| Wrexham get a break from league football and we have been
rewarded for the penalty
shoot out win at Port Vale with a home tie against Aston Villa in Round Two of the Carling Cup.
The performance at Bradford was
encouraging as we were unlucky not to come away from Valley
Parade with a point but we face a difficult task against Villa as Martin
O'Neil is expected to name a full strength side.
Villa have started the season with a win, draw and defeat in their opening three
games.
They started with a defeat
at home to Liverpool and this was followed up a week late with a
goalless draw at Newcastle. Villa recorded their first win of the season
on the weekend when they came from behind to defeat Fulham 2-1 at Villa
Park.
On Saturday, Fulham took the lead
through American Clint Dempsey and Martin O'Neil was sent to the stands
for the second half but he watched his side equalise following an own
goal from Zack Night and Shaun Maloney scored a ninetieth minute winner to give
Villa their first three points of the season.
Villa finished mid table last season in
Martin O'Neil's first season in charge but this season Villa will be
looking to secure a UEFA Cup place this time round and the Carling Cup
will provide them with this opportunity.
With the benefit of the new Premier
League TV deal, Villa have spent some cash in the transfer market with
over £20 million dished out in transfers since the turn of the year.
This just shows the gulf between the
Premier League and the Football League and makes any giant killing
occurrences even more special.
The largest transfer for Villa was the
capture of West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Cocker for £7.5 million after the
former MK Dons midfielder had a troublesome end to his career at Upton
Park.
Villa also returned to West Ham to sign
striker Marlon Harewood for £4 million last month but he has only made a
thirteen minute substitute appearance following his transfer to Villa.
Shaun Maloney was a £1 million capture
from Celtic and he was joined in the January transfer window by Ashley
Young for an extortionate £9.65 million from Watford. Since his
move, Young has failed to find the net in the first three games of this
season but did score twice last season for Villa in thirteen
appearances.
Lining up in goal for Villa should be
Scott Carson after he signed in a £2 million season long loan deal from
Liverpool. This has meant Thomas Sorenson has had to settle for a place
on the bench this season after being first choice between the sticks
during Martin O'Neil's first season in charge of Villa.
Villa is Martin O'Neil's fifth job as
manager which started by leading Wycombe into the Football League. He
then departed for Norwich but only lasted twenty games at Carrow Road
before joining Leicester for a successful five year spell which included
League Cup wins and Premier League survival. O'Neil then provided his
Midas touch north of the border during a five year spell with Celtic
before taking a one year break prior to joining Villa at the start of
last season.
Team News:
Steve Evans and Mark Jones are expected to make the
starting line up for the tie against Villa after sitting on the bench
for the defeat at Bradford.
Just like the first round match at Port Vale, Michael
Jones is expected to start in goal ahead of Anthony Williams and Eifion
Williams is fit despite struggling recently with a calf injury.
Aston Villa midfielder Shaun Maloney could be in line
for a rare start after scoring a late winner against Fulham.
Marlon Harewood, Gary Cahill and Luke Moore could all start as they
press their case for a regular place.
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