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Darren Bent nodded in a mirror image of his Upton Park goal shortly before half time to cancel out Kenwyne Jones’ 20th minute header, unsurprisingly from a Rory Delap long throw, in a game that’s unlikely to be released on DVD any time soon.
Bent’s goal just about provided the only glimmer of class from a Villa side that were pedestrian for most of the match. Credit must be given to the visitors for pressing and harrying well before they scored, but Villa’s response was mostly extremely predictable and laboured.
Stoke came and did what we would expect. Rory Delap threw the ball a long way, eventually it yielded a goal when Jones easily beat Richard Dunne in the air and then they retreated. That’s okay, there are no points for artistic impression. It’s up to us find a way to beat them and we were the home side. No complaints.
And today was one of those days where nothing really clicked. Aside from the goal moment, I can’t think of anyone who really stood out in claret and blue. It was quite simply one of those atrocious games of football that are better forgotten.
We remain unbeaten though, another point closer to absolute safety. None of the other results really gave us anything to be concerned about. I heard Liverpool got a rather tasty result and the Anfield crowd paid tribute to Gerard Houllier as well. Which is a nice touch.
Otherwise, what else is there to say at this stage? A point’s a point, four games left, on to the next one.
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8 Comments to “Aston Villa 1 Stoke City 1: An ugly point, but still unbeaten”
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Nuff said… Where’s Reg A Pratt when u need him?
shit game,shit team shit opponents ,shit season
Yes, shocking game and I agree with your assessment that no one stood out.
Many seem to think Luke was MOTM, but I’d go with Friedel for a couple of cracking saves or Bent for his superb movement for the goal.
The thing that I find worrying is that quite a few thought it was a good point!
Do me a favour.
A draw to Stoke at home is never a good point imo, even though they play with a game plan that is pretty sucessful.
That was their first away point in 4 months!
Roll on the end of an extremely disappointing season and a change of manager, albeit in unfortunate circumstances.
What happened with downing when he got subbed off??? Apparently he had a bit of a strop, unlike him…and a strange sub anyway. Any info people???
personally i think the swap should have been Albie for Haskey, with Ash slipping into the middle and Ablie on the left. Width was working for us, but we also needed someone to get sure up the attack in the middle. We had a lot of space, but we didnt really use it
I never heard/saw that Sami, so can’t comment.
Fwiw, I’d have subbed Gabby for Heskey, as I can see why the latter started, but it wasn’t working.
Not that Heskey was poor, we just needed something different.
Whatever, I reckon GH was watching that from his bed and relayed the instruction.
I hope its all just rumours and downing being angry was about his own performance rather than the sub, if it is actually true.
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7508535
i saw a quick cut shot of downing looking more than a little irritated in the dug out.
couldn’t possibly jump to any conclusions why tho.
he’d just been getting a few lumps kicked out of him before the sub, could have been that. could have been peeved with his own performance, the game itself or the actual substitution.
who knows? not really important, he’s played more mins than anyone at villa, including starting all 34 prem games and that was only the 2nd one he hasn’t finished.
he’s been quite clear about his desire to stay at villa, even if we were relegated, but that won’t stop speculation and people being hooked in by silly rumours.