Stoke City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[phantom limb]

But they've made the humble throw in an event!

TBH, I don't have an issue with the way they play. It works for them, and has seen them go from relegation certainties to European contenders, playing the likes of Dynamo Zagreb and Valencia.   Their own fans seem happy enough with them, it's not their job to entertain the opposition.

The onus is always on the supposedly better sides, sides who play more expansive football, or sides who have spent far more than them to break them down.

It's not really football at all though is it? It's just a load of big blokes tonking the shit out of the opposition until sometimes the ball bounces off some random massive guy's head and goes into the goal. I'm surprised that they got this far in Europe, as I can see at least eight of their players being sent off against Valencia. Can't wait.

[dave.woodhall]

There's always been clubs like them - Wimbledon, Leicester, Bolton et al. They do well for a time then get found out and return from whence they came.

[Fergal]

performance aside, when it comes to the stage that a 0-0 draw with the likes of Stoke City is considered progress, one has to ask what the hell has happened to Aston Villa Football Club.

You mean as opposed to the season we won the league, and drew away at Stoke? The second division promotion season when we set a record for away wins, and drew at Stoke? The Champions League-chasing days of Martin O'Neill, when we lost then drew at Stoke? 

I think he means that Stoke should be one of those teams we expect to beat, not one that getting a point off them is acceptable.  That's what I think he means anyway...

[VillaSpen]

Happy with the determination we showed and Nzogbia, although still a few yards off the pace at all times, seems to be showing improvement.

I can't quite understand this "Fortress Britannia" myth. They get turned over at least five times a season at home every year. Perhaps it's down to the volume that the creatures who inhabit the place screech at?

Also, Heskey can control the ball further than most humans can kick it.

[Fergal]

Happy with the determination we showed and Nzogbia, although still a few yards off the pace at all times, seems to be showing improvement.

I can't quite understand this "Fortress Britannia" myth. They get turned over at least five times a season at home every year. Perhaps it's down to the volume that the creatures who inhabit the place screech at?

Also, Heskey can control the ball further than most humans can kick it.

Made me laugh...

[LeeB]

I am surprised at some of the criticism and faint praise on here.

That was easily our best performance at the Britannia against probably the strongest Stoke team we  have had to face.

It wasn't perfect - the passing could have been crisper and we need more football from N'Z, on top of his workrate - but there were many positives to take from the game.

We conceded one decent chance in the whole game, created more by Pulis' lottery football more than error on our part. What football there was came from us. Despite a postage stamp pitch and hard working opposition, we footballed some very good chances of our own. A team that looked frozen with fear a couple of weeks ago is starting to look like a cohesive unit. The intent to play is there, that's an enormous step forward.

Excellent games from Clark, Guzan and Petrov. The back four did very well.

As for Stoke, they are entitled to play the game they wish to play, it's up to the opposition to deny them and play football their own way. We did exactly that and almost got the win we deserved.


mom - Gabi's right nipple, followed closely by the left hand he used to push Clattenburg over.

Well said Steve.

I've been really encouraged by the last two games, we've been tested in very different ways and we've stood up to it and imposed our own game.

I have real hope that that Liverpool game was the darkest hour before the dawn, and we can look forward to a much improved 2nd half of the season, and of course it goes without saying that it's absolutely, most definitely our year for the cup.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Result/Performance  6/10.
Entertainment    1/10.

[Rigadon]

Result/Performance  6/10.
Entertainment    1/10.

I'd say that sums t up nicely. 

Dreadful game.  Decent point.

[citizenDJ]

Not a bad point at all in my book, Stoke away is always a tricky game.

Even if the football itself wasn't the best, I actually enjoyed the game and thought we did pretty well with the defenders impressing especially.

I am suRe, after the last two games, that something has changed. There seems to be a clear determination to pass the ball, to work it forward and be patient. Last night, even Collins looked for simple passes. That's not to say there were no hoofs (and it doesn't need to be eliminated totally) but we seem to me to be really trying to change the way we play.
If that's so, then I am more optimistic than I was a few weeks ago and for that McLeish deserves credit (not least because a fair number of our squad have seemed, er, less than receptive to new ideas!). With the right addition in midfield, he could be onto something.

A special mention for Guzan who I think has done really well for us, he looks a much better 'keeper than last time he had a run in the team and I thought he was excellent last night.

I've also moaned about Dunne and, mostly, Collins over the season but last night they were very good indeed. I also thought Cuellar was good, too, and as I have said before I wouldn't be averse to a return to the MON defense ,with Hutton missing out.
I thought Clark played very well again and he and Petrov make a solid if unspectacular midfield two. The two wingers worked very hard and as a midfield four I think that last night's is wrth carrying on with, too. It's tough for wingers at Stoke, but on more expansive pitches they could and should provide the creative stuff that Clark and Petrov probably won't from the middle.

And up front, well.....a bit toothless really but a good display from Heskey showed for me that he really is only any use as a target man up front; in fact he's pretty good at it. Agbonlahor wasn't at his best again, but still provided the most potent threat and worked hard for the whole game.

Not bad, then.

[andyh]

The rightous indignation of some on here about the way Stoke play football makes me laugh.
It may not be pretty, but fuck me, we have played uglier football than them this season.
When you get the likes of Swansea and QPR taking the piss out of your football, and TV and newspaper 'experts' telling the world you are shit, like we have, things aint exactly rosy.
I had to watch the game with my laptop on mute as we had visitors, it did not look very good from either team.
If thats the way Stoke play, then fair enough, I am not exactly sure why some of us should be so fucking pompous about it.

[Chris Smith]

The rightous indignation of some on here about the way Stoke play football makes me laugh.
It may not be pretty, but fuck me, we have played uglier football than them this season.
When you get the likes of Swansea and QPR taking the piss out of your football, and TV and newspaper 'experts' telling the world you are shit, like we have, things aint exactly rosy.
I had to watch the game with my laptop on mute as we had visitors, it did not look very good from either team.
If thats the way Stoke play, then fair enough, I am not exactly sure why some of us should be so fucking pompous about it.

We've struggled at times this season because we're rebuilding after losing six first team players in the summer. Stoke play that way by design, Tiny Penis has had time and a lot of money to develop the squad and it's just a refined version of the Wimbledon style, playing the percentages game and relying on being bigger and stronger than their opponents.

They've every right to play that way and it gets them results but it is also our right to criticise as we see fit.

[TheTimVilla]

Where have all the Stokies who used to post on here gone?

[Legion]

MotD highlights

[Legion]

Gabby clatters Clattenburg

[darren woolley]

I'm happy with the point we got the defence played better and Guzan was very good I said before the game I would take a point so not too bad.