Semi-Final Preview: Villa (1) v Bradford (3)

Bradford City joint-chairman Mark Lawn has stated that tomorrow night’s semi-final second leg at Villa Park is as big as a ‘Wembley Final’ to the Bantams but the fact is it could be as close to a final as Villa are going to get unless they are everything they weren’t two weeks ago.

The League 2 outfit are bringing a 3-1 aggregate lead to Villa Park having already stunned the footballing world by knocking out both Arsenal and Wigan on their way.

I don’t need to tell you that I, like many other Villa fans, would take defeat tomorrow night if it meant we would stay in the best league in the world but a trip to Wembley would be nice though, wouldn’t it?

When I wrote my preview two weeks ago, I stated that we should be beating Bradford and I still stand by that statement but I will hold my hands up and accept that I didn’t take Bradford seriously – and neither did the players, going by the final score.

However, what is serious is that we need to turn around that 3-1 scoreline, not just in hope of making a cup final but hopefully to kick-start our very poor season.

Team News

Aston Villa: Paul Lambert would no doubt love to stick with the same team that started the weekend game at West Brom but that simply isnt possible. Nathan Baker limped off at the weekend with a hamstring injury, while Ashley Westwood is cup-tied.

Fabian Delph (ankle) and Shay Given (hamstring) will have late fitness tests. It is expected either Barry Bannan or Stephen Ireland will step in for Westwood – not sure if I would like either.

Andreas Weimann is available after missing the derby draw with a virus.

Bradford: Phil Parkinson should have a fully fit squad to pick from after their game was postponed due to the weather over the weekend.

Striker James Hanson is available after recovering from a broken toe, while new signing Michael Nelson will be hoping to play some part following his move from SPL side Kilmarnock.

Tickets

A limited amount of tickets were made available yesterday from £29. If you are still hoping to attend, get in touch with the ticket office as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Related

51 comments

  1. we are poor under pressure and we will not win that game 3 or 4, we will win 1-0 or draw, simple, we dont create enough, we dont play well or consistent for 90mins and we simply are against it, they have a 3-1 lead and will sit back 11 men behind the ball no problem AND im still adamant we will be going down, see southampton tonight, thats what we should be doing to teams coming to VP

  2. like most comments i agree this squad is nowhere near good enough to stay in the best league without quality experienced additions and anyone who thinks they are is living in cloud cuckoo land.
    but me i am going to try and enjoy tonight shout on the lads and hope for the right result to get us to wembley.
    if we start like we did against the albion and get an early goal they will be on the back foot.
    fuck me we are playing bradford!!
    villa till i die been watching villa since 1967 so i do have the experience.

  3. i am as depressed as everybody else with the team at the moment and if we escape the drop we will be lucky,but tonight i really think we should get behind the lads and get VP rocking we can do it at least if we can get a result tonight going to wembley would be a nice distraction.
    remember Blackburn semi final what a game, twists and turns the fans were awesome that night and a pitch invasion at the final whistle still gives me goose bumps thinking about it, proud to say i was there that night in the holte and the atmosphere was electric,lets have some more of that tonight,we must get behind the lads,from what i hear it is near enough a sell out so the support and noise should be outstanding.
    villa till i die !!!!

  4. What a complete shambles!! Lambert has got to go!! No shape no width a total disgrace, to many players just not good enough, Lerner/ Faulkner get out of villa now you have no idea how to run a football club what a joke!!

  5. Never felt so bloody angry!! Just can’t defend set pieces what does lambert do in training!! Maybe we need a change and quick, lambert has lost it for me!! Tonight was just pure desperate !!

  6. I have nothing against villa fans. I had a good laugh with them after the game at Bradford. I never looked to rub it in and told the lads from the holy end , I was happy as hell but it was half time. What gets me is ‘ xxxking hell” we are playing Bradford! So you will win? Have some respect, we beat arsenal , are you better than them? Your defence is not great, And agbonlahor needs to lose a few pounds. Your players need to earn your respect. Lambert is too full of himself! Wish us well , I hope you stay up.

