Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Stoke

[Nigel]

Thought a solid looking Stoke side deserved their point today!

They really did their homework on our weapons.  Maybe if Grealish had played we would have had too much for them but as it was they had us at arms length for the majority of the game.

We were weak down both flanks today which didnt help.  Bolasie's final ball and decision making was really poor all night, el Ghazi was anonymous and Elmo was weak.

However  they seemed to target Hutton for most of their attacks, and he was found wanting tonight especially in his positional play.

You are not going to win a game with so many players off form, missing your best player when you are faced with a robust and streetwise team. 

The draw was down to Kodjias couple of moments of skill, which seemed to fit as it was the only way we were going to get past the best keeper in the division.

However the real reason we got away with the point was Mcginn,  he was excellent tonight. Seemed to relish the battle that the conditions bought.  I just love the way he seems to come out of a no win situation still in control of the ball, the man just doesnt know how to give anything less than 100%;

Love the bloke!

A special mention to the conditions tonight, by god it was cold, but it seemed to suit the game.

 

[sidcow]

I mean, did they have to bring the Stoke weather with them? 

[Harry]

Smith took Whelan off and put Hogan on. Under Bruce it would have been the exact opposite.

Stoke were Stoke - exactly what i expected to be honest - in your face and dirty We lacked a bit of flair and the midfield did little to protect the back four.

I smiled when we equalised when the Stoke player with his 'injury' was clearly hoping play would be stopped.

[chappy]

Classic Stoke. 

They came for a point and were solid. We weren’t really at it - missed Jack’s creativity and spark.

I though Whelan had a decent game tbf to him. Their first goal came from a Hutton mistake and second from an Elmo brain fart chasing back.

We showed great character to come from behind twice in those awful conditions too and I was impressed with Abraham’s attitude- constantly trying to encourage the others despite being isolated most of the afternoon.

 

The move that lead to Bolasie missing a chance would’ve been one of the all time sexiest villa goals - we’ve still got it but Stoke stifled us well. Bring on the Leeds.

[blunther]

Bit of a scrappy match in appalling conditions. Freezing, dark, wet and windy second division match against Stoke. It was what it was. Happy to get the point after going behind twice. Top two is looking unlikely but I fancy us to match anyone in the playoffs, which is where I think we’ll end up. 

[This Could Be Rotterdam]

It's almost too simplistic to say we missed grealish (which of course we did) but I think the game wasn't won on the fact hourihane was almost needed to do the work of two men as a result.(I thought he was great today, so this isn't criticism). 

It was the right call to play him further advanced almost in grealishs spot, but we missed him massively further back in his usual role and mcginn missed his support alongside him. When he dropped back to do that we then missed him up top and although we were getting more in terms of regaining the ball and retaining it, we didn't have his runs which were great in the first half. If we had two hourihanes today (one sitting in his  usual role and one further forward like first half) I think we'd have won.  

The midfield was key today, I thought their midfield were great and really effective. But we weren't just missing grealish, we were also missing bjarnasson and Lansbury who I'm sure would've played ahead of Whelan otherwise. 

A draw was a fair result all things considered, and today's poor performance probably would've been considered a good one earlier this season. Defensive errors may cost us this season, but there's a lot of games to play and automatic isn't impossible. Unbeaten in 8 now I think, keep it up and we will be (dare I say it!) There or thereabouts to automatic promotion. 

[pacbuddies]

Why are people saying top 2 is unrealistic when we have a better manager than last season, a better team than last season and the opposition is weaker than last season yet last season the top two was on until very late and we haven't even reached xmas yet. Amazing!

[KenjiOgiwara]

DS sure doesn't do boring football. **** me. 

[Tomaszk]

Imagine being a Stoke fan. That team, that midfield, and they spend most of their time delaying the match. Awful. Their team was an entire Premier League XI, then they brought on Afobe and Crouch.

Can't believe how many saying we were really poor. The bar has been set so high clearly. If they scored at that free kick right at the end and won 3-2, I'd still have enjoyed today more than some wins under Bruce. We're so great to watch.

Absolutely below previous weeks, but that Stoke Summer weather doesn't lend itself to our incisive football.

A blocked Hutton clearance (with yet another midfield opponent wandering unchallenged through onto a cutback) and Elmo ridiculous decision making were their goals. We had multiple other chances that could have ended up in goals for us.

Bolasie poor for entire second half but a dream of a cross for Kodj. Not sure El Ghazi has ever been asked to play in rain like that, he didn't fancy it today. Tammy and John McGinn brilliant, super attitude from both, lifting those around them.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Tomaszk

[djdabush]

Funny that after a number of managers, Stoke still play like they are managed by Pulis. Felt the conditions suited them today and with Grealish out they only had to worry about the wide areas so managed to double up on our wingers and nulify our threat for most of the game. 

 

Still, I'll take the draw and, unlike not so long ago, feel confident that we will play better next game.

[Robtaylor200]

Not long got home from the match, soaking wet and freezing ( Back to the comfort of my arm chair) Not the excitement I was hoping for. 

