Source: Telegraph
Stoke City 0 Aston Villa 0: match report
With half an hour of this match remaining the tannoy crackled into life and one spectator was given the merry news that his wife had gone into labour. [LNB]The announcement was met with an enormous cheer, but hang on couldn't a hint of resentment be detected among the throng that this man had been given a decent excuse to leave early? [LNB] Related ArticlesPremier League actionPremier League tableTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesSport on televisionIn fairness, this match was in part ruined by the windy conditions in which it was played, the ball often appearing to have been bestowed with a life of its own. But it was also punctuated by long balls and the usual reliance on long throws which the Britannia has come to know and love. However, that most of them came from the hands of Carlos Cuellar gives some indication as to sort of stuff on show. [LNB]This time last season, a 2-2 draw with Stoke City at Villa Park did serious damage to Aston Villa's Champions League chances. There are a different set of circumstances this time around Villa have a game in hand on Tottenham and Liverpool, for starters so it would be foolish to suggest the same could happen again, but it was the manner of the performance was disappointing. [LNB]A juicy quarrel sprung up between Martin O'Neill and Arsene Wenger back in January when the Arsenal manager observed that Villa favour a 'direct' style of football. Steam came out of O'Neill's ears partly because he dislikes Wenger anyway, but mostly because he considers his side are playing the most creative football Villa fans have seen is some time. There was scant sign of it here. [LNB]An interesting comparison can be drawn between how Wenger's Arsenal approached their match against Stoke at the Britannia at the end of February, and Villa yesterday. Arsenal stuck to their principles and won 3-1, Villa fell into the trap of playing Stoke at their own game, and were poor because of it. Only a last-minute tackle from James Collins on Ricardo Fuller prevented Stoke from winning. [LNB]Villa rely on pace, but with Gabby Agbonlahor huddled in a hoodie and enormous overcoat on the bench until he was deployed in the 77th minute for John Carew, the away side lacked direction. Carew is undeniably a gifted player, but he doesn't do urgency. Emile Heskey likewise. When Agbonlahor did arrive, he was off the pace clearly his recent stomach complaint is yet to fully subside. [LNB]It was approaching 20 minutes before the first proper attempt on goal, Collins heading just wide. The wind swirling around the Britannia made life difficult, but with every chance the ball would misbehave why did the players not attempt a shot from range? Stiliyan Petrov had the right idea, forcing Thomas Sorensen into a uncertain save from 30 yards, but inexplicably it was not followed up on. [LNB]Ashley Young can usually be relied upon to produce a moment of inspiration, but the winger was subdued. Instead it was from Richard Dunne that Villa's best chance arose, but Heskey was too slow to react when the defender stayed onside and placed a perfect side-footed pass across the face of goal. [LNB]Stoke came close with an effort from Fuller in the 59th minute, and Robert Huth headed a fraction over at the death, but this was destined to be 0-0 from the start. Villa remain the only unbeaten Premier League side in 2010, but O'Neill has still not won a top-flight league match in March for ten years. Playing like this it is hard to see when that particular hoodoo will end. [LNB]
