[Archived] Villa Semi Final 2Nd Leg

[broadsword]

I'm starting to get that over-whelming feeling of impending disappointment that always comes immediately prior to an evening watching Rovers.

You're a little ray of sunshine.

[BigUts]

team I'd like to see tonight:

Robinson

Samba Nelsen Givet

Chimbonda Olsson

Reid Nzonzi Dunn

Di Santo Kalanic

Bring back the wingbacks! we have the players for it.

I like also. Thought we might have played with wing backs v.s Fulham with the way the team sheet looked. Gives us a decent amount of width with the protection of an extra centre back / sweeper. Nelsen would be suited to said position as he does read the game well.

[Mr. E]

The most frustrating thing will be if we get close but ultimately fail because of that extremely poor first half in the home leg. Or the two posts in the 2nd half. Basically, things need to go perfect for us this time around.

[McAds]

Rovers in the past 18 yrs have won the Premier League, been relegated and promoted have won the League Cup and been in 7 semi finals in both the League and FA Cup whereas Villa have won FAFF ALL.

Now then Villa fans, as much as I like and respect you, what would you rather have ? Cups and semis or a big crowd average at home ? (btw your one of the worst away supported clubs in the league if you care to check the away support table considering your home game average).

Tongue in cheek boys but the awards tables dont lie do they ?

Actually we have won two League Cups and been to the FA Cup Final in that time.

To be fair, it depends how you cut it. What if I said I’d seen the Villa in the past thirty years win four League Cups, the League Title, the European Cup, the Super Cup and make an appearance in an FA Cup final? So you can adjust the years to suit your argument.

What is really important though is what we’ve won this year, which is currently nothing, but we have a great chance to do something in the League Cup. This is what truly concerns me at the moment.

[modes98]

I'm not really bothered what team he puts out tonight. Just got one of those feelings that it's going to work out.

I'll be there shouting them on. It's a one off game where the pressure is off them. Marching on to Wembley!

[McAds]

We have had our successes through history as have you but for the size of the club I reckon ours is far better placed in the historybooks.

Not really. We're the fourth most successful club in English football. We've won a lot more than most. You can say what you like about our post-FA Cup final decline in the nadir of the Ellis era, as it was barren indeed, but you cannot knock what we’ve achieved since our inception; over twenty trophies and titles, domestic and European.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Can't disagree with any of that...........however............

Will people be taking the same position and sticking to their convivtions if we get to Wembley - with no free travel and £50 a ticket.

Can't disagree with your comments wellesbourne - not sure about anybody else but its not at the top of my list at the moment and as mentioned the 'New waste of money Wembley' does not interest me one iota - and at the end of the day is £50 + that many will not what to commit to without some form of return.

Its all coupled with football in general *( and the P/L especially) - the sparkle/tingling has gone out, the anticipation, worry, nerves has disappeared - the enjoyment/atmosphere has been replaced by dull motion 'know what to expect' - its not competitive anymore - its all about 'must do' and 'not do'

What happened to going out to take part in a sport and trying to win?

[Fraserkirky]

I like also. Thought we might have played with wing backs v.s Fulham with the way the team sheet looked. Gives us a decent amount of width with the protection of an extra centre back / sweeper. Nelsen would be suited to said position as he does read the game well.

I just think we have three pretty good centre halfs, Chimbo and salgado for right wing back, Ollsen and pedersen for left wing-back, and zero wingers with pace so 442 or 4411 doesn't work as the wingers cant get up to support the front dude. in a 532 wing back team we can play two defensive minded midfielers and find space for in there for the golden boy. Kalanic and di santo up front need to be given a go, with hoilett push for a start.

[LeftWinger]

team I'd like to see tonight:

Robinson

Samba Nelsen Givet

Chimbonda Olsson

Reid Nzonzi Dunn

Di Santo Kalanic

Bring back the wingbacks! we have the players for it.

I picked the team I'd go for earlier - and it was exactly the same formation and line up - apart from I went with Benni instead of Franco.

[mellison24]

I picked the team I'd go for earlier - and it was exactly the same formation and line up - apart from I went with Benni instead of Franco.

So it wasn't exactly the same formation and line-up . Anyhoop, I'd go with that (Benni in for Franco as you say). But it won't happen

[philipl]

Sam has an enormous incentive tonight- win it and he can play 4-5-1 and Keith Andrews to his heart's content for the rest of his contract....

[mellison24]

Sam has an enormous incentive tonight- win it and he can play 4-5-1 and Keith Andrews to his heart's content for the rest of his contract....

....provided he also keeps us up.

[Mr. E]

I picked the team I'd go for earlier - and it was exactly the same formation and line up - apart from I went with Benni instead of Franco.

My thoughts exactly.

[Dan]

I wish I could just focus on getting excited about tonight, but in all honesty I'm worrying about the line up! Wouldn't it be great to know that Sam would pick a strong 11? Baring the full backs which I'm not sure on I think most would be very happy with: Robinson, Emerton right back, left full back, Samba, Nelsen, Hoilett, Dunn, Reid, Ollsen , Big Mac and Niko. I guess that is way too attacking for Sam though.

