Pre-Match Thread Cup Final 6 of 10

[brummybloke]

4 minutes ago, VillaCon said:

Ye start Karen, she can complain to the ref for 90mins, try and get some decisions coming our way. 

Just saw and edited it. Crap predictive text yet when I type yhe instead of the, the bloody thing never changes it !!!

[duke313]

We haven't got back to back wins against United since 1992 (league and cup).  We haven't got back to back league wins since 1976 (75/76 and 76/77 seasons).  We haven't done the league double over them since 1954.  

Emery is going to put all them to bed.  I'm confident about this one.  Extra rest days, and if we are fired up like we were against Newcastle, we'll batter this lot.

[DJBOB]

Cash, Kamara, Bailey and Coutinho all out as expected but sounds like cavalry might be ready for a tough Wolves away. 

[VillaParkAvenue]

29 minutes ago, DJBOB said:

Cash, Kamara, Bailey and Coutinho all out as expected but sounds like cavalry might be ready for a tough Wolves away. 

How would we even deal with another injury at this point? The bench looked pretty thin last time.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Standard 12 v 11 handicap then

 

[DJBOB]

41 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

How would we even deal with another injury at this point? The bench looked pretty thin last time.

Mings and Watkins I’m most worried about. Midfield can be cobbled together but Mings and Watkins are most problematic if they go out. 
 
United look just as shattered if not more so though. 

[srsmithusa]

Reasons to temper enthusiasm and Hope.  Villa's history.  Referee "vagaries."  Injuries.  Our repeated difficulties with ManU.  Fatigue.  all great runs have to end.   All of these are articulated above.  The main reason?  "A pessimist is never disappointed."  Hope can lead to deeper disappointment.  So protect myself from disappointment

Reasons to keep the hope high.  If Unai and the lads, tempered their hopes as fans tend to, we would be livid.  We want them hoping and expecting success and then if it doesn't come into reality, be severely disappointed.  So join the lads.   Hope.  Hope big.  Expect success.  then deal with the disappointment if I need to.  Just like I want the team to approach it.

in that vein.  Villa  3-0  Watkins, Buendia, OG

 

[Marka Ragnos]

1 hour ago, srsmithusa said:

Reasons to temper enthusiasm and Hope.  Villa's history.  Referee "vagaries."  Injuries.  Our repeated difficulties with ManU.  Fatigue.  all great runs have to end.   All of these are articulated above.  The main reason?  "A pessimist is never disappointed."  Hope can lead to deeper disappointment.  So protect myself from disappointment

Reasons to keep the hope high.  If Unai and the lads, tempered their hopes as fans tend to, we would be livid.  We want them hoping and expecting success and then if it doesn't come into reality, be severely disappointed.  So join the lads.   Hope.  Hope big.  Expect success.  then deal with the disappointment if I need to.  Just like I want the team to approach it.

in that vein.  Villa  3-0  Watkins, Buendia, OG

 

Hiding from the potential for pain is a loser strategy for Villa players and managers, but for Villa supporters? It's the essence of survival. 

[Marka Ragnos]

One of my best mates is Manure, and he's very worried. The injury situation has him down, but even with their injuries, they have a killer squad. We've got to keep Rashford impotent. When he's not on, they're really vulnerable. 

[srsmithusa]

7 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Hiding from the potential for pain is a loser strategy for Villa players and managers, but for Villa supporters? It's the essence of survival. 

you are right of course.  I'm just choosing courage.

[maqroll]

4-2-2-2 with Watkins and Duran vs Lindelof and Shaw...

[robby b]

4 hours ago, duke313 said:

We haven't got back to back wins against United since 1992 (league and cup).  We haven't got back to back league wins since 1976 (75/76 and 76/77 seasons).  We haven't done the league double over them since 1954.  

Emery is going to put all them to bed.  I'm confident about this one.  Extra rest days, and if we are fired up like we were against Newcastle, we'll batter this lot.

Thanks for the league double stat, although it's very miserable, 1954, ffs! 

