TOTTI-THE-GOD Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I havent really posted about this match , personally i am brickin it i hate this match i hate the way it makes me feel , i loved last season i had no worries i could go into each match feeling the same , i know i probably sound like a puff but i feckin hate playin the blooose , because if we loose we never hear the blasted end of it and i dont feel very confident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabby15 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Can't wait for this, expecting a win (2-0) & it's on my birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted November 10, 2007 VT Supporter Share Posted November 10, 2007 I will love it if we beat them 4 or 5 nil. I'll love it if we beat them, full stop. Don't care if the goal is a 60 yard deflection off the refs knob You made me choke on my coco pops with that comment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahamaad Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Don't care if the goal is a 60 yard deflection off the refs knob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikantcpell Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Found this on a blues forum:There is 1 team in brum and we all know its the blues. Ridgewell had the right idea and moved to a team with a great future instead of a team that lives in the past..lol ? do they really believe that themself.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw63 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Found this on a blues forum:There is 1 team in brum and we all know its the blues. Ridgewell had the right idea and moved to a team with a great future instead of a team that lives in the past..lol ? do they really believe that themself.. Come and spend a few weeks in Brum, mate. You'll soon realise the answer to that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LT_1993 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 i reckon a 4-0 carving is on the cards that should shut the kunckle draggers up, gabby(12,36,58,85) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 i reckon a 4-0 carving is on the cards that should shut the kunckle draggers up, gabby(12,36,58,85) Make it Gabby, Luke, Zat and Gardner. One for each of the Villa fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I want Marlon to get the winner if it's gonna be a 1-0 game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 We even did em recently beating them 4-3 and it kicked off with no fans there! Bruce: Players under no illlusions Birmingham v Villa, tomorrow, kick-off 1pm Boss Bruce is predicting a fiery Second City derby.. even behind-closed-doors friendly ended in braw James Nursey 10/11/2007 Birmingham boss Steve Bruce insists his players are under no illusions about the fiery nature of tomorrow's Second City derby after a recent behind-closed-doors friendly against Villa almost ended in a brawl. Blues's clashes with their arch-rivals have been controversial since their first Premier League meeting in September 2002. The first game that season saw Villa keeper Peter Enckelman embarrassed as he conceded a goal from a team-mate's throw-in and was then taunted by home fans who invaded the pitch. Bruce believes tomorrow's match will be another tense affair as City were in the Championship last term. And the Birmingham chief got a reminder of what to expect after watching a one-off game between the clubs alongside Villa boss Martin O'Neill at Blues' training ground when the visitors won 4-3 in a heated encounter last month. "This will be a no-holdsbarred game," predicted Bruce, who never lost a derby for Manchester United or Norwich as a player. "We played a behind-closeddoors game and it was a bit spicy to say the least. "It was incredible as there were no fans and it was kicking off everywhere, so I would expect this to be just as good. You don't usually have your fierce rivals to play a friendly but I have a lot of respect for Martin and his backroom staff. "He is a proper football person and I enjoyed the game as both teams really got stuck into it. "We had a few lads who needed games and he did as well, so it was fantastic as we both stood there watching the game and enjoyed it. "We got far more out of it than you would out of a training session, and if that's anything to go by then Sunday should be okay. "They were right up for it as well and it was very good as we wanted it to be healthy and competitive. "It was 4-3 to Villa unfortunately but hopefully Sunday's result will be different. "My lads haven't frozen against the Chelseas and Man Uniteds this season so they should be okay and they will know what to expect as they have been reminded of it enough this week. "I used the prospect of being back in the big league playing the likes of Villa all last year as a carrot as the derbies have been very spectacular over the years." Tomorrow's clash sees Blues skipper Liam Ridgewell face his old club for the first time since leaving in August in a controversial £2million deal. Londoner Ridgewell can expect abuse off Villa fans but Bruce is backing the defender to handle the flak. Bruce added: "Liam had no qualms coming across the city and it helps that he is from London. "He will look forward to the game after playing 100-odd times for the Villa. It will be a big occasion but he will handle it very well like he has handled the move over here. "Liam has been a bargain and though he lacks concentration occasionally he will mature and learn to read the game better as he continues to develop." Clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 Aston Villa's strengths are well known - Atkins Nov 10 2007 By Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail ASTON Villa's modus operandi is not hard to fathom under Martin O'Neill, claimed Ian Atkins. Blues have got to be prepared to stand up to the physical challenge, and negate the pace of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor. "All Martin's teams are difficult to play against," said Atkins, the former Blues captain and promotion-winning coach. "He's always liked a big, strong side, generally with three centre-halves. "At Villa he's got Laursen and Knight in the middle, Mellberg at right-back and Bouma - who is as good as any I have seen in that position in the Premier League this season by the way - at left-back. "Really, they've got four centre-halves across the back and Villa are not exactly going to be gung-ho, but they rely on the pace out wide in Young and Agbonlahor. "Those two give them a 'get out', they can run and travel with the ball and get crosses in. "I've watched Villa quite a bit and I think they are less effective when Petrov and Carew are in the team. But, generally, they are powerful and at corners and free-kicks I am concerned for Blues. "It's always been a feature of Martin's teams - whether Wycombe, Leicester, Celtic - that they score a lot from set-pieces and Villa are showing signs of becoming very good in that department." Clicky O'Neill: I don't regret selling Villa derby hero Nov 10 2007 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail DERBY specialist Kevin Phillips etched his name into folklore when he finally ended Birmingham City's stranglehold over their bitter rivals with the only goal of the game two years ago when Villa were last at St Andrew's. But he soon found himself suprlus to requirements when Martin O'Neill breezed into town. Just 10 months after his goal gave Villa their first league win at Blues in 18 years, the former England striker was on the bench at Arsenal as the Irishman's brand new era took shape. Youngsters Gabby Agbonlahor and Luke Moore were both in the side at The Emirates, as was wiser old head of Juan Pablo Angel. But with an injured Milan Baros three weeks from a return, and with Albion and former club Sunderland vying for his signature, the signs were that Phillips was to be on his way. Phillips chose Albion for family reasons and rattled in his 32nd goal in just 50 starts against Sheffield Wednesday in midweek before a knee injury cruelly brought his season to a juddering halt. So does Villa boss O'Neill regret selling him? No. But at the same time he always knew Phillips would prove a hit in the Championship. And to be fair to O'Neill, he was faced with an almighty task of over-hauling an ageing strike force at Villa with his young guns requiring some form of incentive to stay. And he was also looking to be kind to Phillips, who had received a terrific offer from Albion to extend his career. "I don't regret selling him - I've never thought about it," said O'Neill. "In December, I wasn't thinking back to August - there's no point running around thinking about those things. That never crossed my mind. "At the time, it looked odds-on he was going to go to Sunderland as they had been asking about him. Then Albion came in for him quite late and he wanted to stay in the area. "Kevin wanted to play regular first-team football and he wanted to drop down a division because he felt with a bit of luck he could score a number of goals to get Albion back up again, or he could score a number of goals at Sunderland if it came to that. "He had permission to speak to both clubs." Phillips has been the scurge of Wolves ever since he quit Villa Park for The Hawthorns. His four goals for Sunderland against Newcastle make him a legend in the North East, while a late winner for Southampton over Portsmouth is likewise revered on the South Coast. Villa could perhaps do with his guile at St Andrew's tomorrow, but O'Neill is clear in his thoughts that there was not room for both Phillips and Juan Pablo Angel, both top-quality strikers who wanted to drop deep. "Kevin wanted to drop off and do little things, and Juan wanted to do the same," recalls O'Neill, who was soon faced with an injury crisis at Villa Park. "We were trying to find a pattern of play that would suit people. "Four months later you can always think you shouldn't have done it because of injuries - as always happens. "But if Kevin had said he wanted to see