Stoke City v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[luke25]

If you don't match Stoke physically you will lose. They play to win corners, free kicks and throws and then pile all their big men into the box. If you can't deal with that then all the pretty football in the world isn't going to help. To think that you can just go thru and dictate how the game is played is naive in the extreme.

That's not to say we forget about playing our own gsme but we have to take into account the unique challenges thus game brings.

I'm not niave in any way when it comes to Stoke, I just hope that this ugly approach that he talks of is not us trying to match there tactics, play like we did against Arsenal when we have the ball and tighten up at the back when we don't and i'll be happy.

[Clampy]

We gave away 15 corners against Arsenal. If we conceded anything like that many again tonight we'll struggle to keep them out.

I hope we don't go down the Heskey in midfield route again. We're better than that.

[VillaSpen]

I've got the another day off work and this is a game that I can actually get up at a normal hour to see live. That combination doesn't come along very often so I'm expecting one of the very worst spectacles of all time to bring me down early on and make me long for a return to work.

If we can show the desire that we found against Arsenal but somehow cope with some of the more direct stuff that Stoke can excel at, I'd be pretty confident. Not overly optimistic 90% of the time but something about that showing midweek reignited something inside me and I temporarily feel a little better. Also, there is no physical way the training could have focused on anything other than set-pieces and long balls. Is there?!

1-1 after a turgid affair.

[PaulWinch again]

I've just seen this on the BBC live football thing -

 'There are seven Premier League games in total today, culminating in a televised classic at the Britannia as Stoke host Aston Villa (1945). We have got to be talking Only Fools & Horses viewing figures for that one. North of 20m, surely?'

Sums up general media attitude to those outside the 'elite' clubs, nice and patronising.

[Irish villain]

I've just seen this on the BBC live football thing -

 'There are seven Premier League games in total today, culminating in a televised classic at the Britannia as Stoke host Aston Villa (1945). We have got to be talking Only Fools & Horses viewing figures for that one. North of 20m, surely?'

Sums up general media attitude to those outside the 'elite' clubs, nice and patronising.

If n'Zogbia, Albrighton and Gabby play as we know they can play, that'll shut the feckers up.

[mrfuse]

Depends which Villa turn up if its last Sundays one we will be battered senseless, if its Wednesdays one, we stand a good chance. Im going for 1-1

[garyshawsknee]

I've just seen this on the BBC live football thing -

 'There are seven Premier League games in total today, culminating in a televised classic at the Britannia as Stoke host Aston Villa (1945). We have got to be talking Only Fools & Horses viewing figures for that one. North of 20m, surely?'

Sums up general media attitude to those outside the 'elite' clubs, nice and patronising.

To be honest though,our games on tele have been a hard watch,before Wednesdays game we were probably the worse team to watch,hopefully after the Arsenal game theres a new direction and the previous displays will be a thing of the past.

[TimTheVillain]

-----------Guzan
Cuellar-Clark-Dunne-Warnock
-------Petrov-Delph
--N'Zogbia-Ireland-Gabby
------------Bent

Collins is shit. Bent will play so I'd rest Marc and keep Ireland who was superb against Arsenal. Gabby will have more space with Bent pulling defenders around and Delph is a good player, he just needs games.

Agree with all of this.

[N'ZMAV]

Delph! No thanks

[N'ZMAV]

At least Hutton is out

[Clampy]

Is Herd fit? If so, i'd stick him right back with Carlos in the middle.

[KRS]

If we try to match Stoke we will lose at playing their "ugly" game. Get physical when we need to, defend the set pieces well and play our own game when in possession, and we will have half a chance.

Villas televised games this season have been some of the worst ever, and Stoke have been blasted in the media recently for their anti-football in televised games, so it could very well be a painful 90 minutes of "football" to watch.

[ozzjim]

I would move NZogbia more centrally into a roaming role for the night, with Gabby and Marc wide.

So... and only due to Hutton being out, but..

Guzan

Cuellar,
Collins,
Dunne,
Warnock,

Clark
Petrov

Albrighton
NZogbia
Gabby

Bent.

Should give us creativity and flexibility. Ireland came off injured last week so doubt he will be fit, and Bannan can slot into the front 3 with ease as a change.

[SoccerHQ]

I agree with ozz's team, I'm not a fan of Collins at all but we need him for games like this when Stoke will be launching long ball after long ball.

Clark's height in the midfield will be useful also. My only concern is a central two of Clark and Petrov won't get the ball quickly enough to the wide players but then that's a skill we haven't had since Barry left really.

[ozzjim]

I reckon Clark could get the ball out there fast enough on his left foot given the confidence. Bannan would be ideal but I fear at stoke he would be battered out of the game.