Aston Villa v Stoke City Post-Match Thread

[barrysleftfoot]

  Positives.....Eric, Baker, Collins(apart from goal), Weimann.Baker MOM for me.

  Nrgatives...Bannan, too weak
                    Gabby, not good enough,
                    Hutton, going foward dreadful
                    Given....for me should have come for the cross

   I actually think when we are safe we will play some decent football, but nerves/pressure whatever means the youngsters are not quite ready.I think Wemann and Bent could be a really good partnership, Ireland is patchy, and we need N'zog to come good.Stoke are incredibly one dimensional and we coped quite well until the ref gave a very poor free kick.

 We're stuck with Mcl, i don't see how he is to blame for Gabby going through and putting the ball out for a throw,Couple of good through balls by Bannan, Weimann, GG, but Gabby not looking for it.

[taylorsworkrate]

Hutton and Ireland were shit! Baker, Collins, Weimann excellent.

Gabby cannot play with his back to goal, I actually wanted Heskey on earlier, as Stoke is probably the only game made especially for the big cart horse. As soon as it became clear Ireland had decided to take a day off, he should have been taken off.

Overall, I hope we are last on MOTD, tell your friends to tune out before this game comes on!

I'n glad someone else thinks Ireland is shit. He may run around but he does sweet f.a. doesn't track his marker and if he can't dominate in the midfield against Stoke one is entitled to ask 'what is the point of him?'

You obviously missed the two excellent balls that created great chances for Gabby and Weimann.

[avfc_1874]

El Crapico lived up to it's expectation.

[David_Nab]

I did blame the players earlier in the season but every time we go ahead we start the second half defending for our lives.What was with all the long balls ?? Just get it down and keep the ball FFS

[maigrait]

stoke really are dire to watch against any team. I knew they'd equalise, guaranteed... 1-0 just isn't safe enough and we can't hold off an ariel bombardment for like 60 mins... This season is a complete write off...

I know we've been playing loads of the younger players but half of them seem quite talented. I just don't think Eck can motivate them or provide any tactical nous at all... Time to go I think.

[Villanation]

I predicted a 1-1 draw, but that was based on the prediction that Stoke would fancy this and go for it, they where absolute crap and we just stayed in it.
 

[paul_e]

I did blame the players earlier in the season but every time we go ahead we start the second half defending for our lives.What was with all the long balls ?? Just get it down and keep the ball FFS

At this point, even if it is the players, that comes down to a lack of confidence in their own ability which is something that proper training and tactics should be put in place to avoid.

I'm afraid there's no way to twist it to stop McLeish having to accept at least the majority of the responsibility.

[Matt Collins]

Given 5 struggled a bit
Hutton 5 been doing well of late but hopeless today
Collins 7 good apart from the goal
Baker 7 looked composed
Lichaj 4 I thought he was awful!
Bannan 5 frustrating
Ireland 6 good first half then anonymous
Herd 7 played well
Warnock 6 decent
Gabby 5 not the best
Weimann 7. Great goal, good movement. Best I've seen him by some distance

Gardner 6. Ok. Odd position.
CNZ 5 no impact. Wanted him on the left
Heskey no time

[taylorsworkrate]

Atrocious game of football.

Didn't really expect anything else from today.

[avfcpg]

Ah well another point towards safety...a win would have seen us safe I reckon..1 win or 2 more draws will do.
I really can't see QPR, Wigan or Blackburn getting past 36 points with the fixtures left...

[Morten]

Awful football. Great goal by Weimann, but otherwise dreadful. For the 100th time under McLeish we went 11 behind the ball again, it is dreadful, boring and embarrasing to watch. In the last two games, I can only think of two good moments of playing football.

And Gabby... he had a great chance, where he could easily have chipped it over the keeper, or at least try, instead his shot goes out for a throw in. If Heskey had done that, he would have been laughed at. Gabby does not look like scoring at the moment.

Lichai, Baker, Weimann for his brilliant goal and especially Herd gave me some optimism. But I really think we need a manager who tries to play football...

[luke25]

Just got in the car, how fucking niave were we today? The only possible way they were going to score today was from a set piece and the amount of times we needlessly put the ball out of play or gave away a niggly free kick was pathetic, also why did we repeatedly hoof it long to Gabby? Everytime but once we lost the ball, Weimanns goal was immense and Ireland had a few decent touches but apart from that it was just all meh.

[FatSam]

Its difficult to take the moral high ground after that game, even though Stoke play a horrendous brand of football. As always we start trying to see the game out as soon as we take the lead, regardless of when this might happen. This seems to be the only strategy at play, we rarely dictate the tempo or flow of a match, or dominate the opposition. The result is that we generally draw - 14 now for the season, 4 more than anyone else.

[TheSandman]

SHITE.

Two crap teams playing out a game to the inevitable conclusion. Can't be bothered to be too upset about it any more.

[Stu]

Attendance was 30,100 according to the guardian.

I really hope that someone at the club is paying attention.