Villa Park ready for big night

October 23, 2008

UEFA Cup

It’s been a while since Villa Park has hosted a glamorous European tie, so not surprisingly a big crowd is anticipated and the claret and blue faithful expectant.

I’ve been to the Odense and Litex games this season, but apart from that the last European game I saw was more than five years ago - against a virtually unknown Croatian team, Varteks Varaždin.

Martin O’Neill’s men had a taste of the big time last summer, when they opened Villa Park up for the 1st time in many years for a pre-season friendly.
A crowd of over 30,000 welcomed Inter Milan, who themselves had just beaten Manchester United in their previous game on their tour. But Villa were superb and crushed the Nerazzurri 3 - 0, granted Inter were a few weeks behind in their season’s preparations, but Villa’s whistles were wet.

So after a decent season and a solid start to their European Campaign, the Villans are back. Tonight they host Ajax, historically one of the biggest clubs in Holland, and one of only the five teams that has earned the right to keep the European Cup.

Ajax haven’t managed to get off to the best of starts this season, but this shouldn’t be taken as a sign of what to expect. In their last game they beat the league leaders Groningen, and have actually not failed to score in the league this season.

The Coach van Basten might use a 4-3-3 formation, with the front three all dangerous. The pinacle of the 3 pronged attack will be Klaas Jan Huntelaar, who O’Neill identified as a big threat. The striker nicknamed ‘the Hunter’ has scored 159 goals for clubs and country in only 206 games since 2003, which is an incredible strike rate. The 25-year-old has said today that Ajax “will have to be ruthless with any opportunities we get.” - and you can bet he will.
Possibly playing alongside the Dutchman will be Uruguayan Luis Suárez, and £13m summer signing Miralem Sulejmani, a teenage Serbian seen by many to be one of the rising stars of European football.
Lindgren played well against his old team at the weekend in the middle, whilst Oleguer and Gabri both have European experience with Barca.
There is as ever with Ajax, incredible young talent and potential with the likes Emanuelson, Aissati, Sarpong, van der Wiel and new signing Darko Bodul an especially exciting prospect.

Villa are likely to use 4-4-2 as O’Neill has favoured recently, with Brad Friedel set to continue between the sticks.
Nicky Shorey has already been confirmed at left-back, and Luke Young will most likely return on the right. Martin Laursen should captain the side from centre-back, with Carlos Cuellar or Curtis Davies competing for the place next to the skipper.
Ashley Young will most likely start on the left-wing, but will be given license to roam and create. Steve Sidwell is now available, but unlikely to start - so Gareth Barry, Stan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker all in contention for the two engine room spots. The one that misses out will probably push out to the right-hand-side if Milner isn’t given the nod.
Speed Merchant and local boy Gabby Agbonlahor is set to partner giant targetman John Carew in his 83rd European game.

Aston Villa - Ajax
UEFA Cup Group F
Villa Park
8.15 Kick-off

This is Villa and Ajax’s first meeting in any UEFA club competition.
This is also Villa’s first meeting with a Dutch side, but the Netherlands has an extremely positive resonance with the Birmingham club, who won the European Cup – their only major continental trophy – in Rotterdam in 1982.
Ajax, meanwhile, won their first European Cup in England back in 1971, beating Panathinaikos FC 2-0 at the old Wembley Stadium, with Dirk van Dijk and Arie Haan scoring the goals for Rinus Michels’ side.
Ajax have played 16 games against English sides in UEFA club competition in addition to a 3-1 aggregate defeat against Arsenal FC in the non-UEFA affiliated 1969/70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-final.

Andy Clements

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