LIVERPOOL AT HOME; MAYBE TWICE
So after beating Wolves on Wednesday, it turns out we’ve drawn Liverpool at home in the next round of the cup.
Which is pretty ironic, seeing as we face them in the Premier league today.
In what seems typical, the other top clubs, in Citeh and Utd have drawn Colchester and Oxford. Lucky so and so’s.
Jurgen Klopp has said that if the date of the game isn’t changed, then the club will forfeit, because they’ll be in the middle of the World club competition, probably meaning we’d get a bye.
It won’t happen though and the EFL/EPL will pander to what one of the top clubs want. We all know it.
Anyway, onto today’s game and I have to say I’m writing this on Thursday night, as I have to work a late shift on Friday and don’t know what time I’ll finish on Saturday.
Hence, some stuff might be out of date.
As it stands, according to Dean Smith, there’s a chance Jack Grealish might actually be fit for the game.
Kienan Davis’ injury was unfortunate, but at least Kodjia got a run-out, which means he’s back up for Wesley, who I think Smith still has faith in.
Jota won’t be available.
Quite simply, I see this as probably more difficult than the Man City game.
Liverpool will play the high press and with their wide players and attack, we know they can be devastating.
That said, Liverpool can be vulnerable at the back and they do sometimes leave a lot of space in the middle. We have players capable of taking advantage of that, especially with the Grealish-McGinn combo.
But I think our defence will have too much to cope with and I can’t see us conceding less than 2 goals.
Just as a reminder, my Liverpool supporting workmate reaffirmed today that he thought Man Utd sussed Pool out by going 3/5 at the back.
His first question was “who are your full/wing backs?”
And when you consider Targett isn’t the best defender, the alarm bells rung.
That said, I didn’t realise it, but we’ve taken points in all of the last five games at home, so we’ve a decent record at Villa Park.
Which makes it quite interesting if you fancy a bet for this one.
The sites I’ve seen reviewed on My Top Sportsbooks have us at around 7-1 to win, which is roughly twice the odds of any other Premier league home team this weekend.
If you’re confident, those are good odds.
But I mentioned in the Man City post, that I just had a feeling that we’d take a point from this and the City game. Where according to the above link, you can get about 4-1 for the draw.
I actually quite fancy those odds and might well be tempted to have a flutter, as nothing would surprise me in this game.
If we don’t get a total spanking, I fancy 2-2 or even 3-3.
Elmohamady on for Guilbert.
Fresh legs and I’ve no problem with that.
Jeez, Van Dyke messes up and we were in. No joy.
Kodjia on for Wesley.
I’d liked to have seen that 15 mins back.
And pool equalise.
Don’t lose this now, please.
Shit Free kick.
Now my ring’s twitching.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG.
I just knew it. What a choker.
1-2 🙁
Fed up and pissed off with sport today
I’m totally gutted.
The only consolation is that Pool look like they are going to win the league.
Great performance from us, which I’ll post on later.
Dean Smith looks equally gutted.
gutted
villa didnt deserve to lose this game. ok pool had more ball and more chances, but we showed real improvements, we were solid and a big threat on the break, both wide boys had their best games. nakamba wesley both had good games. in fact all the team had one of their better games.
we had chances too second half, not as many as we created first, think the finishing line became too inviting to us, we switched off right at the end. el ghazi not tracking a late run onto a great cross at the back post. winner was heart breaking
our players gave their all and it almost was enough.
Where did the effing 5 minutes come from. 7 minutes of that game was a joke. Yes im gutted but proud of the lads, we wont go down and get better in time. My grandson and his dad went and I bet they come home swearing like mad,42 thousand today getting bigger by the year.
What a crap day it’s been. England deserved to lose but Villa were hard done by. I’m not a fan of late substitutions when clinging onto a lead. If a player is injured then that’s different but I don’t think Kodja and Hourihane coming on helped our game plan. Can’t fault the players though because they gave Liverpool a fright and need to keep their chins up with games to come.