Can Aston Villa make it three home wins in a row? The first time in over 7 years? That would be quite an accomplishment for a team that has struggled at home this season. It was also mark an unbelievable turn off form for Paul Lamberts men. Aston Villa haven’t been the most consistent side this season but, like last year Villa’s form is starting to pick up again towards the end of the season. Aston Villa host Stoke City this weekend, so it’s 10th Vs 11th in the Premier League table. Both teams are level on points and a win for either team will see them close the gap to 9th place Newcastle.
Last time these two clubs played Stoke beat Aston Villa 2-1, Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch scored for the visitors while current injured forward Kozak scored a goal for Aston Villa. Sorensen and Peter Crouch may feature against their former teams. Peter Sorensen was Aston Villa’s keeper from 2003-2008 making over 139 appearances. Peter Crouch played for Aston Villa from 2002-2004 and made 37 appearances scoring 6 goals for Villa, he was signed for £5 million and sold for £2.5 million to Southampton. Last but not least Stephen Ireland joined Stoke on a free transfer in the January transfer market, he can’t play against Villa due to a clause in his transfer agreement but he did make 47 appearances for Villa and scored 1 goal against Chelsea.
Team News:
Ryan Bertrand is available again following inability due to loan from Chelsea. El Ahmadi is fit, despite a shin injury and Agbonlahor has also recovered from a calf injury.
Assaidi could make his comeback from injury this weekend. Erik Pieters is a doubt and will be assessed prior to the game. Robert Huth is out for the remainder of the season while Charlie Adam and Jon Wallters remain suspended. Ireland is unavailable due to a clause in his transfer agreement.
Match Facts:
Aston Villa have won only one of their last eight Barclays Premier League games against Stoke City, but five of the games have been draws in that run.
Aston Villa have conceded the most in total (8) and the highest proportion (21%) of goals in the opening 15 minutes of PL matches this season.
Stoke have lost just one of their last seven Premier League matches (W3 D3 L1) and that was away at Manchester City
Stoke have won none of their last 13 Premier League away games (W0 D4 L9) and have failed to score in six of their last nine on the road.
Stoke have already completed more passes this season (8674) than in any of their previous five Premier League campaigns, with eight games still remaining.
Predicted Lineups:
Guzan
Bacuna-Vlaar-Baker-Bennett
El Ahmadi-Westwood-Delph
Weimann-Benteke-Albrighton
Crouch
Arnautovic-Assaidi-Odemwingie
N’Zonzi-Whelan
Muniesa-Wilson-Shawcross-Cameron
Begovic
Match Prediction:
Aston Villa 2-0 Stoke City
I have a suspicious feeling that Aston Villa will lose this game. Yes, we are on form, yes our team is playing really well but I think our inconsistency will kick in again for some reason. Still there’s many reasons for other fans to remain optimistic. Our team is playing really well, there’s competition for spaces this season and I honestly believe that the likes of Weimann, El Ahmadi and even Bennett have really stepped up recently. Form and logic suggests Villa should win this, Stoke are missing quite a few influential players, but I’m not sure Villa will get that 3 home wins in a row.
Think well win 21 but it will only paper over the cracks
Think 21 goals is a bit much Oohah, but will go with 2-1 Villa 🙂 interesting time for us this will say if the team are on the up or not, come on lads you can beat Stoke, utv.
I’m going for a comfortable 2.0 to us bill
Ah, but the paper is getting thicker. hah. Like upgrading to the quality TP.
[Comment posted by our resident idiot and as per usual, adds nothing relevant to the topic, so deleted]
Badger i might of had a skin full last nite,but i can’t see what was offensive by bills post.unless my eyes are deceiveing me mate.
Do you really think that’s me Giddy?
Looks like our knob poster is back again.
Soz mate that w*****s back then.
