Match Prediction: MSK Zilina in the UEFA Cup
Tuesday, 02 December 08, 07:13 AM · Comments (37)
It's not the easiest thing, digging up information on a team you had never heard of before the draw for the UEFA Cup was made, but I've done a little digging and what follows it all I could come up with in the 25 seconds I allotted my search.
Basically, MSK Zilina play in the Corgoň Liga, which is the top flight league in Slovakia and since it's formation in 1993 they've won it four times. They are currently second, on 36 points after 18 games, four points behind the leaders ŠK Slovan Bratislava, more commonly known as ŠK Inter Bratislava, I think.
The thing is, we've got to dismiss where they are in the league and the statistics that come from it as it's miles apart from the Premier League and you'd fancy that our academy side could do well in it.
The only real measure we've got to look at is how they've done in the UEFA Cup and it's not good. They're currently bottom of our group, having played three games and only picked up a point. They lost at home, 1-2 to Hamburg, 1-0 away to Ajax and drew 0-0 at home to Slavia Prague.
Now, it would be easy for me to say this is an easy victory and if the result is anything other we'd all be very surprised and it is my prediction, but I also don't want to dismiss this as a nothing game, despite the fact we've already qualified for the knock out stages.
The winners of each group, which we'll get when we win on Thursday and get at least a point in Germany, don't face one of the eight teams to drop down from the Champions League.
As it stands now, with one game to go in the Chumpians League, these are the teams that will be dropping down: Bordeaux, Marseille, Zenit, Aalborg BK, Anorthosis, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Dynamo Kyiv and Fiorentina.
While I wouldn't mind playing some of them, I'd rather stay away from some others and winning the group means we would skip them all for the first knock out stage.
So, it is an important game and despite the prestige I suspect Villa Park will have a few empty seats, but I also suspect that the people not attending will miss a few goals.
Zilina can, mathematically anyway, still qualify and because of that they're going to come out looking for a goal and I've just got a feeling that while they're pushing for something, we will counter and score a few.
So, you know my prediction is a win and I'm even going to give them a two goal start on my bet - as I've got a feeling we'll score a few and I'm even having a fiver on Craig Gardner to score in 90 minutes, if he's picked that is.
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37 Comments · Add yours
We will win the UEFA cup this year. Goddamit.
Ugly_Betty
Wouldn't it be lovely ...
bloody right. there's an air of anticipation too. I've tentatively done the route plan and earmarked a friend's cottage to stay in not far from Istanbul.
Impossible to know who will play in this one. I agree with you though. It will be a comfortable win for us. That would set us up nicely for Hamburg.
Lets not count our chickens before they hatch!!!
This game has 2nd leg FH Hafharfjordu and Litex Lovech written all over it!!
But I hope not!
Do we finish top if we beat Zilina and lose to Hamburg? Does it come down to goal difference or performance against teams on same points?
Your point is a good one timmy_rara, but since we actually need to win here (and maybe clinch the group depending on other results), I think Villa won't set up like they did against FC Hafharjordu and Litex Lovech. 3-0 to the Villa and a 100 percent record in Europe. How sweet it is!
Id like to see Saliou given a full 90mins in the centre alongside Gardiner to see what they could do.
when are we playing
UTV
I think all agree Villa should win this, and a draw will see us qualify anyway. So there is absolutely no pressure on the guys for this game, but F*** up and the Hamburg game takes on a whole new look. But don't woory, we'll win 3 - 0 minimum
My prediction? 4-1 with harewood getting two befor half time. should be a good game and i might go, not sure on the weather though, been pretty cold these past few days
Joey - we play thursday night.
Some of the players who haven't featured in recent games will play such as Guzan, Knight, Shorey, Harewood and a comfortable 2-0 win with the added bonus of qualification to the knock out stages.
The only team from the UEFA Cup I worry about is Valencia and even then they could only draw at home with Kabenhavn (?). The teams that are dropping out of the champs league vary from decent( Zenit, Shakhtar) to bloody useless (Aalborg, Anorthosis). Nothing to worry us surely!
