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Post by Trouserdog on Feb 25, 2010 21:21:08 GMT
Come on, admit it, we ALL thought he was, at best, a mediocre player who we paid well over the odds for, and at worst a bag of festering pigs' turds. I was always more in the former camp than the latter, but I really did think we'd been ripped off, and would have had Deano well behind Rory and Whelan in the pecking order.
To be honest, I still think this was a valid viewpoint-for the first couple of months here, he never seemed to get involved in games other than chasing back without ever really getting stuck in. Entire games went by without me even noticing the bloke was on the pitch, and if Deano had grown a porn star tache and permed his hair a bit he could have passed for a modern day Tony Henry, such was the limited influence he was having on games.
When did it change? Why did it change? Thank God it did change!
Because now we've got a real box-to-box midfielder, who not only tracks back, wins the ball and does all the dirty jobs, he also gets forward and involves himself in our attacking play.
Not only that but it seems he can do a more-than-satisfactory job at right back as well. What a man!
To be honest I can't remember a more dramatic improvement in any Stoke player in such a short-space of time. One of the first names on the team sheet for me, and very well done for proving so many of us wrong Deano.
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Post by thenewstokielad on Feb 25, 2010 21:24:35 GMT
we love you deano we love you deano deano we love you
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Post by LL Cool Dave on Feb 25, 2010 21:25:34 GMT
Best player by far last night.
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Post by jezzascfc on Feb 25, 2010 21:25:42 GMT
It's called getting "Stoke fit". ;D
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Post by bayernoatcake on Feb 25, 2010 21:28:23 GMT
Blackburn away is where it changed. He seemed to have more freedom in his play. And since then he has become a vital member of the side.
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Post by victoriaboothenboy on Feb 25, 2010 21:28:28 GMT
Firstly he learned the culture of Stoke City and its manager - not easy (ask Kitson and Tuncay)
Secondly he has worked bloody hard to get a foothold in the team , I bet hes appreciated by his team mates
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Post by bunnyscfc on Feb 25, 2010 21:29:07 GMT
the best FOOTBALLER on the park last night. Some of his balls into the front two were of a class not seen from a Stoke full back in years.
If only his ex-Mackem teammmate the other side of the pitch was to look across and learn how to play full back.
Sigh.
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Post by Cupid Stunt on Feb 25, 2010 21:29:40 GMT
I'm getting the home shirt on Saturday, and I think he's going on the back of it ;D  |
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Post by pea_tear_griffin on Feb 25, 2010 21:30:13 GMT
Alchemy.
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Post by robwahlmann on Feb 25, 2010 21:31:32 GMT
Another bargain because of TP! ;D
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Post by ParaPsych on Feb 25, 2010 21:31:43 GMT
Fitness?
Confidence?
A better understanding of the tactics?
Falling in unrequited love with Mama and trying his damdest to get noticed more. Mama prefers Fuller.
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Post by jorgieporgy on Feb 25, 2010 21:31:46 GMT
Good points - eloquently made as usual
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Post by terrorofturfmoor on Feb 25, 2010 21:31:49 GMT
Best player by far last night. Wouldn't say "By far" dave, Whelan for me was also immense, that run and pass he made for Tuncay was awesome!!! |
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Post by chamberlain on Feb 25, 2010 21:34:18 GMT
had a great game against bellamy
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Post by french toast on Feb 25, 2010 21:34:31 GMT
no not everyone thought he was shiite, it takes time to settle in a new team with different players, some of you phw's need to realise that
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Post by gibby1409 on Feb 25, 2010 21:34:42 GMT
Re-Wind a couple of years guys, and we were calling Rory "Rory Decrap" Just look at how that's worked out  We tend to judge a bit quickly us Stokies  |
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Post by jonnynico on Feb 25, 2010 21:35:51 GMT
I said he was shit but now i've had to eat my words as he has become one of our best players, well done deano.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Feb 25, 2010 21:36:22 GMT
no not everyone thought he was shiite, it takes time to settle in a new team with different players, some of you phw's need to realise that What the fuck is Collins' excuse? ;D |
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Post by ParaPsych on Feb 25, 2010 21:36:40 GMT
I does take quite a while to get used to a Pulis midfield.
It took Lawrence, Whelan, Delap and Etherington time.
