Stoke City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Pete3206]

We had more than enough chances to win last night.

We have a toothless attack, a collander like midfield who can't keep the ball and a defence constantly under unnecessary pressure.

Once we stopped attacking Stoke, conceding goals was inevitable.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

On the home page KMac talks about us playing "wonderful football" and "a pretty good performance" - does that not say it all ?

Something he picked up from O'Neill, no doubt. As was his little jig when we scored. I half expected KM to full off a face mask to reveal he is actually MON. The performance last night was very typical of MON's teams, lot's of effort and very little else.

[supertom]

We're definitely struggling up top. Gabby isn't fit. Heskey is next to useless, and Big John is often either injured or off form.

We're seriously lacking in solid midfield options too. It's got to the point that we really, really, need Sidwell back. Delph can't get fit soon enough either.

Something about playing Albrighton, Young and Downing doesn't work. We seem too lightweight. Christ, add Ireland into that mix, with only Petrov to guard the rear, and that's a woefully soft midfield.

I just think under Kmac we've not looked very well organised defensively. Stoke cut through us too easily yesterday, but their final ball was often shite. Against a better side we might have got a tonking. 

We just seem like a rudderless ship right now. The sooner Houllier comes in and addresses certain issues, as best he can, with what he has, the better!

[SoccerHQ]

Let's put it right by beating Bolton which we usually do (although Coyle will produce something better than Megson has in the last few seasons).

All we can do is win the next game just like Everton after the Barcodes and Vienna disasters.

We could got a battling point last night and then had a frustrating home draw on saturday. Beat Bolton and we'll get an extra point.

[not3bad]

NRC offered nothing

Rubbish.  Did you see Villa's goal?  Who was the main player in the build up?  It was NRC.  How can you say he offered nothing?

[peter w]

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.

NRC offered nothing ??

I just don't believe you saw the same game as most people.
Petrov was fine until the second half, but then so was Albrighton, Young and Downing. Coker remained our best player throughout, and if you can't see it, its a real pity as a Villa fan.

Says it all when a relatively average player like NRC can be described as being our best player. it also says it all that anyone can get so excited by him being our best player on the night. That, as a Villa fan, is what I find to be the real thrust of my pity.

I have to say I thought Fuller was the catalyst for them turning the screw on us and not Puluis. It was comfortable until he came on.

[sfx412]

Who bought Fuller, who came to the ground and put him on, who built the team ethic that means they never give up.

Pulis.

Who bought the Villa squad, who rarely gave Coker a chance, whose 4 seasons with the team built the teams ethic that allows them to continually collapse under pressure in the last 15 minutes.
Who left the club with 5 days to go and thus generated the present angst.

O'Neill.

Now that says it all.

[Chris Smith]

We played some decent football in the first hour but with the same old inability to make the most of it. It was glaringly obvious that our major priority this summer was to sign a striker. Even accounting for O'Neill walking we had a month to sort it out and instead just twiddled our thumbs, seemingly managing the wage bill beeing seen as more important .

Defenisvely we've sacrificed the solidity of last season in order to play Luke Young. Once again, away from home it hasn't worked and we've been undone by a direct, physical side. There's a lot to be said for including him in some games but I said on the pre match thread that we'd lose if we didn't pick the right side, which proved to be the case. I'm not trying to blame it all on him but other than the two centre halves we were a very small team last night and we needed additional physical presence.

[KevinGage]

With the benefit of hindsight I'd have played him last night.

But I'd have played him instead of Dunne rather than Luke.

[Somniloquism]

same shit different season why when were on sky do we concede so many late goals fucking sick of it now as is someone else I imagine ....

Apparently that was the first away Monday night game we've lost since Enkelman's moment of madness (8 years on Friday if you want to mark the anniversary).

I expect it was a Sky stat and they don't count when Setanta or ESPN showed us.


Not true - we lost to Newcastle on a Mon night two seasons ago (Nov '08) 2-0 when the octogenarian Oba-Oba Martins took us apart.

[not3bad]

Who bought Fuller, who came to the ground and put him on, who built the team ethic that means they never give up.

Pulis.

Pulis melodramatics seal Stoke’s win over Villa

[NorthYvillan]

Who bought Fuller, who came to the ground and put him on, who built the team ethic that means they never give up.

Pulis.

Pulis melodramatics seal Stoke’s win over Villa

Taken from the linked article:
"Pulis's arrival added intelligent leadership as well as passion, and his two substitutions, Ricardo Fuller and Jermaine Pennant, both played a part when Kenwyne Jones headed in Stoke's equalising goal ten minutes after half time."

Whilst I agree about the effect Pulis and his substitutions had, they might try and get their timings right!

[barrysleftfoot]

   Calmed down now.

   First 20 mins of first half, we was desperate, could'nt get hold of the ball, and when we did gave it away too cheapley.

  Second half of the 1st half, and we played the way we should of for the whole game, passed the ball well, kept possession, good movement, created chances, got Albrighton and Downing in the game.Looked not far off a good team.

  Second half, for me never got going, did'nt keep the ball well enough, did'nt pick up the tempo.We are a much better footballing team than Stoke but failed to control the game.

  For me the sad facts are that we need 2 better central midfoielders, Albrighton needs a rest, although he played very well in the 1st half, Ireland needs to come in as Gabby needs better support.Be interesting to see how Hou tinkers with this team, they seemed a bit fragile, and lacking belief at times last night, the situation with KMac dioes'nt help, but 2 away games against 2 teams likely to finish in the bottom half is not good enough.

[barrysleftfoot]

   NRC plays with his heart on his sleeve, with plenty of effort, and running.But his touch, and control is awful, he always gets into a tackle when he receives the ball because his touch is so poor, and then he need 2 or 3 touches before moving it on.

 We need a better all round midfielder than NRC and Petrov, Delph is hopefully one, and MONS supposed targets of Jenas or Parker would have added greatly to our midfield, hopefully Hou will know 2 young Frenchman coming through.

  What summed up NRC to me last night was that chance with 5 mins to go, when with all the goal to aim at, he hit the defender.Not good enough.

[villajk]

Just seen  replay of 'that' free kick (difficult to see whether he dived or not at the ground) and he definitely dived. 

Cheating bastard.