HSV – Aston Villa Preview
By: Chris | December 17th, 2008When the UEFA Cup drawing was completed, the match between two former European champions (both Aston Villa and Hamburg) looked to be one of the most attractive ties of the group stage. Well, tonight’s the night as HSV welcome the Villans to the ‘Bank this evening. Hoo boy!
Hamburg come into tonight’s match riding high, following a 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. Once again, Mladen Petric did the damage, heading home the match winner at the fifty-nine minute mark, on a sweet cross played in by Marcell Jansen(who, remarkably, has gone nearly 3[!] weeks without an injury). With the win over Frankfurt, HSV are now 4th in the Bundesliga table, level on points with Hertha (behind on goal-differential), and 2 points behind leaders Hoffenheim and Bayern.
HSV once again have a number of injuries, but what side doesn’t this time of year? Colin Benjamin suffered a strained calf muscle in the Eintracht match and is doubtful for tonight; David Jarolim is nursing a bruised knee (but may still play); Alex Silva is still recovering from an severe ankle sprain; Bastian Reinhardt took the drugs and started the Eintracht match. Fortunately, Guy Demel returns this evening from a 1 match Bundesliga suspension and should step into the starting XI.
HSV, Villa and Ajax are all even on 6 points in Group F. Tonight’s action will determine the group champion, and therefore a more advantageous draw in the UEFA Cup knockout stage. Remember, in the UEFA Cup, group winners draw UEFA Cup group third place sides, while the second place side draw the eight third place clubs from the Champions League (don’t get me started on that little detail-IMO, you are either in one competition or the other . . .). HSV are coming off a 0:1 loss to Ajax in Hamburg (the only defeat in all competitions at the ‘Bank this campaign), while Villa lost at home to MSK Zilina 1:2.
Aston Villa, for their part, find themselves in fourth place in the Premiership on 31 points with a +9 GD, just ahead of Arsenal, who sit fifth on 30 points. Martin Jol knows Villa well from his days at White Hart Lane, and he believes that Villa are flat better than his old rivals. Unfortunately, we Hamburg supporters won’t get to see the XI that are making so much noise in the EPL this season: Villa boss Martin O’Neill left England nationals Gabriel Agbanlahor, Gareth Barry, Ashley Young, James Milner (who could play for England–he’s that good), and Danish international Martin Laureson off the squad who travelled to Hamburg. We will get to see rising star Nathan Delfouneso start however.
After tonight’s match, Hamburg have 7(!) weeks to rest, get healthy and get ready for the second-half push in the Bundesliga, so we will see the first team (well, those who are healthy). It would be very pleasant to head into the break with some momentum from a big win over a high quality opponent such as Villa. With HSV’s record at home now standing at 6-1-1 in all competitions, coupled with the fact that Hamburg will be playing Villa’s B-squad, I say make mine an HSV victory, 2-1. We shall see. . .
Category: AFC Ajax Amsterdam, Aston Villa, Champions League, Eintracht Frankfurt, English Premier League, Eredivise, Martin Jol, Match Preview, Team News, UEFA Cup
Tags: 1. Bundesliga, AFC Ajax Amsterdam, Arsenal FC, Aston Villa, Champions League, Eintracht Frankfurt, English Premier League, Eredivise, Hamburger SV, Martin Jol, Match Preview, SV Hamburger, Team News, UEFA CupSubscribe
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Comments
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Aha Chris, so you have also heard of James Milner too.
Fabio Capello (in his year-end review of his first year in the England job on Monday) had called him (to quote what I read from The Times website) – “the future, my future”. I don’t know, I was like ‘aww…’ when I read that part. Here – http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article5355168.ece But it is a sign of the times how far Aston Villa has come.
But anyhow, back to the match itself…bearing in mind the Premier League don’t have a winter break and Villa have already qualified for the next round of the UEFA Cup, I can understand Martin O’Neill’s decisions to keep his regulars at home. The ones who especially played against the Germans last month in Berlin. I know O’Neill was especially proud of Agbanlahor’s performance last month in Berlin.
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Singapore
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If I were in O’Neill’s place, I’d have made the exact same decision. It’s nice for Villa to be playing in a European competition, but they have to keep their eyes on the real prize–staying in the top 4 in the EPL and getting to the Champions League. . .
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United States -
Word. I am actually secretly rooting for them to gate-crash the top four in the EPL.
It used to be Spurs were the favourites to do so but there is no chance now. Aston Villa now have a good chance of doing that. Martin O’Neill had talked of reviving the European days of old at the club before (I think this was after he was appointed as the new manager) and he is working towards that. Considering I remembered reading Villa actually once beat Bayern Munich in the 80s in the then-European Cup. I actually do admire what O’Neill has done since he arrived at Aston Villa. Considering in view of his CV and at one time even being linked to the England job.
Not bad for someone who almost became a lawyer himself (I read that he was actually studying law at one time before turning to football). I was reading on Der Spiegel the other day that he is one of the most charismatic and brightest minds in the league. I was not surprised that was how they describe O’Neill.
Now with even the England boss Fabio Capello speaking highly of his players, you know O’Neill have done something right. I still remembered how I once went sceptical over Ashley Young’s move from Watford. But now that Young has blossomed under O’Neill and even played last month in Berlin (as a substitute)…he has really convinced me.
I did actually kind of wondered for a moment when watching the Germany-England friendly last month, O’Neill must have been very proud of how his boys did in Berlin. Despite he initially questioned the timing of the match. Anyhow, I had read that he said he knew Agbonlahor do treasure the experience of playing against the Germans. And it was Agbonlahor’s senior England debut at that time as well.
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Singapore -
2-0!!!!
we need to resign olic…Posted from
United States -
3-0
i restate my point from before, ivi is making himself look really valuable, to us and to others…Posted from
United States -
3-1 Full time. Olic with a pair, and probably added 500K to each year of his new contract. Yikes. We need to sign him now.
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United States -
Wow, I’m very impressed. Either Olic is simply very motivated to earn a new megabucks contract and will eventually fall back into his usual rhythm with mixed bag performances, or he really is in the form of his life at the moment.
BTW: Latest rumor coming out of Germany is that Hamburg and Bayern could be working on a Podolski-Olic swap deal during the winter break. Neither Jol or Beiersdorfer would obviously comment on that, but they neither denied it straight away. Just some hints that “they are working behind closed doors” and “always want to please the fans”. Could mean nothing and anything.
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Germany -
Isn’t our home record in all competitions, 6 – 2 – 1? We drew with FC Unirea Urziceni, it was a match to qualify for the Uefa Cup group stages.
Anyway, it was a joy to see we domninate for most parts of the match, the goals were eye candy too, its a pity Jansen didn’t get on the scoresheet, according to bild.de, Olic’s second goal is the 200th HSV goal in European Cup competitions, I seriously hope it wont be his last for ‘ Die Rothosen ‘
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Singapore -
Good catch Ashiq. I had kind of blocked the Urziceni match out of my memory as it was that bad.
Posted from
United States
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