Our Birmingham City and Aston Villa experts discuss the derby showdown

Sep 12 2009 by Colin Tattum and Mat Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

Our man at Blues, Colin Tattum, and our man at Villa, Mat Kendrick, discuss the big Second City derby

TATTUM: Here we go again. Hostilities renewed. Blues’ players are looking forward to the derby, especially many of those who have not experienced it before. Do you think Villa will fancy their chances after the last time, the 5-1, and will it count for anything?

KENDRICK: Blimey, 5-1, is that how great the margin was?! Cheers for reminding me, Tatts.

I think Villa will definitely be up for it, even though there are only five of the players from the 5-1 – John Carew, Ashley Young, Gabby Agbonlahor, Nigel Reo-Coker and Stiliyan Petrov – likely to be in the squad this time round, so the previous result will have no bearing whatsoever.

Villa’s return to a 4-FIVE-1 formation (sorry, did I mention 5-1 again?) is perfectly suited to playing away from home, so expect the traditional Martin O’Neill game plan of setting up to be solid and counter-attacking with pace. How much is that Villa Park pummelling still hurting Big Eck and Blues?

TATTUM: It’s certainly still raw among supporters and as for Alex McLeish, although he maybe didn’t show it at the time judging by what he said (he wanted to protect his players for the remaining games and keep them ‘on-side’), it cut him to the core.

He has been constantly reminded of it since and knows full well a much, much better showing is expected.

Likewise, only James McFadden from that XI in April 2008 is certain of starting tomorrow. The Blues team this time round has more of a backbone to it.

They have some hardy, strong individuals and even if Blues don’t win, there is no way they would cave in like that. Interesting you mention formations, I always feel Villa’s personnel and style is better suited to away games.

McLeish has used the 4-5-1/4-4-1-1 at Manchester United and Spurs but could well give Christian Benitez his first Premier League start.

Chucho has got something, he’s a potential game-changer. Speed, fierce shooting, awareness. His battle with Richard Dunne and James Collins, if both debuting, should be fascinating.

KENDRICK: It will be interesting indeed to see if Thomas the Tank, as I think McLeish referred to ‘Chucho’ the other week, can de-rail Villa’s new-look defence.

I think it will be either Dunne or Collins alongside Carlos Cuellar in the centre, not both, and Stephen Warnock could make his claret and blue bow at left-back in place of Nicky Shorey. What an occasion to make a debut.

More to the point how do you think the Blues backline will cope against the likes of Agbonlahor, Young and Carew – who, if I remember correctly, each scored twice during Villa’s derby double the season before last?

I suppose not having Secret Agent Ridgewell available could hinder Villa, though.

TATTUM: Now, now, Ridge came within Agbonlahor’s boot studs of what would surely have been the winner in the last St Andrew’s derby, and he was immaculate last season before breaking his leg.

Defensively, Franck Queudrue has been a surprise success as stand-in centre-half.

Now I wouldn’t fancy French Franck at left-back against some marauding Villa player from deep, but he’s clever in the middle and can head a ball well.

It will be more interesting to see how Roger Johnson adapts. He has done OK so far and anyone who says he isn’t used to the big occasion forgets he played in the FA Cup final not long back.

Incidentally, why people call Benitez ‘choo-choo’, bringing all the train gags, is beyond me. It’s Chucho. Anyway, back to the game. Fair to say there’s more pressure on Villa to get the result in this one considering their likely squad on duty cost £100 million.

KENDRICK: You’re right, Villa fans will be expecting, no make that demanding, to win this. And they simply must avoid defeat to stave off another potential mini-crisis in a topsy-turvy and strangely tense start to the season.