-
Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Greetings and welcome to The Football Net. We love talking balls, do you?


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. Therefore you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, take part in the banter, vote in polls and enjoy fun competitions such as fantasy football and the betting exchange. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join us today on our football forums to talk balls with us!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Who will win the first leg?
Blackburn Rovers 4 (33.3%)
Aston Villa 5 (41.7%)
Draw 3 (25%)
Total Votes: 12
Blackburn Rovers -V- Aston Villa; Carling Cup Semi-Final : 5th January
Topic Started: Dec 31 2009, 01:33 PM (2,485 Views)
EL.I.AM LEGEND
Member Avatar
------------------------
Posted Image -V-Posted Image

Posted Image

Aston Villa will travel to Ewood Park in the first leg of the semi final. Villa are chasing a top 4 finish in the league and are hoping to win a domestic cup for the first time since 1996 where they beat Leeds United in the final. Rovers on the other hand have been agonizingly trying to stable a sinking ship since Big Sam took over from Paul Inces horrid tenure in charge.

Surviving relegation last season was the priority and many this season were hoping to kick on and climb back up the rungs of the Arab Premier League. It hasn't exactly kicked on as many would have liked, 19 games gone in the league and Rovers sit just 3 points above the dreaded drop. More and more grumblings have slowly begun to surface and if it wasn't for a great run in the Carling Cup then the season has the makings of drizzling out into another bottom 10 scrap.

Posted Image
You'll Never Win Anything
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
EL.I.AM LEGEND
Member Avatar
------------------------
A FEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH OUR RESIDENT VILLA FAN TEBROC

1) So you're currently 6th in the premiership (2pts behind 4th) and in the semi finals of the league cup. Is this as good as expected at the start of the season or better?

Much better then i expected, we lost our 2 most influential players during the course of last season, hardly won a game for the last 4 months of the season and the squad was as bare as it could possibly be.

MON has done another great bit of business with Dunne and Warnock aswell as some other astute buys like Habib Beye, Stewart Downing and James Collins, giving us a squad with more strength then last season while still managing to get every bit of talent out of players like gabby and milner. To be sitting 6th in the table and have the record we do against the top 4 this season is great, especially on the budget we have.

2) How significant a game is this to the Villa fans and management? A good chance at major honours or a distraction from the quest for champions league football?

Huge game for the fans, been desperate for silverware for a while now. Aston Villa is far too big a club not to win anything for 14(i think) years. Management is not such a big deal, they already have 100% backing from the fans but winning a trophy is always nice.

3) Who should Rovers fear in the Villa line up?

All of them. in particular though gabby, he has been sensational this season again even if players like Dunne and Milner have took center stage. his pace is deadly and he has gotten far better at his link up play. if he is up for it the rovers defense could have a long match ahead of them.

4) You've got ligtening fast forwards/wingers some good target men, plenty of creativity in the midfield and a solid back four with a brilliant keeper. Sounds great. What are your weaknesses?

Complacency and lack someone who can control the tempo of a game in cm.

5) Who in the Rovers team do you think Villa should be wary of?

David Dunn, a player who can come up with something out of nothing. if he didn't play for Birmingham i wouldnt mind seeing him in a villa shirt :lol:

6) What effect will us hammering you in the league, or more probably the FA Cup game just days before, have on the game?


:rofl:

are you on crack?

FA cup game will be no biggie, probably rest alot of the players with the harsh winter fixtures we have had. good time to see what the squad is made of.

7) Finally can I have a probable line up?

Guzan

young - dunne - cuellar - warnock

young - milner - petrov - downing

gabby - carew

only player to change for this game will be guzan, he has been fabulous in the cup and it gives him some game time. not a problem though, he is a very able goalkeeper.



You'll Never Win Anything
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Monty
Member Avatar
I'm a naughty boy
Good stuff El. Villa to progress over the two legs.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
TheReturnOfTheKing
Definitely NOT a Terrorist
draw in the first leg
no
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
footyfan000
Member Avatar
Changing my tune since 2008.
I reckon this will be close and could go to penalties. I'd be surprised if we lost the first leg, and if we win the first leg I'd expect us to at least take it to extra time and/or penalties as this match will mean a lot to our players, who have their only chance of European football and any tangible sense of success through these two matches and reaching a cup final. We'll play attacking football as we'll vary our strikers, giving Kalinic a chance who looked really dangerous even against Chelsea. That's a point in itself - we beat them to get here. If we get a draw, I expect Villa will go on to win it.

If we lose the first leg we can count ourselves totally out of it, but our home form is something to be optimistic about. I'm not getting carried away, but I honestly think it could go either way over two legs in a cup semi final. As long as Big Sam doesn't mess around with the defence we should be solid at the back.

On the flip side, you won't be able to tell much from Saturday's FA Cup third round match between us - I can't see either team playing a really strong side.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
RubberToe
Member Avatar
Chewbacca Lookalike
fork sake the FA Cup weekend is before this game.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
EL.I.AM LEGEND
Member Avatar
------------------------
RubberToe
Jan 2 2010, 12:13 AM
fork sake the FA Cup weekend is before this game.
and ?

This match is only 4 days away.

FA cup threads will be made
You'll Never Win Anything
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dotty
Member Avatar
Stuck up bastard
I can see Blackburn knicking the first leg tbh.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
RubberToe
Member Avatar
Chewbacca Lookalike
Well villa have a cup game (this weekend) - makes sense to post about that first lol
Edited by RubberToe, Jan 2 2010, 09:56 AM.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
tebroc
Member Avatar
Beetlejuice's Body Double
Or just use the same thread for all 3. Not hard.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
footyfan000
Member Avatar
Changing my tune since 2008.
David Dunn is back in the team :D
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
footyfan000
Member Avatar
Changing my tune since 2008.
Villa 1 - 0 Blackburn in the FA cup but again, it shows nothing abotu what will happen in the league cup. They seem to deserve it from the commentary on the radio, but it doesn't matter too much. Delfouneso scored and Young put in a peach of a cross for the goal but its a scratch Rovers side (9 changes from the side at the weekend...)
Edited by footyfan000, Jan 2 2010, 04:21 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
flak
Member Avatar
It's nearly Christmas
This match tonight, Blackburn could do with a win as I can't see them getting anything away. Think it'll be a draw though...
Posted Image Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Monty
Member Avatar
I'm a naughty boy
Ya draw for me too.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
tebroc
Member Avatar
Beetlejuice's Body Double
milner struggling to make the game with a foot injury :(

hopefully reo coker comes in with young in the right, downing on the left.

2-0 win. the cookie monster is up for it :champion:
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Match Day Café · Next Topic »
Add Reply

-- -