Stoke City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[TheSandman]

I've found a positive. I won my Guess The Crowd Cup tie!

That really has cheered me up!

[pauliewalnuts]

Take care Villans. You know decent Stoke fans have a lot of time for you, a proper football club.

I also like any team which allows us to play to our strengths and gives season altering results when we are in a bit of bad form. Bolton is ours I believe.

Is anyone else a bit worried they won't do their usual "defend 3/4 way up the pitch" routine this year?

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I’ve just got back and watched the Inbetweeners which has brightened my mood somewhat. Its hard to stay stern when there’s a bloke mincing round with a bollock hanging out his speedos.

But anyway.

I’m struggling to comprehend how we contrived to throw that away. Bar the first twenty minutes when Jones was finding a lot of room in behind, I thought we controlled it. Young’s miss was unbelievable (looks like Gabby’s new summer skill is exceptional crossing). I thought we should have reacted to their subs by taking off Albrighton who was tiring for me and brought on Ireland who likes to get around a bit.

Its the same old story really, profligacy in front of goal has cost us. Stoke go more direct later on and our marking disintegrates. Ridiculous.

Downing played well despite what the moaning twats next to me were saying- slating the guy before he’d even had a touch of ball and then you have the hypocrisy to celebrate? Fuck off. Never a free kick in a month of Sundays, diving Bluenosed c***, but then we should have had it won in the first 45 minutes and you’ve got to be able to deal with simple bloody marking.

Three times they’ve done us with the very last kick of the game. The new Leicester City.

[The Situation]

I wonder what's worse, living in Stoke or supporting Stoke?

[pauliewalnuts]

I wonder what's worse, living in Stoke or supporting Stoke?

I've said often that at times I'd happily have stayed at home rather than watch us play under MON, but I'd rather have a stay in hospital than watch Stoke play with any regularity.

Fair enough, they won, but Christ, what horrible, horrible dross to have to watch week in, week out.

[Ads]

Bunny we had around 600 unsold tickets, which was very poor. No different to your lot though mind who didn't sell out at B6 either.  Maybe something you could mention to those giving us stick on Oatcake?

[TimTheVillain]

I wonder what's worse, living in Stoke or supporting Stoke?

I've said often that at times I'd happily have stayed at home rather than watch us play under MON, but I'd rather have a stay in hospital than watch Stoke play with any regularity.

Fair enough, they won, but Christ, what horrible, horrible dross to have to watch week in, week out.

Agree, it's such dire stuff - awful place, awful people, awfulness personified.

[dave.woodhall]

What pisses me off the most about Stoke is that other clubs get absolutely fucking slaughtered for playing like that yet they're plucky little Stoke with their great fans and their doing ever so well to stay up.

[Somniloquism]

Take care Villans. You know decent Stoke fans have a lot of time for you, a proper football club.

I also like any team which allows us to play to our strengths and gives season altering results when we are in a bit of bad form. Bolton is ours I believe.

Is anyone else a bit worried they won't do their usual "defend 3/4 way up the pitch" routine this year?

Well Cahill normally gives us something but he is suspended this year. And Kevin Davies and Elmander will have a field day.

[PeterWithe]

I think Etherington is a fine player, the kind of player that I thought Downing was going to be, works hard, crosses the ball early and get around the pitch for a tackle or two.

[SoccerHQ]

Just back and still fuming.

When Whelan hopelessly whacked the ball high into the Boothen in the first minute of injury time the game should've been dead and we should've been down the M6 with a decent point.

It wasn't because we can't hang onto the ball for two minutes in injury time hence giving away a stupid free kick (even though Pennant is a diving clearing in the woods).

Should've killed the game off before half time aswell, 1 nil is never enough particularly away from home and you could see that in the second half which Stoke totally dominated, did we even have a shot on goal in that period?

Stoke are the new Leicester/SHA in the early days for us, physical cnuts who we just struggle to cope with. cue regular injury time disasters. I would've tried to get Ireland on at some stage as Ashley Young was a waste of space in the second half imo.

Still will be back for more of the same torture at the Brit next season as when we finally win there it will be worth the 30 quid.

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And still Downing gets stick. Fucking unreal.

I still cannot get over just how bad the marking was for the two goals. What on Earth was Dunne doing ball watching instead of getting tight to his man?

[Dribbler]

The big surprise for me today, along with all the others that is, is that we didn't play Cuéllar. I know Luke Young wasn't that bad today but I would have sacrificed him for Cuéllar because of Cuéllar's heading ability. There was an article on the homepage today where Laurson said:

"There are a lot of long balls and you need to win your battles in the air and on the ground too. It's important when you defend but also when you go up for corners or free-kicks.

"It's important you are not afraid and really, really up for it. Richard is up for it, James is up for it and Carlos is very much up for it too.

"Carlos has been really impressive with his headers. He can jump high and wins a lot in the air - a lot.

"When I watched Villa v Stoke last season, he was brilliant because he was up against some really big guys, as he will be again this evening.

"He seemed to win every header and we want that again. Physically he is very fit too.

"He has definitely proven he is up for it and a very, very good player for Villa.

Think that was spot on to be honest and his presence would have really helped us. Just wish MacDonald would have read that. We just never looked comfortable dealing with their set pieces and there were far too many times we just failed to clear our lines adequately. Two of those times led to the goals, it could have been more as well.

We did play some lovely football at times today though, but we're just far too lightweight in some departments to control the game for any length of time.

I hope Gerard was watching this.

[The Situation]

What pisses me off the most about Stoke is that other clubs get absolutely fucking slaughtered for playing like that yet they're plucky little Stoke with their great fans and their doing ever so well to stay up.

Stoke make Bolton look like Barcelona.

[Risso]

What pisses me off the most about Stoke is that other clubs get absolutely fucking slaughtered for playing like that yet they're plucky little Stoke with their great fans and their doing ever so well to stay up.

Their style of football is no worse than we've had to endure for the last two years.  Their priority was to stay in the league, now they've started to add a few more decent players as well, like Gudjonsen and dare I say it Pennant.