  7. As a ‘neutral’ fan I couldn’t believe what I saw a Valley parade. Set pieces are atrocious for Villa. Lambert did so well at Norwich. This year is obviously written off for you guys. I think you should give Lambert until Xmas… Don’t write him off. He was amazing at Norwich & Colchester…

  8. ANSWER TO DAVE ABOVE
    firstly what are you doing on OUR site, you never looked to rub it in do you ? slagging our players,who the f*****g hell do you think you are, Bradford are a great team crewe will vouch for that,what was that score ? obviously crewe are a great team, enjoy the moment with your tinpot team at wembley cus you WILL get done,i am really looking forward to that,suppose you done well really it will be another 70/80 years before it happens again,in the meantime you can go back to your pigeons and whippet racing and clog repairing,you need to save some money for your wembley ticket.
    just a final thought if you are that good at football why aint you in the top tier of football,instead of being 10th in league 2

  9. Answer to the villain
    You might be in top tier but your players will be well over paid over weight, definitley cant defend & us bradford fans are going to a cup final plus weve got history no english team has won more pentaly shoot outs as us & first 4th tier team to reach a major cup final in 50 years.
    BRING ON THE BRADFORD FANS WEMBLEY HERE WE COME!!!!!!!

  10. To the villain.

    Ok, mate, first of all some good stuff for “true villa fans ” great support at our place, you helped create a great atmosphere. All the best to petrov, great player.

    Now you.. You lost as you are poor. Your defence is weak. You can not defend crosses. Some of your players do not care. Your chairman offers wembley tickets before you play us!!

    Respect? Ha ha you make me laugh, go find tony Daley and Garry shaw and mc grath, small club nr London!

  11. reply to the big Bradford fan
    before you place a post go back to school you need to learn how to spell
    ( definitley ) ( pentaly ) RETARD, having visited your dump of a ground the best part of Bradford is the motorway out of the place.
    AS FOR KNOW ALL DAVE
    yes we were shit i agree with you,but we will be back the cream always rises to the top,enjoy your day at wembley,you will be coming away from there as runners up,you are just punching above your weight at the moment.
    after that its back to normal league 2 football i see you have got another big game on Saturday WYCOMBE WANDERERS WOW!! you play some great teams don’t you,i note from your reply there was no comment on the CREWE game (wonder why) i mean crewe are a really top team, anyway enjoy your day in London,
    you will find it very different from Bradford no inbred,s no pigeons no whippets no clogs no ringworm no retards.
    JUST A SMALL CLUB IN YORKSHIRE HA HA

  12. Ha ha ha ,the villain is a bitter man . Oops I mean bitter little boy like all the arse holes down there . No wembley ,relegation ,and a manager that has no idea. Four pink and blue shirts all standing together on the edge of the box in the d … Jokers even Bradford knew to get the ball wide .err I think even tamworth and Nuneaton etc know that . No offence to you conference lads . But this Aston vile are a shambles .

  13. look whos talking a know all shit head who,s club is on the brink of collapse,did i hear right that any of your first team are for sale ? the other day, administration looms matey suggest you get your own house in order before you stick ur blue nose into other peoples business, you could have a car boot sale to raise money for that shit hole of a place you call a club, wont be long and it will be bull dozed and a retail park will there, keep going pannu you are doing a great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    HA HA

  14. Says it all . Retard . Slag a Bradford fan off for his bad grammar , and guess what , the simpleton from nechalls decides to better the yorkie in the thick as pig shit stakes………..read your sentences . Ha ha ha ha ha . Any vile fan out there who I can have a sensible conversation with . Keep right on !

  15. If you had a brain you would be dangerous!! Stick to your inbred fans forums, villa are and always will be a bigger club. Very soon you will be bankrupt, the sty will be a tesco and we can all get on with villa being the pride of Brum, so do yourself a favour and go to bed!! It’s school tomorrow!! SOTC

  16. ha ha tilton looks as if i have touched a raw nerve with you as well,but i must say i am impressed a blue nose who can read and write,every time i have been to your place over the years i have only seen window lickers and mongs so well done, i see wanker mcleish is coming to visit soon,thats another loss,i see your crowds are doing well there were 8900 at the leeds match and i bet 3000 of them were away supporters no wonder administration is looming,10 points off from where you are, down again.
    peter pannu great guy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  17. Big Ron eh . Means your a fat wanker then . Ha ha . Typical of the cowards , and this wasn’t your conversation so fuckin do one , inter-bred I think you meant . Time to get back in the washer making factory in Wilton , your all so intelligent . One eyed ,and straight from the mould . Even speak the same shit . Shit on the city eh ! Wonder where you girls got that from . Belle-Enders in the sky .

  18. Ah villain , that’s because your not looking long enough . I suppose it’s hard to take any notice when your running like fuck . And all scurrying like rats to get out ,hidden behind the old bill . Well gone are the days when you had some real men down there . I.e …….the steamers . Knew all of them as my cousin was one , great men who loved a beer and a laugh , not like the little girls and wannabes who now squeal down there . The holte- Enders in the sky now sounds like a choir of nursery kids are singing it . Still it’s great to be on this site winding you all up …lol

  19. Oh ! And is this the same fat Ron ,that was slagging his own club off a few paragraphs back . Tut tut , wish we were all as loyal as you fat Ron . I’m sure the readers on here would be quite embarrassed by your conversations . Or they may laughing there self silly at what a dick you are . Come on villain ,even you must think chunky Ron is not the full shilling . Oh well . Time for school .

