Aston Villa v Man City [R]

[Lynne_mcfc]

Aston Villa v Man City

Villa Park

Kick-off 15:00 (GMT)

Canada/US - Setanta Sports LIVE @ 10am
(does anyone have more TV info?)

Previous EPL matches (stats from SoccerPunter.com):

Summary: Win Draw Lose
Aston Villa 3 2 8
Man City 8 2 3

current season:
Manchester City v Aston Villa 1:0 (16th Sep)
2006-7:
Manchester City v Aston Villa 0:2 (28th Apr '07)
Aston Villa v Manchester City 1:3 (30th Nov '06)
2005-6
Aston Villa v Manchester City 0:1 (26th Apr '06)
Manchester City v Aston Villa 3:1 (1st Nov '05)
2004-5
Aston Villa v Manchester City 1:2 (7th May '05)
Manchester City v Aston Villa 2:0 (28th Nov '04)
2003-4
Aston Villa v Manchester City 1:1 (4th Apr '04)
Manchester City v Aston Villa 4:1 (14th Sep '03)
2002-3:
Manchester City v Aston Villa 3:1
Aston Villa v Manchester City 1:0
2000-1:
Manchester City v Aston Villa 1:3
Aston Villa v Manchester City 2:2

Given our current away record (and league positions), this will be a tough match (Andy Hinchcliffe on mcfc.co.uk predicts 2:1 for Aston Villa :eek:), although the stats above show that we do have a great away record against Villa. SGE's selection will, once again, be crucial (Vassell has scored 5 goals against Villa! I take it that Elano is fit, we need him). A few early goals, then we can get to enjoy the match. :D

Come on City

[chinesefootballfan]

This is a huge game. Villa sits 8th currently, trailing City by 5 points. We pick up this win, we will be ahead of Villa by 8 points, further securing a top 7 finish and a birth to UEFA cup, assuming both Carling Cup and FA Cup are won by one of the teams finishing in the top 6.

[Colin Bell the King]

Cant wait for the game.

Early start, 8am train with cans of beer, then get into the Cap and Gown. Villa is one of the best aways of the season.

Shame its so cold!

[CityBlues]

This is going to be a huge game for all the reasons listed above. Can't wait, hope we can turn a result here, I would be elated, merry Xmas.

[Lynne_mcfc]

Cant wait for the game.

Early start, 8am train with cans of beer, then get into the Cap and Gown. Villa is one of the best aways of the season.

Shame its so cold!

Great that you're going to the match - sing loud so that we across the pond can hear you. I'll be watching in the warmth of my lounge, hot cup of tea in my hand and some choccy biscuits. Come on you Blues

Cold! we've been freezing for a couple of weeks now, great piles of snow everywhere.

CB - It will be a very merry Christmas if we win this match. I hope SGE stays mostly to the team that won against Bolton, maybe starting Garrido as he made a great difference to our play when he came on.

[Shamrock Rovers]

Getting ready to sit down and watch an away win. Maybe Vassel will put one against the Villains. Come on City.

[Alan D]

1-1 at mo. Great goal by Bianchi, once again suspect defending. I'm not convinced by Richards and Dunne together, they've not been performing anywhere near good in recent matches. I'd put a new central defender on the list for January, someone with experience. Richards is a fantastic promise but he has to settle down and I just hope the media hype about him isnt affecting his play, because hes not performing how he should be. We're getting ripped apart in centre of midfield - Johnson is out through injury but Gelson just looks like a passenger at the moment. I'd be tempted to put Geo on a half time to replace him and a central midfielder is a must in January - Elano should play in a more attacking role (which he is) but when Johnson and Ireland are both out, we are missing someone in the middle. Gelson is only young and Hamann is experienced but not very mobile. Someone like Tiago/Appiah would be top of my christmas list along with a new defender and possibly right-winger.

[Lynne_mcfc]

SGE needs to make changes, take Fernandes off, put Geo or Garrido on (I'd prefer Garrido as he did so well against Bolton). Agree with Alan, what's wrong with our defence, Dunne and Richards are not as solid as they have been. I just hope that SGE doesn't go for defensive subs, as he has done in past away matches.

[Manchester City]

SGE needs to make changes, take Fernandes off, put Geo or Garrido on (I'd prefer Garrido as he did so well against Bolton). Agree with Alan, what's wrong with our defence, Dunne and Richards are not as solid as they have been. I just hope that SGE doesn't go for defensive subs, as he has done in past away matches.

You received your wish, and your fear. Most of our fullbacks have an attacking spirit and it should be interesting to see whether or not our Croatian master and Spanish stopper can make a difference in what has been a dismal midfield performance. Elano was not getting space and looks to be sluggish (not the normal free kick effort from him), which is most likely while he was taken off. Our back four, as both you and Alan have said, are playing pub league right now. Carew is having his way and not for a very poor finish, we may be down 2-1 right now.

Still, it has been some time since I have seen so many fullbacks on the pitch.

[Manchester City]

Garrido just looks natural in midfield... it is stunning how much vision he has.

And I want to kiss Ball right now...

...and Hart.