Im going to be optimistic with this one & start showing some belief in the team.i’d say 3-1 the villa.please lads don’t let me down.utv vtid sotc coyl. 😀
3-0 for me but more important is a warning to anyone threatening Bill that I know an Irish Priest in Aston, nuff said
LOL mate. 😉
Gerry I’ve missed what was said about me, still don’t bother me, Giddy e/mail me the comment mate so I’m up to date on idiots. 🙂 Oohah hope you know that I was trying to raise a 🙂 on the site.
Your correct, badly put, I’m just interested was what I meant, been a lot on my mind just of late. I didn’t know I was so popular.
Hang on paper over the cracks, now we have two? Are you the idiot that Badger on about? Just do one.
Coffin dodger I may be but Villa fan I am , when you invest to the tune of 38 thousand pounds I think I can be classed as a Villa fan don’t you, as I’ve said do one , cannot stand cheeky kids like you. Off now to spend more £s so cannot reply till tomorrow.
Sticks and stones, paperovermycrack. I feel sorry for you if you really think that.
Aston Villa Starting XI: Guzan, Bacuna, Bertrand, Westwood, Vlaar, Baker, El Ahmadi, Delph, Benteke, Weimann, Agbonlahor
Subs: Steer, Sylla, Holt, Clark, Albrighton, Bennett, Robinson.
Stoke City Starting XI: Begovic; Pieters, Shawcross, Wilson, Cameron; Arnautovic, Palacios, Whelan, Nzonzi, Odemwingie; Crouch
Subs: Sorensen; Muniesa, Guidetti, Shea, Wilkinson, Shotton, Ward
So Bertrand straight back in then.
Good call, imo.
Lads, you might experience a bit of a delay in your comments coming up.
We’re trying something that will hopefully keep the dickhead away from the site.
Give it a go badger anything to get rid of that w****r mate.
Get In!
We actually looked class in the first couple of mins!
Fuck’s sake!
1-2
Shit defending for both.
Giddy, I don’t know what’s going on there.
Disgrace Bertrand, Westwood , baker and bacuna complete shite. We do well v top 4 which has kept us up. Against everyone else just shit how the fuck can we be 3.1 down to stoke
Are we about to break a positive record? Is the project beginning to work.? A slight change in our attacking formation has produced these results imo. When we were attacking earlier in the season we stuck to a defensive formation and this made the team look poor, the tactics look poor.
This defensive coach has been working with Bennett who was impressive against a team full of World Beaters. I am not fully convinced but my mind is altering back to Lambert. Performances and results in the last 2 games have dramatically improved. I think not playing City has also helped confidence grow. Think this game will be a tough one Stoke is full of hard working players, i banned myself from predictions because they are always so bad
we should have had a clause in irelands contract that stated that he must play against us!!
lol, yeah defo 😀
We always struggle against Stoke. Hope it’s different this time.
I think it all depends which AVFC turns up unless we have turned that corner and now will become consistent.I think we showed a lot of grit and determination against Chelskivich to keep a clean sheet and will need a lot of the same against a mid table Stoke on the same points as us.Very easy to lose this one not a “SHAY” by any chance.Be a hard fought game start slowly and we will lose…….I’m going to go 2-2 …..UTV
I really can’t see us winning three in a row either, although it’d be great if we did.
I’ll go for 1-1.
cant see anything but a win for us. no team will be bothered either way just a meaningless end of season match between 2 mid table teams with fuck all to play for.
It seems the bookies agree with you.
23/20 for the Villa and 14/5 for Stoke.
Hardly a meaningless game though as we aren’t even mathematically safe yet!
I see the Albion lost. It’s beginning to look a bit bleak for them.
But on a brighter note, the shit lost at home 🙂
Can’t see us going down Badger tbf iv never thought for one moment we’d go down mainly as we don’t get stuffed anymore and gd has been worth that extra point which always keeps our noses in front. If we lost tomorrow and 4 games after I’d still fancy us to stay up as teams below have to play each other and they are all as shit as each other
Plus we still play City away… Soooo that’s another 3 points. 😉
Only games I don’t think we have much of a chance to win is United away as they will bring out a good performance, well at least from Rooney anyways. City away and Tottenham away. That’s about it. That’s of course if we can continue said performances, which should be plausible.
