villa89 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Could a mod add a poll to this please. I just want to gauge opinions about the Hamburg game after last night's loss. The question is simple should we rest all the first teamers as we have already qualified or should we play the first teamers and try to win the group? My personal opinion is that we should send the kids and leave all first teamers at home. We need all our best players for the hectic Xmas period and we have nobody to fear in the UEFA cup draw regardless of whether we finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the group. Obviously some teams would be hard to beat if we drew them but I think its worth the risk. BOF : Poll added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 i think we aim for 1st place in the group, and therefore play a strong-ish team. maybe rest a couple of people max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheltenham_villa Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 send a balanced team but use it to rest others. im sure Hamburg will as well. In the next round, personally i want the strongest opposition possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 send a balanced team but use it to rest others. im sure Hamburg will as well. In the next round, personally i want the strongest opposition possible. :? why? surely you want to win the competition, and therefore meet as few big teams as possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roonst83 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 One things for sure - if we put out the 11 players who played last night then Hamburg will destroy us. We need to win this group so I hope for a stronger line-up - although im also cautious of tiring out players for the saturday evening game with West Ham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted December 5, 2008 VT Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2008 I don't mind a small bit of rotation for this game given the demanding xmas schedule, but if we play a team like last night I'll be very disappointed, and i'll feel very sorry for those making the trip out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dion_Dublin's_Saxaphone Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I'd play a similar team to last night... Obviously not taking injuries into account Guzan, Young, Davies, Cuellar, Shorey, Milner, NRC, Sidwell, Salifou, Gabby, The Fonz something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidlewis Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Guzan Young, Laursen, Davies, Shorey Milner, Barry, Sidwell, Salifou Gabby, Fonz, If nothing happens, bring on Young/Salifou and Fonz/Carew at half time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 with the very important Arse game a week or so later and the xmas fixtures then the team will similar to yesterday and that is how it should be, far too many people are fixatated with the position in the league and I don;t think MON give's a monkey's hence the team yesterday because to play the stronger team yesterday makes far more sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Well the thing is this is a big game (In terms of the teams, not the importance anymore) and I know if I was playing for Aston Villa and this was my first time in European compeitition I would want to play. Young/Gabby/Laursen and a few others will all WANT to play no matter what IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 who cares what they WANT, it is what is BEST for the team and would you not agree West Ham and Arse are much more important games ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingphil Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I personally believe we should have gone all out to win last nights match and then rest our players for the Hamburg match - but what do I know. To be honest, would it really be a bad thing if we did get drawn against a European giant ? The atmosphere against Ajax was fantastic, and as such the players responded and the best team possible was fielded. Last night against a poorer team, the atmosphere was pretty crap, and the performance matched. Therefore, in answer to the question at the beginning of this thread. Field a team of reserves, therefore resting some of the first teamers, if they respond and win, then we top the group. if we lose and come third, then at least we get a great atmosphere in the knock out stage - but sadly with the home leg being played first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dion_Dublin's_Saxaphone Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Finishing 5th is our priority. Anything else is a bonus. What is the point in playing a strong team in Hamburg in what is essentially a meaningless game, tiring out our players and possibly costing us 3/6 points in the league because of it. UEFA cup is all well and good, but I wouldnt start taking it really seriously until the quater finals. Otherwise we could end up doing what sooo many other teams have done, having a decent run in the uefa cup and then failing to qualify for it the next season. The whole point of our progression this season is to consolodate our position as a top 5/6 club in the premier league and prove we can cope with two games in a week. its a marathan, not a sprint. lets concentrate on becomming a top premier league club first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianrobo1 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 exactly DDS and that is exactly what MON sees. Did you notice at times yesterday he was sat down in the dugout for league games he WOULD NEVER do that, says it all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa89 Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 Did you notice at times yesterday he was sat down in the dugout for league games he WOULD NEVER do that, says it all To be fair the UEFA fourth Official kept making him sit down, you could see MON shouting at him on the telly and the poor UEFA official looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Play as many of the first team as possible I'd say maybe resting one or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super-Villan Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I'd rest a few, but play a fairly strong side. Guzan Young Davies Cuellar Shorey Milner Gardner Petrov Sidwell Young Gabby So Carew, Barry, Reo-Coker, Friedel and Laursen all rested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark8691 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I really want us to put a strong side out for this one..dont want to see us finishing 3rd really. Also, i had a German friend once who was an Hamburg fan and i was always talking Villa up to him..i hope we can go there and show them what we can do on our day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I'd rest a few, but play a fairly strong side. Guzan Young Davies Cuellar Shorey Milner Gardner Petrov Sidwell Young Gabby So Carew, Barry, Reo-Coker, Friedel and Laursen all rested Pretty much this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 This is a good opportunity to rest some players, and give others some needed experience against quality opposition. I'd start The Hare The Fonz Gardner Salifou Osbourne Milner Shorey Knight Davies NRC Guzan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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