Carew waves BYE as we lose a nothing match
Got to be totally honest, at no point was I ‘up’ for the game.
In fact I have never felt so non plussed for a game since the DOL years. It seems from the funeral atmosphere at VP that everyone felt the same and the guys behind just talked about the election all game which says it all really.
On the pitch the players hardly seemed bothered and lets face it is nice to be above Liverpool but whether we finished 5th, 6th or 7th is actually inconsequential. the attitude just seemed to be to finish the season which lets face it was finished last week and you have a feeling a few players had played their last game for Villa.
Hence the title.
You know I am no fan of the con artist called Carew and despite his goals this for me was the 6th game running he had a stinker against defenders who battled against him and not fall away. Hence on about 70 minutes when he was subbed and applauded all the ground o his way out I certainly got the feeling that was goodbye.
I did not stick around for the ‘lap of honour’ but I read and was told he was waving in many people’s view goodbye. I will be one of the few who will not be unhappy at that.
9 months gone quickly, all over now, we can reflect on a season of progression in many areas but today showed the same old fault of not breaking down teams at home and that is what we must correct.
Over to you Randy and Martin.
Sad times – Last game of the season
I hate the last game, season over, no more visits to Villa Park for weeks, usually we have great weather but not tomorrow !
At least we have something to play for, 6th place and an outside shot at 5th. Some fans have decried 6th place again but we have had an increase in points and can not help if others have improved quicker. However to finish above Liverpool and shut up your glory hunting fake scouse mates must be something with wanting ?
A positive bit of team news is that Andreas Weimann is going to be on the bench some of you say he may not get a chance but I have seen enough reserve team football to know that Weimann is a massive talent for the future. He has for his age great strength a fair turn of pace and a natural goal scoring nstinct and is only 18, he can in my view go all the way.
We know what the team will be tomorrow so lets hope with pressure off against a team with nothing to play for in front of a full ground we loosen the shackles and put on a performance for the fans to remember at home because that is where we have struggled for certain.
Lets not hope it is the usual end of season fare !
Images of a fantastic night
Well what a game, you would have watched it, either on TV or at Villa Park and it is impossible to describe what a mad game and lots of credit to Blackburn for a fantastic effort but it is clear over two legs we throughly deserved to get to Wembley and a great chance of silverware against the red or blue half of Manchester.
So for anyone not there I hope these pictures from my phone capture some of the atmosphere before, during and after the game.
Get READY
There are no excuses for anyone not to shout and sing their heads off tonight and that includes you lot in the Witton and Trinity !
There is no excuse for anyone slagging off our players during the game.
In just a few hours we go into one of the most important matches since May 2000, we want and desire a cup final and the only way we can influence what goes on the pitch is to create such a raucous atmosphere of such intensity the Blackburn players will not know what has hit them.
Clearly for the Blackburn fans this game is not important only 1500 are bothering to come down, never in a semi final at home will we have such superiority in numbers, make this Tranmere revisited.
Any setbacks tonight should be brushed aside and from first whistle to last just 100% for the team, anything less is unacceptable.
Finish the road from Villa Park to Wembley
90 minutes stands between us and a Wembley visit since the none event of 2000 and after the 1st leg last week we should be very confident of finishing the job.
We played so well last Thursday that the tie should have been over and done with and tomorrow a mere formality. However due to the lack of a class goal poacher we go into the 2nd leg with a lead but one that can be wiped away by one single silly mistake. The key tomorrow is to ensure we get the early goal, we get the chance to put it away early and make it a fairly easy tie.
Not sure what attitude that Blackburn will bring to us, if they come on the attack will suit us down to the ground but we are more than capable of dealing with their rather limited attacking play but we simply have to put away chances which we have missed the last few games we can not afford to miss such easy chances.
I am confident we will be Wembley bound tomorrow evening but not cocky about it and understand that all ties are hard but we have the quality and desire to succeed. The only thing that will hold us back is our lack of creativity and being too relaxed about it.
Biggest game for a few years and a sell out night crowd should provide a raucous atmosphere.
enjoy, if you can !!
One foot in a Wembley final, seal it at Villa Park
Great performance, should have been more but anyone would take 1-0 away win for the 1st leg and you could tell this game meant something to Villa, just magnificent support.
Villa came out for the game looking like they meant business and after 15 minutes of possession we created a fair few chances without actually managing to breach the net. Then total dominance from Villa with chance upon chance until Milner from his own breakaway scored a great goal to put us up one – nil, great credit to Downing with brilliant link up play.
For the rest of the half Villa totally dominated, created chances but Clattenburg refuses two absolute stonewall penalties to make the score very unfair to Villa.
The second half started off much like the first half, two great chances carved out but Blackburn missed a clear chance to post up warning signs, despite the domination, the tie is not over. Blackburn continued to start to pile on the pressure with long balls, the Villa defence continued to stay firm under this pressure as Kallinc hits the post twice and forces a great save from Guzan,
Villa after 70 mins made a change with Sidwell on for Heskey, going 4-5-1 as the Blackburn storm was weathered somewhat and Young missed a great opportunity. Has the 2nd half came to a close, Blackburn’s attacks became less frequent and we created further chances.
