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Post by mondeoman on Mar 1, 2011 10:31:16 GMT
I have watched Stoke City since the late 60s but this team plays the most God awful football I have EVER seen!! can't pass, can't retain possesion, virtually can't score especially in open play, one dimensional tactics, the list of ineptitude is endless!! Some season ticket holder pals are all saying the same thing, "I will NOT be renewing my ticket unless something SERIOUSLY changes at this club to ensure attractive football". I call upon Mr Coates to bite the bullet and do the obvious thing everyone knows should happen, PULIS OUT!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 13:27:13 GMT
But do you not agree that something HAS changed since before Christmas Paul? We are not playing exactly the same way. We have become a lot more negative and one dimensional than we were against, say, Man City or Liverpool or even Wigan in the first half of the season. We had the mindset that most games were winnable. We seem now to have lost confidence in that. The changes in personnel, up front especially, seem geared puely towards hoofing it. There is even less pace in the side as well. For me, it's not the direct play or the physicality (which I agree will never change under TP, and understandably so), but the decision to re-embrace crushing negativity that has got me worried. No Rob, I don't think there's been a fundamental change. I think possibly we're looking back on the games prior to Christmas, with slightly rose tinted glasses ... it wasn't that good. If TP hadn't fallen out with Fuller, if TP hadn't finally managed to get shot of Tuncay and if Matty and JP had both been available at the same time since the New Year, then I think things would have continued in pretty much the same vain as in the first half of the season. I think those three specific issues have had far more effect on what we're seeing now, rather than any see change in TP's game plan. As FM has said ... the very fact that he's been starting with Pugh and Wilson in the full back positions, immediately weakens any argument that the manager has/is deliberately attempting to play more negative football. As I said earlier in the thread, TP has always been and always will be a manager with extremely limited tactical ability, however it has served him well throughout his managerial career and I'll be surprised if it doesn't continue to do so. I fairly strongly disagree with you there Paul. From October until the Bolton home game, by and large, we were, for us, reasonably positive in our approach. TP was happy enough for us to press teams relatively high up the pitch and even try and kill games off. We had the likes of Ric and/or Tuncay in the team, as well as both wingers. Then, against Bolton, he went with Rory wide right for what was, we were told, a one-off tactical decision that went on for a few games. Pennant wasn't fully fit but was still considered fit enough to be an unused substitute on the bench. That we were prepared to sell Ric as well as selling Tuncay, and that we replaced Tuncay with Carew, suggests to me that TP has lost interest in anything remotely more enterprising. We are now completely, 100% reliant on set pieces, which we were not before Christmas. Even with the full back experiment, last night saw both full backs continually ping it long when possible - if we're going to do that we might as well have just played Higgy. We have always played the percentages under TP, but we are doing so markedly more now than before the January, when we had Ric in the team and we seemed happier to use a player like Tuncay more.
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Post by cousindupree on Mar 1, 2011 13:35:56 GMT
Spot on Rob...TP has ripped up his plan B whether this was by design or default who knows. But our 2 key players who I think have often been influential in us winning games up till January Fuller and Tuncay have been dumped or marginalised. The only option he has is to perm 2 from Carew/Walters and Jones. He has no choice now but to go long if Matty or Pennant are out as like last night we are down to Walters and Rory on the wings who wont get behind the defnesive and put the ball on Jones or Carew's head. If anybody isnt worried about our lack of options they should be. I just hope he can improve our defending and we grind out a few draws against the bottom teams and we limp over the line. Sorry but TP screwed up big time in the window
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Post by mcf on Mar 1, 2011 13:43:14 GMT
Yep..without Ethers, Fuller or Tuncay...you just don't get that feeling or buzz that we will create anything.