  20. You really shown your true colours haven’t you!! You are a thug, thick and really have made yourself out to be a Pratt, this will be my last posting on this forum, football doesn’t need people like you, very sad but I know all blues fans aren’t like you,

  21. Hey buster bloodvessel . You were quite brave slagging the blues off earlier ,jumping into my conversation with villain. And now your arse has trapped. Brave computer nerd . Think you should be another site ,and we all know what that is fat wrist Ron . Ha ha ha ha .

  22. Oh and just to put you wise , I’m on this forum because I love football . On the baggies ,wolves .walsall and more . Like to know how fans feel and have a generally good craic .most of the boys are good fun . But when I read people slagging people off who are over 100 miles away . It needs sorting . Bradford lad was quiet civil at first but you ripped in to him like a pack of wolves . Says it all . Now fat wrist has squirmed away . Be back soon

  23. How do we get up from an all time low ………just read comments on this discussion ,and fair play to you villa fans who are genuine enough to put two idiots in their place . Amazing that the same two dummies are mouthing off on here too . Calling Bradford fans pricks etc . Now fat limp wrist Ron has Weazled out after having a bit back , mouth and runaway Ron . And the villain needs to grow a pair . Or tuck the little bits back up . Seems he slags all teams fans off . Brave little man

  24. tilton what are you doing on our message boards we don’t go onto yours surely this is for villa fans only,as for Bradford they deserved to win,clearly they were the better side,as we are on a villa site our fans have the right to express an opinion that’s the right of free speech, what has that got to do with you or Birmingham city, may i suggest you keep to your own message forum and leave us to ours, stop involving yourself in other peoples disputes that have no concern of yours james

  25. Read the forum rules …it’s an open forum , as I stated I read up on all local teams . Interested in local thoughts . The forum is an open forum that’s why Bradford and others comment on it , so it is not ” surely for villa fans ” .and I don’t need your suggestions to what I should do thank you . Free speech eh . If you have a problem contact the forum site . Otherwise I suggest you keep your nose out.

  26. By the way James , do you agree with the slagging the Bradford fans received ? I thought they were quite polite and sensible with their original comments …don’t you ? So no need for the two jokers to treat them the way they did . If you read the other subjects on the forum you will find the same two bad mouthing every other teams views , at least some of the football loving villa fans ,I mean the genuine fans ,not the one eyed ones that constantly give your supporters the bad name , have given these idiots the same . So read and then comment .

  27. ha ha the blues mouth know all is back lots of posts tilton cant put more than 1 paragraph together at 1 time,have to think about it and re-post,
    you know tilton i would love to meet you why don’t you come over to the bartons arms im in there every night far corner with my villa shirt on and i will buy you a pint

  28. Villain . Same shirt every night eh ! Sound like a clean smart looking kid. Bet you smell lovely with your same shit shirt on . Oh and only one corner in there eh . Strange building . Sounds like your a little worried after your threats .

  29. Typical blue boy, all mouth think you are a little boy with a computer!! Dont think you know any of the top boys!! Just a dirty little wannabe!! Now fuck off!!

  30. By your spelling ,lack of education, and big mouth no bollocks attitude ,yes you are a little boy , perhaps even Asian . Well little boy. Barry ….oooooo lovely name that Barry . Ha ha ha .proves your either at school or a little acne faced office boy . I know all the old steamers well even drank with them regular on Fridays in cedar club .but you wouldn’t know that you pimple . Tell me where you have your glass of coke and bag of crisps and I will pay you a visit . Or where you work or live. Come on ball bag Barry . Show your colours

  31. Guess what villain . Working Friday in marsh lane on a roof ,so on the way back Friday afternoon ,popped in the bartons ,for a beer and some food . And low and behold .asked the bar staff and manager about some one we new who comes in every night ,always got villa shirt on . No mate , they said . No one comes in every night in shirt , mainly match days in villa shirts . No one comes in the week every night . They don’t like that anyway . So seems your not just a coward but a liar too . Never mind I did expect it . Good pint though and decent food and staff . Ha ha ha ha . The reputation just goes on and on .

  32. All the lads in cruiser love your threats , you would of had a few visits if you had told the truth .coward boy . At least a couple checked you out and found you were a lying weasel . No wonder your own tell you to shut up . Seems no one likes you and your big cowardly mouth.

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