Aston Villa vs Stoke City Match Thread

[silhillvilla]

High tempo doesn't suit Sanchez. He's looked hopeless today.

Yep , way off the pace. Very slow player

[Jimbo]

"You're not fit to referee!"

[Monty]

We get the ball in midfield, there aren't enough options, we go wide, rushed cross, nothing doing, they get the ball, loads of space through the midfield, look dangerous. It's like a lesson in the problems of 4-4-2.

Having said that, it did get us a goal which has been our achilles heel for ages.  We were looking good value for most of the first half but conceding that goal seems to have drained our confidence.

Without wanting to seem nitpicky, I'm not sure how responsible the system was for the goal. It was a second ball from a set-piece with lots of players out of position in the box. Credit to Sherwood, Sinclair went at it with a boldness entirely lacking even a week and a half ago, and that's what Sherwood brings - I just don't think the system had much to do with it.

[Toronto Villa]

We've gone back to long ball Benteke. I was hoping we'd keep on the path we were going down with Lambert with the possession football, just add creative ways to get into the box and create chances. Giving them the ball back constantly only leads to bad things.

[Astral Weeks]

Ref down!

[PaulWinch again]

Gabby is fucking hopeless.

[silhillvilla]

Get bloody Sanchez off and westwood on

[supertom]

I said earlier Stoke are no better than us. I was wrong.

They're a solid, well organised side and firmly established now in the way Hughes wants to play. Hard work, rigidity with a little quality at the top.
I'm pleased we're positive at least but they're definitely a better team than us on current terms. Likewise the difference of having an in form striker is plain to see today. Diouf is menacing, and Benteke is awful.

[ez]

Our lay offs in the final third are more in hope than judgement

[Risso]

Sanchez has been poor today, not sure the PL suits him.

[Toronto Villa]

corner, better move

[hilts_coolerking]

Without wanting to seem nitpicky, I'm not sure how responsible the system was for the goal. It was a second ball from a set-piece with lots of players out of position in the box. Credit to Sherwood, Sinclair went at it with a boldness entirely lacking even a week and a half ago, and that's what Sherwood brings - I just don't think the system had much to do with it.

So it's down to 442 when we're struggling but nothing to do with 442 when we score?  If I didn't know you better Monty I'd say you were predisposed to hate 442 regardless.

[Summers]

Not sure what Gabby is offering us.

[Monty]

Without wanting to seem nitpicky, I'm not sure how responsible the system was for the goal. It was a second ball from a set-piece with lots of players out of position in the box. Credit to Sherwood, Sinclair went at it with a boldness entirely lacking even a week and a half ago, and that's what Sherwood brings - I just don't think the system had much to do with it.

So it's down to 442 when we're struggling but nothing to do with 442 when we score?  If I didn't know you better Monty I'd say you were predisposed to hate 442 regardless.

Well it's true I don't like the system, but really I'm unsure how it was down to the it that we scored. With respect, you haven't answered the specifics of my point at all. I don't like it because of how we're playing today. It's how teams who play with this sort of setup always play.

[supertom]

I always felt we weren't a very fit side under Lambert. Not compared to many other clubs in the top flight. Too many players running out of steam on 60-70minutes. Timmy clearly wants a high tempo, but I think the previous fitness regime is going to hinder that.