Aston Villa host Tottenham in this round of the League Cup. Both teams are expected to make massive changes due to fitness concerns over numerous amount’s of players. Aston Villa progressed into this round by beating Rotherham 3-0, while Tottenham automatically qualified due to their Premier League position last season.
Paul Lambert may give starts to Steer, Sylla, Bennett, Helenius and Kozak who are yet to start in the Premier League this season, Lambert has mentioned that he will prioritise the League over the League Cup. Tottenham manager Villas-boas plan’s to do the same, he was furious at the scheduling of the Tottenham game, which resulted in the team play 3 games in 6 days. He mentioned that no one from Sunday’s game will feature tonight due to fitness concerns.
Team News:
Aston Villa have several injury concerns ahead of this game. Christian Benteke will miss this game due to a hip injury suffered in last weekends Norwich game. While Agbonlahor, Delph, Luna and Clark have all picked up slight knocks and may also miss out. Westwood remains a doubt. Okore, N’Zogbia and Gardner all remain out through long-term injuries.
Tottenham will rotate the squad, but only Rose and Defoe remain serious injury doubts.
Match Facts:
The two clubs have met four times in the League Cup, with Aston Villa winning on the last two occasions in 1987 and 1994.
Aston Villa haven’t beaten Tottenham since September 2008, they have played 9 times since then.
They have only conceded one goal to date – Olivier Giroud’s winner for Arsenal.
Predicted Lineups:
Steer
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Bennett
Weimann-Sylla-El Ahmadi-Tonev
Helenius
Kozak
Kane
Lamela-Chadli-Lennon
Sandr0-Holby
Naughton-Kaboul-Chiriches-Walker
Friedel
Predictions:
Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham
Tottenham are favourites for a reason, I change the entire Spur’s first team and it’s still really strong. Aston Villa might’ve had an extra day of rest but if a young, inexperienced defence has to face Lamela, Chadli and Lennon it’s never going to be easy. I hope Aston Villa can get a good result and continue their League Cup run, but it’s going to be massively difficult. Aston Villa even play worse at home!
Cup games can be weird as we all know. I don’t think this is a predictable as many make out. Man City last season anyone? Certainly going to be interesting. I’m going for a 1-0 us.
It is tough to predict, no one can even predict 5 players that will definitely play tonight.
I hope you’re right, maybe Villa can get another win out of the bag. But remember, against City we were away
Fair point, but when have we ever really been predictable at time like this? We can’t predict the teams but one thing is whoever plays, they’ll want to prove something to play in the Premier League, so you never truly know. Here’s hoping!!!
I would love a win, but I’m going with 1-2 Spurs
I really hope Friedel starts today. I like him, but Lloris has been all but unstoppable of late.
I think the line up sounds about right. Although I am less confident Wiemann will start, I have an odd feeling we might see the return of Bowery or Albrighton? Nevertheless, I hope we make a game of it. It will be great to see the new lads have a run out and hopefully this will allow Lambert the chance to experiment with the formation a bit. Trial by fire.
with this type of game you cannot use league form as a factor as the squad for Spurs will be totally different than for a league match. I just wonder if PL is laying down a smoke screen and will play a strong side with Kodak in for Benteke. If he does, we can win this UTV.
We beat city away last year means fuck all as the hammered us in league. I’d rather of had the three points
Ooh ah, we are more than likely going to lose tonight but ffs give the team a bit of support, even though your not interested in cup games. Or do not make any comments at all.
Some of your points are valued but you are beginning to be a bit of a pain in the arse with so much negativity.
Fair enough we shouldn’t get beat tonight necessarily as spurs have a poor team out
This reason ohhahh is so negative is because there nowt all to be positive about every game we go in as fans we fear the worst thanks to Lerner any one thing these new signings are gonna be world beaters must be on something we have a piss poor chairman manager and team dont know why we bother? Maybe its because I feel sorry for myself
Spot on villa 1996 there not much to be positive about especially at home. Be interesting to see how tonev does tonight as I my up against spurs reserves Ffs so no excuses
Are we playing a 4-5-1 today? With actual wingers? I’m confused.
I’m positive about every game, but I try to remain realistic, which is why when we win it’s bloody brilliant. McLeish nearly got to me (ok, he did get to me) but there are always rays of light. The Newcastle game was bloody awful though. But really, in this modern age, would you rather see the Villa fight for it or buy it (or buy it and then fail to get it – see Chelsea, ManC, ManU and Spurs, only one is going to win and it might even be Arsenal, who are almost solvent)? Or even buy it and not be able to afford it? We’re currently 13th out of what, 92 league teams? Not disastrous. We’ve won two matches so far and no one outside the top five has won more, had we beaten Chelsea and were now in seventh place would there be so much doom and gloom? We kept our first clean sheet last match, we’re doing ok, not brilliantly, not Sunderland.
Do villa actually have a home ground any more? We play like the away side every time
Does every player that puts on a villa kit have an awful first touch? Might be my American eyes, but every game it seems like the opponent has better touch/possession skills. With us, it’s always banging around like a foosball table.
