You know a cup competition has been so devalued, that it’s almost worthless, when there’s practically no mention of tonight’s game in the news.
It’s a massive shame as it’s a competition that brings back some of my best ever memories of being a Villa fan.
Was I the only one who got down on my hands and knees in response to Tony Butler’s request to “get yer prayer mats out” in the run-up to our second replay against Everton, for instance?
I doubt it.
Heh, the things footy does to you, eh?
So over the years I’ve forgot about and had to read up on the format.
It’s seven rounds and we had a bye in the first one.
We’ve won two and if we win tonight, we’ll be in the quarter finals, which to me makes things very interesting.
It’s easy to say the competition is a waste of time, but it’s not like we’ve had to put much effort in to get this far is it?
And I think we’ll definitely win tonight, simply because we’re on a roll and Stoke er, aren’t. Actually that’s not strictly true, as they beat Wolves in the second round of the cup a couple of weeks back and won away at Preston at the weekend.
Not that I’m bothered. It might be a bit tougher than I imagined on the face of it, but I’m supremely confident that we’ll be in the hat for the quarters.
At least I would be if I knew we were going to play our strongest eleven.
Which we won’t.
Ross Barkley is cup tied, so we won’t be seeing him and he’s about the only change I might have expected from the squad that faced Bristol City in the last round anyway.
Whether it’s to give some of the second string minutes to keep them in trim should they be needed in the league or maybe a last once over by the management team before getting moved on, there’s little reason to change things just yet, in my opinion.
I actually found my password for one of the betting sites a couple of days back and was tempted to have a tenner on this one.
They don’t give much away do they?
7/4 on for the win I’m seeing.
It’s hardly worth the hassle, so I don’t think I’ll bother.
Hmm, a second glance shows I can get 15/2 for a 2-1 win and that’s much more like it.
I’m not really a betting man, but that would definitely spice things up a bit and if I do bother that’s what I’ll go for, because that’s my prediction.
You can guarantee that’s wrong then.
I thought this would be on Sky tonight, but it’s not so I don’t know how that will leave the streaming situation.
Whatever, I’d love us to progress and actually win the thing. It’s the closest we’re realistically getting to silverware this season, after all.
Konsa coming on for Hause, who’s got some sort of problem.
A more direct break and Davis plays in El Ghazi, who doesn’t get near it.
That was a bad tackle from Davis and he’s lucky not to be sent off. It getting obvious the players playing tonight know whatever they do won’t put them into the first team , so why break a leg in trying.
Good work from El Ghazi then and it produces the fist decent effort from us.
Watkins on for Ramsey, who’s done absolutely nothing.
Good shot from Watkins already.
Ramsey had a poorish game tonight but I can forgive a 19 year old kid making his way in the game.
As for players like Lansbury, Guilbert, Hause – they are really not of sufficient quality to be in the squad. Davis once again showed good ball control but will he ever find the goal instinct that’s missing from his game?
At least El Ghazi gave it a go as did Jota when he came on.
We were out thought, out fought and are justifiably out of the Cup.
I suspect tonight just confirmed what Smith et al already knew about our fringe players – it’s now clear that against a poor Bristol City side they flattered to deceive.
At least two more to come in – an attacker and a centre back (I think Smith will go with Targett and Taylor) – and a few to depart before we really have the strength in depth we need.
Jota on for Traore.
Truth, we have lost this game through playing players that couldn’t give a shit. Gilbert Taylor, Ramsey weak in the middle, the list goes on.as I’ve said this type of game has no meaning on the day. He’s thinking of Sunday’s game.
Stoke thoroughly deserved that.
They outworked us on and off the ball and we had nowhere near enough desire.
The usual suspects just confirmed what we already know for me and we need a clearout, as they’re a total waste of wages.
I’d be bloody fuming if I was Smith.
WHAT A WASTE OF A TENNER
What was Smith thinking, with this team selection?
Its all Badgers fault, saying we were definitely going through.
Roll on the next game, oh its Liverpool (doh!)
Ha, I knew I was wrong to be confident 🙁
It’s the Villa isn’t it?
At least I couldn’t get a bet on because the site needed to verify me first, which involves sending a letter to my house. I couldn’t be bothered with that. I’ve been a member for years too, so it must be a new thing.
Anyway, that saved me a tenner, but agreed it was a bit of a waste apart from confirming what we knew in that far too many just aren’t good enough.
The powers that be have reduced the once great League Cup to an irrelevance through greedy, demeaning sponsorship deals, Rumbelows Cup anyone???
Disgraceful.
Remember how beautiful the original cup was??????
Oh well. Onto the tasty Liverpool game!!!!
I didn’t watch the game so a tenner saved! Had a feeling we would blow it tonight. Perhaps we have got a little carried away with results considering Brentford easily beat Fulham too. We do need a clearout and I would put Nakamba, Jota, Lansbury and El Ghazi top of the list. Taylor too if we signed another LB. Let’s not be downbeat on Ramsey who has done really well up till tonight. Also let’s be realistic about Sunday when we are very likely to lose and possibly convincingly. Mid table is where we are aiming for this season. The early results have clouded some supporters outlook on what we can achieve.
Don’t get me wrong Holte.
The truth is Ramsey did nothing that I can remember.
But he was far from the worst on that pitch tonight and I could name half a dozen who I don’t think deserve to wear the shirt.
It was just a poor performance all round and I wasn’t singling the lad out.
Apologies if that’s how it seemed.
Just a weak bunch against a strong experienced team…..El Ghazi must be the greediest bloke on earth…..shoot shoot shoot…had that run and shot but then straight to goalie…….as most have said…no desire to break sweat……think we made too many changes and were not too bothered about this competition.
