Aston Villa vs Stoke City Match Thread

[SheffieldVillain]

Interesting team.

Hopes (apart from a win)
- We get into them from the start
- Gabby and Benteke show what they can really do
- Clark or Sanchez set the tone in the first few minutes by putting Ireland seven feet up in the air.

[Bad English]

Upon seeing that team selection my considered analysis is as follows:-

1. COME ON YOU LIONS!
2. GET THE FUCK INTO THEM!
3. DON'T FANNY ABOUT.

[Monty]

In two hours time, I suspect thousands of people will have decided that we're either definitely staying up or definitely going down

Ha, I get that feeling too. Obviously going to be an encouraging 2-2 with room for improvement now.

[Tuscans]

Roger East ref'ing....he's alright isn't he.

[brontebilly]

Interesting first selection. Welcome return for Sanchez and Cissokho had to be dropped. Worryingly it looks another effort to pair Benteke and Gabby up top again. Think that's been done to death without success so hopefully it's changed quickly today if not working.

Think the key today is Sanchez and Delph winning the midfield battle and giving us the platform to push forward. Despite their absences it's not a bad Stoke side. Victor Moses on their left is likely to cause Hutton plenty of problems.

[Toronto Villa]

In two hours time, I suspect thousands of people will have decided that we're either definitely staying up or definitely going down

Ha, I get that feeling too. Obviously going to be an encouraging 2-2 with room for improvement now.

Almost all of the energy generated by his arrival, HT team talk vs Leicester and everything he's said and done this week will dissipate very quickly if at 5pm we look back at a defeat. For everyone's sake we need to win. We can analyze/scrutinize/criticize and pay tribute to the "how we won" later tonight and into next week.

[nigel]

Big game for Gabby today. I don't think he can be lazy under Sherwood.

In his press conference Sherwood was asked about Gabby's fitness. "He's on fire, absolutely on fire"

[dave.woodhall]

The team talk in full:

1. Get into 'em.
2. Fuck 'em off.

[Jimbo]

I do hope this isn't a damp squib. Just go for it, Villa.

[nigel]

The team talk in full:

1. Get into 'em.
2. Fuck 'em off.

I was reading the thread and singing (quietly) that song 

[Summers]

Come on you Villa boys!

I'm excited AND hopeful about a Villa match for the first time in a while!

[Tuscans]

It's not 4-4-2 according to the tv

[Nelly]

Come on Villa, good afternoon everyone.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Big game for Gabby today. I don't think he can be lazy under Sherwood.

In his press conference Sherwood was asked about Gabby's fitness. "He's on fire, absolutely on fire"

Other people see him differently to us. We know Gabby is shit, but you listen to "pundits" and they'll tell you how great Gabby is. Martin Keown was talking about it a few weeks back. It's not based on watching him regularly, it's based on a few highlights they've seen over the last 10 years.

[Nelly]

Yeah, the TV had the formation as a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-5-1