Stoke City v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[SoccerHQ]

2-2.

I'd think about playing a back 5 tbh so Carlos, Collins and Dunney all starting to combat their long throws.

Also last year on their small pitch our wide men made little impact so I'd rest Albrighton as I fear he might get lost in the land of the giants, have Ireland, NRC and Petrov as a midfield trio and Young in the hole behind Carew or Gabby if Big John dosen't make it.

There's a good chance Delap will be on the bench.

I can't remember the last home game when he's been fit Delap actually hasn't started with how narrowe the pitch is at the Brit, a few away games you left him out but can't remember a home game he didn't start last season.

Big boost for us imo if you don't start him, you can defend 99% of throw ins well, switch off for one and lose the game as we found out to our cost two years ago.

[SoccerHQ]

Oh and Stoke get plenty of respect I'd say (well apart from North London).

You still get plenty of comments that "The Britannia is a tough place to go..." even though actually you've lost a fair few games at home in 2010!

Can't help liking Pulis either even though I don't agree with ways he plays the game especially as he's got a lot of technically gifted players in his squad now like Pennant, Gudjohnson, Tuncay etc.

[TimTheVillain]

To be honest, Stoke is the sort of place that we ought to be going to with complete confidence that a win is very do-able by now.

Sadly, it's the sort of place where Downing will hide away and Ashley will be chasing after the ref after every decision that goes against us.

Hopefully Ireland will be playing, we need his guile in the middle.

[Holtenderinthesky]

Ireland is out for this game isn't he?  Anyway, 1-1. Gabby to equalise late on.

Ireland out News to me ...............

Really?  The same Ireland who pulled his Hamstring before the Everton game? 

I hope you're right and he plays but I can't see him starting.

[l_mckay]

going to be a tight 1-0 win for villa!Gabby to score

[PaulWinch again]

Don't fancy this at all, I'm at a wedding as well during the game. I hope I'll be pleasantly suprised when I see the result.

[Matt Collins]

I just can't imagine Downing having a good game in this one. Plus it may well be worth getting some height in the team, as well as fight. I'd still play Young at right back, but possibly worth playing Carew or Heskey, with Gabby and Ash wide? Ireland. NRC and Petrov in the middle?

[Blackcountry Villa]

Are there any tickets left?

[mozza]

Stoke in bottom three...............we could go into third with a win

You just know we will bottle it if the likes of Downing are selected

There's been no update that I'm aware on Ireland's 'pulled calf' so
I don't reckon he will be playing

2-1 home win (sorry KMac) 

[peter w]

One of those season defining games for us this one. The most important thing coming into this game is seeing how we play. The games that have gone, coupled with the most bizarre, laughable, management arrangements in place at the moment, make this game vital.

We started well in the season, but that 6-0 is looking worse and worse. the defeat at home to Rapid was abject and the win over Everton left more questions unanswered than answered. for all the good work defensively in that game we had the fall of the ball every single time, which very rarely happens. All their flicks went narrowly wide, the hit the woodwork and were forcing corner after corner at the end. It was awful to watch as we did not look like a team with a lot of belief in our own abilities. We snuck it 1-0 and no-one would argue if Everton had have scorred when they had time to digest the whole game.

We look vulnerable to me through the middle of midfield. Very vulnerable. I'd like to see Ash moved back tp the left but that's another thing, I want to see us take the game to Stoke, as we should be doing, and being able to get the ball back in midfield when we lose. nothing to do with this being against Stoke but this game was always going to be vital.

Play poorly again and we could be looking at a season where reaching 12th would be an achievement, but play well and we could be starting to prove evryone wrong, including many of us, and start to look like a decent side again.

[hawkeye]

Play 4-4-2 with Downing and we will get mullered, be v happy with a point

[littlevillain]

Are there any tickets left?

allocation was 2,900, and they're still advertising it on the official website so not sold out yet I think.

[TaxDodger]

I wouldn't grumble at a point. I'll go for a 1-1. A late Stoke goal to cancel out Gabby's opener.

[placeforparks]

2-0 to stoke.

[pauliewalnuts]

To be honest, Stoke is the sort of place that we ought to be going to with complete confidence that a win is very do-able by now.

I disagree.

I don't think anyone goes to Stoke with particular confidence. It is a very tough place to go.