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

Friday February 28th, ko 8pm
Live on ITV 1 and commentary on BBC Radio 5Live / Radio Wales, Radio WM and TalkSport.

Match Officials:

Referee: Peter Bankes
Assistant referees: Edward Smart and Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth official: Michael Salisbury
VAR: Robert Jones
Assistant VAR: Paul Howard
Support VAR: Darren England

After the midweek win for Cardiff against Hull we can go and enjoy this one. Cardiff City website showing a few £25 tickets left in the Doug Ellis Stand (as of 12 noon 26/02/25). Villa's website have cheapest home tickets left at £85.00 at the back of the Holte End. So looking a decent crowd for Friday night.

Villa warmed up for this one with a 4 - 1 defeat away at Crystal Palace. Afer the loss manager Unai Emery said “Now, we have to be motivated with our supporters in Villa Park in the FA Cup and the Champions League."

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640x360/p0ks635k.jpg

I'd give Rino, O'Dowda and Salech a rest. Assuming fitness and Goutas being back I'd go with players playing in their natural positions and a good mix of pace, youth and experience in the final third.

3-2 City AET.

----- Hovarth

Ng - Fish - Goutas - Bagan

-- Mansverk - Robertson

Davies - Ramsey- Ashford

-------- Robinson

I very much doubt Ramsey will be anywhere near the squad neither will Robinson or Chambers who both weren’t fully fit last night
Colwill will play so will El Ghazi and Isaac Davies

I have no idea who will play central midfield

Almost certainly going to be a massacre but we can only dream.

I notice Martinez was subbed off at half time last night. I’d be happy if he had to sit out, best keeper in the world and all that.

Nigel Blues on Twitter asked if Davies had pulled a hamstring at end of game. Did anyone notice?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninian opinian

Nigel Blues on Twitter asked if Davies had pulled a hamstring at end of game. Did anyone notice?

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I watched the end of the game on a couple of clips (Highlights and Full 90) on the club site. Davies was chasing the last ball down the line when the final whistle went. He seemed to slow and stop naturally. He didn't 'pull up'. So unless he did himself some damage clapping the crowd, I would guess he is not injured.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

I watched the end of the game on a couple of clips (Highlights and Full 90) on the club site. Davies was chasing the last ball down the line when the final whistle went. He seemed to slow and stop naturally. He didn't 'pull up'. So unless he did himself some damage clapping the crowd, I would guess he is not injured.

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Cheers for that.

Our record at Villa isn't great. We won 6 of our first 13 visits to Villa Park. Our last win came in December 1954, when TOBW got his first bus pass. Former JB Trevor Ford scored twice - he had previously played for Villa. We stayed up by 2 points at the end of the season where something of a noteable event happened. We beat Wolves 3-2 in our penultimate game, where a young Gerry Hitchens started in place of Ford. Hitchens would join Villa a few years later, and then moved on to Inter Milan, a move that cost him international appearances.

Since being such regulars at football's high table, we've made a further 15 trips to play Villa, all of them winless, with only 2 draws to cheer. We've scored 7 goals in those 15 visits, with Ricky Lambert's strike in 2016/17 being our only goal in our last 7 trips.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Our record at Villa isn't great. We won 6 of our first 13 visits to Villa Park. Our last win came in December 1954, when TOBW got his first bus pass. Former JB Trevor Ford scored twice - he had previously played for Villa. We stayed up by 2 points at the end of the season where something of a noteable event happened. We beat Wolves 3-2 in our penultimate game, where a young Gerry Hitchens started in place of Ford. Hitchens would join Villa a few years later, and then moved on to Inter Milan, a move that cost him international appearances.

Since being such regulars at football's high table, we've made a further 15 trips to play Villa, all of them winless, with only 2 draws to cheer. We've scored 7 goals in those 15 visits, with Ricky Lambert's strike in 2016/17 being our only goal in our last 7 trips.

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Apart from cup finals, probably our biggest ever away following at Villa in 1949. 4th Round, we won 2-1, and estimated at least 20,000 City fans in the 71,000 crowd.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Canton Kev

Almost certainly going to be a massacre but we can only dream.

I notice Martinez was subbed off at half time last night. I’d be happy if he had to sit out, best keeper in the world and all that.

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I'm sure they will be desperate for a World Class keeper to be in against us.

Interesting pre-Villa press conference from Riza.

