Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Stoke

[Stevo985]

21 minutes ago, pacbuddies said:

But we're not. Even with a dodgy goalkeeper and a defence left in tatters by potato head were are still bettering everyone we come up against. If you think we are mediocre now you must have had us as nailed on relegation favourites under Bruce the last two seasons!

If you’re classing teams like Leeds and Norwich as mediocre then we absolutely are mediocre. 

[The Fun Factory]

Just thawed out. Blimey that was cold wasn't it? I am sure I heard an audible sigh when they announced 5 minutes of injury time.  Smith isn't  a miracle worker and we all know that the squad is massively unbalanced. The scottish cafu and elmo both had poor games. The wingers had all the flicks and tricks but in all honesty they rarely actually assisted Tammy. Kodja is the reason we managed to get a  point. 

I would say on balance that was point gained, but 2 dropped last week.  They need to do better versus Leeds next week. Are we now a better team away than at home? Interesting.

Oh and Ince should have been sent off for diving which would have totally changed the game.  That is all.

Edited December 16, 2018 by The Fun Factory

[The Fun Factory]

23 hours ago, blunther said:

Bit of a scrappy match in appalling conditions. Freezing, dark, wet and windy second division match against Stoke. 

And yet 37,000 turned up. Amazing.

[PaulC]

One of the coldest I have felt at a football match. First half was dreadful but second half was better. Think yesterday showed how important Grealish is to the team. Its a strong league, going to be difficult to get out of. Just pleased to get a point out out this game with a point. 

[VillaChris]

Clearly in the minority but I actually thought Stoke played some decent football at times. Yes they were of course physical but when you look at some of the chances Joe Allen got on the end of they were some decent 1-2s and quick passing on the edge of our box, it was a poorer but similar version of MON football and when it works it's effective.

I also thought they worked incredibly hard off the ball e.g. doubling up on our wide players time and again.

I was more impressed by how they played v us than WBA and certainly Boro who are just awful to watch.

Problem for them is Rowett has SB negative mentality in more interested in stopping teams rather than letting his own players express themselves so they'll draw too many games to be in contention for top 2.

Edited December 17, 2018 by VillaChris

[fifamad]

Thought we were lucky to get a point tbh.

[Skills]

is there anyone in the squad that could cover for Jack?  cant be playing a midfield trio of whelan, hourihane and mcginn again

[AvfcRigo82]

12 hours ago, PaulC said:

Just pleased to get a point out out this game with a point. 

We only got the one point sadly.  

[Herman22]

I didn't see the game but have just caught up on the highlights. Seemed we were lucky to get away with a point. It was a pity we gave away the lead so soon after getting back level. But again good fight to come back from being behind again. 

Another Hutton mistake led to the first goal, trying to clear with his right foot got him in trouble. And Elmo just not thinking led to the second. 

Still on a very decent run, just drawing too many now but we are playing all of the big/ inform teams. I've no doubt these games would have been losses under Bruce. If we aren't promoted this year it will be down to his terrible start against the poorer teams. 

[sidcow]

On 15/12/2018 at 16:58, Digavilla said:

The playoff is best we can hope for, judging from this performance . Nothing happened in the middle & we were lucky to get penalty & Kodjia goals.. 

In what way lucky? 

Stonewall penalty and good cross and header. No luck involved at all 

[Rugeley Villa]

13 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

And yet 37,000 turned up. Amazing.

Our home support this season, especially for Saturday games has been very good. Even struggling under Bruce it was good. The fact that we are playing well, and have a realistic chance of promotion now will keep the fans flocking. I thought the fans on Saturday were good in keeping with the team. The atmosphere weren’t that bad considering the conditions, and we weren’t playing well. 

[Rugeley Villa]

13 hours ago, PaulC said:

One of the coldest I have felt at a football match. First half was dreadful but second half was better. Think yesterday showed how important Grealish is to the team. Its a strong league, going to be difficult to get out of. Just pleased to get a point out out this game with a point. 

For how overrated people say Grealish is, we just ain’t the same team without him. He’s playing better under Smith. Is he back for Leeds?  I was on a roof from 8.00 until 1.30, so although I was freezing in the ground, it weren’t as cold as it was at work that day. 

Edited December 17, 2018 by Rugeley Villa

[Raver50032]

Made it back safely from Chernobyl and had a fine birthday.

Flight delayed back from Kiev due to having to de-ice the wings at Borispol Airport using a machine that looked like it could have been Thunderbird 7. We then had a 30 minute delay circling in the stack above Harlow on the way back in to Heathrow. As such, we bounded in for a landing at 1606... Just in time for me to receive a text from my mate in the Holte that Stoke had scored... Welcome Home...

Having gotten through security without setting off any alarms and safely reclaiming my baggage,  I discovered that we had equalised and then gone behind again in some sort of penalty bonanza... I was really fuming by now.

Got back to my car in West Drayton and a final message from my mate showed that Super Kodg had netted another equaliser. Satisfied by the point in the end... and having seen the highlights, both were penalties and we can have no real complaints with the outcome of the game. Let's hope that Mr Smith can work some magic next week and topple the mighty Leeds United.

COYVB...

[Brumstopdogs]

 

 

 

[imavillan]

As has been said, this was not one of the better performances but none the less we got something out of it. 10 Games ago this would not have been the case.

For me, too many players under performed, namely, Hourihane, Hutton, Elmohamady, El Ghazi.

McGinn was all over the place.

Yes, we miss the influence of the playmaker in Jack, but what stands out more than anything is we do not have a ''leader'' on the pitch. 

Hopefully this will be addressed in January and we can kick on from there. 

Even when we underperformed we were pleasing on the eye.

[A'Villan]

Two howlers by the fullbacks have seen us concede two goals that should've been dealt with.

Stoke have a lot of quality and will be able to create against any side on their day, so it's disappointing that we afforded them two goals without really having to work for them.

Thought our build up play was excellent considering there was no Grealish in the team. Really impressed. It shows we're actually going to be a solid team who can perform without the need for individual bravado in every moment. We can work as a unit to penetrate space and create opportunities for a good attempt at goal.