I even miss Lozza (as I thought I would) as I'm sure his delivery from open play and set pieces was better than what was on offer last night.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 13:50:13 GMT
Spot on Rob...TP has ripped up his plan B whether this was by design or default who knows. But our 2 key players who I think have often been influential in us winning games up till January Fuller and Tuncay have been dumped or marginalised. The only option he has is to perm 2 from Carew/Walters and Jones. He has no choice now but to go long if Matty or Pennant are out as like last night we are down to Walters and Rory on the wings who wont get behind the defnesive and put the ball on Jones or Carew's head. If anybody isnt worried about our lack of options they should be. I just hope he can improve our defending and we grind out a few draws against the bottom teams and we limp over the line. Sorry but TP screwed up big time in the window i was going to come on here and have a moan but you have already summed up my thoughts exactly spot on
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Post by stokebill on Mar 1, 2011 13:58:52 GMT
There was a period earlier in the season, when we had that appalling run of luck with referee's, when Pulis was very positive.
In spite of the decisions that were costing points he continued (by his standards) to be bold. Tuncay was starting away from home at Everton and Sunderland, we went toe-to-toe with two wingers at home to Man Utd, he went for it at Bolton with his substitutions. It culminated in a 3-0 away victory at WBA and the stuffing of Liverpool.
Following Blackpool he's lost his nerve and now he's completely lost his way. Whether he's attempting to edge over 40 points before "pushing on" I don't know. This run is ultimately down to tactics though and nothing else.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Mar 1, 2011 15:04:40 GMT
No Rob, I don't think there's been a fundamental change. I think possibly we're looking back on the games prior to Christmas, with slightly rose tinted glasses ... it wasn't that good. If TP hadn't fallen out with Fuller, if TP hadn't finally managed to get shot of Tuncay and if Matty and JP had both been available at the same time since the New Year, then I think things would have continued in pretty much the same vain as in the first half of the season. I think those three specific issues have had far more effect on what we're seeing now, rather than any see change in TP's game plan. As FM has said ... the very fact that he's been starting with Pugh and Wilson in the full back positions, immediately weakens any argument that the manager has/is deliberately attempting to play more negative football. As I said earlier in the thread, TP has always been and always will be a manager with extremely limited tactical ability, however it has served him well throughout his managerial career and I'll be surprised if it doesn't continue to do so. I fairly strongly disagree with you there Paul. From October until the Bolton home game, by and large, we were, for us, reasonably positive in our approach. TP was happy enough for us to press teams relatively high up the pitch and even try and kill games off. We had the likes of Ric and/or Tuncay in the team, as well as both wingers. Then, against Bolton, he went with Rory wide right for what was, we were told, a one-off tactical decision that went on for a few games. Pennant wasn't fully fit but was still considered fit enough to be an unused substitute on the bench. That we were prepared to sell Ric as well as selling Tuncay, and that we replaced Tuncay with Carew, suggests to me that TP has lost interest in anything remotely more enterprising. We are now completely, 100% reliant on set pieces, which we were not before Christmas. Even with the full back experiment, last night saw both full backs continually ping it long when possible - if we're going to do that we might as well have just played Higgy. We have always played the percentages under TP, but we are doing so markedly more now than before the January, when we had Ric in the team and we seemed happier to use a player like Tuncay more. I'm not really sure which bit you're disagreeing with Rob ... As I said earlier, I think the reason we're not playing as positively, is specifically down to us losing Tuncay and Ric and through the two wingers being pretty much unavailable at the same time. If Tuncay was still here, if TP and Ric hadn't fallen out and if Matty & JP had both been as fit as fiddles since January, then I suspect we would have been seeing quite different peformances to the ones we're currently getting. I don't think for a minute, that TP at some point thought to himself, hey for the second half of the season, I'm going to deliberately attempt to play a more one dimensional/negative brand of football until the spring - the Wilson/Pugh experiment substantiates this. What happened was ... Tuncs wanted to leave, Fuller wanted a bigger contract and the two wingers got injured. Carew became available and he (rightly) snapped him up, he chased Ba and Jerome as alternatives to Ric but ultimately failed and most people on here didn't think that Tuncay fitted into our game plan anyway. A set of circumstances have arisen, which have led to the football we're witnessing now, if the manager has dealt with those issues as well as he could have done, is a separate debate but I don't think he deliberately set out in the New Year, with the intention of playing even more one dimensional football, than that which we were already playing.
