team for Villa

[Fezza]

intelligent icelandic central defence, but will they be outpaced?

Seriously lacking in both speed and strength fo villa, Carew would tear Ingy and Gunnar apart!

[UpNorth]

Cisse could well move to centre back as that was his main position prior to coming to Reading. Bit of a risk though not having played there at all for us.

Hope Duberry is OK because there seems to be naff all going on in the way of transfer activity.

[M Brook]

Hope Duberry is OK because there seems to be naff all going on in the way of transfer activity.

What a foolish comment! How do you know there's nothing going on?

[Victor Meldrew]

Bit early to speculate until Duberry's fitness is known.
If we do sign a centre-back he has to be ready to come in straight away and as we don't have much success with foreign players being immediately ready it has to be somebody already playing in English football.

I'm not a great believer in players "filling in" to cover specialist positions and Bryn's aerial ability v Carew would be questionable.
The boy Pearce has had a number of games now for Northampton and Bournemouth and is bigger than Bennett or Sodje (remember Heskey at Wigan last season) so unless we buy Gardener from Spurs (God forbid) or somebody of similar stature/experience I would play the boy.
He is a specialist centre-back after all.

[weybridgewanderer]

ugo ehiogu anyone?

did a job at ibrox steadying the ship for 6 months at the end of last season
can't get a start this season since rangers signed carlos cuellar

[cmonurz]

It's a rare occurrence but I agree with VM. One of the reasons for involving young players in the first-team, and which Coppell failed to do again yesterday, is so that they can gain some experience should injuries and absences make them a consideration. Look at Hobbs at Liverpool, who has filled in for Agger/Hyppia.

Pearce is a centre-back, and I would sooner he played than a ponderous midfielder like Gunnarsson.

And good shout on Ehiogu, assuming he is fit following his injury problems.

[winchester_royal]

Federici
Murts
Pearce
Ingi
Shorey
Hunt
Cisse
Harps
Convey
Doyle
Kits

[Old Biscuitman]

intelligent icelandic central defence, but will they be outpaced?

Not until the mascots go off.

You malign the mascots unfairly.

[Kevin Doyles Right Foot]

Federici
Murts
Pearce
Ingi
Shorey
Hunt
Cisse
Harps
Convey
Doyle
Kits

I would go with that apart from federici won't play because Coppell will stick with Hahnemann

[Ian Royal]

USA
Murts
Shorey
Ivar
De La? /Doobs
Cisse
Harper
Convey
Hunt
Kitson
Doyle

Fed, Pearce, Gunnarsson, Long, Lita

Is De La Cruz an option to try at CB? I'd leave Cisse in the team, he's not done much wrong and we all know how effective Gunnar can be as a sub.

I'd be worried about Ivar and Doobs working together, they both are really rather lacking in pace. Same problem with Gunnar at the back. Not sure about giving Pearce a start, but at the moment we don't have a whole lotta options. Duberry is even less of a good idea if he's carrying a niggle and therefore less mobile and sharp.

[cmonurz]

We can all discuss our preferred option, but we know that Gunnar will start at Villa.

[Ian Royal]

We can all discuss our preferred option, but we know that Gunnar will start at Villa.

I'm not so sure. Cisse's had a run of 3 games, and Coppell doesn't like changing the team, and hasn't struck me as a manager to just put someone straight back in after injury/suspension, unless he sees a huge difference in quality.

60-40 in Gunnars favour though I'd admit.

[fruits]

intelligent icelandic central defence, but will they be outpaced?

Icelandic duo against Carew. Heaven help us.

[namroyal]

I'd be more worried about Abductawhore... he's like a whippet he is...

[lozz2601]

I'd be more worried about Abductawhore... he's like a whippet he is...

No match for the pace of our back four.

[papereyes]

Young's no slouch either.

[Victor Meldrew]

It's a rare occurrence but I agree with VM. One of the reasons for involving young players in the first-team, and which Coppell failed to do again yesterday, is so that they can gain some experience should injuries and absences make them a consideration. Look at Hobbs at Liverpool, who has filled in for Agger/Hyppia.

Pearce is a centre-back, and I would sooner he played than a ponderous midfielder like Gunnarsson.

And good shout on Ehiogu, assuming he is fit following his injury problems.

I think it's in other sports where we tend to disagree.

[Broxroyal]

I would be surprised if Carew plays. He was struggling big time for an hour with an injury yesterday against Man Utd. It could well be Moore and Agbanlahor up front which diminishes the aerial threat but if anything increases the speed of the Villa front line.

[zac naloen]

It's a rare occurrence but I agree with VM. One of the reasons for involving young players in the first-team, and which Coppell failed to do again yesterday, is so that they can gain some experience should injuries and absences make them a consideration. Look at Hobbs at Liverpool, who has filled in for Agger/Hyppia.

Pearce is a centre-back, and I would sooner he played than a ponderous midfielder like Gunnarsson.

And good shout on Ehiogu, assuming he is fit following his injury problems.

I think it's in other sports where we tend to disagree.

If at any point we'd either been conclusively losing the game, or conclusively winning I think the youngsters would have come on.

As it was things were very tight and for the most part going our way... introducing an unknown quantity could have cost us the game. To me that says that despite all his comments about league being the priority he still wanted a result and didn't want to take the risk of losing the game.

[Ian Royal]

Coppell always plays to win in th ecup. He make changes, but it's always a team sent out with the intention of competeing and winning the match.