As the full time whistle blew, we got a very good 1st half performance and score and at Villa Park i front of a full house should seal the tie and get to Wembley.
Stats
Posession 55% to Villa
Shots on Target 9 to Villa, 2 to Blackburn
Corners 13 to 9 in Villa’s favour
Text Updates (Villa biased) – Blackburn vs Villa 0-1 FT
COME ON YOU LIOOONNNSSS
21:55 – FULL TIME – Should have been more but will take that, good game and advantage Villa
21:53 – Last minute corner kick to Blackburn, just headed over
21:51 – three mins injury time
21:50 – Fantastic save by Robinson from Gabby
21:49 – More good play from Young wins yet another corner
21:45 – Scrapy period but milner’s shot takes a deflection, guess what ? corner and panic in Blackburn’s defence
21:39 – Villa let Emerton run at us and force a save from Guzan, yet another corner, end to end game
21:36 – Young dragged a shot wide of the post from a good position
21:31 – Villa sub, Sidwell on for Heskey, clearly going for the counter attack
21:30 – From the corner yet another great breakaway, Young an inch taller would have surely put it away
21:29 – Yet another Blackburn corner and once again great defending
21:25 – Got to say great effort by Kallinic as he hits the same post again
21:22 – Blackburn long balls causing problems, corner again
21:20 – From long throw, blackburn corner, great clearance by Dunne
21:18 – Blackburn getting more into it as Dunn fired wide.
21:15 – First real chance for Blackburn as Kalinic hits the post, should have scored
21:13 – Young earns yet another corner, from the corner, just how did it not go in ?
21:11 – Blackburn more up for it, got to keep door shut
21:10 – Another great counter attack, Young fires it across but noone there to tap it in
21:08 – Great news from the Youth Cup as Villa win 2-0
21:06 – 2nd half kicks off, Villa players chatting with the ref, no question over Gabby’s yellow, Milner straightaway shoots directly at Robinson
20:49 – Best half by Villa for such a long time, fantastic stuff, fantastic domination. One up and could have been two or three more with two pens denied
20:48 – goal disallowed for Heskey handball, never Heskey was Samba !
20:48 – Fantastic save by Robinson from Petrov, near post
20:45 – Yet another corner, another goal will kill this game
20:43 – Gabby yet again beats Samba for pace, at the other end fantastic challenge by Dunne on Kalinic
20:40 – Gabby booked for diving, clear penalty !!!!!!!!!!!! Believe Gabby is now suspended for the West Ham game, disgrace of a card.
20:36 – Fluidity all over the field has Blackburn in knots at time
20:34 – Further good news from the Hawthorns as Villa 2-0 up in the FA Youth Cup
20:30 – Vital goal, away goals do count double if we need it.
20:28 – Is this a home game for Blackburn all Villa on and off the field
20:23 – The GOALLLLLLL we deserved, fantastic from Milner on counter attack.
20:22 – Yet more great play and Gabby shot straight at the keeper, totally dominant
20:19 – Quiet period but Gabby and Young combined for a corner, Cuellar then had a shot deflected over.
20:13 – Chances for Heskey and Milner, all over them !!
20:12 – Chance for Downing with his head
20:10 – Brilliant lay off by Heskey to Gabby, CORNER, short corner Young curls shot over
20:07 – Great ball by Downing – CORNER, shot way over by Young
20:05 – Dunn shots wide, deflected for corner, dangerous delivery came to nothing
20:04 – SALI SALIFOOOUUU
20:02 – SHIT SUPPORT M’lord, EMPTY SEATS M’lord
20:01 – KICK OFF TIME, VILLLA, VILLLA
19:57 – Teams out, Villa look confident, Villa fans loud and proud
19:50 – Tem minutes before the Villa boys come out
19:40 – Butterflies yet ? Defintely for me
19:20 – Very touching to watch Martin Laursen on SS1
Villa’s Team as expected except Luke Young on the bench
Guzan;
Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock;
A Young, Milner, Petrov, Downing;
Heskey, Agbonlahor.
Subs: Friedel, L Young, Sidwell, Carew, Delph, Reo-Coker, Beye.
Wished we could find space for Nathan on the bench
Blackburn, do we care ?
Robinson
Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen, Chimbonda
Emerton, Dunn, Pedersen, Nzunzi, Salgado
Kalinic
Excitement in the air
With less than 8 hours to kick off the sense of excitement amongst the hoardes of Villa fans travelling up North or watching on TV can be touched.
Just some extracts from the Villa Forums
mjmooney
http://www.villatalk.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=58799&start=555
lowernorthvilla
i’m up for it now, finish work in an hour, straight down to villa(adventures) for my coach, come on villa boys
Hookeysmith
Come on you Villa Boys
Time to step up to the plate, no hiding , no bottling time to deliver
we have waited a long time for a final so make us proud
Martin O’Neils claret and blue army………………
grifty1987
Iv got Chris Nichols war cry from the official site vid ringing in my ears….