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Post by jonnynico on Feb 25, 2010 21:37:57 GMT
no not everyone thought he was shiite, it takes time to settle in a new team with different players, some of you phw's need to realise that plenty on here said he was crap , both rimmers & phw's. I was one of them too. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Feb 25, 2010 21:39:47 GMT
I does take quite a while to get used to a Pulis midfield. It took Lawrence, Whelan, Delap and Etherington time. I thought Ethers slotted in fine initially but went off the boil after he got sent off at Sunderland. |
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Post by french toast on Feb 25, 2010 21:40:54 GMT
no not everyone thought he was shiite, it takes time to settle in a new team with different players, some of you phw's need to realise that What the fuck is Collins' excuse? ;D hes just the shite signing that proves the rule ;D |
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Post by wigginbird on Feb 25, 2010 21:42:29 GMT
no not everyone thought he was shiite, it takes time to settle in a new team with different players, some of you phw's need to realise that I didn't think he was shite either, what I saw was a half decent player who was being overly criticised for a few errors, with 95% of those detractors refusing to acknowledge any usefull contributions he made to the point where I thought they must have been watching a different game |
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Post by ParaPsych on Feb 25, 2010 21:42:31 GMT
I does take quite a while to get used to a Pulis midfield. It took Lawrence, Whelan, Delap and Etherington time. I thought Ethers slotted in fine initially but went off the boil after he got sent off at Sunderland. Yeah, the first 4 games were all pretty big and he'd have been keen to impress. It's possible his loss of form could have been more down to his gambling problems than fitting into the system I suppose. |
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Post by actongatestokie on Feb 25, 2010 21:44:41 GMT
How? Good old fashioned elbow grease. If at first you don't succeed... He deserves all of the accolades at present as he is our in form player by a mile for me. He covers every blade of grass, breaks up play and his confidence is growing by the second with the ball at his feet. He's also playing with far better players and under a far better manager than the other club with red and white stripes...  Blackburn away was the turning point. |
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Post by Do eet fer Paddock on Feb 25, 2010 21:46:57 GMT
He was toss to begin with, I'm sure he'd admit that himself. I said at the time Pulis must have seen summat in him, and was trying to play him into form.
And boy has it worked! The improvement became noticeable for me at Blackburn where his honest toil started earning a positive end product. My matchday pals have oft bemoaned the lack of creativity in the middle, but (wearing my natty new 'rimmer' hat) with 2 decent wingers, we can look more than creative enough with 2 from Whitehead, Diou and Delap, and that's without the excellent Whelan.
Things are looking fucking mint right now, gutted I didn't go last night but I'm being made redundant at the end of March and must watch the pennies : (
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Post by LDE76 on Feb 25, 2010 21:50:25 GMT
He owns his own refinery. You just need to phone and he'll send you your very own shit kit. Then you just need to...oh, sorry; those fucking adverts are really getting on my nerves.
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Post by Beardy200 on Feb 25, 2010 21:50:38 GMT
no not everyone thought he was shiite, it takes time to settle in a new team with different players, some of you phw's need to realise that Same here. Stuck up for him from day one which was fucking hard work with some of you lot. Always said he'd be a good, solid signing who's one of the fittest players in the league and very consistent. No world beater but puts in a solid performance practically every week. Now you fickle buggers have gone so far the other way i'm finding myself calming down the same people who think he's the best thing since sliced bread. ;D |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Feb 25, 2010 21:56:48 GMT
I don't think it is fickle. It is just mirroring how he has done on the pitch. He was totally wank and things needed to change and they did. I won't criticise someone who is playing well and deserves better. I don't think he's the best but the turnaround from the anonymous halfwit who would touch the ball 5 times a game to the player we see now who is everywhere but is actually stamping his authority on the game is immense.
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Post by Beardy200 on Feb 25, 2010 21:58:39 GMT
I don't think it is fickle. It is just mirroring how he has done on the pitch. He was totally wank and things needed to change and they did. I won't criticise someone who is playing well and deserves better. I don't think he's the best but the turnaround from the anonymous halfwit who would touch the ball 5 times a game to the player we see now who is everywhere but is actually stamping his authority on the game is immense. Swap fickle for extremist then. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground on here. ;D |
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We tend to judge a bit quickly us Stokies 
