Aston Villa v Stoke City Post-Match Thread

[olaftab]

Yes, Stoke represent the anti-football, but they always do the same action on the set piece, and it's incredible how a player that should be experienced like Dunne left Kenwight Jones substantially free to head home.

That's unfair.  Stoke have scored many, many goals like that over the last few years against better teams than us and I'm sure they will continue to do so.  I thought our defence coped pretty well with their aerial threat yesterday, especially considering how poor we have been in other games this season at defending corners.

No they have not scored that many. Statistically throw ins have produced far less goals for them than corners, free kicks or other methods.
We were  absolute garbage at defending that and as Archie said Dunne was asleep. Only complete muppet defenders have fallen for the throw in method   and  Arsenal amongst the top teams's.

[olaftab]

It will be a sad reflection on the game if that approach produces a trophy.

I agree, but on the other hand It'll be an even worse reflection if the 'Man City' moneybags approach produces a trophy. I'll be supporting Stoke in the final. (As much as I hate the cheatin' bastards)

Another reason to dislike Stoke is that they've forced me to want Man City to win the cup. I think I'll find some jobs to do in the garden on that day.

Good idea and if you have trouble finding any jobs in your's I can help. There are a few in mine.

[Chris Smith]

Thanks for the offer, aftab, but I always have my favourite garden job to fall back on - sitting in a deck chair, drinking beer and thinking about what needs doing.

[fredm]

I said the same thing as you Chris. I hope Man City smash them for the sake of football.

Christ but there will be some bloody awful teams in Europe nex season; SHA and Stoke. Vomit.

Just imagine what the foreign refs are going to make of their "blocking" tactics.  There will be pandemonium the first time they do it ............followed by a free kick every time - IMO.

[The Man With A Stick]

Apparently Blackpool are in with a chance of qualifying for Europe too through the Fair Play league.  What a shower of shite.

[Ads]

Why on earth would you want anything to vindicate that style of football?

To show that you cannot buy success?

But it does and history shows it.

[Ads]

Why on earth would you want anything to vindicate that style of football?

Why on earth would you want to "vindicate" the soulless, arrogant, nouveau riche Manchester City winning it?  I've never subscribed to the innocent, loveable, hard done by, everybody's second team bollocks that is often associated with them and since the oil money rolled in they've become even more arrogant than they were before.

Tony Pulis has done a great job at Stoke on a modest (ish) budget and I wish them well against Mancini and his ridiculously overpriced/overhyped mercenary's.

I don't like Man City, but that has nothing to do with their money. Big spending clubs are always winning things. In the 60's, Liverpool came into the cash and the rest is history.
 
I would sooner a football team win the Cup that the poorest excuse of a side to grace the top flight since Wimbeldon.

[WikiVilla]

You cant defend them now, I think Stoke have got worse, they've become a horrible parody of themselves, whilst they had the time to consolidate in the PL and adapt a better style of football
They haven't done that and the whole Delap throw thing, time wasting, fouling is just the ugliest thing I've seen in football for a very long time, to think we paid £38 to watch that shit yesterday is annoying

[Holtenderinthesky]

Why on earth would you want anything to vindicate that style of football?

To show that you cannot buy success?

But it does and history shows it.

Of course, then again, how many European Cups have Chelsea won with Abramovich's millions? 

And in response to the Wimbledon comment, I applaud any club that can make it from non league football to winning the FA Cup in 10 years, that is what football used to be all about.  Not any more.  I'd sooner see a club like Wimbledon battling their way up through the divisions on nothing but team spirit than Man City spending obscene amounts of money to buy success and making it impossible for clubs even as big as us to compete. 

I hope Stoke stuff them at Wembley.

[TheSandman]

You cant defend them now, I think Stoke have got worse, they've become a horrible parody of themselves, whilst they had the time to consolidate in the PL and adapt a better style of football
They haven't done that and the whole Delap throw thing, time wasting, fouling is just the ugliest thing I've seen in football for a very long time, to think we paid £38 to watch that shit yesterday is annoying

They looked like a different team against Bolton and played some decent stuff.

