Third round League Cup tie

I won't start a match day thread for this yet, but it will give us somewhere to discuss the derby match.

Sky have just announced that it will be their televised game on Tuesday 22nd September 7:45 pm kick off at Villa Park.

You'll notice that I've completed this post without naming the club down the road. Olof Mellberg would be proud of me!

I know he divides opinion, but I'm enjoying Stan Collymore winding up THEM on Twitter by going on about Rowett being a Villa fan.

I hate games against them.

Suppose I better find out when the tickets go on sale.

Rowett is a good manager and the fact that they get to come back to Villa Park after a number of years is going to be all the motivation they need. We should have too much for them, but when has that been a deciding factor in a one off blood and thunder derby match? UP THE VILLA !

As I said after the draw, they'll be well up for it. For them any cup final won't be at Wembley next February but at Villa Park in September. I do wonder if some of the newer members of our new-look side will be familiar with the rivalry and the bitterness that results from 140 years in someone else's shadow.

We really need to beat these scumbags and beat them well. Wonder how many they will bring for their cup final? They only managed 9k on Tuesday.

Sandie wrote:As I said after the draw, they'll be well up for it. For them any cup final won't be at Wembley next February but at Villa Park in September. I do wonder if some of the newer members of our new-look side will be familiar with the rivalry and the bitterness that results from 140 years in someone else's shadow.

I'm sure if they're not, TS will have them fully up to speed come the tie, not to mention the atmosphere on the night itself. Will be thunderous and pretty toxic if past meetings under the lights are anything to go by. I hope people behave and it's passionate without the nastiness and trouble. They will have nothing to lose though and as you say will be well up for it. Agent Rowett anyone?

This game is going to mean a hell of a lot to them? It reminds me of the time when they got promoted and played us for the 1st time in the Prem, they brought the game down to their level. Niggly, off the ball nonsense, breaking play.
We had so much more quality than them but our team felt they would have to turn up and win and were a little startled by the intensity and atmosphere.
I am glad it is at home and I am glad Gabby and Jack will be able to educate the new lads, who are all young and would possibly never have experienced anything like this in all their lives.
Tim gets it, he knows this is the game where you can become a hero, a legend.
I can never boo Cahill, ever, that goal!
If I caught Mellberg shagging the wife I would get him another blanket and make him a cup of tea when he finished. I would wash his car while he was at it.
We have the squad and the team to beat them, I hope we have the mentality to match.

South London Villan wrote:This game is going to mean a hell of a lot to them? It reminds me of the time when they got promoted and played us for the 1st time in the Prem, they brought the game down to their level. Niggly, off the ball nonsense, breaking play.
We had so much more quality than them but our team felt they would have to turn up and win and were a little startled by the intensity and atmosphere.
I am glad it is at home and I am glad Gabby and Jack will be able to educate the new lads, who are all young and would possibly never have experienced anything like this in all their lives.
Tim gets it, he knows this is the game where you can become a hero, a legend.
I can never boo Cahill, ever, that goal!
If I caught Mellberg shagging the wife I would get him another blanket and make him a cup of tea when he finished. I would wash his car while he was at it.
We have the squad and the team to beat them, I hope we have the mentality to match.

Good post SLV. I think you've encapsulated the meaning and importance of this fixture. It transcends common sense and normality. It came as a surprise to realise that only Gabby will have played in this derby!

None of the current City players have played in a Villa derby match. How time flies!

I agree with SLV in that this is a game that will be won or lost in the mind. We have a premiership squad that should be good enough to handle the noses. The only thing that will do us is if they are more up for it than us. Obvious really.

South London Villan wrote:This game is going to mean a hell of a lot to them? It reminds me of the time when they got promoted and played us for the 1st time in the Prem, they brought the game down to their level. Niggly, off the ball nonsense, breaking play.
We had so much more quality than them but our team felt they would have to turn up and win and were a little startled by the intensity and atmosphere.
I am glad it is at home and I am glad Gabby and Jack will be able to educate the new lads, who are all young and would possibly never have experienced anything like this in all their lives.
Tim gets it, he knows this is the game where you can become a hero, a legend.
I can never boo Cahill, ever, that goal!
If I caught Mellberg shagging the wife I would get him another blanket and make him a cup of tea when he finished. I would wash his car while he was at it.
We have the squad and the team to beat them, I hope we have the mentality to match.

Biscuits with the tea?? Devil's in the detail haha! Great post!! sums it up perfectly. As Fergal said, if we want it as much (more than them) We'll win. This is where TS will be a big asset, he get's things like this. Take the WBA ties, he had the players pumped for both. No mean feat beating them twice in 5 days.

I think TS does get the meaning of the games against the local sides and will have us revved up and ready to go. There could be a massive crowd for this and nowhere in the world is like Villa Park when it gets rocking.

Fergal wrote:I think TS does get the meaning of the games against the local sides and will have us revved up and ready to go.

Agree with that, he certainly did well with the league/cup double header with the Baggies. He stoked things up and whilst it can wind up the other team it will also remind our players of the intensity of the rivalry.

What do we make of the Mail's calls to shift this to the weekend to prevent trouble?

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mail-says-aston-villa-v-9950383#

I think it is a good idea Sandie, after the recent pitch invasions it has the potential to be very damaging for us, reputation wise and financially.
There is too much time during the day to get tanked up and judging by twitter and instagram it is already getting close to boiling point.