EMERSON Thome put himself in Villa's shoes as he warned his Wanderers team-mates to brace themselves for a Carling Cup backlash.

The big Brazilian reckons David O'Leary will be telling his players to "give everything they didn't give in the first leg" as they attempt to claw back a three goal deficit.

"That is what I would be telling them if I was the manager," he said, "and that's what we have to expect from them.

"Villa will try and pay us back for the first leg. We know that. It's not nice when you get beat heavily. I felt that way at Manchester City (Wanderers suffered their heaviest defeat of the season at the City of Manchester Stadium). It's not a case of feeling sorry, you just feel so disappointed with yourself.

"We should be confident tonight because half time has gone already and the tie is in our favour, but the job is not done yet. We didn't expect to score three goals in the first 20 minutes last week but we did, which shows that anything can happen.

"We will show Villa more respect than we have shown any team in the competition so far. We just have to make sure we concentrate and we are focused."

Thome was at Chelsea when they beat Villa in the FA Cup Final of 2000 but was ineligible after being cup-tied playing for Sheffield Wednesday so he is doubly determined to have something to show for his efforts.

He describes Jay-Jay Okocha and Kevin Nolan as "two important pieces of the jigsaw" but says their absence offers chances for the players who step in, to convince the manager that they can be key figures in their own right.

"It's going to be one of the most important games in the club's history, for me and for all the other players," he added. "We are one step away from the final and that's going to be a big, big thing for us.

"It's the first time in my six years in England that I've been involved in anything as huge as this. When I was at Chelsea, I was around but I wasn't involved. But I saw what it was like and I know that going to Cardiff is going to be marvellous for everybody at this club."

Thome does not underestimate the loss of Okocha and Nolan, who did so much in the first leg to give Wanderers their advantage. "They are going to be a big miss because they are very influential players for the side.

"But, like they said themselves, we've just got to make sure we get through the tie so that everybody has a chance to enjoy the final.

"Jay-Jay is involved in a very different competition as captain of his country but I think he will be focused here as well because he wants to be successful in everything he does. I hope we can give him and the supporters the final."