We followed up a 4-goal comeback win against Norwich and a hard fought win against the league leaders with an embarrassing first home defeat against Stoke since 1965 in what was the 100^th league meeting between the two clubs and our heaviest ever home defeat against them.

Every time we think we have turned a corner and can pull clear of the bottom dwellers once and for all we produce a sorry display like this one. Having gone an early goal up few could in their worst nightmares have suspected that we would so tamely surrender the initiative and end the game well beaten and outplayed by a team that had managed just one away win up until then.

We made it all too easy for Stoke as we have for too many visiting teams this season and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. So there was not to be three successive home wins for the first time since 2007 but there was a ninth home league defeat for us of the season.

We started brightly enough but switched off after taking that early lead and two goals in 4 first half minutes all but sealed our fate before the third certainly did in a game we never threatened to come back into.

My player ratings from a game that has seen us plunge once again into the bottom half of the table and grateful for the points we have already gained are:

Brad Guzan – 6 – Had little to do other than to pick the ball out of the back of his net. The exception proved to be on 64 minutes when he produced a good stop to keep out an Odemwingie effort from outside of the box.

Leandro Bacuna – 3 – His defensive frailties were exposed for all to see yesterday by Arnautovic. His Austrian tormentor got in behind him for their third which he was unable to cut out leaving their wide man free to play the ball off the back of the hapless Baker’s legs into the path of N’Zonzi whose goal effectively put the game beyond us. Arnautovic then pushed the ball past him as if he was not there on 89 minutes before pulling the ball back to the unmarked Cameron for their fourth.

Ron Vlaar – 5 – His slight deflection helped a shot from Odemwingie on 20 minutes fly inches over on 20 minutes. Ron was then far too casual inside his own box on 70 minutes after Crouch had flicked a header on and he was looking to shield the ball under pressure from N’Zonzi for Guzan to collect it before the referee spared his blushes giving a free kick against his opponent. Hooked a risky pass back towards Delph 14 minutes later and was fortunate that Arnautovic had strayed offside as he ran onto the ball. Failed to steady the ship for once.

Nathan Baker – 3 – His despairing challenge was easily resisted by Crouch who played the ball on for Odemwingie to thread the ball past Guzan under pressure from Bertrand for their 22^nd minute equalizer. Really needed to stay tight on his man 4 minutes later and this left Crouch unmarked in the middle of the penalty area when Pieters pulled the ball back to him to hit home their second.

Ryan Bertrand – 6 – Hit a strong dangerous looking cross into the box after more good work between Delph and himself that a Stoke defender touched out. Had a shot deflected on 94 minutes that their keeper gathered easily enough.

Karim El Ahmadi - 6 – Booked for a wild challenge but we missed his presence in the middle. Why or why did it take us 4 – 5 minutes to get Albrighton on for him?

Fabian Delph - 6 – MOTM – Produced another solid consistent performance unlike the team as a whole.

Ashley Westwood – 5 – Not one of his better performances.

Gabriel Agbonlahor – 4 – One day Gabby will stand up to be counted raising his game and those of the players around him in a game like this one. This was not to be that day. Hit a shot from outside the box high, wide and not handsome on 32 minutes.

Andreas Weimann – 5 – Put in a weak challenge that was brushed aside by Arnautovic leaving him floundering on the floor in the build up to their second goal. Left the field with an injury on 33 minutes

Christian Benteke – 6 – Played the ball wide to Bertrand on 5 minutes who in turn found Delph who pulled the ball back to the waiting Christian who had found space inside the box and took a good first touch before firing the ball into the net for our goal. Lacked service.

Substitutes:

Marc Albrighton – 5 - Replaced El Ahmadi on 33 minutes. Marc failed to make the positive impression on this game that he has so often when coming on recently.

Yacouba Sylla – 4 - Replaced Weimann on 33 minutes and again failed to show anything of the promise he had demonstrated at times last season.

Grant Holt – Replaced Westwood on 73 minutes. Was not on long enough to merit a rating or to make anything approaching a positive impression.

Stay up the Villa!

John Lewis

Source: Player Match Ratings: From the sublime to the ridiculous!