What's new

Aston Villa (H): Stoof's Shout

Stoof

THERE IS A PIGEON IN MY BANK ACCOUNT
Staff
Jun 5, 2004
32,219
64,273
stoof2.jpg


"Should I go to the Villa game?" I ask one of my colleagues who probably knows less about football than your average hole-punch. "Yes" she said. So I did. I now hate her.

***

I rose as John Williams' delightful, rousing tympany travelled through my ears. It's a silly ritual I have, you know, like lucky Spurs pants or never/always buying a match programme. I always stand from the moment that music kicks in, and don't sit until the game kicks off (at the very earliest; I prefer to only sit at half time breaks, but alas this isn't possible). So as everyone clapped and cheered the players being announced, I could sense a "whatthefuckisourmidfieldabout" vibe in the air. I suppose that's because some fellow Block 56er yelled "what the fuck is our midfield about".

The game kicked off as it has a wickedly horrible habit of doing these days and we were loud. That crowd was loud. It was up for an event (hopefully not quite of heart attack inducing proportions as last time around) of fantastic football. And then we were 1-0 down.

It's all still a bit of a blur to me – and I've refused myself the opportunity of watching their goals again on the ol' V+ box. But it seemed like Carew got a little flick back that instantly fooled every single person a Spurs shirt, including the crowd, and watched as Nigel Mediocre surprisingly tapped in past HG. This wiped out the "loud". A collective sigh, pockets of "same old Spurs" and the odd attempt to encourage echoed around the now quiet Lane. I expect a lot of you experienced the same thing, whether you had similar flashbacks I don't know. It's that feeling of "not again, surely?" – it's one which we've had in 75% of our games thus far, you must know it well?

Zokora had reverted to his debut season mode, a shocking occurrence since I have been championing his mopper credentials in various postings around various forums. Just to spite me no doubt, but he looked like a poor lost boy, who was scared and didn't know what to do. But to isolate him is unfair, as his poor lost boy friend Huddlestone (statistically our worst midfield pairing win-loss ratio-wise) was equally frightened and regressing by the minute. Modric looked out-of-sorts and out of place on the left hand side. Surely he just has to play in the middle?

How Gomes then managed to twist his body as he did, in spite of the village of lost boys in front him, is quite incredible. A standing ovation from the crowd was deserved, and we had our own Hero Hereulho in between the sticks. Another impressive save followed shortly after and we came into the game ever so slightly more.

Mr Pavlyuchenko, aside from his first minute touch, had been largely ineffective, unused and overawed (in my eyes) in the first half, but he burst into life and had it not been for a timely piece of defending, Freidel might have been in difficulties. Huddlestone then tested him with a fine, low bender and then did not test him with something you would see leaving my boot on a Sunday night 5-a-side pitch.

Bentley on for Zokora after the break was seemingly an inspired change of tactic, but even he was on the left. Surely he just has to play on the right, and Lennon surely has to play on the left? Shirley.

An attack saw Ashley Young stretch his legs, breeze past Dawson and fire a stoppable shot straight at Hero. As I started to move my hands together to clap another routine-but-necessary save, the ball squirmed under him and his Robbo half began. From that moment on he was bewilderingly crazy, nothing like the assured figure he cut when he was in front of the Paxton. Strange back-passes, odd kicks, and baffling decisions did nothing to enhance his reputation as our Hero.

Soon after our 2-0 self-destruction, Giovani came on and looked lively to his credit. He showed some really neat exchanges with Lennon as they cruised through Villa's backline on several occasions without necessarily dealing any great blows. After build-up which seemed endlessly painful, sideways and backwards, the ball popped up in the air and Jenas volleyed goalwards. Great technique but surely lacking the necessary pow … "IT'S IN!". COME ON YOU SPURS. The late rally that followed was not enough. Too little, too late, Spurs. A worrying performance considering we'd just out-spirited Chelsea.

The post match cathartic pint with Mr talkshowhost and Mr Dougal consisted of "surely Ramos can see that they're all out of position" / "surely he shouldn't have sold Steed" / "surely it's your round Stoof".

