and Carew injured. Even if carew was not injured he is not a 2 game week man with his fitness & injury record.

This debate of a so called weak squad centres on A, Young, luke young & Petrov all rested, 3 players. Not what I would call massive changes when most of the missing are injured, one sold & one suspended.

K Mac at least has a right back to replace L young.

As we play today, next sunday then thursday and next sunday with Everton(H) he has no choice but to use the squad.

Just be making the same mistake as Oneil if he risked unfit players.

Isn't Chiltern railways the one that runs right next to Wembley. As in Wembley overground station. I could have sworn they do direct trains back on match days from that station, it does get very busy, but they have the queues well sorted and the station is at the very most 15 minutes from leaving your seat.

Not the cheapest option but on OS site ticket update announcement at the bottom of page gives a link to Thomas Cook putting on train charter travel from Witton station to wembley £39 return.

I wouldn't normally miss a home game but just can't get excited about this game - even for a tenner. Personally, I am getting slightly fed up of MON's predictability and failure to try things when things are not working and a change is required. I can see this game being fairly turgid - I hope I am proved wrong!

If Coker is unfit and he is going to rest Stan I can't begin to imagine what side he will put out as I don't see us having another CM'er that can play the DCM role?? Sidwell I suppose with Delph in front of him?

Im a bit disapointed that injured carew has suddenly gone low prophile as the winter bites like last year. We need to rotate in this game and rest Gabby/Heskey, Petrov, & Milner and Reo is also injured. This is the difference between us & Arsenal & the other sky 4. They will rest key players in advance of tough midweek fixtures in prem.

Beye should be in at R.Back. L.young. LB. Delph in. Sidwell.

I know training injuries occur but christ big John has only played subs games since full start v liverpool game.

I'm putting the cup final behind now as we need to realise we could get into a mini slump in Prem if Arsenal win on wednesday. 1 point in last 9.

They are resting players at Stoke on Sunday.

If we cant rotate against Brighton, the next round if we get through, may not be so easy depending on draw.

Shit me. What a game. Never been to a game with 10 goals scored before!

WEM-BER-LEY, WEM-BER-LEY, We're the famous Aston Villa and we're going to Wembley, WEM-BER-LEY, WEM-BER-LEY!!!

With Hull away now cancelled that is the sort of fixture congestion I can live with.

Is it Wigan Wallgate train station we want?

If you are coming from Birmingham on the main line, Wigan North western is the West coast main line station stop that carries on to Glasgow.

Wigan Wallgate is more of a connecting station for the north west for links to liverpool & greater manchester areas.

The 2 stations are on opposite sides of the same main road in Wigan so you can't lose your bearings to & from the ground.

Lets hope the trains are okay if the game is on.

Was driving in the Chester area monday and things were okay until monday night when manchester and Lancashire up to Cumbria got battered.

I got travel on trains & tickets for every away game right up to Spurs on 6th of Feb. Any cancellations mean lost train fares and hassle with midweek rearranged games I cannot be sure to make.

The only game I not prepared to book advanced travel is Hull on sat 27th Feb, because of a certain fixture at wembley on sunday the 28th feb that I hope AVFC will taking part in.

8)

Better not be off, I have had to arrange acceptable train times and prices and taxis for my small Kingstanding travelling army, we will be extremely pissed off if it's postponed.

chelmsley_villan: How many changes does that journey have and does it stop at Stafford because that might be the train we are getting

It has no changes, goes direct, not sure if it goes through stafford though??

I hope the game is on because the tickets i have got are the advanced ones that you cant get a refund on!

The game being on or off is one concern.

My concern is the rail companies are struggling like hell with cancellations and reduced services all over. This includes Virgins route to Wigan and all stations up the Northwest to Cumbria. I booked months ago for 18:50 quid rtn. I am more bothered about getting their with train delays & cancellations if the game is on.

The rest is good for the players but we don't need a fixture pile up and then midweek re arranged games that fans can't get to.