Your not imagining out players have the touch of a mule!!cant believe they are on 20-30k a week complete dross
Mules. Spot on. There’s no poise with the ball. God I fucking miss Milner.
100% for effort 10% creativity. Helenius to come on hopefully!
Nothing new there then
We need Wiemann on. Benett and KEA having particularly good games, I didn’t think I’d hear myself say that tonight. Steer has made a couple of good saves too. It took a very good goal from Defoe to break the deadlock.
yep it was coming wasn’t it?
good effort no creativity as adam said, cant really see us scoring unless something drastic happens.
What defenders were responsible for goals or are they all shit
Very poor decision not to give a pen for us there, then they score a corner! Typical
Our passing again is pretty poor and defending suspect at times, but I have to say this ref is not helping tonight. Personally it seems very one sided.
Can’t blame the ref though this keeps happening every home game. Theyv had 6 shots on target to our 1 and they are the away team Ffs
We are second best without a doubt, I’m just saying the 1st half fouls seemed very one-sided and the Helenius fiasco was questionable. If you pull a shirt, its a foul… so, how was pulling his shorts down any different?
I weren’t expecting anything from tonight’s game for to the simple fact we really are shit. Never have I witnessed such a poor squad of players at AVFC. This squad is even worse than the one that got relegated in 86. Truly awful.
Agreed mate totally piss poor we will be lucky to stay up this year maybe the best thing is to go down now and put us all out if our misery!
Well, this is money versus spirit tonight folks. And you see what that gets you. A multi-million-dollar b-squad that can kick spirit’s ass any day of the week.
Yep spot on this pound land model of Lerners is a disgrace he should do the honourable thing and sell
OOHAH, man up and get out your wallet or shut up!
And who’s going to buy Villa? Haven’t Everton been up for sale for a while? Or weren’t they, even under an attractive manager like Moyes with a solid team? Weren’t Newcastle at one time up for sale before they finished really well? Finding a buyer would take years and years to do.
Helenius is woeful
I was all for Lambert taking over and have defended him to the hilt but I’ll hold my hands up, I was wrong. I’ve lost faith in this club totally. I can honestly say I find it very very difficult to get excited about a game these days. I’m another who wasn’t expecting anything from this evenings game but the fact I really couldn’t give a shit anymore wether we win or not speaks volumes. I guess my love for Aston Villa as all been drained out of me.
Bloody hell, when the likes of you are are the verge of giving up, B6, I know we’re looking poor 🙁
Can’t get to see the game for myself, but jeez, I’m starting to get a bit worried.
Gosh I sound like Robbo. Iv felt the same for ages to just don’t give a fuck anymore its just awful
Time to walk away for a while and come back if and when the owner sells to someone willing to throw a lot of money at the club?
Not going to happen foxy iv said for past couple of years how far Wev fallen and that Lerner is content with fourth from bottom when he realised he couldn’t get fourth from top. I know I sound negative but I really wish I’d have been priced wringing coukd see this happening ages ago. I really don’t know where we go from here though except for some weird reason I think we might nick a point in sat
I thought you didn’t care about the League Cup? I mean no one else does, do they? The team does well, that’s great. The team loses, well, it’s not a great loss is it? Yeah, sure, it’s a nightmare if someone gets injured but tonight we played, what, two of the starting 11 against Norwich. Positives from tonight are we’re out of the cup so less opportunity for our players to get injured, more opportunities for the opposition to get weakened. Bennett may well have earned himself a starting place, as might Albrighton (Wiemann not firing on all cylinders, Kozak and Helenius like crosses in, Albrighton can cross), and Tonev didn’t do too badly. Negatives, not really that many. Sylla didn’t do as well as he should have done really. That’s about it. The main attacking players were rested, and we were pretty much toothless (aside from Albrighton and occasionally Tonev) in attack.
Yep, this will not be our miracle on ice moment… on to league play.
Can’t really see why I was one of the few who didn’t want him when McLeish left… Guess it’s getting pretty obvious now.
Tbf he was the best of a bad bunch of managers that we could get after mcleish. The problem is if lambert was sacked tomor then what? Who would we get that’s any better? What manager worth his salt would want to manage that shower of shite with fuck all money to come in jan. we have to stick with lambert simply because Wev got no choice
True, though I want a foreign manager, always have. Not sure who’s available who’s not English. I don’t really care if they’re big named, but someone more exciting. There’s a lot of Manager’s linked to Sunderland, so there’s obviously a few available.
di Canio is available
So is mon and mcleish lol
Haha Foxy. Don’t worry, I tend not to be that negative, just never wanted Lambert before he came and still don’t. 😛
And no, not Irish/Northern Irish/Scottish either. We need a total change. I’d almost take Martinez right now. :/
I thought McLeish and Lambert were from the same country?
Last year’s League Cup winners just lost 5-0 to the team that a team one point above us beat to the Premier League title last year.
See, it’s not all bad!
Well that was predictable, another home drubbing and Saturday against City will be the same. Not really bothered any more, its not like we’re going to win or achieve anything anyway.
The club can now put all its efforts into finishing 17th, so Lerner can pocket the TV money. And round we go, aimlessly drifting into a pointless existence.