Sounds like we are putting out the under 9s.

Magic of the cup, yes - but the league is the priority.

Too many crocked and walking wounded to attack the tie. Burnley is more important.

Should really be putting our best 11 out. What that looks like with the injuries etc is anyone's guess.

Deliberately fielding a much weakened squad in the last 16 of the fa cup only to be then be comfortably beaten by Burnley the following Tuesday would be ridiculous.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

Interesting pre-Villa press conference from Riza.

Sounds like we are putting out the under 9s.

Magic of the cup, yes - but the league is the priority.

Too many crocked and walking wounded to attack the tie. Burnley is more important.

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I hope that isn’t true, it’s the 5th round and a chance to progress, on paper we’ve got no chance, but you don’t play games on paper

They could have a man sent off concede a penalty or any number of variables

Not much point in bothering to enter if you draw a big club and just wave the white flag before a ball is kicked in my view

Even with a full strength team we’re not going to be fancied for getting a positive result, but at least let’s give it a go!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

Interesting pre-Villa press conference from Riza.

Sounds like we are putting out the under 9s.

Magic of the cup, yes - but the league is the priority.

Too many crocked and walking wounded to attack the tie. Burnley is more important.

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That would be very disappointing. I know in modern football the league is supposedly the be all and end all, but I'd say the last 16 of the FA Cup is a bigger priority than Burnley home

Quote:

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Originally Posted by City123

That would be very disappointing. I know in modern football the league is supposedly the be all and end all, but I'd say the last 16 of the FA Cup is a bigger priority than Burnley home

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It is worth watching the whole clip on the club site (on YouTube as well?)

The match squad will be a mixture of first team u21s and u18s.

Riza said he wants to compete - not roll over - and when asked if a win is impossible: ‘Nothing is impossible in football’.

But clear that the league is the priority and the squad has a lot of players who are out injured, are not march fit after being out with injuries or illness, and players who have to be eased back in or have their pitch time managed.

Who would be a manager, eh?

But the bigger news is that we have got Gorilla Glue as sleeve sponsor on Friday!:thumbup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

But the bigger news is that we have got Gorilla Glue as sleeve sponsor on Friday!:thumbup:

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Yes we all stick together.:hehe:
Llanrumney 1980s

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-city-31088334

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

Interesting pre-Villa press conference from Riza.

Sounds like we are putting out the under 9s.

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Just watched that on the club website. Riza was wearing a white baseball cap but stopped just short of waving a white flag.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeepster

Yes we all stick together.:hehe:
Llanrumney 1980s

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Gluebirds :tumbleweed:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

It is worth watching the whole clip on the club site (on YouTube as well?)

The match squad will be a mixture of first team u21s and u18s.

Riza said he wants to compete - not roll over - and when asked if a win is impossible: ‘Nothing is impossible in football’.

But clear that the league is the priority and the squad has a lot of players who are out injured, are not march fit after being out with injuries or illness, and players who have to be eased back in or have their pitch time managed.

Who would be a manager, eh?

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the trouble is, he is dammed if he plays the strongest team ( some who are carrying knocks ) and we get a injury or 2, but he is also dammed if he rests them and people perceive he has played a weakened team |

you can already see the usual suspects moaning about him because he risked players who are carrying knocks / played a weakened side and waved the white flag giving up a chance of FA cup glory ( delete as applicable )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blue matt

the trouble is, he is dammed if he plays the strongest team ( some who are carrying knocks ) and we get a injury or 2, but he is also dammed if he rests them and people perceive he has played a weakened team

you can already see the usual suspects moaning about him because he risked players who are carrying knocks / played a weakened side and waved the white flag giving up a chance of FA cup glory ( delete as applicable )

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Dammed? :hehe:

Riza has no need to worry. He could field the under-18's at Villa, suffer a record defeat and he'd still have the usual apologists defending him. They'd just write it off as a bad day at the office.

:thumbup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Dammed? :hehe:

Riza has no need to worry. He could field the under-18's at Villa, suffer a record defeat and he'd still have the usual apologists defending him. They'd just write it off as a bad day at the office.

:thumbup:

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I didn't want him to get appointed either.

I know you made it clear what a bad appointment you thought it was. I've also got plenty of posts on here criticising him and the club.

However his points per game is factually mid table level. Same as bulut. I know you didn't like bulut either though. Plus we've actually had some progress in a cup which is incredible for cardiff city!