I really cannot understand some of the snobbery on here. It's not like we are Barcelona or anything like that. In all honesty I don't give a shit about how opposition teams play. I care about how we play and our job is to cope with Stoke's style of play and in that we failled. I find it especially bizarre when the same people criticising Stoke's direct style are the ones who complain about us playing 'tippy tappy' football. 

What I understand less than the snobbery is the fact that anyone would want Man City to win anything. I want them to finish fifth, lose the FA cup final, sack Mancini, bring in more expensive players and go through another season of transition hopefully winning fuck all again. 

[Ads]

Why on earth would you want anything to vindicate that style of football?

To show that you cannot buy success?

But it does and history shows it.

Of course, then again, how many European Cups have Chelsea won with Abramovich's millions? 

And in response to the Wimbledon comment, I applaud any club that can make it from non league football to winning the FA Cup in 10 years, that is what football used to be all about.  Not any more.  I'd sooner see a club like Wimbledon battling their way up through the divisions on nothing but team spirit than Man City spending obscene amounts of money to buy success and making it impossible for clubs even as big as us to compete. 

I hope Stoke stuff them at Wembley.

Chelsea have won 0. However, Liverpool and Man United have a collective 8 off the back of their wealth and nigh on 40 domestic titles between them.

Football and Stoke do not belong in the same sentence and  I shudder to think that the way they play may be rewarded by a trophy, let alone the Cup.

[Ads]

You cant defend them now, I think Stoke have got worse, they've become a horrible parody of themselves, whilst they had the time to consolidate in the PL and adapt a better style of football
They haven't done that and the whole Delap throw thing, time wasting, fouling is just the ugliest thing I've seen in football for a very long time, to think we paid £38 to watch that shit yesterday is annoying

They looked like a different team against Bolton and played some decent stuff.

I really cannot understand some of the snobbery on here. It's not like we are Barcelona or anything like that. In all honesty I don't give a shit about how opposition teams play. I care about how we play and our job is to cope with Stoke's style of play and in that we failled. I find it especially bizarre when the same people criticising Stoke's direct style are the ones who complain about us playing 'tippy tappy' football. 

What I understand less than the snobbery is the fact that anyone would want Man City to win anything. I want them to finish fifth, lose the FA cup final, sack Mancini, bring in more expensive players and go through another season of transition hopefully winning fuck all again. 

Its got nothing to do with snobbery. We pay to be entertained and that’s by no means a guarantee, however, some of the very worst games we’ve played over the past few seasons have been against Stoke.

Nobody is arguing over their legitimacy to play the way they do or whether or not it as an effective style. People do contest the fact that they’re bloody awful and boring to watch. You don’t have to play the way Barcelona do to be in a position to criticise Stoke’s bastard form of the game.

As for wanting Man City to win; I don't thin anybody wants them to win anything, they are however the lesser of two evils. Its a bit like being asked which nut would you like to be kicked in. I hope Stoke evolve or failing that, go down.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Football and Stoke do not belong in the same sentence and  I shudder to think that the way they play may be rewarded by a trophy, let alone the Cup.

Be that as it may, the fact is they beat Bolton 5-0 last week, the same Bolton that have just beaten Arsenal. On their day, they're not a bad side. Yesterday they came to close us down and hopefully sneak one from a set piece/throw in. It may not have been pretty, infact it was damn ugly at times but when you're floating around the relegation zone, a point at Villa Park is a great result even if you don't make too many friends.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't like the way they play, but what I don't begrudge is their ability to use their resources to their advantage. They came away from VP with a valuable point in what has been a wretched season for them away from home. For them they got what they came for. It was our job as the home team to find a way to beat them, just as many other teams have managed to do against them this season. I agree that refs are far too lenient towards their "tactics" mind you, especially the whole thrown in thing, but if it's being allowed we need to cope and find a way to win.

[Tony Boucher]

To those who say they couldn't watch stoke every week - did you happen to see them beat Bolton 5-0 in the FA cup semi 6 days beforehand? There was bound to be a comedown after that & they obviously came for a point. More fool us for not being able to combat it.  Let's not get too much like Arsenal fans, eh?