Thinking about the game, the concerns are stopping Villa's pacey players and scoring ourselves. If we try and contain them it'd be easier for them than if we attacked? I mean, wouldn't any team rather the opposition sat back? We aren't great defensively, so it's not like we soak up the pressure and then attack on the break. Though with both Hoilett and Ollsen(is that spelling correct?) we'd have a fair bit of pace on the wings.

Let's hope we go for it, shut the whiny Villa fans up and score. If we take the lead and play our hearts out closing down and getting in their faces they will feel the pressure. Insure a lot of Villa fans have their hotels booked for the final, they'll be feeling the pressure and might get on the players backs. Sitting back will invite pressure and give them an easy time and the villa fans will be having a party. Play to win. Forget form, some of our players might never get to a final again, let alone BFS and us the fans!

Sam should be doing Churchill like speeches right now, for this is the biggest game in a while and tonight the league doesn't matter. What disputes have happened need to be put aside. For all the fans going, well done, wish I could join you. Sing your hearts out and hope the players do us proud, no matter what the outcome tonight.

[mellison24]

I wish I could just focus on getting excited about tonight, but in all honesty I'm worrying about the line up! Wouldn't it be great to know that Sam would pick a strong 11? Baring the full backs which I'm not sure on I think most would be very happy with: Robinson, Emerton right back, left full back, Samba, Nelsen, Hoilett, Dunn, Reid, Ollsen , Big Mac and Niko. I guess that is way too attacking for Sam though.

Thinking about the game, the concerns are stopping Villa's pacey players and scoring ourselves. If we try and contain them it'd be easier for them than if we attacked? I mean, wouldn't any team rather the opposition sat back? We aren't great defensively, so it's not like we soak up the pressure and then attack on the break. Though with both Hoilett and Ollsen(is that spelling correct?) we'd have a fair bit of pace on the wings.

Let's hope we go for it, shut the whiny Villa fans up and score. If we take the lead and play our hearts out closing down and getting in their faces they will feel the pressure. Insure a lot of Villa fans have their hotels booked for the final, they'll be feeling the pressure and might get on the players backs. Sitting back will invite pressure and give them an easy time and the villa fans will be having a party. Play to win. Forget form, some of our players might never get to a final again, let alone BFS and us the fans!

Sam should be doing Churchill like speeches right now, for this is the biggest game in a while and tonight the league doesn't matter. What disputes have happened need to be put aside. For all the fans going, well done, wish I could join you. Sing your hearts out and hope the players do us proud, no matter what the outcome tonight.

Olsson. And VERY well said

[RibbleValleyRover]

The way it stands i expect Villa to sit back and hit us on the counter, though if one side gets an early goal then it will have a big impact on the game. If Villa take it then we really will go gung-ho, get battered on the counter and the scoreline could be embarrassing. If we score first then it might open the game up more, stop Villa from sitting back so much plus giving them something to think about.

Set piece delivery has to be spot on tonight, Dunne has been playing well but as we have seen at City and the league game against them he can make mistakes. We have the weapons to beat this Villa side, we just need to be fired up, put pressure on them, create chances and cut out the stupid defensive mistakes.

[Tom]

I just hope Sam doesn't embarass us on national TV tonight, if we go out defensively we will no doubt cement our place as the most boring team in the world.

Go at Villa and I think we'll both win the tie and win over a lot of people.

[Wolverine]

on a coach now approaching birmingham. dissappointed at the low turn out but there you go. 90 minutes from wembley!

[philipl]

For Aston Villa to be denied their first major cup final for a decade, Blackburn must overcome the weight of history. In 50 years of the League Cup's existence only two teams have lost the first leg of the semi-final at home and gone on to reach the final, a feat last achieved by Arsenal 23 years ago.

So its easy peasy for us!

[des]

for me its has to be a 3-5-2 with the two wing back pushing forward when we have the ball, and marking their wingers when we have not, its a risk, but worth it.

please do not go 4-5-1 or we will lose it

[DE.]

for me its has to be a 3-5-2 with the two wing back pushing forward when we have the ball, and marking their wingers when we have not, its a risk, but worth it.

please do not go 4-5-1 or we will lose it

If it's a wing-back system you're deploying it'd be a 5-3-2 wouldn't it? 3-5-2 would suggest leaving the back 3 isolated whilst the widemen acted more as wingers than fullbacks... which would almost certainly result in us getting stuffed.

[mellison24]

If it's a wing-back system you're deploying it'd be a 5-3-2 wouldn't it? 3-5-2 would suggest leaving the back 3 isolated whilst the widemen acted more as wingers than fullbacks... which would almost certainly result in us getting stuffed.

They cover both really, but on a pitch formation they are between midfield and defence. I'd call it 3-5-2 myself though (sounds more positive)

[DE.]

They cover both really, but on a pitch formation they are between midfield and defence. I'd call it 3-5-2 myself though (sounds more positive)

I'd personally call it a 5-3-2, but only because I used to play that system on an old version of FM and that's what it was labelled as

We aren't gonna use it, regardless! 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 judging from BFS's press conference.

[Craigman]

Kalinic up front on his own.

BLACKBURN: Robinson, Samba, Givet, Chimbonda, Nelsen, Emerton, Dunn, Pedersen, Nzonzi, Olsson, Kalinic.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Is that confirmed? Olsson out wide right I guess?

EDIT: No I was right before my edit. Pedersen more central. Dunn in front of the midfield.

Interesting.