Stoke City v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Matt Collins]

This is the team I have been told is going to play:

                         Guzan

Lowton       Vlaar         Baker        Bennet

             Westwood      Delph

Bowery           Weimann               Gabby

                     Benteke

Surely not?! I can't see that one

[Matt Collins]

Delph brings a better and more competitve balance to the midfield.

His performances recently have been generally very good indeed. I was surprised he didn't play last weekend. I'd definitely start him in this one.

[frank black]

This is the team I have been told is going to play:

                         Guzan

Lowton       Vlaar         Baker        Bennet

             Westwood      Delph

Bowery           Weimann               Gabby

                     Benteke

Looks about right to me. Not a fan of Bowery, but he does add some height and help during defensive set pieces.

[eamonn]

Stephen Ireland was training with the first team today. Is he back in contention ?

Good, he's neither use nor ornament training with the impressionable youth team. We could yet need him if a game is tight and we need someone to provide some magik. Being involved again might give him that one last kick up the arse.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Stephen Ireland was training with the first team today. Is he back in contention ?

Good, he's neither use nor ornament training with the impressionable youth team. We could yet need him if a game is tight and we need someone to provide some magik. Being involved again might give him that one last kick up the arse.

I agree with him being nowhere near the youth lads, that said I wouldn't have him anywhere near the first team either. Fucking waste of oxygen that guy is.

[neo_Villan]

Looks about right to me. Not a fan of Bowery, but he does add some height and help during defensive set pieces.

I think he let himself down against West Ham. Looked sluggish and perhaps overwhelmed by the occasion. Against Ipswich he looked pretty pacy and worked for the team. Could do a job against Stoke.

[eastie]

I think we should let them worry about us and play to our strengths rather than change our team because we are worried about their height- its what we do on the ball that will win this game and win it we will.

Stoke are not as potent in the air without delap and we should attack and go for their throats.

[Matt Collins]

 We wouldn't pick Bowery ahead of nzogbia for his attacking prowess it would be his defending. On which case why not just pick 6 foot tall Sylla instead? I also can't see Weimann playing in the hole.

I wondered whether he might revert to 352 but I don't think he will, especially if Clark is out.

[Lastfootstamper]

They've scored 3 in 7, 2 of those coming against Reading.
They've kept 1 clean sheet in the league since Christmas.
Get at 'em, get an early one, fan any anti-Pulis fire, get them feeling the tension. Being away from home will help us after the rather flat second-half against the 'The Mighty Reds YNWA', I feel. Even with our fragility at the back, we must surely score more than they ever can, given the comparative potency of each attack.
3-1 us, Benteke (2) and Weimann, Sturk well and truly dragged into it.

[damon loves JT]

I think we will need to send a small force to the forest moon of Endor to disable their shield generator.

 

[eastie]

Brad Guzan has warned Stoke that Aston Villa will continue to "fight", as the Premier League's dirtiest sides prepare to face off this weekend.

The Potters prop up the top-flight disciplinary table with the worst record of 61 yellow cards and three reds.

And Paul Lambert's Villans are just one place above them, with 65 cautions and two dismissals.

The two clubs meet at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday in a huge relegation battle and Villa keeper Guzan has issued a war cry.

Guzan said: "It's about fighting and showing that competitive spirit. That's the competitive nature.

"You never want to see guys get booked. I'm sure there are some reckless ones in there, but that's not going to change the way we play.

"There's a competitive spirit we have in the dressing room where we fight for each other - and fight for the shirt."

Villa boss Lambert feels his side have been treated unfairly by referees, who target his young players.

And he wants Saturday's whistler, Mark Clattenburg, to be fair in what he predicts will be a "hard, physical game".

The Scot moaned: "I think some of our bookings are because we are young and an easy target.

"We have deserved some bookings but some we haven't, that's for sure.

"I hope we are not treated unequally. But I think some of our bookings have been unjustified. It is up to the referee who is officiating. We never send anyone out to hurt anybody - we don't have the players for that.

"We try to compete the best we can - we haven't got a nasty team."

Villa's record could be worse - Ashley Westwood was lucky to avoid a red card in Sunday's loss to Liverpool for a studs-up challenge on Jordan Henderson.

Lambert added: "He has got the ball [before making contact with Henderson]. You cannot tell me Ashley Westwood is a dirty player.

"He doesn't need to be dirty, because he doesn't give the ball away."

* PAUL LAMBERT has confirmed Aston Villa are in negotiations to make flop Jean Makoun's loan move to Rennes permanent.

Gerard Houllier paid Lyon £6milllion for midfield schemer Makoun in January 2011.

But the Cameroon international has only made seven Premier League starts for Villa.

 

Makoun was bombed out on loan to Olympiacos last season by then-boss Alex McLeish, and Lambert sent him back to France after arriving from Norwich in the summer.

Now Lambert has confirmed Villa are in discussions to sell the 29-year-old to Rennes.

Lambert said: "It looks like that. It is just about done."

[Richard E]

Don't worry everyone!! Lawro's got us down to lose 2-0 so the points are in the bag!!

[Mortimer's Bear]

I'm convinced we'll win tomorrow.

[eastie]

I'm convinced we'll win tomorrow.

Me too, most confident ive felt all season before a game .

[Clampy]

We're a much better side away from home and there's no reason why we can't get 3 points off them. I've just got a sneaky feeling they'll hold us to a draw though.