Stoke City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Le Lapin]

I was livid last night, too angry to post on here, it's the same every season, we throw away a few wins by conceeding very late strikes, it's always against us that teams pull a result out of the fire. I can never relax when watching Villa until the whistle has gone and the team are on the bus, and the grounds men are patching the pitch. I am watching Villa long enough to have that dread feeling of inevitability in tight games in the last ten mins and extra time. Gerard has some serious work to do to cut that out of the club.

Petrov is a problem for us and has been for a few seasons, I'm not blaming him for the winner, it can happen anyone when a player cons the ref, Ash does it all the time. I just don't see what Stilian brings to the table, Reo Coker was everywhere last night and in my opinion is starting to make himself an indespensible member of the first team, Petrov does not, he is captain and that is all. MON was blinkered towards some players, hopefully Gerard can either get to him to improve him or take him out of the team. Our midfield looked okay, but we didn't get Gabby into any treatening positions last night. Stoke were there for the taking and we got done, three points and will probably be the difference at the end of the season, no doubt.
Downing had a good enough game, Albrighton looked good at times, Ash tried his best, the rest appart from ReoCoker, were not switched on for the whole game. Concentration is a big factor for us.

[peter w]

I'm still scratching my head as to how we lost that.
I fucking hate Stoke and I hope they get relegated.

Bit harsh.

agreed

Agreed also, they should fucking go down two or three divisions the in bred wankers.

I'm only joking of course as I'm still kind of hurting. I say kind od because I'm more numb than anything, not in a shocked way but in a shrug of shoulders way.

A lot of things just aren't right ast the moment. Our best player by far is Ashley Young, who plays on the left-wing, so put him there. not rocket science. Yes, he had spells of being bright last night but in all honesty it was ordinary for the level we're trying to attain to.

A centre-midfield of NRC and Petrov? That's just asking for trouble. One player who cannot run with the ball and open up defences - although last night was one of his better games admittedly - and the other who cannot go any further forward than just in front of the back 4. Petrov very rarely gives the ball away but he is poor in trying to win it back.

What the F*** has happened to Warnock? He obviously doesn't like holidays in South Africa because he's come back a shadow of the player we saw for the majority of last season.

Dunne is looking slightly chunky but I though he, Collins, Luke Young, and Friedel were seemingly our only barriers to Stoke's balls into the box. All of them come out wiith some credit. Gabby did well but needs more minutes under his belt, and Kev Mac's pointless late substitution says it all as to why he didn't get the job. We needed to shore up the centre of midfield at 1-0 and didn't.

Finally, the board have got this wrong and are letting us down. We finally appoint a manager after the the transfer deadline so we cannot get anyone in, and then appoint a manager who cant start until God knows when. The board are costing us points in the league and have cost us a place in this season's Europa League.

Until things improve markedly this is how I see the board Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[whydelilah]

I'm still scratching my head as to how we lost that.
I fucking hate Stoke and I hope they get relegated.

Bit harsh.

agreed

Agreed also, they should fucking go down two or three divisions the in bred wankers.

I'm only joking of course as I'm still kind of hurting. I say kind od because I'm more numb than anything, not in a shocked way but in a shrug of shoulders way.

A lot of things just aren't right ast the moment. Our best player by far is Ashley young, who plays on the left-wing, so put him there. not rocket scisnce. yes, he had spells of being broght last night but in all honesty it was ordinary for the level we're trying to attain to.

A centre-midfield of NRC and Petrov? That's just asking for trouble. One player who cannot run with the ball and open up defences - although last night was one of his better games admittedly - and the other who cannot go any further forward than just in front of the back 4. Petrov very rarely gives the ball away but he is poor in trying to win it back.

What the F*** has happened to Warnock? He obviously doesn't like holidays in South Africa because he's come back a shadow of the player we saw for the majority of last season.

Dunne is looking slightly chunky but I though he, Collins, Luke Young, and Friedel were seemingly our only barriers to Stoke's balls into the box. All of them come out wiith some credit. Gabby did well but needs more minutes under his belt, and Kev Mac's pointless late substitution says it all as to why he didn't get the job. We needed to shore up the centre of midfield at 1-0 and didn't.

