Well That Wasn't Pretty But A Draw Is A Draw

My Maxim match summary.

We'll soon have the stats, MON reaction and then by tomorrow, the expert away match reports from Glensider.

Stoke 0-0 ASTON VILLA

Well if anyone expected that to be a pretty game, they'd have been very disappointed! Luckily I didn't, I expected a battle and that is exactly what we got.

There was plenty of effort from both sides and over the 90 minutes Stoke shaded the chances perhaps, but then we could have scored late on with a James Milner free kick beating Sorenson but also sadly beating the target and going just wide.

We need wins in the run up to the end of the season, so I wouldn't say I'd have taken a draw at the start of the game but with the bad weather conditions and the physical nature of Stoke (not a complaint against them, it is all part of the game and they also can at times pass the ball around!) we did well to hold on. The first half I'd say we were equal but the second half, as Villa so often do, apart from our defenders who were awesome throughout, we just didn't turn up, there was no outlet and apart from the occasional break, we piled way too much pressure on our defence. Luckily they held firm.

Hey ho, a draw for us away from home is a better result than a draw at home for Stoke I would guess but we really do need wins now until the end of the season, 1 point doesn't really cut mustard if we do want 4th. I'll not be banging my head against a brick wall though, I've not thought 4th was on for a while... then the opti slaps me in the face and says we can still do it.

Football? It's a funny old game.

Star Man: The whole of the defence, Carlos Cuellar was the most exposed but then he isn't a right back, Luke Young is a right back and yet MON insists on positioning him on the bench. MON is the boss.

Worst Performer: Difficult one, Emile Heskey if you are looking for shots (as he is a striker) is awful, if you look at him putting it about a bit, he isn't so bad. Still wouldn't make my team I'm afraid, no matter what people say, strikers should at least shoot, if not score.

Best Moment: Well, probably the final whistle, this game won't go down as a classic, it never was going to be a classic.

Chant of the game: The continued calls for Gabby Agbonlahor to come on, then when he was brought on, the chants for John Carew (following boo's for not bringing off Heskey) who was brought off.

Oppo Fans: Think I read somewhere they are the loudest at home in the Prem. Respect!

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