We didnt lose and very soon the other teams will have a run like us where they play each other and take points off each other, we play the lower teams, Hopefully we will be in a better position in the next few weeks 

IMO Bolasie was often caught in the wrong position often behind Hutton when attacking. When Hutton ran down the wing Bolasie often ran towards him instead of into space

It also seemed we were only able to cross and attack from one side of the pitch. I saw Nyland save several times but could not see if he was at fault for the goal as it was down the other end Jack was badly missed for creativity and players having to mark him

Edited December 16, 2018 by Robtaylor200

[AvfcRigo82]

52 minutes ago, pacbuddies said:

Why are people saying top 2 is unrealistic when we have a better manager than last season, a better team than last season and the opposition is weaker than last season yet last season the top two was on until very late and we haven't even reached xmas yet. Amazing!

Agreed and without seeing or hearing any of the game and just following the match comments I the thread I felt in a way I had gone back in time to the Bruce era.

When we look at the grand scheme of things we are still very much on par as anticipated and are not mathematically written off from the Autos.

But equally as @JAMAICAN-VILLAN also highlights, feeling robbed in the last 2 games of losing out on 4 points just shows you how far we have come as a football team and it has risen some expectancy levels for sure. Have we became victims of our own success in a short period of time? Possibly when you take into the fact that we go into the Leeds game on the back of a 7 game unbeaten run.

[AVFCDAN]

We came from behind twice against a Stoke team who haven’t lost since the 20th October, obviously it’s great to be positive and set high standards for the team and manager but you need to put some perspective on this.

[villatillidie1980]

Didn’t feel like we created masses, so after being behind twice, I’ll take the point. 

Jack would have been the difference today, it goes to show that it’s not just what he does with the ball, but without it too. Teams are so busy worrying about him that it creates space for others. 

Hutton doesn’t seem to be as attack minded when he plays on the left. 

Tammy was lacking opportunities created in open play, but took the penalty well. 

Some moments for magic from McGinn  

And Bolasie definitely should have hit the target after some lovely interchange play with Tammy. 

Onto Leeds and hopefully their style of play will mean we can get back to playing like we have recently. 

UTV 

[TRO]

3 hours ago, KJT123 said:

More points dropped. Full backs not good enough, particularly Elmo. Frustrating as our promotion push seems to be stalling. 

I don't think he ever has been....he was only ever deemed a safe pair of hands, and that was debatable.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

Smith took Whelan off and put Hogan on. Under Bruce it would have been the exact opposite.

Stoke were Stoke - exactly what i expected to be honest - in your face and dirty We lacked a bit of flair and the midfield did little to protect the back four.

I smiled when we equalised when the Stoke player with his 'injury' was clearly hoping play would be stopped.

You are right Harry....but the net result was what exactly?

They both looked poor to me.

[Made In Aston]

I think the conditions had a big part to play. Stoke aren't really a footballing side so it probably suited them a lot more than us. It made for a very scrappy game which is what stoke wanted. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, pacbuddies said:

Why are people saying top 2 is unrealistic when we have a better manager than last season, a better team than last season and the opposition is weaker than last season yet last season the top two was on until very late and we haven't even reached xmas yet. Amazing!

Well the most obvious one is that we are TWELVE POINTS BEHIND them.

This statement almost makes it seem as if it's the beginning of the season and people are just unreasonably questioning it. lol

 

[pacbuddies]

19 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Well the most obvious one is that we are TWELVE POINTS BEHIND them.

This statement almost makes it seem as if it's the beginning of the season and people are just unreasonably questioning it. lol

 

In this division 12 points is nothing. You only have to look at the mediocre sides above us to know that if Dean Smith had been at the helm since the start of the season then nobody would be above us. With so many points still to play for teams like Norwich, Leeds, Albion etc will be found out and the cream will rise to the top. We have quite a shit defence and goalkeeper and if this is rectified in January none of the other bang average teams in this division will live with us!

[Lerner's Driver]

25 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Well the most obvious one is that we are TWELVE POINTS BEHIND them.

This statement almost makes it seem as if it's the beginning of the season and people are just unreasonably questioning it. lol

 

It's not unrealistic, it's just unlikely. I think the thing that is peeing me off more than anything is the random 'bad luck' of having so many fricking strong (for this league) teams in endless succession.

Forget the dropped points under Bruce. Obviously that's relevant, but if we'd met even just a few lesser teams in amongst this run, we'd unquestionably be higher up than we are by now.

The fact we are not and that we are irritated by slightly under par performances, or draws instead of wins, is very much a sign of incredibly satisfying progress way beyond the pre-season expectation.

We are a funny bunch, like all football fans, I guess, but definitely odd in our own special way. I'm keeping an open mind, despite the disappointment of today and even the possibility of losing to Leeds. Once that is out the way, I genuinely think we are going to cause some mayhem.

Come what may, what we are seeing at the moment, is on the whole pretty bloody lovely and I really couldn't be happier just to have a genuinely competitive team to support again, one that not only competes but also shines, making others sit up and take notice.