So it’s yet another cup draw against Man U then and it seems all too familiar doesn’t it?
I was going to say when are we going to get a nice easy draw, but we’ve also shown that we can lose those too lately.
I’d love an FA cup win and there are not many Villa fans around now who have actually seen us win it.
Man U on paper seems about the worst possible draw you could get, but the reality is it’s probably the best time to play them in very many years. They’re in pretty much total disarray and I saw just yesterday that they have a rumoured seventeen players that are not happy and want to leave. Yes, seventeen. That’s not a mistake on my part.
Ralf Rangnick doesn’t seem to care about this either and it just seems to me that he’s stoking the flames even more and nearly every comment he makes is just calling his players out. I know he’s a short term replacement, but it seems to me he’s not about trying to keep the peace and I’m guessing his role is more trying to drive players out.
The point is Man U really do not seem to be in a happy place.
And you’d expect to see it in their play.
Don’t forget (as if you could!) we beat them at Old Trafford just a few weeks ago. Wolves did too, so it shows they are very beatable. You still have to get past the fact that they get every shout going and they invariably get a penalty against us, but even so, they’re still definitely very beatable.
And I would so love it if we could beat them again.
Squad news and there isn’t much.
Mings and Watkins will both be back, while Nakamba and Bailley are long term injuries. Trézéguet and Bertrand Traoré are at Afcon.
As for Man U, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof should be fit. Pogba is a long termer and Eric Bailly and Hannibal are also at Afcon.
I’ve said for a long time that I think Man U are a poor side, certainly not as good as their league position seems to show. It’s just those decisions that very often go their way that have massively helped them.
I watched that game against Wolves and the old gold were much the better side, creating far more chances too.
So I’ll emphasise again that they are beatable. Hence we have nothing to fear.
Which I’m sure is what Gerrard will be drumming into our lads.
In fact the biggest thing we need to worry about is ourselves.
There will be no replays for this tie. It has to be decided tomorrow, hence we need to be on the ball and fired up from the off.
Unfortunately, that’s our biggest problem. We have a knack of not showing enough urgency and pace to our game.
A wounded Man U still have enough to see us off with ease if we’re not on our game, but I’m sure Gerrard will have emphasisied that.
Another Brentford type performance and we’ve lost before we start.
We must get stuck in, else I suspect some of our players may be in the last chance saloon.
It seems we are in for Digne at Everton, which means Matt Targett’s position is now seriously in doubt, if that rumour is true.
This is a massive plus about Gerrard, in my opinion. He won’t have favourites like Dean Smith did and will be ruthless. If you ain’t performing you WILL be out. And if he hasn’t got the necessary competition, it won’t be long before he does.
I think we’ve been poorer as a team than the components ought to be. We’ve played well within ourselves for a lot of this season and we need to step it up.
Do that and I think we can definitely win this game.
The question is, will we?
There hasn’t been a better time in ages, so I’m going to go for a 2-1 win.
And if we can’t beat them now, it’ll probably be a good while before we get another chance.
Next week apart of course.
UTV!
Here’s a daunting stat:
United are unbeaten in 11 Cup games at home winning the last nine with an aggregate of 20 – 2 – not surprising as most of them seem to have been against us!
But on the other hand only three clubs have ever beaten United at home twice in one season – Spurs, Chelsea and the mighty Villa but that was in 1919! Win and we’ll be the only club in the history of football to beat United twice at home, twice in one season.
Add in our awful record against United over the past 20 years or so and the odds are stacked against us yet again!
Gerrard has said he’s going with a full strength team as the Cup is ‘too important’ (to be resting players). Will United rest players – I think they will but still have enough ammunition to win.
As Badger says they are in turmoil at the moment and that does tend to translate to performances on the pitch but who better to play when you need a kick start out of a poor run?
Going for a United win by scoring more penalties than us but not necessarily after extra time. 🙂
The FA cub I’ve always supported and use to follow allover the country, Man Utd was one of the club’s that flaunted that cup, in fact was condemned for playing none of the first team players under Ferguson, glad to see clubs and fans are now interested in that wonderful old cup .well done to the minors who have pulled off wins and we fear no one .utv.
