Ratings and Reactions: Villa - Stoke

[AVFCDAN]

The only positive that i'm clinging on to is that at some point we have to string a couple of results together, whether that's wins or a draw and a win.

 

No matter how shit you are, at some point your strikers will score a couple of goals or a result will go your way, the problem is that game by game we are running out of time for this to happen, and the realisation is getting bigger that we probably are the worst team in the league, imagine us going away to Chelsea and picking up a point like Burnley did.

[flamingsombrero]

We started pretty well and got our goal. Stoke made a few minor adjustments to nullify us and took over the rest of the game (despite never being particularly impressive) as we never reacted in kind to their changes.

 

Bit of a sucker punch so late on but I didn't feel like we'd been cheated out of a point at all. We got exactly what we deserved, nothing. Early days for sure but then I assumed the whole point was to hit the ground running. Barring a massive turn around I think we're as good as down.

Edited February 22, 2015 by flamingsombrero

[Brumstopdogs]

 

Positives:

Attacking line-up to start the match.

We scored a goal.

Sinclair looks decent.

The teams around us (apart from Hull) didn't win.

 

Negatives:

Big loss of momentum.

Lack of shots.

Awful set pieces.

Failure to see out games.

Vlaar suspended.

 

I think you should go notice that we are now 19th, 1 place worse than we started. They might not have won but they gained a point, which is more than we could, and are going above us.

 

Many here won't find Vlaar suspended a negative. Evidently doesn't want to be here anymore and won't be bothered if we went down. His time here is effectively over.

 

Thanks for the advice but I am aware of our league position!

 

Vlaar being suspended IMO is a negative - we need as many players available as possible. 

[VILLAMARV]

Missed the game as I was travelling back from the South Coast so had to make do with Pat Murphy's smug jibes at Villa on Five Live when he provided periodic updates. How he hates Villa ever since his bestie mate MON left.

Yeah I missed the game due to a funeral and had to rely on radio 5. I was mouthing off about Sherwoods first game should be the commentary game instead of Chelsea Burnley. I stand corrected. Pretty good game to miss from all accounts on here.

[TRO]

At the very least....we had a description of the game by the manager....we can all buy in to.

 

That must be a first.

[harris21]

Bit late but my view...

We still looked like Lambert's team for most of the game. I know Sherwood won't change that overnight but I thought we would have played a bit better than we did, at least for the new manager bounce and everyone trying to stake a claim.

I also think the tactics we're poor. I understand that he wants us to play more direct and get the ball quicker up the pitch but against Stoke?! Long balls up the pitch to an uninterested out of form striker that is being double marked is stupid and something Stoke probably couldn't believe we kept doing. You could see it wasn't working within the first 20 mins so they should have been told to change it, try and keep it on the floor for Gabby/Sinclair to run into space.

I also can't get my head around our inability to beat the first man with corners, totally inept and something that should only happen on occasion.

I now truly believe we are doomed. It's too much of an ask for anyone to change the mentally of a group of players that are used to losing and playing terrible football in such a short space of time. Sad thing is, we're probably the most deserving of relegation so far.

Gutted does not even come close.

[Stevo985]

I think we tried to play more direct, but as we've seen in previous seasons, I think that just gives players a lazy option when there's not much on.

 

At least with possession football we kept the ball when there was nothing on.

 

As usual, the key is balance. Direct is fine, but they need to be meaningful balls. Hoofs up to Benteke willy nilly are pointless. When Sinclair was running off Benteke or someone like Delph was waiting for the knock down it worked. But more often than not the players weren't doing that.