If I was to say “I don’t know what to think about this one”, you’d probably think “crikey Badger, you’ve said that a few times this season”. And you’d be right, because I have.
The trouble is, my immediate thoughts are to say I think we’ll win this game.
But for pretty much all of the season, Villa have failed to do what the average fan has expected. It’s worked both ways, mind and just as we put up an excellent fighting display against Liverpool when I think many expected a sound beating, so we’ve failed to win games that we would have assumed to be a shoe-in, such as Ipswich at home. That one particularly sticks in my mind and it’s that sort of result that really rankles me.
Squad news is that Konsa and Bailey both face late fitness tests. I’d say that Bailey won’t get a chance now we have the newcomers, but Unai seems to love him, hence I’d guess that if the player is fit, he will start. Konsa, of course would be a welcome return, albeit I don’t think he’s been at his best this season. Pau, Kamara and Onana are all a couple of weeks away at best and Disasi is ineligible against his parent club.
As for Chelsea, Noni Madueke is out for a few weeks with a Hamsting issue and Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana (the only one I’ve heard of) are all long term injuries. Not that it matters much, as they have stupid amounts of players to call on. Which is something else that rankles, because I’ve literally just read that we face a big fine by Uefa for a financial breach.
Anyway, as I said, I fancy us to win this one, but I just get a sneaky feeling that we won’t and a draw seems most likely. I don’t see it being a high scoring game either and it’s most likely to be a tight affair.
Hence a 1-1 seems most likely to me and in a game where it would good to pull some points back against another Europe contender, I would be disappointed with just one at home.
Then again, watch Villa do the unthinkable again and either win easily or get soundly beaten.
It’s what we do.
UTV!
Comments
308 responses to “Villa – Chelsea; Same old, same old”
Woo hooo were throooo thought Cardiff were shite even when we scored they sat back sooo negative UTMV yippeeeeee
Just a word for Rashford too. Since he started playing for us he has created 13 chances, more than any other player in the Prem.
Only Asensio can put them away. Good job he joined!
I have one moan – Lee Dixon, what a prat – saying Asensio wasn’t in the game apart from his two goals. What a load of b***ocks – he was influential throughout the game.
Typical Dickson, misses the important point. “Well, apart from that Mrs Lincoln – how did you enjoy the play?”
Bogarde and Garcia were definitely our best players.
I did think Cardiff were going to score when Maatsen again let another cross along the box where their striker beat Konsa to the ball but thankfully an easy shot for Martinez to deal with.
A clean sheet for once and a quarter final is the positive. The negative was how boring it was to watch. Cardiff played a low block and it worked well for most of the game. We just seem too slow in possession and Tielemans fluffed a couple of opportunities when dwelling on the ball.
We need Kamara back in the midfield and Torres for his passing ability. I had high hopes for Mings coming back but I don’t think he will get back to the form he was in before his injury.
Let’s hope for another home draw in the QF and maybe just maybe!
MOTM was their goalie.
Says it all.