Villa 0-1 QPR
By: Martini Extra Dry | September 24th, 2008League Cup action tonight as Villa aim for Wembley and silverware for the first time in far too long and it’s Iain Dowie’s QPR who visit Villa Park. Martin O’Neill will be hoping there will be no repeat of last season’s early exit at the hands of his old team Leicester City.
The game must be settled tonight, so it’ll be extra time and penalties if it can’t be decided before that.
Villa start the game with a fairly solid team, containing many first team players as well as a chance for some fringe contenders:
GK: Guzan
DF: Gardner - Knight - Cuéllar - Shorey
MF: Osbourne - Petrov - Barry - Young
AT: Harewood - Carew
Subs: Friedel - Agbonlahor - Delfouneso - Davies - Salifou - Routledge - Reo-Coker
New keeper Brad Guzan gets a chance tonight to make an impression on the manager, shoving Stuart Taylor to the back of the list, he’ll be looking to put his stamp on the game and give O’Neill a selection headache. James Milner is cup-tied so will not appear in this competition.
The first half was not an entertaining affair, with very few chances at either end, Marlon Harewood coming about the closest but he struggled to hit the target throughout. The teams go in at half time goalless.
The second half brings a goal at last but it’s at the wrong end. QPR take a corner and Brad Guzan gets a fist to it but only sends it into the path of Damion Stewart who heads it into the top right corner. Vila go behind.
With just over 20 minutes left Villa introduce Agbonlahor and Wayne Routledge, at the expense of Harewood and Osbourne, with the aim being a more attacking final quarter of the game. Villa attempt to fight back but waste many good chances, the biggest falling to Barry but he will be very disappointed with his final touch.
Injury time provided a few glimmers of hope for Villa but it wasn’t to be tonight and no goal came. Fair play to QPR, they’ve embarrassed a high flying Premiership side away from home, so despite Villa not being great, they can be proud of their achievement.
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Category: Team News
Tags: Ashley Young, Aston Villa, Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Carlos Cuéllar, Craig Gardner, Damion Stewart, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry, Iain Dowie, Leicester City, Marlon Harewood, Moustapha Salifou, Nathan Delfouneso, Nicky Shorey, Nigel Reo-Coker, Queens Park Rangers, Stiliyan Petrov, Stuart Taylor, Team News, Wayne Routledge, Zat KnightSubscribe
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Comments | Add your comment
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I’m going to go way out on a limb here and say that we need a better #3 striker than Harewood. I mean, really now… 18 shots and none of them go in? Seriously, people.
Posted from
United States
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Not good is it. I like Harewood but I think for his own sake he should join a Championship side. He could do a Kevin Phillips and be great in that division (not that last night proved this point very well).
Me and my brother were talking about Michael Owen coming to the Villa (never gonna happen cuz he’d want too much money) and we couldn’t decide whether he’d get in the team or not.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Looks like Heskey will be coming in as 3rd choice in Jan. Not exactly the 20 a season man we want but he is definately better than Marlon.
Owen would be perfect for us. He needs to get the hell out of that mess they call Newcastle United and set his chopper sat nav to come to Brum
Posted from
United Kingdom
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