[Lynne_mcfc]

Garrido just looks natural in midfield... it is stunning how much vision he has.

And I want to kiss Ball right now...

...and Hart.

And Elano, he kicked one off the goal line. I agree about Garrido, he was fantastic against Bolton (for what little time he had on the pitch). I hope to see him play regularly in midfield.

I didn't watch the last 15 mins, the defensive subs put a dampener on the game for me. I know that a point away from home is better than none, could we not give our team the chance to win an away match and prove to them that they can do it? This match may not have been the match to try that tactic on with Villa attacking so much and coming close to getting a 2nd and 3rd goal.

Any ideas on what's been happening with our defensive in the last few matches? Dunne was 'beaten' so many times today, not just by pace, but by cunning play. Normally he's got players 'in his pocket' (apart from a few occasions during a match, but even then, he usually manages to retrieve the situation).

We need to get our new strikers up to speed quickly so that we can have them in the first team early in the New Year.

Thanks to our away supporters (CB the King et al) who braved the freezing weather, wind an rain to support our team - great signing.

Best wishes to everyone for a merry Christmas and a great 2008. :D

Lynne

[chinesefootballfan]

I guess a draw on the road is never that bad of a result. However, I am starting to worry about our quest for UEFA Cup. If Everton or Tottenham reaches the Carling Cup Finals, then we would have to finish 5th or 6th to reach the UEFA Cup. Additionally, if one of the teams other than the big 4 (Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool) reaches the finals for the FA cup, then City will have to finish 5th to reach the UEFA Cup. Basically, finishing 6th or 7th won't gaurantee a birthh to UEFA Cup, it depends on who reaches the FA and Carling Cup finals.

The schedule over the next few weeks doesn not look favorable. We got Blackburn and Liverpool at home, and then the next 3 our of 4 games are all on the road. Blackburn is tough to beat and Liverpool is near to impossible.

[Lynne_mcfc]

Agreed, two tough matches at home and only three days apart. Let's have all the full backs on the pitch again (nice comment MC), in defense (4-4-2), from the whistle and see what the opposition can do. We need to protect our league home record and SGE plays it defensive away from home and has some success ie we don't lose, so let's use the same tactic for these home matches.

[Manchester City]

I didn't watch the last 15 mins, the defensive subs put a dampener on the game for me. I know that a point away from home is better than none, could we not give our team the chance to win an away match and prove to them that they can do it? This match may not have been the match to try that tactic on with Villa attacking so much and coming close to getting a 2nd and 3rd goal.


Too bad you did not, as the seemingly defensive subs were actually attacking in nature. Both Corluka (Hamann) and Garrido (Elano) replaced their predecessors straight in position. I originally thought SGE would bring the formation back to a very conservative 5-4-1, but he did not. Instead Corluka and Garrido played CDMs. Garrido and Corluka even connected with one another and then Petrov for our best chance in the second half: Garrido had a masterful side-footed flick on to Corluka who then crossed it into the box from deep on the left wing for Petrov's volley shot, which unfortunately sailed just wide of the right post.

The match, on whole, was a stalemate, though Villa definitely had the better chances. And I agree Elano's goal line clearance was match-saving, as was Ball's block of Agbonlahor's would-be cross-box pass to an instride and completely unmarked Ashley Young, who would have almost certainly scored. Harts charge and block of another great run from Agbonlahor was equally pivotal.

The biggest difference between the sides I noticed (and this excludes Petrov's opening run and beautiful cross into the box, met with Bianchi's slide-poke into goal) is ball service. Villa had service the entire match with countless balls played into the box almost perfectly from their third of the field. We had few that would rival their precision and our passing wasn't much better. We came out strong in the first ten minutes, with presence, great passing, confident runs, and superb vision. Unfortunately, as soon as Villa answered we seemingly lost any measure of advantage.

I honestly cannot discern as to why our back four played so awfully. Richards saved us quite a few times, yet still managed to look uninterested the majority of the time. Dunne looked sluggish (and that description is charitable), and nearly cost us three goals. Ball played well for starting for the first time in quite awhile, while Onuoha did his best to contain the prolific AV wingers. Something needs to happen to help them return to their earlier season form, as we have seen a definite slide.

[Lynne_mcfc]

Too bad you did not, as the seemingly defensive subs were actually attacking in nature. Both Corluka (Hamann) and Garrido (Elano) replaced their predecessors straight in position. I originally thought SGE would bring the formation back to a very conservative 5-4-1, but he did not. Instead Corluka and Garrido played CDMs. Garrido and Corluka even connected with one another and then Petrov for our best chance in the second half: Garrido had a masterful side-footed flick on to Corluka who then crossed it into the box from deep on the left wing for Petrov's volley shot, which unfortunately sailed just wide of the right post.

Point taken. My comment was really that Geo was still on the bench and has scored 3 goals. Take off Fernandes (yellow card and stray passes) and Elano (probably not quite match fit and was being 'kept quiet' after our initial good spell). Geo for Elano and either Garrido or Corluka for Hamann.

Our passing is still bordering on poor, too many are going astray and putting us back under pressure. We showed some signs of our earlier form and those positives need to be worked on. Still, one point is better than none. :)