Aston Villa v Stoke City Post-Match Thread

[VILLA MOLE]

The Satanic XI mug the world of football off for a point again.
The fact these c***s 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.

unfortunately these devils are higher than us in the league and probably have better odds on staying up. They are not pretty but i bet their fans feel more secure than us 

[pbavfckuwait]

Excellent at the back and not bullied anywhere on the pitch, by Birmingham Shitty on steriods, Bannan had one of his better games his work rate was untrue. Lost it by trying to win it if that makes sense, Ireland once again flatters to deceive, Im sorry when he is not on his game he offers nothing, yeah gonna be put down as a Bent hater, but he cannot offer anything in the style we play at the moment and him and Benteke were to close on too many occasions. The guy who did well at times today Gabby, I think is the guy most likely to be replaced in the window, with someone who does similar but a bigger goal threat.
Again with CNZ why all off a sudden i.e. Bent, Ireland when these guys are out of the side they become the answer, yet when they get a game they offer nothing. Think we will get a reasonable amount of points out of the next four games. Slow progress but getting there .

[Brian Taylor]

We need a spark in mid-field and/or on the wing. The ball just not get up-field enough!! Another season of 'glorious draws' ahead. we won't go down but we won't be delirious with our achievements either. Cup anyone?

[timeoutbigbar]

Also have to say the defence were brilliant again, albeit having very little to actually do.  I'm very impressed with Baker especially.  Lichaj was good defensively but if we're to continue playing with wing backs then we certainly need more attacking ability down the left.

[Ger Regan]

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?

It mightn't be all his fault, but it's hard to argue against the theory that the type of formation and team Lambert is trying to develop does not suit his abilities. He's good, but I don't believe he's good enough to warrant completely changing the direction the team is going just to fit him in.

[django]

We are the lowest scorers in the league, which is obviously a big problem. I agree with Ozzjim that its largely down to the third midfield player. Our formation made us solid today but If we are going to create more we need a better option than Ireland/Holman to support the strikers. Neither of them really does it enough, particularly Ireland who even when he plays well, doesn't really create enough for me. Bannan & Westwood have done enough to keep their places as the screening midfielders but we need someone with a bit of guile further forward. Sort that in Jan and we should be ok, otherwise I'm not so sure, hopeful but not confident.

[Chipsticks]

In fairness Stoke are arguably the top on-form side in the entire division, so I'm quite chuffed with a point. Onwards and upwards, as it were.

[SoccerHQ]

As dire as we all predicted.

Thought the ref had left his cards at home, was ridiculous there wasn't a yellow until the 75th minute.

4 clean sheets out of 7 for the defence, they don't concern me at all.

The complete lack of attacking cohesion once we cross the halfway line really does.

[SoccerHQ]

Anyone surprised Weimann has fallen out of favour?

Had a poor game against Reading and maybe Lambert thinks he should have a few weeks out of it but surely he'd be a more effective sub than Bent with his energy?

[mrfuse]

I was under the impression Stoke were improving and trying to play football, nothing I saw today gave me that impression. We played some nice football, nice passing but just lacked the the finishing touches.

The changes actually broke up our better play but I said before the game I would take a draw as I thought they would batter us.

[bob]

Agree with what is being said. We just need one midfielder, one of them, to offer something, anything resembling creativity in attack, a goal threat of any kind.

Ireland, N'Zogbia, surely one of you could have one decent game. Just one? Seriously, do you fuckers have any pride? Step up and put in a performance for the first time in forever already.

[ktvillan]

Again with CNZ why all off a sudden i.e. Bent, Ireland when these guys are out of the side they become the answer, yet when they get a game they offer nothing. Think we will get a reasonable amount of points out of the next four games. Slow progress but getting there .

We've scored 2 in the last 4 games (against the bottom two)  and 6 in the last 10 league games, since Bent's last goal against Albion. So their alternatives are hardly offering a great deal more than nothing, except maybe keeping us more solid.   However, at some stage we need to wins some games, and to do that we need some creativity.   I think playing at home we could risk a bit more of those types of players.  I accept though that maybe Lambert's priority for now is making us hard to beat, and at least that seems to be making progress.

[barrysleftfoot]

  Replace Gabby and Holman with 2 good attacking wide players and we have a good team there.

  First half Benteke, Westwood, Bannan were very good.Really like the combination of Bannan and Westwood who i think are always looking for a positive pass,Baker excellant again, as was Herd.

  Draw next week

[ktvillan]

I like Holman's industry but I think we looked more threatening when Weimann played that role as he breaks into the box a lot more.  There were many times when Benteke was our only player in the Stoke box when we were on the attack.  It shouldn't be like that at home.

[django]

Yes I'd prefer Weimann to Holman, and to Bent as a Sub. I just don't think Bent has an impact from the bench, Baggies aside.