Ahh, Friday night under the lights at one of the grand old grounds in the league… not quite usual FA Cup territory but that’s the modern game for you! City’s reward for progressing in the cup is of course a ‘glamour’ tie at Premier League Aston Villa – a club that have seen their fortunes rise in recent years following a few years in (by their standards) the doldrums of the Championship. Now in their 6th straight year in the top flight, last season’s 4th place finish, their highest placing since 1992-93 (when they finished 2nd, although they also equalled their 4th spot in 1995-96 too) saw them qualify for the Champions League – a competition in which they have fared pretty well thus far this year with them currently through to a last 16 tie against Club Brugge. Interestingly that European tie could play a very big part in their team selection v the Bluebirds with the first leg (away from home) coming just 4 days after this FA Cup tie – could that give us a little bit of hope perhaps?? Villa’s league form has also stuttered a little in recent weeks with just 1 win in their last 6, so again, are all eyes on the bigger prizes? Maybe so, and not just for them but us too….. Tie History This will be the 4th time we have met the Villains in the FA cup with our previous 3 meetings resulting in 2 wins and 1 rather heavy defeat. None of these ties however have occurred in the last 70 odd years with the last match up being in January 1949. The Bluebirds had overcome Oldham away from home in the previous round to set up the tie against Villa which was played out in front of a whopping 70,718 people. One notable name on the Villa team sheet for this one was their top scorer Trevor Ford, a name very familiar to Bluebirds old and young following his spell at Ninian Park a few years later. Also, a strange little fact is that this will be our first FA Cup game v Villa that hasn’t taken place in January! Sadly, City succumbed to defeat way at Derby in the next round. The final in 1949 was ultimately won by Wolves who defeated midlands rivals Leicester 3-1 in the final at Wembley. The Bluebirds would go on to finish 4th in Division 2 that season, whilst Villa finished 10th in the 1st Division. Our FA Cup results v Aston Villa; 08/01/1927 – Ninian Park – Won 2-1 12/01/1929 – Villa Park – Lost 6-1 29/01/1949 – Villa Park – Won 2-1 One thing to keep an eye out for ahead of tomorrow night’s game is a touching tribute to Peter Whitingham. Villa’s 1987 group have had a commemorative flag made which will be unfurled in the lower north stand before kick-off – a really nice gesture by his first professional club (I’d not realised he was actually released as youngster by Coventry before he got a trial at Villa!). In, Out Or No Sign Of Them About So, does Omer Riza stick or twist for this one?? Tuesday night’s victory over Hull was a much needed fillip in helping to pull City away from the danger zone at the foot of the Championship table however it wouldn’t take much for that 6 point gap we now have to be whittled away whilst we continue to enjoy our little cup run but also stack up games in hand as we go… With injuries once again beginning to bite I suspect there will again be a fair few changes for this game and Riza himself has spoken of the reality of the situation – “It's a proud moment and another achievement which is good, I just wish we could approach it in a different way," he added. "It's the fifth round of the FA Cup, we grew up with it, as a youngster and a player, a coach, you get to the fifth round and you want to put out your strongest team and go for it. “If I'm honest, if we were 12th in the league now and we weren't where we are in the league, I'd have no issues putting out my full-strength side and not worry about losing to Burnley on Tuesday. "But we have got a lot of things we need to deal with in the league and we aren't in that position. We'll do that best we can do. "We have got under-18s, under-21s and first team available for this game, that's all I'm prepared to say on it." Predicted (and probably optimistic) Starting 11 Horvath Giles Fish Goutas Bagan Chambers Robertson El Ghazi Colwill Salech Davies We could well see one or two more youngsters (Pearce and Kpakio perhaps – though I’m not sure if the latter is injured too??) and perhaps even Simic who scored for the U-21’s again this week. The Odds Suspect our resident punter may be tempted this week? Home Win 1/6 Draw 6/1 Away Win 12/1 Match Day Melody We’ve done it before so why not again, especially with around 6,000 fans reported to be making the journey up the M5? C'mon the City!!! Blooooooooobirds!!
Nice one again Brizzo - also City have gone out to 14/1 now............................ A more conservative punt would be to go for a "double chance" City win or draw in normal time - that's on offer @ 10/3 - that's not bad. The old adage is that there can only be three possible results - home, away or a draw. With the double chance, you've got 2 possiblities out of the 3 covered.
Well done Brizzle and a lovely touch from Villa too. Games against the Villains always make me recall another great signing City made from them. Willie Anderson was a big favourite of mine and getting him was quite a coup. Anyway, let's hope for an upset and a mind draw in the next round. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
Lovely read! But I was also struck by the photo showing everyone in a gabardine overcoat. The fashion of the day! I had one......who else?
I thought this was one of Goutas' 3 games suspended? That apart yet another excellent Match Day Thread BB.
Only one red car for a "proffessional" foul Bluey - here's the rule................... "One match ban for an offence like holding their opponent back when they are in on goal Two match ban for dissent Three match ban for violent conduct and dangerous tackles Four match ban for extreme violent conduct and extremely dangerous tackles Six match ban for spitting One extra game can be added to the ban if a player refuses to leave the field within a reasonable time period after being sent off Longer bans will be handed down to players that are found to have been racist or taking drugs"
Yep, I thought he was only on a one match ban? Odds are he'll play out of necessity if so (that and he will be fresher than others having had a break).
Looks like you’re going to be Guinea pigs tonight, semi automated VAR first trial game at Vile Park. Good luck butts and SOTV please
Well although speculated, Roko Simic won't be involved tonight - he's starting for the under 21's this afternnon.
Chris Sutton on the game tonight.............. “Let's face it, Cardiff are pretty hopeless, especially on the road where they have only won one Championship game all season. Cardiff have won away twice in the FA Cup, against Sheffield United and Stoke City, but it was basically the Blades reserves who they beat in round three." I thought it was our reserves who played up there as well......
Sutton never missed the chance to take the proverbial out of us when we were in PL. Presume he’s doing the same with the 3 clubs who came up last season who all are in the basement places. Yeah as if……
I expect we'll get something similar from Messrs Keane and Wright this evening. It'll be 10 minutes about Villa in general; 15 minutes about Rashford; 2 minutes about us and an hour about Manure, Arsenal and Liverpool.
is that Chris 'donkey' Sutton, who couldn't hit a cow's a$se with a shovel ??? I don't think his opinion is worth as much as Maskeys' (no offence )
Robbie talking about Masky’s ring area again, right on the button (ahem) BFB gives it his usual like, dirty boys!
