Stoke vs Aston Villa Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

Cissokho looking good. Maybe he just adjusted badly last season, and has acclimatised now.

Or maybe he was being unfairly and rashly judged on a very small sample of games

[PaulWinch again]

Fucking hell how didn't we score.

[pauliewalnuts]

Good work there from Hutton

[Lamb_Stockmix]

Come on guys, it's the first game of the season. Granted we look a bit soft in attack at the moment but we look better than last season already. Plus we have some key players to come in still.

You make it sound like there is a torrent of abuse or criticism being applied here.

Not at all. Just aimed at those being negative.

I don't have time to write to them all individually.

[Tuscans]

Fair do to Hutton he looks eager, more than Lowton looked all of last season

[CJ]

Well done Hutton

[Toronto Villa]

We've been the much better team. Just need to finish things off

[Stu]

We got absolutely humped against these at VP last season, so already its better.

We were always going to struggle for goals without Benteke or Kozak. We're not doing too badly for a side that still has 4 first teamers out in key positions.

Aly looks good, so I expect he'll get a long term injury against Newcastle.

[Tuscans]

We've been the much better team. Just need to finish things off

Confidence or composure?

[Astral Weeks]

What ho, chaps. Just got in - first half in a nutshell?

[Ducksworthy]

What ho, chaps. Just got in - first half in a nutshell?

Boring but organised.

[pauliewalnuts]

That was alright, by and large.

Solid at the back - although stoke don't seem to know how to mount an attack - but lightweight in the middle and blunt up front.

Gabby should have scored.

[PaulWinch again]

Reasonable first half but I'd swap Gabby for Bent. Aly has been excellent, Richardson good and Senderos good.

[Tuscans]

What ho, chaps. Just got in - first half in a nutshell?

Average, Stoke not really offering a lot, Villa with the better of the few half chances but lacking the killer instinct. Gabby missing a sitter.

[Malandro]

Andi looks anorexic

Bent, nzogbia and Cole have been stealing his lunch box