Ratings and reactions: Stoke 0-0 Villa

[TRO]

Quick mention for Fonz who did really well when he came on

I fully agree with your point about the overall performance but I think he got caught offside a bit lazily on occasions and got knocked off the ball too easily at times too. He did have a great chance to get us the 3 points though.

Fully disagree with the Fonz doing well. If you were to watch the second half again and pretend he was Heskey there would be uproar on this site. He missed the chance, should have gambled earlier and he wouldnt have arrived on the slide.

At one point Gabby was next to him with the ball, and instead of the Fonz pulling out wide he ran towards the ball, gabby had to chase his own pass into the acres of space on the wing.

Also he generally didnt look as if he knew how to play up front. Maybe its just laziness - something Fonz has been criticised before unfortunatly

Think Bannan/Ireland would have been a better option

UTV

I'm with you on this...Fonz looked like he had no idea where to run, at one stage Gabby give him such a look of disgust.

[JulieB]

I thought there were alot of positives from last night's game. Boring but then it always is against that lot, refuse to go.

Says it all when you see the lines from their Europa league games and this horrible so called football club reduce the size of the pitch to give them a better chance from set pieces.

Anyone who went has my utmost respect. Coldest, windiest ground I've ever been to, so I'm glad I watched it on TV in the warm.

Last two games against Arsenal & Stoke much improved IMHO. N'Zogbia is looking much more lively thank goodness, just needs

a goal or two to get his confidence back.

Considering all the injuries not as bad as people are making out and what's more this time last year we were bottom of the PL.

[CI]

Bottom ?? I dont think so

[AValon]

Reasonable draw, considering most were expecting to drop all three at one of our bugbear away grounds.

Guzan grew in confidence as the game went on (which tbh I doubted he would do) and it was good to see Cuellar back doing what he does best. N'Zogbia shows flashes of what he can do and I honestly believe he feels more of a team player now. Definite match winner on his day, but we need him to step it right up. As for the rest it was pretty average with nobody really having much idea when it came to creating and I think the boy Delfouneso won't ever be more than a decent championship player. Sell him on maybe in Jan?

The one thing I will say is that last nights game was exactly how you would expect us to play under the ginger one. But, while he sets his sides up to contain the opposition, he seems totally inept at any invention when play approaches the final third of the pitch. He has totally eradicated any threat our forward line carried and you can expect to see a lot more of the same. I don't for one minute think we'll go down, but by the same margin if you want your insomnia curing.....

[keefa3011]

He hasn't cured Charlie boy yet!

[VillaAndLoyal]

Not as shiit as i imagined pre-kick of mainly due to Stoke being a bag of sail on the mayonnaise sea. But it was still pretty shiit. Bannan should be playing really I know he's no Ashley Young but he's still our most creative player. Thought Petrov (apart from his usual shyte shooting) and Herd done well in midfield.

McCack will no doubt be delighted with his favourite score-line.

That's funny, I thought Herd was pretty anonymous all night.

You'll be trying to argue Bent played better than Gabby next.

[flamingsombrero]

From what I saw we battled and generally looked more competitive while still failing to create good quality chances or achieve a period of sustained pressure. I genuinely fell asleep after about 35mins of this "football" match so can't say any more than that on the game.