Finally, the board have got this wrong and are letting us down. We finally appoint a manager after the the transfer deadline so we cannot get anyone in, and then appoint a manager who cant start until God knows when. The board are costing us points in the league and have cost us a place in this season's Europa League.

Until things improve markedly this is how I see the board Boooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Things can't be that bad.

You've still got Heskey ;-)

[DB]

Peter, agree on the centre midfield, NRC offered nothing, Petrov just wasn't in the game. I think Collins was poor, he missed a few last night and hoofed at every chance. IMO I'd like Cuellar back in there with Dunne.

End of the day if Ashley had have scored that sitter then it would have been a totally different outlook.

As for the board, they have not handled the new appointment well. I hear that he may not be totally free of the FF for a while yet? Sorry if already mentioned....

[JJ-AV]

I'm still scratching my head as to how we lost that.
I fucking hate Stoke and I hope they get relegated.

Bit harsh.

I agree with him, you're a shite side who we struggle to beat. I do recognise it's sour grapes but I just hate knowing playing you is coming up and what we'll have to be subjected to.

[whydelilah]

I'm still scratching my head as to how we lost that.
I fucking hate Stoke and I hope they get relegated.

Bit harsh.

I agree with him, you're a shite side who we struggle to beat. I do recognise it's sour grapes but I just hate knowing playing you is coming up and what we'll have to be subjected to.

We're obviously not shite, otherwise you'd be beating us consistently and comfortably.

Unless you are saying you are shyte?

And I think you are a decent side.

I'd go for a quality striker in Jan if I was Houllier.

[Monty]

Alright, calm down chaps, the Stokies don't deserve abuse. I would say, though, that I was pretty appalled by some of the 'tackling' that they not only got away with, but which isn't mentioned anywhere in the media. It's not Stoke's fault, obviously, they're just playing the way they can to get results (and look at last night, it works sometimes), but that whole thing with talented players being allowed to be brutally hacked off the pitch is one of the major reasons England do rubbishly at major tournaments.

[whydelilah]

Alright, calm down chaps, the Stokies don't deserve abuse. I would say, though, that I was pretty appalled by some of the 'tackling' that they not only got away with, but which isn't mentioned anywhere in the media. It's not Stoke's fault, obviously, they're just playing the way they can to get results (and look at last night, it works sometimes), but that whole thing with talented players being allowed to be brutally hacked off the pitch is one of the major reasons England do rubbishly at major tournaments.

Come on, we hardly kicked you off the park last night.

If you want to see a dirty team this season I suggest you watch Wolves play!!

[DB]

Total sour grapes. Stoke are doing what they have to do. We should have won it by half-time but we didn't 2nd half we were shite and Stoke were lifted when Pulis returned. The quicker the new manager gets it and stops attending dinner parties the better...

[PatrickVilla]

Frustrating again!    what really frustrates me is we always seem so empty in midfield going forward. Yeah RC was noticeable last night but Stan seem ‘missing’. Ash isn’t strong enough there, I know JC is favoured but I don’t think that is the answer.

On several occasions we had Gaby and the Tamworth terror on one side and Downing on the other side around the 18 yard box but NO-one in the centre or moving up from midfield and I can think of at least three sitters that just needed a poke in the net !!  I also agree we looked knackered at 70 minutes, when the game was screaming for  a change or, maybe even double sub, fresh legs and mind can make a difference, but do you take the captain off!!  Yes.  Poor fitness equals low concentration levels… Dunne is looking a bit ‘heavy’ I do hope the new broom sharpens this lot up!

[Monty]

Alright, calm down chaps, the Stokies don't deserve abuse. I would say, though, that I was pretty appalled by some of the 'tackling' that they not only got away with, but which isn't mentioned anywhere in the media. It's not Stoke's fault, obviously, they're just playing the way they can to get results (and look at last night, it works sometimes), but that whole thing with talented players being allowed to be brutally hacked off the pitch is one of the major reasons England do rubbishly at major tournaments.

