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Aston Villa Team News

Good news for us - Adama Traore definitely out for Villa. Hutton, Sanchez & Agbonlahor also big doubts.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5255558,00.html

Comments

  • Dearie me. First line: "Adama Traore is out for up to two months". Fourth paragraph: "The former Barcelona man will now be absent for eight to ten weeks."

    First line should be "at least two months" or "up to three months".

    Poor form, Villa press officer.

  • Is the quality of the Villa players the key factor here, or is it their motivation? It has been said in the past that some players just don't understand the tradition of the FA Cup or don't care about it. Of course quality cannot be discounted but Remi Garde might be better off sending an U21 side, keen to impress on a national stage. I don't think for one moment he will do this, but it would be worth considering. Maybe some of the Villa players did get the buzz of the Cup last year and fancy a repeat to lift the mood in the camp?

  • I expect the first team to play, they are the ones that need a win more than the under 21's. Garde will hope if they beat us it will give them a boost in the league, so expect a full 1st team to start

  • They won't like it up 'em.

  • I hope HG1 is right and the 1st team play for Villa. I have a suspicion, like Baldric, that it would be more difficult for Wycombe to beat a team of youngsters and reserve teamers who have something to prove than it would to beat a side comprised of demoralised first-teamers who have no particular desire to play a team 54 places below them in the pyramid which, in the case of some of their foreign contigent, they may have been essentially unaware even existed before the draw was made.

  • That is exactly the reason I don't expect to see many first teamers in the Villa side on Saturday, other than those the manager wants to get shot of.

  • @mooneyman said:
    That is exactly the reason I don't expect to see many first teamers in the Villa side on Saturday, other than those the manager wants to get shot of.

    Can we not safely assume he'd get rid of every first team squad member he has, given the opportunity?

  • The standard approach from the 'big' team in this type of fixture is for a lot of non-regulars to start but with some 'big guns' on the bench ready to come to the rescue. I suspect their home game with Palace 3 days later will be the main consideration when selecting the team to play us.

  • Not wishing to be presumptuous, more working out work commitments! does anyone know the dates of the potential replay at Villa Park?

  • Not so sure. RG is taking Villa down whatever happens (well barring something very strange). A loss to a team 3 leagues lower down the pyramid to add to his CV is not exactly going to look good when he comes to sit down with the chairman. If I was him this is a game he absolutely has to win if he does want to be around for a promotion push next year

  • To be brutally honest, facing a league two team with their number two goalie, they should be ashamed if they do not thrash us. But I suspect they won't.

  • If they do put out their reserves / youth against us, let's hope they're all of a similar quality to Janoi Donacien!

  • @Aimlesslywandering Should be safe to assume a replay would be Tuesday 19th or Wednesday 20th, depending on TV coverage.

  • They've got a Premier league game midweek, so could well rest some players. We are 3 divisions lower after all!

  • I'm not sure I could name more than a couple of Villa first team players so I'll have no idea how strong the side is come Saturday. Villa should win the game quite comfortably if they have the right attitude. I think we have a small chance but no more than that. I fear others might be expecting a win.

  • It's more difficult bearing in mind they ludicrously sold Benteke, Delph, Vlaar and possibly another without even vaguely replacing like for like.

    But even following from afar, they'd still have Micah Richards, Lescott, Agbonlahor, Guzan in goal, and upcoming winger Grealish.

    So we'd do well to remember they are still 3 divisions higher, and despite them being crap in that league, they'd probably waltz the championship, let alone league 2.

    Just hope they don't fancy being smashed around the pitch.

  • The fact that they are (I would assume) low in confidence should help us a little. The fact (okay opinion) that like for like we would probably happily swap every single one of their players for ours (given that they are more skilled - unless they really have lost the plot at Villa) if we take the emotion out of it should them firm favourites.
    If we had Hayes I'd be a little more confident but do have the feeling we will be relying on our defence and Lynch to keep us in the game and JJ to be perfect in any dead ball deliveries to give us a sniff of a result

  • The only positive of no Hayes, is that Holloway instead should be able to give more energy and power.
    But I'm looking for positives here.

    Really need Holloway to explode this season. What better game to, in a game he probably won't get the battering league 2's dose out

  • Malone, I don't agree with your assertion that Villa would waltz the Championship. I think they would be mid-table at best. Look at the sides that have been relegated from the Premier in the last 2-3 years such as Fulham, QPR, and Wigan.

    I would much rather be playing Villa tomorrow than say Derby or Middlesbrough.

  • Hear hear mooneyman.

  • edited January 2016

    Villa have quality but they don't have mental strength. They were well on top against Norwich and Sunderland until they leaked a bad/fluke goal and then they mentally lost it and fell apart which is why the first goal tomorrow is critical.

    Up front, you may well have Gestede who is a monster in the air but has failed to get the better of experienced premiership centre halfs. If he does get the better of his man then he is near unstoppable on crosses. His partner should be Jordan Ayew who is the one real star of the Villa season so far ..... very skilful player on the deck.

    Midfield, Villa are quite ordinary except for Jordan Veretout who looks (at last) like the player we were told he was in France last season and maybe fan's favourite Carles Gil who is a joy to watch when he gets the chance to play ..... they are both the Villa playmakers. The rest are either mediocre cloggers (eg: Westwood, Gana) or beyond their sell by date (eg; Sinclair, Richardson, N'Zogbia) or horribly off form (eg: Grealish).

    Defensively its all there but we don't seem to find the right combos. Hopefully, with Alan Hutton injured, this will be the long awaited opportunity to play Mika Richards at right back with Okore and either Lescott or Clark alongside as centre halfs. Left back should be recently returned Ally Cissokho (sp?).

    Despite the hard time he has had, goalkeeper Brad Guzan is a decent stopper but prone to the odd bad clearance !

    So ..... no shortage of ability and they SHOULD want it bad after so many bad results but if you get that first goal then I, along with many others I suspect, will be sobbing uncontrollably under our seats !!!

  • Thanks @Paul33 What a pleasure to have a friendly and informative post from an opposition fan. I hope you enjoy everything about the day, except the result.

  • Thanks Paul. I've always thought Guzan was a good keeper often let down by his defence. It's the magic of the cup and all that....bet you'd be happy with Saint Martin's top four finishes nowadays?

  • Unfortunately Saint Martin started our rot in my opinion by buying in too many huge wage players and then falling out with them and not playing them. It cost him his job and it forced our owner to pull back from funding players until the wage bill was trimmed and that took years ..... he also walked out on us on the eve of our first game of the season and will never be forgiven for that by Villa fans !

    Anyway, looking forward to tomorrow. Whatever the result, it is always a great atmosphere when we come down and I'm looking forward to it.

  • Thanks for the insight @Paul33.

  • Started your rot Paul? He had you top 6 for 3 years in a row, a position you haven't been a million miles of since, under stacks of other fellas.

    And how can you quantify "it cost him his job", yet say "he walked out".
    It can't be both things!

    He was the best thing that happened to you in years, and a mix of him going, and your owner pulling the plug is the real double reason you'll be championship next year,

    Blaming O Neill...on a forum of O Neill worshippers!

    You'll do well!

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