And that was it. A portion of chips with an appropriate amount of burger sauce and a hastely necked pint ended my Monday Night Football adventure. For all the advice I try and dole out, maybe I should have heeded my own "not to go to midweek games". Maybe I would have been happier, or at least closer to my bed.

NEXT WEEK IN STOOF'S SHOUT: Stoof; shouting.
 

ChRiStOpHe

It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake
Dec 14, 2004
12,813
331
Not read it yet (will now), but I've got to say... what a fucking banner :-D :clap:
 

Stoof

THERE IS A PIGEON IN MY BANK ACCOUNT
Staff
Jun 5, 2004
32,219
64,273
  • Thread starter
  • Staff
  • #3
[banner by Chrissivad - who else?]
 

ChRiStOpHe

It's a piece of cake to bake a pretty cake
Dec 14, 2004
12,813
331
Well quite :)

Good shout Stoof. Pretty much sums up most peoples Monday evening :-( I still have hugely high hopes for Gomes, and I get the impression from what I've seen and read that he's the kind of strong character who will come just as strong after a mistake.
 

guate

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2005
3,270
1,486
Nice one Stoof, much prefer your comments than the match reports these days.

QUE VIVA LOS SPURS
 

NorfolkSpurs

New Member
Jul 27, 2006
38
0
Cracking write-up. Can't quite get the image of Lennon being Huddlestone's fine, low bender out of my head though.... :)
 

llamafarmer

Well-Known Member
May 4, 2004
10,775
1,055
Who drawed you stoof? Was that also Chrissivad? He's a right little artist!

Good article and kudos for getting the phrase "a fine low bender" in there.

Edit: Damn you norfolkspur!
 

Insomnia

Twisted Firestarter
Jan 18, 2006
20,199
55,543
Should have joined Dougal and had a brass at Stamford Hill,would have made you feel better for a bit
 

alextheyid

..can't smile without you...
Dec 13, 2007
1,440
2
good read..keep em coming...i definitely empathised with the loud turning quiet ever so quickly and then scattered attempts of encouragement!..

..going through it all again tonight?
 

jamesc0le

SISS:LOKO:plays/thinks/eats chicken like sissoko!
Jun 17, 2008
4,974
944
you're making today (nice sunny evening) feel like tuesday morning.:)

i hope you can get a stoof shout in as early as tomorow lunchtime,
whatever the result.. nice work
 

THX2208

Ubisoft Goes Steamworks Bye Bye; Always On DRM
Dec 6, 2006
2,921
4,774
Was at the game myself, south stand, just beside the Villa fans. The worst part of the game for me was when we had to listen to the Villa fans sing " your going down with the Baggies" The whole night was awful.
 

Wiener

SC Supporter
Jun 24, 2005
1,194
321
Good stuff despite the fact that it was an appalling evening. Even Woodgate was looking decidedly dodgy by the end. I am amazed that Jenas made no impression on you at all. I thought he was the only one who really tried to step up to the plate and wasn't completely overwhelmed by Villa's early goal.

Keep 'em coming.

COYS
 

waresy

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2004
2,421
1,569
well put that man.
i was quite excited after being able to work in london and grab a last minute ticket as well, getting to watch Spurs on the travel bill of a customer is a bonus in my eyes. Well for the first 3 minutes anyway.
Noted in another thread about someone critising the crowd. Bit hard to get really going when 4 mins in its 0-1.

hey ho... uefa cup and our setanta friends this evening
 

Real_madyidd

The best username, unless you are a fucking idiot.
Oct 25, 2004
18,792
12,448
I refuse to read stoofs opinion. He's a twat in person!
 

Geez

Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!
Admin
Oct 1, 2003
14,283
7,231
The post match cathartic pint with Mr talkshowhost and Mr Dougal consisted of "surely Ramos can see that they're all out of position" / "surely he shouldn't have sold Steed" / "surely it's your round Stoof".

Surely three wise sayings :think:

Did you go to the Poles?
 
Top