Stoke v Villa post-match thread

[Malandro]

Really makes me laugh some people on here. We played well for the first time for ages, the away crowd was behind them, and the players and the manager got clapped off at the end. Probably should have won but ended up with a point. Everyone at the game pretty satisfied. Then you come on here and the same people(most of them not at the game) moaning as usual.

We are not going up, circumstances have transpired against us this season, but hopefully the management that have been appointed for the long run are planning for next season. How about we give them the benefit of the doubt instead of dismissing their capabilities already.

Circumstances have transpired...

Respect for your attendance but I’ve watched most (probably all, apart from the odd ten minutes) We are exactly where we deserve to be.

It’s depressing for fans because the club has spunked more than any team.
That’s where my frustration is - it would be understandable, if we spent like Burton.

[The_ads]

It’ll come good. Of that I’m certain

[Nev]

I'm in London for the weekend, only followed the updates sporadically but I'm heartened by the reports of how we played rather than the result. That is the key, we need to play well, the results will follow hopefully.

[adrenachrome]

We were better in the second half, but it has to be put into context. We were atrocious again in the first half and Stoke offered less than Ipswich did at VP a few weeks ago, that’s how bad they were. All of these teams that are supposedly awful that we have failed to beat, Wigan, Reading, Stoke, Preston who had all those injuries etc, it doesn’t say a lot for where we are at the moment. We are extremely poor and a 1-1 draw away against that Stoke side is disappointing.

Stoke still have plenty of players who'd get in our team.

They're in a massive flux like we are. Manager wants to play one way and the ones still on massive prem wages couldn't care less. They've underachieved more than we have this season.

Very good point. I could not believe that our arch-nemesis, the Ginger Pirlo, was an unused substitute on their bench.

Both clubs are in debilitating flux: we have to hope that we have layed the basis for emerging from that sad and sorry state.

[Clampy]

Poor again in the first half. Much better in the second and we should have won it. I'll take a point away from home the way we've been playing of late.

[Dazvillain]

The only players we have at the club definitely and consistently at the standard we should be aiming for are Tuanzebe, Mings, McGinn, Grealish, Tammy and Chester (when fully fit). Only two of them were on the pitch today. It's no surprise we aren't very good.

I hope we can keep Mings for next season, I really like him. The kind of standard we should be going for.

I have a feeling we'll be looking back at Tyrone in the way we do at Robert Snodgrass now.

Even though only on loan, they really understood what playing for us meant, but ultimately they'll get a better offer from a PL club and move on. 

Yes there are a few older players out of contract which probably won’t get renewed but surely we’ll have the same problem not being able to attract interest from others for our under performers that will still be in contract.... similar to last season ?

[itmustbe_it is!]

Really makes me laugh some people on here. We played well for the first time for ages, the away crowd was behind them, and the players and the manager got clapped off at the end. Probably should have won but ended up with a point. Everyone at the game pretty satisfied. Then you come on here and the same people(most of them not at the game) moaning as usual.

We are not going up, circumstances have transpired against us this season, but hopefully the management that have been appointed for the long run are planning for next season. How about we give them the benefit of the doubt instead of dismissing their capabilities already.

Great post.

I had an intersting perspective today...I read a lot of posts here saying there are a lot of players who don;t try, don't give a f**k etc....
For first time ever I was in the very front row - it's not a great view from a perspective point of view, but what you do get is to see the players fighting for position at free kicks and corners, making challenges, chasing down balls.....my opinion is they do care and were trying, they are just short on confidence, which is what we had in spades earlier in Smith's tenure.

From half time onwards the fans were up for it, and the players were too....could/should have won it second half.

At the end Tyrone made a point of giving his shirt to a young Villa fan....really hope we can sign him permanently

[LukeJames]

Poor again in the first half. Much better in the second and we should have won it. I'll take a point away from home the way we've been playing of late.

I agree, much better in the 2nd half, I felt we were going to win, I havent felt that for a few weeks.

[Clampy]

Get In! We got a 1:1 Victory!!!!

You really do need to grow up.

[LukeJames]

El-Ghazi, pissed me off so much the last few weeks but that run and assist was fucking brilliant.

[Villa Lew]

It was and well taken by Albert, if only the 2 of them could do it more enough, starting next week would be good.

[Clampy]

One gripe from today, I thought Smith should have brought Green on earlier than he did.

[itmustbe_it is!]

One gripe from today, I thought Smith should have brought Green on earlier than he did.

Think it was only in response to the Adomah Injury

[Lky]

I read a lot on hear but don't post a lot.
My take:
1st half we were absolutely abysmal. Mistake after mistake continually throughout. Summed up by Hutton making 2 mistakes in 2 minutes before going off injured. No one came in at half time with any credit.
2nd half we were much much better. Dominated the half but didnt really create much but fully desrrved the eqauliser and probably deserved to win but oddly didnt seem that bothered in the last 5 minutes.
Coming away from the ground I was tying to think of positives - yes Steer may be as good as the other goalies we have wasted £15m on.
Other than that none really. Will these players be in a promotion winning team ? Are they premiership players ? No.
Please Deano forget Haus now. He's not our player and is techically awful, play a Villa man who may benefit from playing til the end of season.
UTV.

[achilles]

Really makes me laugh some people on here. We played well for the first time for ages, the away crowd was behind them, and the players and the manager got clapped off at the end. Probably should have won but ended up with a point. Everyone at the game pretty satisfied. Then you come on here and the same people(most of them not at the game) moaning as usual.

We are not going up, circumstances have transpired against us this season, but hopefully the management that have been appointed for the long run are planning for next season. How about we give them the benefit of the doubt instead of dismissing their capabilities already.

Great post.

I had an intersting perspective today...I read a lot of posts here saying there are a lot of players who don;t try, don't give a f**k etc....
For first time ever I was in the very front row - it's not a great view from a perspective point of view, but what you do get is to see the players fighting for position at free kicks and corners, making challenges, chasing down balls.....my opinion is they do care and were trying, they are just short on confidence, which is what we had in spades earlier in Smith's tenure.

From half time onwards the fans were up for it, and the players were too....could/should have won it second half.

At the end Tyrone made a point of giving his shirt to a young Villa fan....really hope we can sign him permanently

I too agree with the original post, I thought we played much better especially in the second half and we had McGinn out as well.
Then Hutton gets seriously injured early on which upset the shape until we got a replacement on, fans shouldn't forget our injury list or suspensions.
The Villa fans were brilliant and the Stoke fans were doing what Villa fans do at home, getting on their backs which is not the way to support your team.
Still thoroughly enjoyed the game even the stroll after the game along the towpath back to the station on a lovely Spring day!

As mentioned above special mention to Tyrone for giving his shirt to the little lad on his dad's shoulders down at the front, class act!  UTV