FT: ASTON VILLA 2 - 0 CARDIFF CITY. Match thread

Simic was on the bench against Stoke, Pompey and Bristol. I thought he was certain to be involved this evening, but apparently not.

Last 16 of the FA cup, away at a premier league team live on TV on a Friday night.
Riza, get your best, fittest 11 on the park and go for it. A monumental ask, but to play a “weakened” team would be a disgrace.
Fu*k the Burnley game. That will take care of itself whatever happens tonight.

I don't want to tempt fate here, but I'm pretty sure that Cardiff City's heaviest defeat in the FA Cup came at Villa Park way back in January 1929, less than two years after the Bluebirds had won the trophy. Aston Villa thrashed Cardiff 6-1 on that occasion. City were relegated from the top flight at the end of the season after finishing rock bottom of the table. Villa finished third behind The Wednesday (of Sheffield fame) and Leicester.

City were also beaten by five goals at Charlton in 1938. That one finished 5-0 to the home side. Charlton were a decent First Division team at the time, while City were wallowing in mid-table of the Third Division (South).

Hopefully Riza will field his strongest available side this evening and there will be no more unwanted records or any repeat of the Leeds debacle.

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Originally Posted by Michael Morris

Unai Emery Comments:

Cardiff City boss Omer Riza admits his side’s lowly league position will force him to name a weakened line-up against Villa, explaining that they have "far more important games coming up."

“I can understand him because the Championship is a very strong competition and they are more or less struggling and trying to escape off the bottom,” Emery said when asked about Riza's comments.

“Maybe this competition is very demanding for them. But I think tomorrow they will compete, trying to get a good result and trying to surprise us.

“We are going to respect them with what they have done in this competition with the players they have, with the analysis of them we have done.”

Emery added: “We lost here against Stevenage two years ago and you must focus on each match, with respect. What does that mean? To play like you are playing against the best team in the world.

“Always you are trying to be consistent, that is the competitive way I want and the mentality I want to build here.

“If we are thinking it is going to be easy tomorrow, that is when we are starting to lose.

“Of course, respect, show our wishes to win, play trying to get confidence and a good feeling in this competition with our supporters.

“I think we have a lot of challenges tomorrow, not only respecting Cardiff and the competition, it is how we are building the team and trying to create our structure tactically and mentally, stronger.

“We have work to do and I think tomorrow is a very good opportunity to try and play, each player showing their wishes and respect for the competition.

“For us and for me as well it is analysing them and trying to get through our tactical plan a lot of things we will need for the future.”

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**** sake. Would rather hear that he thinks we’re really shit and how he’s happy to play the U14’s for some experience.

It's the right decision for me. We've finally got a couple of strikers who can find the goal, decent options in attack and a bit of depth in midfield, barely enough fit players to field 4 across the back and 1 senior goalie. Given the chances of even a first team squad winning at a Villa team who are wounded and treating it like their last chance of doing anything notable this season - it's unfortunate but if he puts the first team out, we lose 3-0 and Robinson or Goutas picks up an injury, he'd get crucified on here.

Said in another thread but Simic must really not be impressing in training if he's got the likes of Pearce in the squad ahead of him. Perfect opportunity for somebody who has played against big teams before to get 60+ minutes surely.

Attachment 6460

Hopefully most of those on the bench

Cardiff City XI: Horvath; Ng, Lawlor, Goutas, Fish, Giles; El Ghazi, Ramsey, Colwill, Willock; Robinson.

Subs: Turner, Bagan, O'Dowda, Mannsverk, Robertson, Davies, Nyakuhwa, Ashford, Salech.


Not what I expected!

Very strong Villa side as well. This could get ugly.

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Originally Posted by jon1959

Cardiff City XI: Horvath; Ng, Lawlor, Goutas, Fish, Giles; El Ghazi, Ramsey, Colwill, Willock; Robinson.

Subs: Turner, Bagan, O'Dowda, Mannsverk, Robertson, Davies, Nyakuhwa, Ashford, Salech.


