Well, two goals ahead, playing at home & 90 minutes away from another European semi-final, this time in the Europa League, which some label Unai Emery’s forte. I’ve seen a lot of differing posts, some exclaiming that we are already through and that this will be a walkover, and some making this out to be a very tense night. I can see both sides, personally. Should we be on our A game, I back us to completely dismantle Bologna, as we have seen the three times we have played them already. Have we been known to bottle it in the big games before? Yes, absolutely – we must be completely switched on and fully prepared for Bologna to pose a threat. We do not need to make this difficult, and that is thanks to Ollie Watkins’ late goal at the end of the first leg, but I honestly think in these types of fixtures home advantage does not mean too much.
The record speaks for itself, we have faced Bologna three times in Europe in the last two seasons, with one being last week, and put SIX goals past them whilst only conceding ONE, which was a great goal by, in my humble opinion, the best player across the two sides last Thursday – Jonathan Rowe. My opinion was shared by the majority of the forum, that we should definitely be looking at him in the summer because he looked extremely promising. I actually saw someone on X say we should sell Rogers and get Rowe, and he got laughed at upon making the call… but after Sunday’s showing I really beg to differ, his persistent ball-losing (if that’s a word) was the root of Forest’s equaliser that I saw two metres from me, in row C at the City Ground right behind the goal.
On a personal level, I do believe I am not going tonight unless I get an extreme wave of FOMO in the next few hours and book a ticket, but I simply do not think I can justify paying the extortionate prices they are charging to watch us currently 3-1 up against a team I’ve seen us play twice at Villa Park already in the last two seasons – not if I want a cat in hell’s chance of going to Porto away or Forest away, anyway.
Team news tonight; Martinez I believe is a doubt, but having Bizot in goal doesn’t particularly worry me, I think we have a good back up goalie in Bizot and most importantly I think he would be happy to spend the rest of his career here, he gets a decent amount of minutes for his age, to be fair, and he knows the fans are appreciative of him. I am also reading Mings has picked up a knock but I am not too sure. Sancho and Kamara out again, obviously. As for our Italian counterparts, they have around 3-4 injuries, but I am unsure as to how significant they are. I believe if we take care of their attacking threat then we will be OK.
On the whole, we have a superb chance to progress to the Semi-Finals of the Europa League tonight, and in turn a superb chance to win the competition that we are favourites to win. I would like to see Forest go out tonight, I just don’t think we would benefit from having the unconscious pressure of having another English side in the competition – I honestly don’t think we’d live it down if Forest win it and we don’t.
I am going to be positive and say 2-0 Villa, but this could easily end in us making it difficult for ourselves if we are not on our A game. Play it safe, Villa.
UTV!
Alfie, spot about Row and Rodgers, I watch football a lot and had many discussions with me own family on Rodger’s, ok , he’s hot and cold in football too me which we can do without in Villa . Yes he has talent be not able to know when its needed, Bailey has that very same problem in a game. It only takes 1 player to fail on the day and the whole teams will suffer. Rodgers does have talent just wish he would show a little bit more in a game of importance, I was blown away with Leeds effort against Man Utd and I knew they would turn up on the day which they did , football a funny old game and it is .
Yeah I honestly saw one fan get ridiculed but I mostly agreed.
Cash on a yellow and will miss semi-final if booked. Against Rowe. How will that work?
McGinn I think is in a similar position if I’m not wrong?
BFR – some views that Konsa will play right back with Lindelof playing CB.
Alfie, I think Sancho will be in the squad and Emery was quite positive about Martínez but I agree with you about Bizot.
We do need to be on it tonight; although we’ve beaten Bologna three times they’ve all been tight games. 3-1 away doesn’t sound tight but Bologna could arguably claim they were unlucky. But for VAR, the bar and Martinez it could have been a different story.
Hopefully tonight we’ll have our rhythm in tune which was clearly missing in the first half of the last game and will not cause the fans too many frights!
Bologna without their inspirational CB (don’t know his name) after he was booked in the last game – reckoned to be their ‘Kamara’ if that makes sense.
UTV
You were right on most, Hitch. Hope we can finish the job.
Emery is not taking any chances with this side.
23, Martínez, Goalkeeper
2, Cash, Defender
4, Konsa, Defender
14, Torres, Defender
12, Digne, Defender
7, McGinn, Midfielder
24, Onana, Midfielder
8, Tielemans, Midfielder
10, Buendía, Midfielder
11, Watkins, Striker
27, Rogers, Striker
Substitutes
31, Bailey, Substitute
18, Abraham, Substitute
40, Bizot, Substitute
26, Bogarde, Substitute
9, Elliott, Substitute
16, García, Substitute
22, Maatsen, Substitute
5, Mings, Substitute
3, Lindelöf, Substitute
19, Sancho, Substitute
21, Douglas Luiz, Substitute
64, Wright, Substitute
And its 2-0 for me as well Alfie.
Nice.
Resisted the urge to purchase a last minute ticket and didn’t go. Upset me a little to be honest, but having lamb and a beer / cider whilst watching in the warm does make up for it!
Rowe vs Cash is a real worry.
Already a very fussy ref – two non fouls given against Villa already!
He refereed our 3-2 victory against PSG.
Means nothing Alfie.
Never said it did, just said he refereed our win against PSG. He was against us then too.
That’s three now!
And another – playing against 12 already!
Get in!
Glorious
Buenda won’t get the assist but he deserves it
Come on the villa. Enjoy the night
Great team goal
That’s harsh. I’d be pissed if that was given against us.
I 100% knew Rogers would miss. Why exactly did he take it???
Never mind 😁
Superb by Emi
First penalty of the season and we can’t score – and the odds were? 😂
Doesn’t really matter though – good goal by Buendia,
Tie done and dusted
All we need now is Porto to wake up and beat Forest with 10 men.
I don’t believe it, my favourite player missed a penalty and Buendia maker’s up for it . 2-0 Villa 44 seconds after the pen
The ref is truly terrible and buying the Bologna players throwing themselves to the ground – awful
Keep it simple stupid. Kiss kiss kiss
I recall that was Steve Harrison’s mantra. Very good advice.
Absolutely delicious from Chesty 👌