8)

The way we lost last year should make it very easy for MON to fire up the players. This is the game we have been waiting for - to put things right. We owe them BIG time and I would imagine everyone being really up for it.

If we did not owe them I would fear this game, but we do and they have a beating waiting for them.

We drew with them at home last season....

Although we do owe them due to the manner in which it happened.

Pity these are not playing tonight due to Fulham in europa league as they will be rested, but these are the tests for us now when you are on a good run.

Just an opinion regarding the turn out at the match. I couldn't give a flying one how many we took. At the end of the day, we're 10 days way from Christmas, it's the second time we've played at the SOL in 2 months, we're still on the back end of a recession, it was a Tuesday night, it was a freezing, tickets were £27, and a lot of people had just paid £50ish to go to Man Ure 3 days ago.

Looking at the some Sunderland sites, they're panning us for our turn out, but I can 100% confirm the 700 odd of us that were there could not have been more passionate and vocal. So to reiterate I couldn't give a shit if we take 50 or 5000 to an away game. We still all get behind the lads and make a good time of it no matter what.

I will second that.

Smoke screen from sunderland fans because their turn out was s**te.

There were large gaps all over the sunderland ground and they had their strongest side out and were crap. The stand opposite behind the goal to villa fans was akin to Boro attendances.

We Villa gave them s**t support number so they need not take the high ground over out turnout.

When they have to pay out all the shekels that we are doing for the glut of games coming up, due our current run, then maybe they can offer excuses. But for now button it Brucey no mates team.

Correct 700 villa out chanted that poor excuse for another north east lumbering so called giant.

Only 34k attendence in 49K stadium says it all and they are the home side.

Theirs only one Jimmy Milner( & Stuart Downing), sunderland suckers.

Thats grattitude for you when we shoved the magpies over the cliff for them and saved their bacon along with Hull, last season end.

UTV

8)

Just overjoyed with this result. I thought the whole team, once again, played their part. What is really heartening, is that I finally have a lot of confidence in our defense. Don't get me wrong, I thought Laursen was excellent, but I was never comfortable, even when he was playing at his best. But lately I can see 3 CM's who just ooze class and Cuéllar in particular comes in for special mention by me - for turning around what wasn't the greatest of starts at the club and really showing what MON saw in him, and why we paid what we did.

I also remember a number of times when people have questioned the fee paid for Milner - and I've always said it was bloody peanuts compared to what his worth is going to be, and this season in particular he has shown why I've always believed that about him. Another incredible display and goal.

It was really tough to give MOTM to anyone, because I think they have all deserved some mention, but I have gone for Cuéllar - for no other reason than I think his improvement deserves some sort of recognition, and its so difficult to choose between him, Dunne and Milner, because all three were immense again, with everyone only a hairsbreadth behind.

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

I feel the same really

Working in Leeds yesterday and made the de-tour home to birmingham via the A1M to Sunderland. The trip home was all the more sweet with

great performance. Got home at 2:30 am with match sticks keeping the eyes open on drive back.

Potatoe Head put in his place again.

I think Bruce is haunted by villa fans which ever club he moves to.

He has a permanent black cloud over his head when the villa fans turn up.

Next level for us is to kill off teams early so we can bring subs on to rest key players. We had some good chances to bury them early i.e young hitting post for one & downing hitting bar with goal keeper stranded

8)

Not that anytime is a good time to go to OT but i really fancy us on sat...

They are carrying a few knocks and If we can keep playing like that and get a bit of luck on the way then who knows!..

will be havin a few quid on us @ 6's...

Paul Scholes is banned for this game as he picked up a 5th yellow at West Ham yesterday.

8)

Semi Final 1 w/c 4th January 2010

Semi Final 2 w/c 18th January 2010

Didnt want to get ahead of myself and post the final date!

Well at least we know the away leg will be in manchester or London, giving the teams involved, unless blackburn cause an upset.

Draw tonight after cup games tonight.

Avram Grant said league is priority so will probably play a weakened side. No excuses if he does.

Leaving soon gonna have a breakfast at Wetherspoons first then off to Portsmouth

I think they have about 4 cup tied players as it is.

Do not belive this is a bonus to us as initialy thought. In previous rounds they have scored 11 goals with a mainly reserve side with no James in goal or the cup tied group and Dindane only played two rounds so far. We may be find a first string team less likey to play better than the reserves who want to impress. They hit a weakend Stoke at home 4-0 last round with the reserves so we have to be at our best.

If villa want it they need to graps it.

Guzan

Beye

Cuellar

Dunne

Warnock

Gardner

Delph

Sidwell

Young

Gabby

Heskey

That midfield has no chance. Gardner & Sidwell for me aint strong enough or creative. Delph is to reckless with tackling he is one tackle away from being a red card risk.

Pompey have O'Hare & Prince Boetang cup tied. Too much at stake now to put weak midfield out. This is one step from semi final not 3rd round.

Given our poor showing with spurs home in midifield. If we blow this playing weak midfield with Pompey forced into changes we will look stupid.

Warnock back if recovered from illness. And Luke young at right back.

Beye may be rested on bench as he had a stern test on sat with spuds. played well though with crouch on his back.

Reo must be doubtfull now after knee injury on sat.

Cannot see him resting Milner.

Might rest Ash and start with Downing.

Collins will not be risked as Dunne & Cuellar doing fine.

This is pathetic to be honest. They win one game 9-1 and suddenly everyone thinks they are world beaters. Complete joke! We beat Bolton 5-1 a few weeks back, or have you all forgot that?

We can beat Spurs and I'm going for 2-1 to us. Sure, they may be on form. I know for a fact that we are capable of bursting their bubble though. We are just as good, if not better. Chin up and lets get behind the lads. Spurs hav a weak back four and we can exploit that. Of course we need to be up for it. I think we will be for this one though as it it a big match. UTV!

Agreed. while they have scored lots of goal, againts poor defences,

They scrapped past SHA 2-1. drew with mighty bolton 2-2. Beat mighty Preston & Doncaster carling cup 5-1. Stoke who can defend they lost 1-0.

And as they say in black adder the lasting turd in the water bowl is when they come up against the quality status quo in top 4 the got rear ended by Chelsea, utd & lay down and thought of england at Arsenal.

And Titus (flying pig bramble) & look at my hair do Scharner took the day off and they are world beaters, i think not.

When Barca , Real, Milan, Chelsea, utd, Inter, Bayern, Juve, get done 9-1 by spuds drop me a pm.

Just like my villa, everton & Citeh, spuds are the big pretenders to the top 4 until we all prove consistant.

P.S my advice to all posting there prefered side forget Collins, you need to keep up to date with todays post by MON on his groin injury. You can take it he is not going to make it.

He is too important to risk long term injury. Hope he is back for Pompey next tues.

I think he has been the main reason for our solid defence.

This is the match thread.

The thread will be kept for posterity. Please remember this when posting.

All these players are cup tied and will not be available to pompey.

Jamie O'Hara (Spuds loan)

Kevin Prince Boateng (played for spuds before transfer)

Mike Williamson & Tomy smith squad players (played for watford)

8)

---------------Friedel----------------

Young--Cuellar--Dunne--Warnock

Milner---Petrov--Sidwell---Young

-----Agbonlahor--Carew-----

That's my guess. Anyone know when Collins is back?

Suprised if Collins is back. As he sufferd a reaction friday before Burnley game. Oneil cannot afford to take chances with him in case it turns into a gerrad/torres type injury were he plays less than 100% and is then out for long spells. With his injury it looks like k.clarke & Davis when fit will be needed in the new year for cover.

8)

Petrov > Sidwell, certain people just need to accept that.

It;s your opinion and for what it's worth I agree with you to some extent but who would I rather see in the starting line up? Steve Sidwell, suits our play so much more, 2 hard working, energetic, hard running central midfielder can retain possesion and win the ball in midfield and let our wide players and forward players do what they can do. Petrov just slows the game down for us.

I litterally never see Sidwell do anything though... he doesn't do anything in attack and anything in defence, he just feels like a waste of space and he's had his chance to impress MON and he hasn't really done it. His miss from the rebound from Milner's penalty two weeks ago just somes up Steve Sidwell for me... just not good enough.

I know people don't like hearing this, but what we're effectively doing right now is replacing Barry with Sidwell which is why it's severely weakened our midfield. You just can't do that and the longer MON insists shoe-horning Sidwell into the side, the longer it'll be before we make some real progression. Petrov was our best player last season and has shown how good he can be, Sidwell has not yet shown that ability and I hope I'm wrong, but my mind is pretty much made up regarding Steve Sidwell.

Petrov & Reo for me today.

Petrov plays the best holding role in front of back four for me. Retains & distributes the ball better than Reo.

Reo is better than Sids at the present in the centre midfield forward role.

Sidwell seams a shadow of the player that put the ball in at Everton last year and at Arsenal last season.

8)

Stato; thank you for the clarity.

Trent; if Petrov and Milner don't make it, would you still go with a 4-5-1 and if so who would you have in it?

Martin states he has stronger squad than last year. He needs to let go sometime before injury forces his hand.

On monday on OS site he pointed out Jimmy Milner had calf problem last friday from sunderland game. I was at Everton and you could see he was not right from the start.

Top 4 and citeh, spuds and would have rotated with out risking.

If Petro is not fit dont risk him just end up injured for longer spell.

Use the squad.

Give Reo/Delph a chance or consider Albrighton on the wing if he has Heskey or Carew on bench. We cant got on playing the same squad and repeat mistakes of last season.

Great performance from Collins e Milner.

And 5 minutes of Emile Heskey are more effective than 70 of an unwatchable Carew.

We have replaced Laursen with Collins & Dunne.

Barry we have not until we can get Downining & in the future Delph going.

The only passing and moving we did gave use the goal.

Sidwell is showing his limits without barry along side.

Heskey is a better option as Carew is not lazy but his lack of pre season and fitness is way off the rest of the side. Carew had an exteneded summer break and it shows.

Im going via preston booked it about 3 weeks ago cost me 16.50 return

Cannot make this game now due to Birthday party.

Any takers for train tickets 20 quid booked.

PM if interested.

Journey 1 : BIRMINGHAM N ST to BLACKBURN @ GBP 16.00

Original Adult Full Fare GBP 16.00 (1 @ GBP 16.00)

Journey 2 : BLACKBURN to BIRMINGHAM NEW ST @ GBP 6.50

Original Adult Full Fare GBP 6.50 (1 @ GBP 6.50)

TOTAL charged GBP 22.50

Journey 1 : Birminghan New St BLACKBURN

Ticket Type: ADVANCE SINGLE

Route: This ticket is only valid for travel on Virgin Trains West Coast services and connections

Outward Journey: Saturday, 26/09/2009

departs BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET at 10:20 travel by Train service provider VIRGIN TRAINS to station PRESTON arrives 11:51 Coach: A - Seat: 42A,

departs PRESTON at 12:22 travel by Train service provider NORTHERN RAIL to station BLACKBURN arrives 12:46

Journey 2 : BLACKBURN to Birmingham New St

Ticket Type: ADVANCE SINGLE

Route: This ticket is only valid for travel on Virgin Trains West Coast services and connections,

Outward Journey: Saturday, 26/09/2009

departs BLACKBURN any train from 17:35 travel by Train service provider NORTHERN RAIL to station PRESTON arrive 19:00

departs PRESTON at 19:17 travel by Train service provider VIRGIN TRAINS to station BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET arrives 20:56 Coach: A - Seat: 36A,