Swindon V Aston Villa at County Ground : Match Preview

30 October 2012 16:02
Swindon V Aston Villa - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Di Canio targets another shock

Paolo Di Canio has called on his npower League One side to "make something special" when Swindon host Barclays Premier League strugglers Aston Villa in the Capital One Cup fourth round.

The meeting with a side 34 league places above them has been described by Di Canio as "the main event" and the Italian made a number of changes to his side at Stevenage in Saturday after admitting that the chance to put Paul Lambert's side to the sword took precedence.

And that trip to Broadhall Way saw a convincing 4-0 victory despite a number of selection changes with one eye on the visit of Villa.

Simon Ferry, Gary Roberts, Jay McEveley and James Collins, the hat-trick hero against Stoke, were all benched and despite their absence Swindon put in one of their best displays of the season against Gary Smith's men who hadn't lost on home soil for 18 games.

"All the attention must now go to Tuesday night and Aston Villa," Di Canio told the Swindon official website.

"We have won two games against Premier League teams (having knocked Wigan out of last season's FA Cup) and now we have a chance to take on another side.

"We must stop thinking about the league now and take an extra lift to try and make something special on Tuesday night.

"I did save some of the main players and we moved things around. I tried to handle the situation and go out in the second half to win the game, with one eye on Aston Villa.

"The game on Tuesday is now the main event for us."

Manager Paul Lambert insists it "won't be for lack of trying" if he fails at Aston Villa as he swaps a Barclays Premier League survival battle to try and reach the Capital One Cup quarter-finals.

Villa caused one of the upsets of the previous round when they overcame Premier League champions Manchester City 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Now it will be their turn to be favourites when they travel the County Ground.

But Lambert will give the game the same attention as if playing Villa were playing one of the leading sides and is desperate to bring some joy to the club's success-starved fans.

Lambert said: "The response to a defeat against Southampton the previous weekend in beating Manchester City in the previous round at their place was brilliant.

"But that's gone now. It's another tough game we are facing on Tuesday

"It's not going to be a foregone conclusion. I've been there a few times with Norwich."

Lambert has been happy with Villa's overall performances despite one win in nine league games representing their worst start to a campaign for 43 years.

On Saturday they showed great determination to hold on for a point against his former club Norwich.

He said: "I'm not going to give marks out of 10 for how we've done but I'm happy with the way we are playing.

"Within the group, we believe in what we are doing. We are not too disappointed with our play. We'd like more points but I'm not too disheartened with the way I'm playing.

"Okay, results aren't what we would have liked but I get the sense people want us to do well which is important.

"The fans want us to do well and it's a huge club. We'll give it a right good go to succeed.

"It won't be for a lack of trying on my part."

Source: PA