it through to January, it wouldn't have been a problem and I'd have kept him on. "In the course of that, we had an emerging Luke Moore and the side didn't change that much until Luke got injured after eight games. "I don't think Kevin would have been enamoured, with the career he's had of scoring goals, with sitting on the bench - or perhaps not. "Who knows - he might have come on in a game in September, scored two goals in a Premier League game and things might have been different. "But he felt he was coming to that stage of his career when he needed to be playing regularly and Albion afforded him that chance to do it, as did Sunderland at the same time. "I thought he would go back to Sunderland but because of his family here, he went to Albion. But would he score goals in the Championship? Of course." O'Neill added: "If every player who was left out the team came in and asked to leave, I'd have no team. "Players have to fight for a position in the side, but at the start of last season we went in with Juan Pablo as our centre forward. "With all due respect to both of them, I couldn't see him and Kevin Phillips." With Villa having not set foot in St andrew's since October 2005, supporter memories will inevitably drift back towards the scene of Philips' greatest triumph in a claret and blue shirt. The derby was approaching the midway point in the first half when Gareth Barry's deft back-heel allowed Phillips room to manoeuvre just inside the 18-yard line. Phillips left marker Martin Taylor sprawling before unleashing a left-footed shot which was parried by Maik Taylor but still nestled in the net. "Villa finally got the monkey off their back that day," Phillips recalls. "It meant a lot to me to score that goal. It wasn't until I came to Villa that I realised how much the fans wanted us to beat Blues. "It was great to score the winning goal and it went down really well with Villa supporters. They still talk about it now when I see them. But Blues have a very different side now from the one we played that season." After six games without a win including four defeats, Phillips' strike was special in every way. He added: "I'd be some sort of lunatic if I said I wasn't happy scoring a winner in a derby. "It made it even sweeter that it was away from home. The fans waited a long time for it and they were fantastic that day. Both sets of supporters were excellent and the atmosphere was electrifying." Clicky Villa manager expecting a fresh test from Birmingham Nov 10 2007 By Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail MARTIN O'Neill made frequent trips to St Andrew's during Birmingham's promotion push last term - but that homework will count for nothing tomorrow with the Irishman admitting: "We are up against a completely different team." O'Neill took chief scout Ian Storey-Moore back to Blues to see their recent home clash with Wigan Athletic. And he was astounded by the degree of change. "I know that Birmingham City has changed," he said. "I saw them play last season and I know they had a couple of players on loan from Arsenal. "Then I went there the other week and I saw a different-looking Birmingham to the side I'd seen previously. But it wasn't just a case of different personnel, but people improving. "I might be totally wrong, but I thought they looked a new-look Birmingham City. They have a good strength about them." Despite surging to promotion last season with 86 points, Blues have struggled to make the step up this term. They have won only three of their opening 12 fixtures to lie seven points and five places behind Villa, who have a game in hand. They actually scored three of their 12 goals in front of O'Neill against Wigan. But O'Neill can sense that, but for a late turn-around at Goodison Park, Blues would be on the front foot. And it is worth pointing out that three successive defeats to the high-flying trio of Manchester City, Manchester United and Blackburn were all by the single goal. "Against Wigan that day they showed they are capable of scoring goals now, and I think they have been genuinely a bit unlucky in some of the games," said O'Neill. "They have conceded late but then I saw a game last Monday night when Sunderland dominated proceedings at Manchester City in the second half (and lost 1-0) - so who is to say?" Blues came back from behind twice to beat Wigan and O'Neill said: "I thought Birmingham did really fine. "I thought they had the ability to score a few goals. They looked quite dangerous. There was a bit of strength and a bit of purpose about them." O'Neill believes Blues' chief threat could come from England Under-21 striker Cameron Jerome, a £3million buy from Cardiff City who has scored three goals this season. Clicky Villa fan is a big noise on the TV Nov 10 2007 VILLA nut Craig Cochrane is becoming a bit of a celebrity. He sometimes gets recognised in the pub and at 6ft 4in has a character to match his bulk. We now live in a football age where fans really do have mikes. And Cochrane has been the face of Villa on Sky's Fanzone for the past