Reply to keefvilla:
I wouldn't say that Anorthosis team were useless. They have picked up some good scalps this season. Aalborg on the pther hand would be a nice team to draw. Does anyone know if its possible to draw a team from England in the next round or are they kept apart?
3-0 will be nice.
Delfounso, gardner & harewoof
I'm pretty sure the winners of each group play a team who finished 3rd in their group, don't they?
That leaves the 2nd placed teams to play the Champions League rejects.
Reply to Arrlui:
We need to beat Zilina and draw with Hamburg to win the group, assuming that Hamburg win their penultimate game on Thursday.
Reply to vivavilla86:
That is correct. But it's unlikely we're going to finish 3rd so we need to make sure we finish 1st!
Damian,no way is sk slovan bratislava known as inter bratislava...these two are completely different teams!there is a rivalry between these teams like between villa and shitties...slovan bratislava is former cup winners cup winner.inter is shit
Thanks Majkee - I was about to poiint that out.
I don't want to see MON making too many changes for this game. Our league form is a bit up and down at the moment, so he really needs to use this game to sort out formations/partnerships/tactics. We could probably win this at a canter and learn nothing, I back MON to box clever here and maybe only change the Brads, back four with CC or NRC at RB, CG or Salifou into midfield for Sidwell, two up front - JC & GA. 4-4-2 definitely.
My mates a man city supporter and we keep saying we are going to
istanbul for villa v man city uefa cup final,that wud be great
I'd really rather avoid playing anyone dropped from the CL. All of them could give us a run for our money. While it'd be a game I'd love to watch, I'd rather wait till after we win our first team match up in the knockout stages
. I haven't watched many of the CL teams recently, but I did catch Chelsea and Marsielle play. I can tell you that they are a very dangerous team and defended very well. They also have a young lad Gocoufe on loan from AC Milan, he is basically their Ashley Young. A very exciting player to watch. He made a breathtaking turn in that game to get a shot off as well.
andynumbers...I understand JC is still out for at least the next 2 weeks. Can we have Salifou up front with GA please Martin
Oh yes, he's still got that bad back. The one danger with playing Salifou up front is that he will score six or more goals and upset Gabby.
Interesting talk in the press today about Premier league debt bubble. Makes you grateful for MON's previous unwillingness to spend big.
Robbo, bloody right mate, also rarher glad that Deadly didn't borrow big either.
We have a lot to thank Deadly for...He can see into the future..
Reply to Luke_M:
But we are 100% and Hamburg lost a game to Ajax? And we beat Ajax...
I reckon the lads that come in will turn this lot over in style. I expect to see Salifou, Gardner, Guzan, Shorey, Harewood, Delfuenso etc and they all have something to prove, in front of their home crowd.
I'm saying 4-0 and im having a bet to prove it !
Reckon i'll get nice odds..and Gardner to score sounds good for a double !
UTV
Im not going tomorrow. 1)Because freeze my balls off 2)sick of trains being delayed 3)Its on Channel 5.....
Is No.3 right??
Hey Keef, was it your fault the train was an hour late Saturday because off lack off staff??!?
this has 0-0 written all over it..
Im also saying 4-1. Apparantly Gabys being rested, Carews injured so who's up front? Harewood and....??
Please dont have a go for saying this but i think Milner up front would go well.... If he scores in front of the Holte then surely he will get a boost of confidence and spur him on for more goals...
worth a try surely??
I would be happy with a clean sheet (Guzan in goal), and a few goals with Delfounso and Harewood up front, give Barry a rest and replace with Salifou. Shorey and Young at the back with Knight and Davies (rest Laursen for Everton). And even drop Milner for Gardner - good bet on him Damian! Debating whether to go or not, due to weather and 2 hour drive..... but probably will even if it means freezing my nuts off!
We will win 4-1.
On a smaller note- I think we win our 1st bit of silverware under MON if we advance as (I believe) we would win the Intertoto Cup.
That's a good lineup ghosthunter. I think its a lineup that can win the game. Would you have Agbonlahor, Barry and Young on the bench?
Id like to see Saliou given the playmaker role in the centre to see what he can do. At least then if we are failing to break teams down at home like Fulham we would have an option to bring on (if MON remembers he is allowed to make subs).