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!
Dare I say that Rashford, since he came, has offered lots, but shown very little?
Hopefully it’s just him warming into things again.
Whatever, I wouldn’t be choosing us to be on the telly lately.
We’re bloody boring to watch, imo.
Wrighty saying Watkins should have lifted that chance. Hmm
Fuckin tedious this daily is shite still think we’ll win comfortably though
Why do we have to play tight all the time? We pass a ball every time trying to walk it in it’s boring, that why Emery was dismissed from Arsenal playing boring football.
Thank goodness for that.
I’m anticipating us losing on penalties
Um – It’s Cardiff playing the boring non football.
OK Villa should have the skill to overcome it.
I’m more concerned about Cardiff nicking a goal.
Asensio, the lad knows where the back of the net is.
Asensio is class
Asensio is class when given a chance to score
2-0 and game over.
Terrible watch.
We ain’t easy on the eye mate.
Maatsen has shown nothing since he came, imo.
Should have been 3!
Ah well, we won.
I just wish I enjoyed watching it.
Badger
Not the scintillating football we would like. But then again unlike Spurs Unai does not play up the impact injuries has had on the team.
Today absences included:
Mings
Cash
Torres
Kamara
Onana
Barclay
Malen
When virtually all the team are fit then there would be an expectation for improved play.
As we play out from the back and now on our 13th centre half pairing it will be poor. But we are now in the quarter finals.
A regulation and patient game against a low block. Good practice for Bruges perhaps?
Stand outs were Bogarde, Garcia and Ascencio. I have a feeling that Garcia is going to be immense for us in the future, good defender, good attacker and with pace to burn.
Interesting how we all differ watching the same game.
It takes two sides to make a game and Cardiff just sat behind the ball and made no attempt to play so it was never going to be a demonstration of flowing football.
We won efficiently so no moans from me.
Big plus points – Garcia (looks like a real steal) and Bogarde who looks more than a decent player given his age.
Badger, I think you’re being a bit harsh on Maatson – thought he played OK.
Love watching Asensio play.
Nope, Maatsen isn’t as good as Digne or Moreno, imo Hitch, sorry.
Doesn’t cross and is an even worse defender.
A total waste of money.
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.