Not sure why my post ended up as a response to Badger lauding Watkin’s shot. Oh well 🙂
Well Smith stated that it felt like a friendly game, what did I say no wanting no effort the only time I did see a difference was 10 minutes of the end. Most of them that played lastnight will be gone soon and they know it, that’s why it never mattered to them, why play games like that, you might as well played up and coming youth players, sorry to say from now on cup games and competition won’t matter to me because it’s none meaning games. As for Ramsey better prospects have been given away to other clubs, he has a lot to learn because he showed no efforts in his play.
Sorry Bill but I disagree with your comments about Ramsey and ‘better’ prospects been given away.
Ramsey is just 19 and last night he was playing with a load of absolute plonkers – what exactly was he supposed to do? Smith praised his performance and would be keeping him close for the time being – quite rightly so – he needs encouragement.
The real concern is that most of last nights team would struggle in the Championship, let alone the Prem. I hope to see the back of a few of them before the end of the window (including the domestic extension).
I still think we need to get two or three better players in as the depth of quality in the squad, although vastly improved. Is still not yet there.
Hitch, you have the rights to disagree but it didn’t hide the fact he was absent in the game, he was there to create chances and I think he was out of his depth with older players, he has Hitch to show his present and never did. I don’t condemn him he will learn, lastnight not strong enough and Smith used him wrongly. We all could see along with the club players didn’t give a dam, Hitch that’s wrong in the name of football, the aim is to win, it wasn’t their.
I totally agree with your last point Bill – some of those players signed their exit forms – but I think the point you make goes quite a long way to explaining Ramsey’s struggles.
With the experience that was on the pitch it shouldn’t have been left to a 19 year old to run the mid field virtually on his own. I really felt for him.
Same here Hitch, he should not have been thrown into that game without other established players.
Has anyone got any thoughts on the story that Barkley is supposed to be costing us £11 million for his loan?
That’s a lot of money and we apparently don’t have a buy out clause either.
Given that sort of spend, you would think we’re looking to play him for the majority of games.
Haven’t heard about the fee, but if it’s true I guess that might be something to do with Chelsea paying his wages but wanting Villa to cover all of that cost?
As for the absence of a ‘buy’ option at the end of the loan, yes I saw that reported earlier in the week; at the time it did make me wonder whether he really sees his future at Villa Park…
I posted earlier that I thought we would be paying a high loan fee in return for only taking a small or no part of his wages as I suspect that’s more advantageous under the current aggregated FFP rules.
But whether it’s as high as £11m – I have my doubts.
As to whether Barkley sees his future at Villa – that may depend on how we perform this season. I don’t blame him for keeping his options open – that is, if it was actually his decision – which I doubt.
It’s a good move for us (and him) and we should see it as a positive.
Sorry, I should have clarified things.
We’re paying all of his wages (I think it’s £96k a week), a loan fee and agent’s fees. Total apparently £11 mill.
And it apparently was his decision after he’d previously knocked us back and then changed his mind when he realised he wasn’t going to get game time at Chelsea.
I’d link to the story, but forgot where I read it now.
Badger; I agree it would be his decision whether to join us but not re: a buy option that would rest with Chelsea – that is what a I was trying to say in response to Ardent.
If we perform well this season and we help to reignite his career so he has an opportunity for the Euros squad. If that happens then he may well see his future at Villa but would Chelsea let him go?
I may be wrong here, but I rather got the impression that Chelsea wouldn’t have had much objection to him leaving (full stop)
Nath, sensible post mate, there’s nobody that gets angry like me when I see players hiding there abilities, that happen in that game with Stoke, hit nail on the head saying they was there to win , the attitudes went out the window with our lot on putting a shift in . Me I played to show how good I was and hated to lose, I think Smith now knows who is who and as he’s saying waiting for club to come in for players.
i don’t think they didnt show up on purpose bill. i think stoke matched up to them and stopped them in their tracks, i do agree with you on ramsey he has got the ability, but being a top player is being able to summon that ability every game or most of them.playing to your ability is what separates the good players from the world class ones.
now we are out of the micky mouse cup davis will probably see a loan opportunity i hope he goes out, cause i really do believe he will become a decent player. but at villa he will not see enough games to fulfil this. ramsey also must consider this because youth football and under 23 (reverses) doesnt test him to improve more. he needs to get a bunch of games where he is learning to showcase his skills under more pressure,
reserves even
Good news spoiler: Sadio Mane can’t play against us as he’s in covid quarantine!
I hope he gave Salah and Fabinho big sloppy kisses too, then a result would be a shoe in!
Thiago is out too.
Gives us a chance then Bum Bum, hope we get a result from this game as that league is open at the minute and no run away teams. Utv.
i was also disappointed with the cup defeat, but i half expected the result. the team we played was so brilliant the round before they played above themselves. football is like that innit tbf that team are lacking match fitness and togetherness to beat a well coached championship team. i mean the team we fielded have played 2 games sofar and stoke players are much further into their match fitness.
that said we were poor, davis i see has received lots of slating, he needs games, training in our first team will only harness his skills but he needs the rough and tumble of real game time.as does ramsey, i agree with bill that he needs to play also in the championship. he does have have the skills but he needs the cold reality of football week in and out not every blue moon get a game.
end of the day stoke had more about their play first half, were villa were too slow with passing and too predictable with our play, we also wasted good chances and stoke took theirs. wasnt much in the game thats why i think it boiled down to match fitness or match readiness. we had too many rusty players. also it was a micky mouse cup, that even if we had won nobody would say that was worth it.
premiership and fa cup are the only domestic trophies we are concerned about. you can also scrub the fa cup that has diminished in our desire lately. we have got a massive game on sunday and that is followed by another 3 tough games. who really cares about our second string losing to stoke