Need to get a beer down me & fast!!!!!
Come on my Babies!!!
The Walshmeister
I am driving + 2 mates. Leaving Bournville circa 2.43pm. Am going up toll then onto M6…….ETA BRFC 6pm. Destination Brown cow pub
Drive safe and lets get naked in the Darwin end!
bearvil
I cant wait for this, im so f’in excited : ) haha !!! like a kid again !!
Only 3 hours at work to go !!!!
Blackburn semi final is ON
Confirmation from Blackburn that today’s Semi final is definitely ON, KO at 20:00, for those of you not going (like me) it is on Sky Sports 1.
Two steps to Wembley
The third match in the saga that is Villa/Blackburn games is less than 24 hours away and it is almost certain to be played. So for the first time in nearly two weeks we actually get to play a game and this one is real important.
There is no doubt about the Villa fan’s passion and desire for a visit to the ‘New Wembley’ and you have to say that the draw was very kind to us. At Ewood Park tomorrow we start out on 180 minutes against a team in poor form, hit by injures and from reports dressing room unrest. There is simply no better time to play them and we simply have to come away from Ewood with a goal (away goals count) and a great chance at Wembley in front of a packed Villa Park next Wednesday.
We have a full squad to pick from with no injury concerns but there is a concern that 12 days without football and indoor training may not leave us as sharp as we could be but on the other hand a break at this time may have done us wonders. We will see for certain tomorrow but anything other than a 100%performance full of effort and vigour is not acceptable for the 5000 Villa fans braving the agony of the M6.
Do not let us down Villa.
Hurry, get your tickets, selling out fast
According to a couple of posters on Villatalk only single seats left in many areas of Villa Park for the Carling Cup 2nd leg next Wednesday.
One poster (Sellyoakvilla) spoke to the ticket office staff and they quoted that only 2500 tickets left for the game in Villa areas but may get returns from Blackburn’s 6000 allowance.
So get in there quick there may not be many left by the weekend.
Twitter and Snow
The inevitable happened an hour ago and the Blackburn game was called off due to very tricky conditions up in Lancashire.
So a few minutes later James Collins updated his twitter feed with the following
Game off….and stuck in the fucking hotel in Preston of all places!!
Nice one James, made me smile
Of course we play at Wigan on Saturday the last thing we need is for that to be cancelled. The replay date for the semi is likely to be Thursday 14th January, but that may change if the Manchester derby is called off tomorrow.
EDIT 13:50 – Manchester Derby now called off, to be played on the 19th and 27th, presume our game is still next Thursday
Progress to our destiny with squad strength
Lets get the negatives out of the way first. Guzan in my view will be a top class keeper but he has to cut out the silly mistakes like today and the other one was that we have to more clinical in front of goal.
However today was about the positives in what was a very comfortable game against a 10 man Blackburn who never gave up. Guzan yet again proved what a fantastic penalty saver he is, he seems to be able to react after the ball has been kicked and few penalty takers can be confident they can score. The performance of the two young kids Delph and Delfouneso impressed especially in the first half and both showed that they can be big stars for Villa in the future. The game also showed unlike the previous years Carling cup games that now we can rest players and not have a depreciation in results. What MON has done in the summer has ensured we can compete on all fronts has we have quality of player to replace what we would call the first team starters.
However the two outstanding performances were from two ‘old stagers’. I am not Reo-Coker’s biggest fan at all but he was immense today and though his passing at times can be better he seems to be learning that and maybe realises he has to because he can be a success at Villa.
For the future of this season it has to be said that Ash Young’s performance was the most encouraging. He obviously had a week off and some criticism of his diving and today he answered these critics in style. The performance was the Young of old, a performance where every cross was dangerous and created trouble, that is what we would like to see, if we ignore the glaring miss !
One final word and to those around me in L4, Lower Holte, when you are playing against 10 men to keep the ball like we did in the last 15 minutes is good, it is the correct way to do it. To start moaning about possession football is madness and not understanding how football works.
So now we go into tomorrow’s nights cup draw, knowing we can end 53 years of hurt, bring it on !
Be brave Martin
I like the FA cup, in fact I love it.
However on Saturday we will face I believe a reserve Blackburn side who of course like us wait for the Carling Cup semi but they obviously have far fewer resources.
So now is the time for MON to be brave and play the kids and younger players. Give them exposure to a 28,000 or so Villa Park in a competition we should be targeting. I have backed MON all the way but for Saturday he has to play the following team because we have to see if the kids have got what it takes to progress. Besides we also face an awful amount of games and some of the senior players need a few days off.
Therefore please Martin play the following team (because you have said you would make changes)
Guzan
Beye Collins CLARK LOWRY
ALBRIGHTON Reo-Coker Sidwell DELPH
Carew DELFOUNESO
The players in capitals are the ones we should be excited by for the future and the senior players left are those whose match time recently has been restricted.
We have nothing to fear by playing this team, nothing.
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