[Archived] Villa Semi Final Match Preview

[RibbleValleyRover]

Big Sam to ring the changes

Sam Allardyce admits some of his under-performing players have put their Carling Cup semi-final places in jeopardy after a poor display against Manchester City.

[Parsonblue]

Personally, I'm not too bothered about this match. I'll be there but I can't say I'll be too concerned if we lose - even though I'll be at the return game at Villa Park. Sunday's game against Fulham is far more important for the long term future of the club and for me, that's the game that the strongest team should be saved for. Our players appear to be unable to motivate themselves in a professional manner for League games as it is, I dread to think what standards they'll reach with one eye on a potential Cup Final. However, after last night I would hesitate to suggest what the strongest starting eleven is!

[RibbleValleyRover]

I'll be there as well, won't be that bothered if we lose as long as we win the Fulham game. I have seen how bad our side are this season and the league has to be the sole priority.

[Paul]

Allardyce "The disappointing thing is that I wanted a hard job picking a team. Unfortunately the team hasn't played to its best and it has left me opportunities to make changes wherever I feel like it."

Translates as "If I fancy playing a weakened team because we have Fulham on Sunday the players have given me every excuse I needed."

[Plastic Head]

Lets have a sweep on when the boos will start.(I'm discounting my own which might begin when they dare to show thier faces in the tunnel.

I say 33 minutes.

We might also hear the first Sam Out chants on Thursday.

I know....get behind 'em and all that.

[broadsword]

I saw a Sky report that said you’d picked up five injuries last night, before and during the game and that you currently have no strikers fit. Is that accurate?

We've not had any fit strikers all season.

(An exaggeration, but it's helping me cope.)

Allardyce "The disappointing thing is that I wanted a hard job picking a team.

he has a hard picking a side anyway, let alone tactics, substitutions, man-management ...

[ABBEY]

Lets have a sweep on when the boos will start.(I'm discounting my own which might begin when they dare to show thier faces in the tunnel.

I say 33 minutes.

We might also hear the first Sam Out chants on Thursday.

I know....get behind 'em and all that.

AS SOON AS I SEE HIM ON THE BIG SCREEN .

heads up as it stands ...DONT PARK ON SCOTLAND BANK TERRACE....TOOK ME 2 FLAMING HOURS TO GET DUG OUT TODAY!!!!!

[mellison24]

Anyone saying that Villa play on the wing, so we must go through the middle....does this not play into their hands a bit? I'd play the 4-3-2-1 formation that is on a thread somewhere. It is wide at the back (what we need) and narrow at the front (what we need imo).

[ABBEY]

are there still 150000 villa in the bbe ?

[savage8]

Is Dunny fit? he looked completely knackered last night, totally off the pace. He offered nothing last night, put him in CM with 2 strikers up front !

[John]

Is Dunny fit? he looked completely knackered last night, totally off the pace. He offered nothing last night, put him in CM with 2 strikers up front !

Like the rest of our team, Dunny looked slow and off the pace last night.

[TrentVilla]

I hear its snowing in the North West again, any danger of the game being of on Thursday folks?

[JAL]

I hear its snowing in the North West again, any danger of the game being of on Thursday folks?

Going off the met forecast yesterday, and the weather here, i'd say there is far greater chance this time around of the game going ahead, definitely.

[roversfan1]

Whilst I would love us to win Im not that arsed about the result on Thursday - I dont think we will beat Villa over 2 legs as we need to win this one by 2 clear goals to have a chance and I cant see it happening - its the performance that Ill be looking at.

If the players can show they care and if Sam can get them going and set out a team to try and win the game then Ill know that there is still hope that we can improve with the manager / players we have...if not then I really do think its curtains for Big Sam!

[Iceman]

ill be watching this on tv, it wont be pretty but im going for a 2-0 win to Rovers

[philipl]

I take it there is no snow- we have plenty in London.

[S15]

This is a big game. I would compare it a little to the game against Fulham a few years ago (2004?) when we were looking hopeless and destined for the drop after consecutive defeats against Leeds and Portsmouth at home. I recall a few home truths been aired in the dressing room after the Pompey game, and there was one hell of a reaction in the Fulham away game where we won 4-3.

Let's see if this City fiasco breeds the same response. I have a feeling performance wise it might, though I think Villa are too strong to allow it to have quite the same result at the end of it.

[ABBEY]

I hear its snowing in the North West again, any danger of the game being of on Thursday folks?

Ask the oracle hughsey.

[G Somerset Rover]

One thing is for sure we MUST NOT concede early as we have been doing too often this season. If this happens, then to point out the obvious the players heads are going to drop and the fans will more than likely turn.

I don't know what Sam's been telling them pre-match but it certainly hasn't worked.

IMO we need a result but more importantly a performance.

[Ossydave]

I take it there is no snow- we have plenty in London.

It's a poor excuse for snow, certainly not enough to put the game under threat.

[10moorgate]

anyone know how many tickets have been sold?

gets right on my testes that our town don't seem to get it - that in the blink of an eye we could be out of the big time forever, yet here in front of us is a reasonable chance to win the 3rd biggest trophy our country can offer. just wish were a city....or at least a town with a decent catchment area.

PS i'm sick of hearing 'i'm not watching whilst that fat f@@k3r is in charge'. ultimately, who do we support, rovers or our manager? we've been spoilt and need a reality check.

[Hughesy]

anyone know how many tickets have been sold?

gets right on my testes that our town don't seem to get it - that in the blink of an eye we could be out of the big time forever, yet here in front of us is a reasonable chance to win the 3rd biggest trophy our country can offer. just wish were a city....or at least a town with a decent catchment area.

PS i'm sick of hearing 'i'm not watching whilst that fat f@@k3r is in charge'. ultimately, who do we support, rovers or our manager? we've been spoilt and need a reality check.

Spot on

Id be there even if Brian Laws was in charge!

Interesting that the hard-core N01 is still looking very empty!

[John]

PS i'm sick of hearing 'i'm not watching whilst that fat f@@k3r is in charge'. ultimately, who do we support, rovers or our manager? we've been spoilt and need a reality check.

Part of the problem is that we were spoilt, particularly in recent times under Hughes. Also, some have a personal hatred of Sam and have had that for a long time (not having a go at those who dislike him, as I had the same thing with Ince).

[Exiled in Toronto]

This is a big game. I would compare it a little to the game against Fulham a few years ago (2004?) when we were looking hopeless and destined for the drop after consecutive defeats against Leeds and Portsmouth at home. I recall a few home truths been aired in the dressing room after the Pompey game, and there was one hell of a reaction in the Fulham away game where we won 4-3.

If you recall, the then manager showed a lot of flexibility in his thinking for that game and changed the formation around quite dramatically. Emerton was benched, Tugay was played 40 yards further up and Douglas was brought into what I think was a 4-3-1-2 formation. I have no expectations that our current manager will take on board the dressing room views and change anything.

His comments before the postponed game summed it up, 'This one will be cagey, we just need to make sure we're still in the tie when it finishes' Marvelous - can't wait!!

[10moorgate]

i hear Talk Sport arte stickin the knife in cos they heard we've only sold 11k home tickets. am sure that will be more by now.

same as monday night where the commentator said there was on't 450 tickets sold despite that being the figure up til 12pm that day. was quite obvious more had been sold before kick off.

if we were a media favourite it'd be spun so differently.