Aston Villa v Stoke City Post-Match Thread

[eastie]

We were the better team in a poor game- predictable 0-0 and thank god we only have to watch stoke once a year down here-defensively we were very solid and I would have given baker the man of the  match award.

Westwood was very good in possession and Guzan a rock in goal.
Onwards and upwards!

[TonyD]

Work in progress.

[Dante Lavelli]

Does anyone think we could have got away with Delph at left wing back today? Would have been much better going forward

That's a good shout.  We were dominating midfield and had plenty of possession but we drastically missed creativity and someone who can go past people.  Neither of those things are necessarily Delph's strengths but I'd guess he's more able than the willing but limited Lichaj (at left back).

[Nastylee]

We could really do with N'Zogbia coming up with the goods playing off Benteke in the next few weeks.

[rob_bridge]

We could really do with N'Zogbia coming up with the goods playing off Benteke in the next few weeks.

Hope I  am proved wrong but I reckon there is as much chance of that as Tony Daly coming back ala 1990

[Toronto Villa]

If we're not scoring you have to wonder in the value of playing 3 forwards. We may as well add an extra winger or attacking midfield player into the mix. Still, another clean sheet which is something to build from.

[ktvillan]

No surprise to see some blaming the fact we lost our way after the subs on Bent.  Nothing to do with the midfield disappearing for 10 minutes, Ireland losing every bit of possession we had in their half for 10 minutes, and hardly anyone getting forward.  Stoke's subs worked better than ours, how is that Bent's fault?  But hey let's write him off on the basis of those 15 minutes.

At least we are defending well now so it's a start and a platform to build on.  But we are woefullly short of creativity, width and cutting edge.  I'm pining to see a decent winger take on his man and whip in some crosses, even a prick like Ashley Young would do.

Lichaj - does some decent defending but a bit of a headless chicken who looks like he's borrowed Hutton's brain at times.

[hilts_coolerking]

No surprise to see some blaming the fact we lost our way after the subs on Bent.  Nothing to do with the midfield disappearing for 10 minutes, Ireland losing every bit of possession we had in their half for 10 minutes, and hardly anyone getting forward.  Stoke's subs worked better than ours, how is that Bent's fault?  But hey let's write him off on the basis of those 15 minutes.

I'm not blaming Bent personally but our decline in goal threat did coincide with the substitutions.

[PaulWinch again]

If we're not scoring you have to wonder in the value of playing 3 forwards. We may as well add an extra winger or attacking midfield player into the mix. Still, another clean sheet which is something to build from.

Indeed we some sort of creative force. But at least we're looking a lot more solid.

[Nastylee]

Bent needs to be fed the ball. Unfortunately, we didn't keep it for a while and as I said on page 2 our strikers became isolated. Ireland was pretty sloppy in possession for his cameo and he was probably critical in getting Bent the ball where he likes it.

[ktvillan]

No surprise to see some blaming the fact we lost our way after the subs on Bent.  Nothing to do with the midfield disappearing for 10 minutes, Ireland losing every bit of possession we had in their half for 10 minutes, and hardly anyone getting forward.  Stoke's subs worked better than ours, how is that Bent's fault?  But hey let's write him off on the basis of those 15 minutes.

I'm not blaming Bent personally but our decline in goal threat did coincide with the substitutions.

Indeed it did, but was that really all down to Bent, as some seem to be implying?  It was hardly a massive goal threat before he came on was it?  How many saves did their keeper make again?

[Mazrim]

The Satanic XI mug the world of football off for a point again.
The fact these ****** are not in the bottom 3 is a slap in the face to our game.

As for us: We're a good transfer window away from being quite a good team again.
We should have taken these shysters to the cleaners.

[ozzjim]

I only saw the first half. My thoughts at half time on the match thread were why on earth would you bring Bent on when Gabby and Benteke are the reasons we are getting chances, how would he fit into the way we are playing? It seems we struggled after he came on according to the radio on the way home. Interestingly I think the bigger problem we have is the 3rd midfield player. Gabby I thought took the game to them really well first half, head up and ran at them well. Benteke linked the play brilliantly, and I thought we should have had a penalty, and that NZonzi was very lucky not to be sent off in the first half.

In January we need 2 forward options, one that can play off, and 1 that is a proper tricky bastard that can beat a man.

Paul Merson would be nice.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Well thats Stoke. I respect their defensive ability, but I am glad I dont have to watch that every week.

[levico]

I enjoyed watching us today. There were some good individual performances and Westwood was the deserved man of the match. Whilst a point against Stoke is not bad, I am getting concerned about our inability to score goals. With some difficult matches coming up, I think we have missed a chance to get clear of the relegation zone. It's going to be a long, cold winter.