six seasons. The 36-year-old Woking-based systems manager, whose family hail from Redditch, was picked for the home clash with Ipswich Town in December 2001 and has never looked back. Now, if armchair fans get sick of Martin Tyler, Rob Hawthorne or whoever is commentating on Sky's coverage, they press their red buttons and get an ear-bashing from Craig and Co. Cochrane went to his first game at the age of five. "It was Everton at home," he remembers. "We won a lot in those early years. I was 10 when we won the European Cup, all my family went to Rotterdam. I watched it on TV." Rather apt that, as he spends a lot of his time behind the cameras when Villa are on the big screen. "The difficult part is not to swear," he says. "We are all told we mustn't - and that can be very tricky when Villa play. So there is a lot of 'oh my gosh!' and that sort of thing. "Anyone who's seen me knows I get very animated. But it's good fun. You have a bit of banter with your opposite number, and a lot of fans across the country text in. I like to wind up the Scots." Cochrane was also the Villa representative on the Monday Night Football Panel hosted at first by Andy Gray and Richard Keys. And as such an expert, how does he see tomorrow's game? "Villa are slight favourites on current form, but whenever I tip them they get turned over," he said. "I actually think the minimum we will get is a point - 2-1 is my guess. I think we will be too strong. Blues are struggling. "This is the most confident I have felt for a long time going there. "Under David O'Leary we were laboured on the break, now we have got pace. Gabby Agbonlahor has been fantastic and Ashley Young has got frightening speed. If they get the ball, they are gone. Birmingham's full-backs will be on tenterhooks." Cochrane's one regret is that because of security, he won't be at the game. We do it from Sky's box in Isleworth, in Middlesex," he said. "They want to do it from the grounds, but with the amount of noise we make - and if Villa score tomorrow I will be going bonkers - I'd have all sorts thrown at me." Clicky Villa duo pose derby danger to Blues - Francis Nov 10 2007 By Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail VILLA captain Gareth Barry has been instrumental for them this season - and Trevor Francis reckons if John Carew is also involved, that could spell danger for Blues tomorrow. "I think Martin O'Neill has had a different budget to what Steve Bruce has," he says, assessing Villa's team so far. "Barry has been outstanding this season, in the centre of the park. "And you think that Barry came here and he was playing as a central defender, then full-back and left of midfield. "It was the back end of last season when he was converted to the centre of midfield and that's where he has blossomed to become one of the country's outstanding players. "There is much more pace about this Villa team than there was last season. "That's why I think it is important for them that Carew is available because then it gives Martin the option of releasing Agbonlahor to the wing as he has been playing as a central striker in the absence of Carew. "Agbonlahor's greatest attribute is his pace. He puts defenders under pressure and there is always that fear factor. "He has learned the position and is progressing since playing there. "He is never going to be a clever player with guile, he's not that type. "But he knows what his strength is and as long as he simplifies it and plays to it, he can be very effective. "Much will depend on Carew. With him being there, it gives them that extra height and it then becomes important in the scheme of things in what Villa want to do. "He's 6ft 5in and although he's not outstanding in the air, he is going to win an amount of flick-ons and he has got the ability with his size and strength to retain possession and bring other players into the game. "Young is having a good season. He gives them a good attacking outlet and option on both sides. "With him and Agbonlahor, you have the cleverness of Young on one side and the raw pace of Agbonlahor on the other. "If these players are available, then it strengthens Villa's team and gives them far more potency." Clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc89 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Jez, chill out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 Eh :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LT_1993 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 i think he is telling you to take a break after a rapid post spree of articles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMarlon Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I'm absolutely bricking it about this game now. The majority of people I work with are noses as are most of the people who live near me. Losing will be unbearable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HJ Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 i think he is telling you to take a break after a rapid post spree of articles nah go on, good reads those Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jez Posted November 10, 2007 Author Share Posted November 10, 2007 Funny load of monkey crap this is! Bruce lives in 2007 - does O'Neill? Steve Bruce outmaneuvered Martin O'Neill in the transfer window in the summer and his superior awareness of the modern game will pay dividends tomorrow - Birmingham will beat Aston Villa, and will beat them well. It's a bold prediction to make, but given Bruce's track record in derby matches as a player and a manager - and O'Neill's failure to reproduce his moments of genius he occasionally showed before leaving Celtic - it's the only one that can be made. One way to compare the two managers is to look at the Liam Ridgewell situation. O'Neill let Ridgewell move to St Andrews for £2million and then signed Zat Knight for £3million. Is Knight worth £1million more than Ridgewell? Is Knight even a better player than Ridgewell? Even the most optimistic of Villa fans would have trouble answering those questions truthfully. When O'Neill left English football for Celtic in 2000 he probably didn't realise how much the game would change in 2006. While there was obviously pressure at Celtic, it was a totally different kind of pressure. Domestically, he only had four truly important games a season to worry about and, apart from reaching the final of Europe's second-string competition, he didn't achieve much in Europe. He left Celtic in 2005, as his wife was ill and he wanted to care for her. Now, that's a very noble thing to do and no points should be scored because of the seriousness of the situation. However, it cannot be denied that in the year he was away from management, the game changed even more. So fast-forward another year to when Doug Ellis appointed O'Neill as Villa boss. Yes, that's right - despite tomorrow's visitors wanting to forget it was Doug Ellis who appointed O'Neill it really did happen! O'Neill had finally returned to English football, to a real football league and to a club who were in a totally different position to Celtic. What did he do then? Well, he brought in some old cronies first - Chris Sutton, Didier Agathe and, last but not least, Stiliyan Petrov! The Bulgarian who has set the world alight after moving for somewhere between £6.5-£8million with his woeful displays is perhaps a good example of how someone can be look legendary in the SPL, but utter garbage in the English Premier League. Being fair for a moment, it's only right to admit that O'Neill had little time to really act in the transfer market as the sale of the club to American credit card man Randy Lerner took a long time to complete. Though that doesn't explain O'Neill's actions in the January and summer transfer windows of this year. Too many times, and even Villa fans would surely admit this, O'Neill has made comments about not wanting to be held to ransom by clubs asking for lots of money for their players. Well, Martin, the amount of money clubs command for players has increased by quite a large amount since you were at Leicester - and surely you must have realise that during your time as a pundit, while performing your "I'm Martin O'Neill, aren't I great" act? So if money is an issue, why pay that mad amount of cash for Petrov? Scottish clubs can't command the sort of money English clubs can for players, nowhere near as much, yet there didn't seem to be much complaints there. Is you concern really money? Or are you, perhaps, just saying that because you don't want to let the Villa 'faithful' know the truth - that players don't actually want to play for a team of mid-table long-ballers? Sure, that might not be anywhere near the truth, but with the Petrov fee, combined with the Ashley Young transfer, things don't appear to add up. Perhaps it would do if we travelled back in time to 2000 at Leicester, who knows. Tomorrow should be interesting - for Birmingham City have a manager who knows he is managing Birmingham City in 2007. But can Aston Villa make the same claim - or is Martin O'Neill stuck in a time-warp where he is trying to transform Villa into Leicester City of 2000-ish, where he can get back into his comfort zone...? Clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stato Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I read the first couple of paragraphs and then looked at the source, which explained a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRL Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Was bored to looked into some forums. I found this a tad funny.. I'd rather we beat villa and got relegated than lose twice and stay up. Anyone who says otherwise isn't a true blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw63 Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Was bored to looked into some forums. I found this a tad funny.. I'd rather we beat villa and got relegated than lose twice and stay up. Anyone who says otherwise isn't a true blue. Its always been that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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