Can see us getting points at city and spurs tbh but not utd
Just seen goal looked like wind changed direction if ball at last second. Shame he can’t if it in games that matter like when he plays for engkand. It was a 7 out if 10 goal not as good as Lowton last year
Eh, we were the first team to get scored on by Soldado outside of a Penalty, so I truly think they’d be too good unless Villa somehow play like against Chelsea.
All bottom 5 lost today win tomorrow and we can dance the merry dance of another prem season and our extra sky wonga Cum on mee babeeeeeeez UTV
Yep we can do that already no way will we go down even of we lost 6.0 tomorrow. Mission accomplished by Lerner another year safe without having to spend fuck whilst raking in sky money hand over fist. Thanks Randy can’t wait for another season of mid table mediocraty.
Fear, they will frustrate us so I go for a 0:0. Hopefully, we will destroy them.
If fine we win, raining throughout we lose, a mixture = draw.
aston villa will go 442 attacking with albrighton supplying benteke and weimann. we will win the game, i am gonna go for 4 ~1 shackles off performance
We always struggle against Stoke, I’d love to see us win, but my head tells me 1-1 or 2-2. A win would show real signes of encouragement for me and will really mark some meaningful improvement since last season.
utv
I think if we finish 10th this season then it’s better than last by far so an improvement.Lets say then we improve again who’s to say we won’t?….UTV
Yep we might get to the giddy heights of 8th or 9th but will still be about 40 points of a CL place. It’s a joke
Why is it a joke that would be even better progress considering the points gab from 8th to 10th
Bookies & Lawro have us down for a home win interesting I really hope we give em a pasting to a right good thumping fuckin love that I would…..UTV..
Media is a joke. They are all kissing Rooneys arse for today’s goal when Delph got hardly any mention last week. Credit is given depending on the name and team not on merit! Petrovs goal vs Derby was better than Rooneys today!!!
Agree just like rvps goal v us last season media all having a wank over it when lowtons v stoke was much better technique and he’s a full bk. fucked of with the media and their bias towards sky 4 teams it’s beyond a joke
Agreed. Terrible keeping, think the wind also took it so the keeper was way out to begin with. It was a great shot but the technique compared to Beckham’s that the media are comparing it too is ridiculous.
Wasn’t as good as Yaya’s 3rd goal either. A great hit.
Fickin London media get in my tits they will be all at hone now wanking over it. Iv not seen goal yet mind but can’t imagine it was any better than Petrovs
Ha ha good one !
I will agree with that ATM as we have shown signs of struggle but are becoming a good team.But for papering over your crack I think that can do one lol woodchip I think
Aston Villa Starting XI: Guzan, Bacuna, Bertrand, Westwood, Vlaar, Baker, El Ahmadi, Delph, Benteke, Weimann, Agbonlahor
Subs: Steer, Sylla, Holt, Clark, Albrighton, Bennett, Robinson.
Stoke City Starting XI: Begovic; Pieters, Shawcross, Wilson, Cameron; Arnautovic, Palacios, Whelan, Nzonzi, Odemwingie; Crouch
Subs: Sorensen; Muniesa, Guidetti, Shea, Wilkinson, Shotton, Ward
Lads, you might experience a bit of a delay in your comments coming up.
We’re trying something that will hopefully keep the dickhead away from the site.
much like adam in the article ive got a sneaky suspicion we wont get a win today, it goes against current form but its just a feeling.
obviously id be very happy with a win and think it would be a huge achievement considering the season so far, our record against the top shows we have the ability, on occasions though we don’t have the confidence. sometimes we look like 2 different teams y’know, how can the team that beat Chelsea, arsenal and man city go and lose to Fulham?
unfortunately working at 4 today! :/
will have to rely on checking my phone and motd tonight.
UTV
Get In!
We actually looked class in the first couple of mins!
Im not going to get carried away but so far so good,supposidly theres alot of empty seats.coyl
Badger the comments are up the page mate not going where they should do.is that one of the problems that will happen?