It comes across as you don't think he has done well but you must accept he's done at the very least "quite well"? I'm not at all convinced someone like Mark Robbins who so many people wanted would have got that many more points.

I'm not going to get into a Riza debate and certainly not on this thread.

I was just responding to Matt's usual sanctimonious bullshit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninian opinian

Gluebirds :tumbleweed:

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someone's going to make a pritt of themselves if this thread continues in this vein

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blue matt

the trouble is, he is dammed if he plays the strongest team ( some who are carrying knocks ) and we get a injury or 2, but he is also dammed if he rests them and people perceive he has played a weakened team |

you can already see the usual suspects moaning about him because he risked players who are carrying knocks / played a weakened side and waved the white flag giving up a chance of FA cup glory ( delete as applicable )

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It’s a good job players only get injured then when they play a match, and no one ever gets injured in training?????

We’re in it, we might as well try our best to win it imho

Unless you’re going to wrap up the starting 11 for Burnley in cotton wool for 4-5 days, there’s no guarantee that they’ll all be fit, not sick or anything

Play our strongest team available and let’s have a good go at it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by olderblue

It’s a good job players only get injured then when they play a match, and no one ever gets injured in training?????

We’re in it, we might as well try our best to win it imho

Unless you’re going to wrap up the starting 11 for Burnley in cotton wool for 4-5 days, there’s no guarantee that they’ll all be fit, not sick or anything

Play our strongest team available and let’s have a good go at it

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I think our biggest risk area is with Horvath. If he were to get injured tomorrow , we will have no senior goalkeeper available, unless it is an emergency signing allowed by the League.

I noticed in the Villa manager`s press conference this afternoon he suggested he would be putting a strong team out for the game, perhaps as it represents a serious chance of European qualification for next season - far better than their Premier League chances.

Villa are planning a Peter Whittingham tribute at the game tomorrow.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...rdiff-31085475

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/spo...aston-31092378

It would be good if the CCS Whitts banner was also at Villa Park.

(Is that a club to club discussion or something the club could arrange via travelling fans groups?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jon1959

I watched the end of the game on a couple of clips (Highlights and Full 90) on the club site. Davies was chasing the last ball down the line when the final whistle went. He seemed to slow and stop naturally. He didn't 'pull up'. So unless he did himself some damage clapping the crowd, I would guess he is not injured.

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After the final whistle Davies was down on his haunches and looked really uncomfortable but I assume we won't know until game day but he did say in the post match press conference (I think) that he felt the best he has and knows his body better than ever

El Ghazi "most likely to be starting on Friday" according to El Ghazi

I'll settle for a 4-0 now. To Villa of course.

Riza could be telling porkies of course, but, looking at his pre game press conference on the club website, it seemed to me as if he was preparing us for another patched up, under full strength selection. He said if we were, say, twelfth and looking safe from the drop he’d approach the game differently, but he’s “frustrated “ that he cannot do that in our present position.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Riza could be telling porkies of course, but, looking at his pre game press conference on the club website, it seemed to me as if he was preparing us for another patched up, under full strength selection. He said if we were, say, twelfth and looking safe from the drop he’d approach the game differently, but he’s “frustrated “ that he cannot do that in our present position.

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It is quite hard to tell what's a strongest team with us and what's a back up though.

There are very few if any players who if they were left out would make me think we aren't playing our strongest team?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rjk

El Ghazi "most likely to be starting on Friday" according to El Ghazi

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He should definitely start. Be interesting to see how he looks when he's really really up for it. He'll be excellent tonight I think.

Can't see the point playing cup games when all we seem to be doing is battling relegation or on the rare occasion promotion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Father Dougal

He should definitely start. Be interesting to see how he looks when he's really really up for it. He'll be excellent tonight I think.

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Excellent? Hmmm. We'll see.

Anyway, this popped up earlier while I was watching an unrelated YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYVjm2T9hi0

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Excellent? Hmmm. We'll see.

Anyway, this popped up earlier while I was watching an unrelated YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYVjm2T9hi0

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El Ghazi not tracking back eh - what a surprise! I get the thought though that he might just be bothered to make a bit more of an effort this evening but we’ll see

Chambers and Robinson ex Villa as well.

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.”

Quote:

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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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He's comparing us to Stevenage - get it on the dressing room wall! :getscoat: