[Archived] Villa Semi Final 2Nd Leg

[daveoftherovers]

Quick question - Was Tugay @ Ewood against Villa in the 1st leg? Sure he was spotted in a box when the bburn end started chanting??

As for this one. 4-4-2 - must include Benni, Kalinic, Olsson & also ideally Hoilett on the wing.

Yes, Toogs was in above NO1.

Matt Jansen was their on Sunday for the Fulham game, little git still looks about 21!!! (Still a Legend though)

[unluckymorton]

Quick question - Was Tugay @ Ewood against Villa in the 1st leg? Sure he was spotted in a box when the bburn end started chanting??

As for this one. 4-4-2 - must include Benni, Kalinic, Olsson & also ideally Hoilett on the wing.

Yeah I think He was in the end box behind N01, most of N01 were up singing his name but I couldn't see in the box from where I sit. What a signing that would be for the rest of the season.

[BPF]

Recently we have been averaging 0.8 goals a game.

Villa average 1.6 goals a game.

I think it is likely based on their home record and our terrible away record, I think that they will score at least one.

This requires us performing over twice efficently as we have over the last ten games. If there is any replication of the first half performance from the match at Ewood then this is simply not possible.

Hopefully we will adopt the 4-4-2 formation and actually look to play it on the deck and create real chances rather than hope for lucky flicks over the keeper.

Robinson Equaliser 92nd Minute

Rovers on penalties

[Hughesy]

I won love us to win on penalties - it would just be fantastic.

[only2garners]

An early warning that there may be snow on Wednesday in the Midlands. Not clear yet but it could be a problem.

[joey_big_nose]

I will be appalled if Benni does not start after being easily our best attacking player against Fulham. Equally Olsson deserves to start on left wing.

Big problem for us is the centre of the park where NZonzi is suffering a dip in form, Dunn lacks the legs and fitness to cope with defensive duties, and Reid is just coming back into the team. As said on another thread I would like Salgado to get a crack, but I don't think that will happen in such an important game.

Team for me:-

---------------Kaliic----Benni

Olsson----NZonzi----Emerton----Hoilett

Givet------Nelsen-----Samba---Chimbonda

-----------------Robinson

Bring Dunn and Di Santo on second half if needs be.

[mellison24]

I will be appalled if Benni does not start after being easily our best attacking player against Fulham. Equally Olsson deserves to start on left wing.

Big problem for us is the centre of the park where NZonzi is suffering a dip in form, Dunn lacks the legs and fitness to cope with defensive duties, and Reid is just coming back into the team. As said on another thread I would like Salgado to get a crack, but I don't think that will happen in such an important game.

Team for me:-

---------------Kalinic----Benni

Olsson----NZonzi----Emerton----Hoilett

Givet------Nelsen-----Samba---Chimbonda

-----------------Robinson

Bring Dunn and Di Santo on second half if needs be.

Agreed by me! We really need to have a go at villa. If we have our own 'pace' on the wings, it may just give their pacey players something to think about and put them off this form of attacking so much. Therefore eliminating one of their 2 game plans.

Their other game plan is hoofing to Heskey/Carew to knock down for the pacey ones. if we can keep Aerially dominant at the back with Samba and Nelsen (with NZonzi helping) then we may be able to keep the ball more, and do more with it in terms of attacking via the ground, rather than the air (where the likes of Niko, Benni, Olsson and Hoilett prefer it).

We have reason to be optimistic, but our plan (imo) muyst be to stifle the likes of Young (who isn't that confident, so we'll be okay if we can stop him running at our players so much) and A'dBonkTheWhore (who hasn't done much recently).

Milner is the one player I really fear in that Villa side. A top-class player this season and bound to make the England WC squad. Here's hoping he has an off-day and we have a stormer.

We are one game from the final. That's quite scary! We're the famous Blackburn Rovers and we're going to Wem-ber-ley! WEMBLEEEEEEEEEY!!! WEMBLEEEEEEEEEY!!!

[Amo]

I think we'll have a real uphill struggle, depending on how switched on Villa are. They'll be happy to let us play in front of them, safe in the knowledge they can hammer us on the break. With this in mind, I hope that Givet will not start at left-back. He lacks the pace for this position and will be duly exploited. Would it be too ambitious to have Olsson and Hoilett down the left? Something needs to give if we want to reach Wembley.

Kalinic and McCarthy in attack, please (even though it wasn't a 4-4-2, like too many believe). Kalinic has been a rare glimmer of hope in an otherwise underwhelming season, and McCarthy can pull something out of the bag.

[bubblerrovers]

Where can away fans get a good drink before the match? I'm guna need a few

[stuwilky]

Yes, Toogs was in above NO1.

