| Fredua Koranteng Adu Offline Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Estados Unidos Posts: 256,709 vCash: 20158194 Rep Points: 916 | Quote: Prem Preview: Aston Villa – Derby County
What: English Premier League
Who: Aston Villa (10th, 15/30pts) v Derby County (20th, 6/33pts)
When: Saturday, November 3, 2007, kick-off 15:00 local (BST)
Where: Villa Park, Birmingham
Derby County are in danger of becoming this season’s whipping boys. Having already conceded 24 league goals in 11 games, the Rams have plenty of defensive homework to occupy themselves with, in order to make the grade and stay in the top flight.
Comments from manager, Billy Davies, akin to, ‘we’re just going to go out there and have fun’, suggest a serious lack of belief that they can retain their Premier League status this season.
As a result, Villa will be confident of asserting their league superiority over their Midland neighbours, but manager Martin O’Neill remains wary, seeing similarities between Derby and his Leicester City side, when he was in charge of the Foxes.
“The similarities are there [between Leicester and Derby] because we came up through the play-offs, and we had no time whatsoever to prepare” he told the club’s official website
“I have heard Derby say this... it does take you 10, 12, 14 games to know what this is all about. You are hoping that you have some points on the board to do so. If and when you do get to grips with it, you feel much more at ease with it... and who knows?”
The visitors' poor defensive record is something that Villa will be looking to exploit, but O’Neill feels it is no cause for alarm for his relegation-battling opponents.
“It can happen. I don’t think you worry about whether it is four or five [goals conceded in a match], it doesn’t matter. It’s what you can learn, what you can pick up – as long as confidence has not been eroded you can go again.”
The Rams' manager, Billy Davies, remains positive in the face of adversity and believes his side have a fighting chance of survival, due to the spirit of the players.
“I’ve never had a problem lifting the players, and we’ve never had a problem understanding who we are and what we’re about” he told the club’s official website.
“Realistically, when you’re looking at the facts of where we were, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand the great challenge we’ve had.”
“But we are all extremely positive and extremely confident” he added.
Derby’s leaking defence is a serious worry for Billy Davies and the club's attackers are failing to offer a reprieve to their back four. Having only scored five Premier League goals all season, it leads you to believe that Derby would struggle to penetrate the film lid on a microwave meal, let alone a Premiership defence.
The history books have not been kind to Derby either. In the club’s previous six Premier League meetings, Villa have won them all and will be favourites to win tomorrows meeting too.
FORM GUIDE
Aston Villa
28 October v Bolton Wanderers (A) DREW 1-1
20 October v Manchester United (H) LOST 4-1
6 October v West Ham United (H) WON 1-0
1 October v Tottenham Hotspurs (A) DREW 4-4
26 September v Leicester City (H) LOST 1-0 (Carling Cup)
Derby County
28 October v Everton (H) LOST 2-0
20 October v Fulham (A) DREW 0-0
7 October v Reading (A) LOST 1-0
29 September v Bolton Wanderers (H) DREW 1-1
22 September v Arsenal (A) LOST 5-0
TEAM NEWS
Aston Villa
Scott Carson and Nigel Reo-Coker are both expected to return to the side, after being suspended for last weekend’s trip to Bolton. John Carew is still sidelined after suffering knee ligament damage against Everton in September.
Squad: Sorensen, Taylor, Mellberg, Gardner, Laursen, Davies, Knight,
Bouma, Agbonlahor, Barry, Salifou, Young, Petrov, Osbourne, Carew, Moore.
Last Starting XI: Taylor, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Petrov, Osbourne, Barry, Young, Agbonlahor, Maloney.
Derby County
Defender Andy Todd remains on the treatment table with back and hamstring problems and striker Kenny Miller is a doubt, due to the hamstring injury he picked up in last weekend's home defeat by Everton.
Squad: Bywater, Griffin, Moore, Malcolm, Teale, Davis, Camara, McEveley, Todd, Oakley, Mears, Pearson, Barnes, Fagan, Howard, Price, Earnshaw, Miller, Jones, Leacock, Lewis.
Last Starting XI: Bywater, Mears, Davis, Moore, McEveley, Fagan, Oakley, Pearson, Lewis, Miller, Barnes.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa: Gabriel Agbonlahor – The forward’s lightning pace has embarrassed many Premier League defences this season and he will pose a serious threat to Derby’s back-line. It was Agbonlahor’s cross that Luke Moore was able to steer in, to steal a point away from the Reebok last weekend, showing that he is as much a creative force, as he is a goal scoring one. Derby’s leaking defence can be sure they will have a busy afternoon, looking after the England under 21 international.
Derby County: Kenny Miller – If the Scottish international is fit for his first Midlands derby as a County player, he will undoubtedly cause Villa’s defence the most worries. Having terrorised the defences of World Cup finalists France and Italy, during Scotland’s qualifying campaign for the European Championships, Villa should be fearful. The goals are yet to flow for Miller, but he is Derby’ most likely source, if and when they do come. | Goal.com - England - Prem Preview: Aston Villa – Derby County
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10-31-2007, 11:26 PM 
Premier League 2007/2008 | Campeonato | Day 12
Premier League 2007/2008 | Campeonato | Day 14
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