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Post by ruts66 on Dec 13, 2009 9:39:56 GMT
"Where's your famous atmosphere?", they sing, week-in week-out.
Down the toilet with the crap in our starting midfield, that's where...
3 x DM at home, ffs. Can't tackle without fouling, can't pass, can't retain the ball.
Yet he who is above criticism thinks it works so well.
The forwards are frustrated at getting nothing from them and the back four get little protection.
So, just what is the point in 'keeping it tight' when it's bleeding obvious that they're incapable.
Only one from Delap/Diao/Whitehead should start with Whelan until better options arrive (hopefully)...
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Post by lostinafrenchbar on Dec 13, 2009 9:51:08 GMT
" Only one from Delap/Diao/Whitehead should start with Whelan until better options arrive (hopefully)... Agreed. Arismendi should be given a go, he can't be worse. Somewhere near the pitch there should be a plaque with Delaps name and a golden towel hanging over it. The man himself deserves a long rest.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2009 9:52:58 GMT
We changed so much when Whelan come on and it was no coincidence that this resulted in our best prolonged play of the game. Diao and Whithead were standing on each others heels and leaving acres of space for the Wigan midfield to pass the ball around unchallenged.
As soon as Glen came on we had a man in the middle to stop that and also to move the ball into tunc's feet and not above his head where he will never cause problems. For 30 minutes we were mint in that second half and despite all of Prick Deans efforts we should really have come away the victors.
In the end I will take the point cause my heart sank when the idiot gave the penno, as soon as the taker did the stop I knew it was going to be saved...oh one more thing Mr Mrtinez 1) The penalty should never have been given - so why are you moaning about Thommo moving off his line 2) Thommo was on his line during the players run up and his delay allowed Thommo the time to step forward on the shot.
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jonnyd
Youth Player
Posts: 377
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Post by jonnyd on Dec 13, 2009 10:01:29 GMT
i thought Whitehead had a good game, steady, reliable and does what it says on the tin. Other seemed to be having off days - Ric for one, but that happens - I've read the many many typical negative posters comments pulling to shreds our own team midfield. However there is not one credible comment about who would come to stoke and do use a better job for the money we have paid.
I just feel some posters need to take a reality check - we are still mid table, have 21 points before Xmas. Already won an away game and are for sure stronger than last season (well at least on the pitch, not so sure about the performance in the stands). Thats called making progress at the club - However in reality we are not going to become a top 10 side after a season and half of top flight football, especially after a 23 or something years gap.
Just maybe we should trust in the man and chairman who got us to this position. Stand by and behind the team like we did last season, even when things don't go our way for the full 90 mins as some on here now expect!
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Post by Dingdangdoo on Dec 13, 2009 10:06:20 GMT
Diao and Rory have had their day in the Prem I am afraid. Far too pedestrian and lack ideas.....
the game changed for the better when Whelan came on
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Post by lostinafrenchbar on Dec 13, 2009 10:08:27 GMT
I reckon TP doesn't pick Whelan week in week out because he's not consistent....does nothing at all sometimes. Trouble is, Whelan's best when he's played week in week out like the end of last season where he made such a big difference.
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Post by onebollockbarry on Dec 13, 2009 10:12:49 GMT
Every team I have seen play this season no matter if they're bottom 3 or top 4 have torn us apart in midfield. We get over ran game after game and why is that?
Because we play Delap who is to slow, can't tackle, can't pass, can't shoot but does throw it far to no affect.
Because we play Diao who is to slow, makes 1 good tackle then 3 bad, always looks to get 2 yellows, also can't pass, can't shoot.
Because we play Whitehead who isn't so slow but makes sure he's never really involved in the play and when heaven forbid he looks like he's going tackle you can guarantee it's going be late and reckless, also add can't pass, can't shoot.
It amazes me that these 3 are classed as Premier League players, they would not get in any other midfield in this league and what amazes me more is that there are fans on here who seem to think they're good.
They're all a huge liability and imagine what the likes of Fuller and Tuncay could do with proper support, imagine how immense the defence would be when they had some protection, everything just piles down the right or the centre with ease as if they're not there. Yet on here I still hear they should be playing, some fans have not realised this is the Premier League and we're no longer a middle table Championship club. Every attack we have is down the left by Etherington, what does that tell you?
January SHOULD see the majority if not all of our budget spent on 2 midfielders possibly 3.
Defensive midfielder, someone who can tackle, support the defence and pick the simple pass, someone to break up the play.
Attacking midfielder, someone who can supply the forwards with some service as at the moment all they have s scraps they pick up themselves, someone with vision and a little bit of flair.
Right winger, someone with pace who can take on players and put in a mean cross
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2009 10:18:14 GMT
i thought Whitehead had a good game, steady, reliable and does what it says on the tin. Other seemed to be having off days - Ric for one, but that happens - I've read the many many typical negative posters comments pulling to shreds our own team midfield. However there is not one credible comment about who would come to stoke and do use a better job for the money we have paid. I just feel some posters need to take a reality check - we are still mid table, have 21 points before Xmas. Already won an away game and are for sure stronger than last season (well at least on the pitch, not so sure about the performance in the stands). Thats called making progress at the club - However in reality we are not going to become a top 10 side after a season and half of top flight football, especially after a 23 or something years gap. Just maybe we should trust in the man and chairman who got us to this position. Stand by and behind the team like we did last season, even when things don't go our way for the full 90 mins as some on here now expect! Gary O'Neill would do a better job. We have Glenn Whelan who does a better job. Everyones not negative, some are making constructive comments on the pitiful state of our midfield. For me the players that finished last season are still the best quartet. I don't care what people say Diao is past it and Dean Whitehead may have had his best game yesterday but he was still very average and what Pulis is making Delap look a poor player when he keeps playing him out wide.
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Post by ruts66 on Dec 13, 2009 10:23:32 GMT
"leaving acres of space for the *Wigan midfield to pass the ball around unchallenged"
(*Insert any team at the Brit this season)
Sadly, the one person who needs to register this can't...
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Post by roylandstoke on Dec 13, 2009 10:28:22 GMT
I thought Whitehead played quite well yesterday as did Salif. We were all poor for the first half hour and simply gave too many cheap fouls away, but after that we played some good football against a decent Premiership team. Please everyone try to remember there are always two Premiership teams on the field in our league games. There are no poor premiership teams. Look what the awful relegated teams from last season are doing to the Championship.
Yesterday did show that our midfield is better with Lawrence. The two in the middle need an extra outlet ball and another player to keep the side moving forward or they sit too deep and become slow to move the ball. Rory is not that outlet. If he is going to play regularly it has to be in one of the holding roles fighting for a place with Whelan, Salif and Whitehead.
As PaulSpencer has said earlier on here we the midfield looked worse in the closing stages after Ricci came off because we were even more limited in places to pass the ball after that and Wigan knew it. The best way to chase the win would have been to keep Ric on and move Tuncay to the right where Rory looked knackered.
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Post by mikeyb99 on Dec 13, 2009 10:41:11 GMT
It's still clear that our best central-midfield partnership - as has been proven - is Whelan and Delap. We've taken a whole host of steps backwards since the end of last season, in many ways, and disrupting a solid, if unspectacular, midfield combination has been one of them.
I think its going to take another 'Villa' like last season for Tone to finally realise that. There is just no room for players like Diao and Whitehead who both offer so, so, so much less than Delap and Whelan as individuals, and crucially as a partnership.
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