Matt Jansen was their on Sunday for the Fulham game, little git still looks about 21!!! (Still a Legend though)

Matty was with a certain Mr G Flitcroft as well.

[Presty On Tour]

Where can away fans get a good drink before the match? I'm guna need a few

The Cap and Gown on Whitton Lane is the best bet as it welcomes away fans. Only 5 minutes from the coach park and stadium.

Got my ticket on Saturday, in the upper north stand and can't wait tbh.

It's only 1-0 and we are one good performance away from getting to the new Wembley. If a Rovers fan can't get excited about this then perhaps they should follow rugby instead!

[ewoodnews]

Are there still tickets left for this match because i am planning on getting tickets later on today and i think that if we play like we did on sunday we will have some chance of getting into the final however we do need our defence to stop them breaking that is their main threat.

COME ROVERS LETS GET TO WEMBLEY AND SHOW THE DINGLES THAT WHAT EVER THEY DO WE CAN DO BETTER!!!!

[Tris]

Are there still tickets left for this match because i am planning on getting tickets later on today

I got three tickets at lunchtime today, apparently we've sold 1,700 out of an allocation of just under 4,000.

[ABBEY]

An early warning that there may be snow on Wednesday in the Midlands. Not clear yet but it could be a problem.

ITS OFF

I got three tickets at lunchtime today, apparently we've sold 1,700 out of an allocation of just under 4,000.

Cant say im surprised ,at one time i would have given my job up for this but it will all end in tears .

[ewoodnews]

I got three tickets at lunchtime today, apparently we've sold 1,700 out of an allocation of just under 4,000.

oh ok thanks i think we should have at least 2,000 going down then but that is very poor compared to villa's 5,500 at rovers last week

[ABBEY]

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Birmingham-UKXX0018

[ewoodnews]

http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Birmingham-UKXX0018

It says it may snow/rain from the middle of the day but that wont be enough to stop the match

[Sparky Marky]

We must start the game with 5 in midfield. We need to supress their quick mids early on, hit them hard etc etc...Villa's midfield will kill us if we've only 4 in there....we don't want to go 1 down early because for the first 10 minutes they'll be buzzing...chance of wembley and all that....so, make Benni the forward that drops into a 5 early on, then we go to 442 as the game develops and Benni supports Kalinic more and more...

Reid and Emerton Holding the midfield, pacy right/left wingbacks..Hoilet and Olsson...Benni mooching about in there helping out....

Kalinic running the line...

[jim mk2]

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere but Rovers have returned 500 tickets and Villa will allow fans to pay on the night.

[Hughesy]

oh ok thanks i think we should have at least 2,000 going down then but that is very poor compared to villa's 5,500 at rovers last week

Maybe so - but the tickets are more expensive & we are not sitting 6th and fighting for a champs league place.

3000 would be a good following.

[only2garners]

It says it may snow/rain from the middle of the day but that wont be enough to stop the match

The BBC lunchtime forecast suggested that they were not sure yet how much snow there would be but there was a possibility of a heavy snowfall in the Midlands on Wednesday.

[ABBEY]

The BBC lunchtime forecast suggested that they were not sure yet how much snow there would be but there was a possibility of a heavy snowfall in the Midlands on Wednesday.

penwotham is 2 hours behind again lol.

no wonder my ex is puddled

[matts5]

We have to take confidence from yesterday, although there were still issues with distribution and letting players run through, it was a better team performance and they looked like they were bothered, which has been lacking in recent weeks. For me it should be:

Robbo

Pascal, Nelsen, Samba, Givet

Emerton, Dunn, N'zonzi, Olssen

Kalinic, McCarthy

Options from bench:

Hoillet-come on extra pace down either wing

Di Santo-throw him on play 3 up if needed

Salgado-extra support for defense for when we go 2 up

Reid- as above (if he ok after Sunday)

Brown-if in doubt put him on the right wing!!

[rebelmswar]

Robbo

Pascal, Nelsen, Samba, Givet

Emerton, Dunn, N'zonzi, Olssen

Kalinic, McCarthy

Still say that Emerton should be right back and Junior Midfield right.

Emerton has the work rate to pull that off and take up the slack in defense from Junior.

[matts5]

Not a bad shout and worthy option pascal has looked good although distribution has a lot to be desired at times!! and I'm not sure Junior is ready fro full games yet, think we get the best from him when he comes off the bench, he looked more comfortable with the ball at his feet yesterday (helped by Benni, they linked up really well) and think that if MON is saying Villa are tired then if we can take them to extra time then Junior could be the man to make the difference