Not what I expected!

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I quite like that

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Originally Posted by Hilts

Very strong Villa side as well. This could get ugly.

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It could:

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Garcia, Konsa, Bogarde, Maatsen; Tielemans, McGinn; Bailey, Asensio, Rashford; Watkins.

Subs: Olsen, Zych, Digne, Rowe, Kamara, Rogers, Ramsey, Jimoh-Aloba.

I can't work out what formation this will be. The midfield is a mystery.

I’m not surprised that we’ve named a relatively strong side. Riza could be unemployed in ten weeks, a positive result here could put him in the shop window for the next job.

I thought they are trying to protect Ramsey, he's on the Villa bench as well.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

I can't work out what formation this will be. The midfield is a mystery.

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Colwill and ramsey a midfield 2?

Surely not?

I don't have ESPN any longer nor a VPN so am scratching around for a decent link in the USA.

Someone kindly provided a good one last FA Cup game but I don't recall who.

Any help appreciated, please

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

I can't work out what formation this will be. The midfield is a mystery.

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Going on the formation on the bbc website, it's a 5-4-1 without the ball. But who knows......

I'd imagine Lawlor DM but who knows.

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Originally Posted by Cowbridge Blue

I don't have ESPN any longer nor a VPN so am scratching around for a decent link in the USA.

Someone kindly provided a good one last FA Cup game but I don't recall who.

Any help appreciated, please

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try this mate

https://www.vipbox.lc/football/aston...ff-city-1-live

hopefully the tactic isn't to invite them on for 90 minutes by having all men behind the ball, wave after wave of relentless pressure..

edit: a slight improvement as we venture up the pitch..

Colwill looking a prem player .

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Originally Posted by Kerkyra Blue

Colwill looking a prem player .

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yeah he's looked very good

Lee Dixon must be being paid by the Premier league. So biased.

Colwill looking good tonight. Not too bad a 1st half performance.

Not bad thus far TBF.

Colwill playing very well and the whole team working hard. NG fell theatrically but I’ve seen pens given for that sort of contact in the Prem before

Challenge on Ng gets penalised in the prem.
Lee Dixon "Not enough contact for me"
Ng gets to the ball first and the defender gets none of the ball but lots of Ng :shrug:

Edit: Decent showing 1st half but quality will shirley tell.

This game is demonstrating why promoted Championship teams get relegated so often- the gulf in quality is huge. Having said that, Colwill has had an excellent half and if we can park the bus for another 20 minutes, who knows?

Doing well so far. Seen penalties given for similar to that challenge on NG. Look forward to seeing what we do with some pace off the bench second half.

Think Lawlor’s done well so far.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Think Lawlor’s done well so far.

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I’m not watching is he playing in a back 3 or CM

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Think Lawlor’s done well so far.

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Both him and Giles doing well , tough task for them

Penalty according to Roy Keane, I wouldn’t argue with him!

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Originally Posted by bluesp

Penalty according to Roy Keane, I wouldn’t argue with him!

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So right at the end of the analysis and both Wright and Keane said it should have been given !

A belated Good Luck. On Tuesday I met a couple of Bluebirds in a friends workshop in Swansea. One was an eight year old boy, with a Bluebirds shirt, on who told me he was going to be at the match. It would be pretty mean spirited to want him disappointed. So for the first time since you beat Leeds in the cup, for the sake him and his dad, I hope you get a positive result. :-)

Fair play to Salech he just demolished 2 villa defenders

Villa are soft.

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Originally Posted by Tuerto

Villa are soft.

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Thankfully they've hit a bit of a sticky patch of late.
Saying that, the Champions League side everyone was crowing about a matter of weeks ago should be dealing with a struggling Championship side.

Credit to Riza and his team IMHO (this far).
A quarter of the game left mind you.

Edit: :facepalm:

Gutting. Can we get one chance?

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Gutting. Can we get one chance?

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It doesn’t seem likely really, does it?