Come on, we hardly kicked you off the park last night.

If you want to see a dirty team this season I suggest you watch Wolves play!!

Wolves do indeed make you lot look like dandelions, but there were a few challenges last night which I thought were reckless bordering on nasty. The one Danny Collins got booked for on Albrighton was actually terrible - three inches to his left and he's caught Marc's standing leg, and at that velocity probably broken it. There were a few others which were way too high, far too reckless and even pointless, like Walters sliding in on Friedel's head. I'm not saying it's why we lost, but I really don't think it's acceptable. Our Collins also did one towards the end which wasn't given as a free kick because he 'got the ball', even though his studs were dangerously close to the Stoke player's kneecap. It's just not on.

[mozza]

As soon as Pulis walked down the touchline at start of 2nd half you just knew the outcome-

I'm really concerned .............apart from beating an extremely poor West Ham we have
been outplayed or bullied in all the remaining matches -

The bottom line last night was that Stoke 'wanted it more' -it wasn't pretty to watch but
they played to their strengths and we didn't (come to think of it what are our strengths?)

Until the manager who we have supposedly appointed is running the show I can only
see performances and results like this becoming regular occurences-

Ps well done Stuart Downing - much improved performance now keep it going     

[whydelilah]

Alright, calm down chaps, the Stokies don't deserve abuse. I would say, though, that I was pretty appalled by some of the 'tackling' that they not only got away with, but which isn't mentioned anywhere in the media. It's not Stoke's fault, obviously, they're just playing the way they can to get results (and look at last night, it works sometimes), but that whole thing with talented players being allowed to be brutally hacked off the pitch is one of the major reasons England do rubbishly at major tournaments.

Come on, we hardly kicked you off the park last night.

If you want to see a dirty team this season I suggest you watch Wolves play!!

Wolves do indeed make you lot look like dandelions, but there were a few challenges last night which I thought were reckless bordering on nasty. The one Danny Collins got booked for on Albrighton was actually terrible - three inches to his left and he's caught Marc's standing leg, and at that velocity probably broken it. There were a few others which were way too high, far too reckless and even pointless, like Walters sliding in on Friedel's head. I'm not saying it's why we lost, but I really don't think it's acceptable. Our Collins also did one towards the end which wasn't given as a free kick because he 'got the ball', even though his studs were dangerously close to the Stoke player's kneecap. It's just not on.

Watch the Walters/Friedel one again.

Firstly, the ball was there to be won.

Secondly, Walters got his foot to the ball.

Thirdly, he did not go in with the intention to hurt him.

Watch the replay again, the chances of that challenge hurting Friedel were minimal.

There was nothing in it.

[TimTheVillain]

I'm still scratching my head as to how we lost that.
I fucking hate Stoke and I hope they get relegated.

Bit harsh.

I agree with him, you're a shite side who we struggle to beat. I do recognise it's sour grapes but I just hate knowing playing you is coming up and what we'll have to be subjected to.

We're obviously not shite, otherwise you'd be beating us consistently and comfortably.

Unless you are saying you are shyte?

And I think you are a decent side.

I'd go for a quality striker in Jan if I was Houllier.

Can you tell those that make decisions, we've been saying it till we're hoarse mate.

Maybe advice from a Stoke fan will add something ?

Maybe not though, we haven't got a Manager in place yet !

Pullis made the difference last night - your players played their hearts out for him while ours forgot that a game isn't finished until the final whistle is blown and that giving needlsess fee kicks away to Stoke ( and thow ins in the last quarter) are just playing into their hands.

[Lambert and Payne]

Lost the game in the first have when Ashley realised that he had to head the ball, from that moment you knew what was coming. Petrov can fuck off to wherever o'neill heads to next, he's had one decent season so far, his passing abilty ranged from collins to dunne. Pennant is a cheating little shit - but we blame ourselves for a fearful display...

Might sound like sour grapes but anyone that went dissapointed with the stoke support? Built up before the game to be this intimidating amazing atmosphere place, barely sang all game, veryy dissapointed!