But "if we are fired up like we were against Newcastle"... exactly, if. And this is a big if. :s I really hope we will be but am worried about if we're not. For a start, v Newcastle was in front of our home crowd whereas on Sunday we'll be away. Plus Man U haven't lost at home in the league since last August (the opening day). The longest current unbeaten home run in the PL.

[duke313]

14 minutes ago, robby b said:

Thanks for the league double stat, although it's very miserable, 1954, ffs! 

But "if we are fired up like we were against Newcastle"... exactly, if. And this is a big if. :s I really hope we will be but am worried about if we're not. For a start, v Newcastle was in front of our home crowd whereas on Sunday we'll be away. Plus Man U haven't lost at home in the league since last August (the opening day). The longest current unbeaten home run in the PL.

Wasn’t aware of their impressive run of home games. Hopefully injuries and fatigue will catch up with them.

[It's Your Round]

Chris Sutton and “rapper and Man City fan, Blanco” have both predicted us to win. 1-2 Villa according to Sutton, and 0-1 for Blanco, who then goes on to add the below comments in his Liverpool v Spurs prediction:

” I just don't understand why Tottenham always beat us? How does that happen? I think they just treat it like a cup final when they play us - they have never won anything, so they just go for it! Liverpool always seem to beat them at Anfield though.”

This comment really winds me up. Classic plastic Citeh dick head. As much as I dislike Spurs, they’ve won plenty. In fact they’ve won the FA Cup 8 times, League Cup 4 times, the league twice and a European trophy in the Cup Winners Cup. Citeh were nothing before the oil money. 

[VillaChris]

On 26/04/2023 at 18:20, Adman said:

I feel like we're running out of steam tbh.  The small squad means we don't really have different tools to help the team out when we need it.  The performances in the last two games have seemed a bit more laboured, obviously no criticism but just my opinion.  Will need a Newcastle type performance to take the points in this one but can't see us hitting that level looking at the last two.  

Spurs and Brighton are where we need to hit Newcastle levels. I think with these away games it's all about keeping things tight first half/hour and then trying to push on although lack of options on the bench is making that really difficult currently. Imagine having all of Kamara, Cash and Bailey to put on after an hour in this one.

I thought Man. United looked very leggy second half v Spurs and putting on likes of Malacia and Weghorst made them look very average so that's the key for this, keep likes of Rashford and Fernandes under wraps and they'll run out of ideas as they're not huge scorers.

Feels a 1-1 to me.

[TheAuthority]

On 27/04/2023 at 03:20, Robtaylor200 said:

Well just to make you all jealous, I will have landed in Lanzarote an hour before this kicks off.  But the chances of me leaving Mrs T to go and watch it somewhere are very slim. Although I only get in the way when she is unpacking 

I would get "lost" in the airport on the way there and have to take a later flight (after the game)

[sne]

Wonder if the Qatari bid will be accepted by the time we play them. 

[Hank Scorpio]

You know the refs will cost us the game

[villaglint]

An interesting game, as with every game in this run I’ve no idea how it’ll play out. 
 

Young has shown himself to be vulnerable to pace in recent weeks so sticking Rashford on him and Wan Bissaka to nullify Moreno are two very obvious moves. Will be interesting to see how the master Unai prepares us to counter that. 
 

I’d back Watkins to cause their defence problems. Let’s hope they travel up to Manchester the night before so he can get a good nights kip in. 

Edited April 28, 2023 by villaglint

[VillaChris]

We actually match up well v Man. United since we've come back up. Gave some really good performances v them and now the results are starting to reflect that.

For all his flaws Bailey would've been a really good option in this game as Man. United couldn't handle at all moving across forward line at VP and he also played well in the cup match.

My main worry is Casemiro will shut down Buendia and then it will be easier for them to nullify Ollie as he'll be starved of the ball if the rest sit deep.

Last year's match you had McGinn-Luiz totally dominating their midfield. That was McTominay-Fred so far tougher now although we did beat them with Casemiro-Eriksen starting as the pivot in the home match and I have a feeling they might rest Eriksen as he's played far more than expected since returning from his injury.