Gerrard is in the hot seat and is being paid for being there. He says he is going to put out his strongest team. I wouldn’t – in the peculiar circumstance of playing them again the following match. I would give the youngsters on the fringes a starting place: in particular Carney and Archer. Not Steer. Jaydon Bidace, yes but only if he isn’t replacing a core player.
Ordinarily, I’d probably say the same.
However… this is the FA Cup, and apart from our desperate historical record in it over the last 65 years, it’s the only thing we might, just, possibly win* this season!
So I can see why SG might want to put his strongest possible team out – especially with the attraction of a home tie against Middlesbrough in the 4th round if we get past this one. The guy wants to WIN something.
* & I agree with all the previus comments regarding how the odds are stacked against any team that has to play ManUre, especially at OT (-not because they’re actually very good, either)
It seems (according to his agent) that Tuanzebe left Villa because Gerrard refused to select him due to his (Gerrard’s) dislike of / rivalry with United.
Nothing to do with the fact he’s been distinctly underwhelming whenever he’s been on the pitch.
You have to wonder.
I’ve read some pretty pathetic things from football agents over the years, but this is one of the most stupid of all.
Taunzebe looked good when we were in the Championship; but he hasn’t progressed at all in the couple of years since, and wasn’t going to replace Mings, Konsa or Hause here – under any coach, unless we were totally injury-stricken,
Let’s stick with the good news.
Coutinho has passed his medical, is completing paperwork for permit (should be straightforward) and is flying to England tomorrow to complete loan move.
With some luck we might see him in the squad Saturday albeit he might start on the bench,
And it’s being reported we’re trying to sign Randolph on loan from West Spam – does that suggest Gerrard isn’t keen on Steer as No2 to Martinez? This does come with a health warning as the reports came from TalkS****!
Update on Randolph – Sky now saying we’re in talks with West Spam.
The idea being if we get him in on loan, Steer will be loaned out to get regular first team football.
Is that with a view to selling him in the summer?
Possibly.
The alternative iview is that Steer might actually be a bit fed-up of not playing, and wants to go somewhere where he can play most games.- even just on loan; we have loaned him out 3 or 4 times already since he joined us.
Anyone seen the report Lucas Digne has signed for us from Everton????
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10386277/Aston-Villa-Lucas-Digne-transfer-close-Everton-defender-agrees-personal-terms-club.html
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Douglas Luiz, J.Ramsey; Buendia, Ings, Watkins.
SUBS: Steer, Sinisalo, Hause, Sanson, Iroegbunam, Chukwuemeka, Philogene-Bidace, El Ghazi, Archer.
Interestingly, no Ronaldo.
More trouble at t’ mill?
I do hope so.
Wow. Ronaldo always scores against us. Great news!!
Bum Bum, Digne has been the story since at least yesterday. I’ve even mentioned him in the headline post 🙂
Ah. Missed it! Easily distracted…too many phone calls.
Apologies.
2-1 Villa tonight.
2-1 to Man Ure with them getting two penalties. 😒
Gerrard to beat the portents? Any improvement on 5-1 I will see as a bonus.
1 for Monday night, 1 for Live TV, 1 for OT, 1 Man U dodgy penalty and 1 Minger.
Villa to have the ball in the net twice 1 Maggafe, 1 ruled out wrongly by VAR.
Ah man.
Same old,same old.
We’ll struggle now.
Damn.
As soon as he crossed it I knew it was a goal
We had 2 opportunities to run at them already but plated it sideways and lost the ball ffs
Ramset daft booking again.
Not going too well is it 🙂
Shocking defending and poor balls in the final third – sound familiar?
I think Gerrard timed the signing wrong, the fault of that goal was our left back .now he’s playing have imget a job or not.
Targett is a different player this season. He looks terrible most of the time.
Another decent effort from Buendia.
They’ve obviously been told to shoot from just outside the area.
Ollie hits the bar. Shit!