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PL: Stoke h Match Thread 2009/12/19 15:00


limpid

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Stoke probably most hated lower team in the league. There performance at VP, not only was the worst and most emberassing for a so called football team but also a major moment in the season

Speak for yourself. You sound a little petty over the defeat though.

Do you agree with some of the Utd fans comments about us being anti football and nothing more than a mid table team after we beat them? Thought not.

I have a lot of time for Stoke and Pulis. Sure their football isnt pretty. But A team plays to its strengths. Look what pretty football did for WBA.

Anyway, i admire what they're achieved over the last 2 seasons on a little budget.

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very big game today, in this league 3 points is 3 points and we need to be winning these type of games at home. After spurs have lost to them at home and with what happened last year I'd doubt that we will be complacent and I feel more confident of our current defence being able to repel attacks and hold out a one or two goal lead. Stoke are not bad in defence at all and I feel that a nice early goal will really set the ball rolling in this match, calm some nerves and draw stoke into a more attacking mindset.

We need to start like we did against hull and have the pressure on fromthe 1st minute and not take our foot off the pedal. If we can win this one it'l be 4 wins on the bounce in december and sets us up very nicely for arsenal and liverpool where we might be able to concentrate on playing our game without the fear of defeat being the 'end' of our top 4 aspirations.

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I'm with Mark8691 on this, have alot of time for Stoke and Pullis, and whilst they have played boring route one football for a while, they are starting to play some nice stuff.

When you come up into the Premiership you have to play to your strengths, if that is route one (well, long throws) then you damn well use it. It's not 'anti-football' it's doing what is necessary to stay in the league. Now that they are more established in this league they are slowly bringing in the other aspects to the game and have been scoring some nice goals from open play.

You can't come straight up from the Championship to the Premiership and play nice football, like West Brom did.

I now see Stoke as a midtable Premiership side. I don't think they'll be battling relegation this season, or for the following few seasons with their current squad and manager. And you have to respect Pullis for that because all other clubs who have come up in the last few seasons (barring Fulham) are always in the running for the relegation places.

As for today's game.. I am really glad it's at home.. Stoke at the Brittania is a different kettle of fish than at VT. I would certainly expect us to win this.. but Stoke are always a tough team.

With the teams around us almost certain to pick up points though, we need to make sure we get the maximum here. Pressure game but when you're battling at the top end like this the players will have to get used to every game being a big pressure one.

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I'm not too bothered by Stoke. I know a couple of Albion supporting mates who hate them. I don't hold a grudge for last year as it was simply our own faults we lost that lead and hopefully we can put it right this afternoon.

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How on earth can people hold a grudge against Stoke just because they did a smash and grab on us? Honestly Villa fans moaning about them is akin to United fans moaning about us, teams do what they can to compete and rightly so. Nothing wrong with how they play or the way the club is run they just get the absolute most out of everything they have got going from them in order to compete with better teams, sounds a lot like us to me.

Good luck to them other than today that is as hopefully they will get hammered.

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Don't mind Stoke. Always been a fan of Ethrington, Tuncay and Lawrence, think they're all very under-rated and play some really nice football. Last year was just unfortunate. We had to go to the Britannia for their first ever home Premier League game and then massively outplayed them at home and conceeded 2 late goals. How often does that happen!? I think we should take this game, won't be easy though.

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IMO, In many ways this is one of the toughest games for us. We have the shadow of last years defeat and last gasp equalizer. We also have Stokes physical style, they will get amongst us and make us really work for this. Milner has a fresh test in his adopted midfield role and he will get a very thorough physical test. Can see Stoke attracting quite a few bookings in this one and the chances of injuries are going to high for both teams, fingers crossed its not a major player (please not Milner)

2-2 draw with them scoring first and a sending off as well. Just off out the door to put the lottery on. UTV :winkold:

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I'm a bit nervous about this game - as always, when you've supported Villa for as long as I have! Just have a feeling Delph will make a contribution today, don't know why but I'll be back on here crowing if I'm right!

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