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Post by markscfc72 on Mar 1, 2011 15:23:21 GMT
spot on Paul as usual
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Post by tazi on Mar 1, 2011 15:42:57 GMT
Anti's.
Seems you were right all along, TP just aint good enough....... Blah, blah, blah, blah fucking blah..... ;D ;D
TP is god.
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Post by NassauDave on Mar 1, 2011 15:43:16 GMT
and start facing the fact they have a point! I've not been able to get to the game tonight and have had to watch the game on TV. Take away the intensity associated with being at the game in the crowd and view through the more dispassionate medium of the box and you get an idea of the criticism. We are without a shred of doubt one dimensional in the extreme and the little cameos from the few talented players we have can't conceal just how much we depend on brute force to scrap something from percentage hopefulness. You have to remember that tonight we have played one of the most inept teams in the Premier League and yet in one game they have created more danger by passing the ball to each other than we have in our last three. It isn't difficult to understand why people who aren't Stoke supporters would choose us last as the Prem team to watch. It's ugly, it's hopeful, it's brutal and it isn't getting any better than it was in our first season in this league. Good shout Mark. As much as I love Stoke, we can be bloody painful to watch. We appear to lack confidence, and TP rants at the players throughout the whole game- this can't help at all. I am concerned as West Ham are ramping up for their annual escape from relegation and look good for a cup run. We cannot continue as we have done in the last few weeks or we will be in deep shit. The next two games could make or break our season. Rant over.
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Post by sirpineapple89 on Mar 1, 2011 16:18:33 GMT
Anti's. Seems you were right all along, TP just aint good enough....... Blah, blah, blah, blah fucking blah..... ;D ;D TP is god. And here is his staunch defender. I'm not even particularly against the bloke but I'll point out when he's not doing his job properly which, quite recently, has been quite regularly. If you don't think there's an issue then fair enough but there's growing concern on here about what is going on at the moment. I don't think we'll go down but we're in poor form at the moment, right when it matters. Bury your head if you want or, alternatively, take on board what others are saying and look at it from another angle. TP is not God. I said this yesterday. He's not a genius, he's just done supberly well with Stoke City using the most simplistic tactics available to him. I can take that when we were trying to stay in the division but now we're still doing the same things as back then. We're just as one dimensional. We're over reliant on set pieces and we're still playing fucking percentages. For the dough we've spent, whether you like it or not, it isn't really good enough as a spectacle.
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Post by 6fingeredfreaks on Mar 1, 2011 16:48:57 GMT
£70 million spent and we use the tactics and play like a poor pub side. On the TV you could here Pulis screaming to the players " go on Deano/John/Matty" or who ever as they chased yet another aimless fucking hoof. I believe he is trying to prove a point, but to who and why, fuck knows. At the moment the guy is a complete tit.
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Post by tazi on Mar 1, 2011 16:51:26 GMT
Anti's. Seems you were right all along, TP just aint good enough....... Blah, blah, blah, blah fucking blah..... ;D ;D TP is god. And here is his staunch defender. I'm not even particularly against the bloke but I'll point out when he's not doing his job properly which, quite recently, has been quite regularly. If you don't think there's an issue then fair enough but there's growing concern on here about what is going on at the moment. I don't think we'll go down but we're in poor form at the moment, right when it matters. Bury your head if you want or, alternatively, take on board what others are saying and look at it from another angle. TP is not God. I said this yesterday. He's not a genius, he's just done supberly well with Stoke City using the most simplistic tactics available to him. I can take that when we were trying to stay in the division but now we're still doing the same things as back then. We're just as one dimensional. We're over reliant on set pieces and we're still playing fucking percentages. For the dough we've spent, whether you like it or not, it isn't really good enough as a spectacle. I'm very happy to be honest with you because iv'e seen both good pace and power play and knocking it straight into the mix. What needs to be remembered is that it appears Fuller isn't too happy, Tuncay has gone 'for what ever reason' and that any team would struggle losing players like that for whatever reason . In that respect then supposed hoofball is the way it'll remain until replacements can be brought in. Ok, you may ask why sell Tuncay, in which i can only assume that TP must have had his reasons and i aint about to start judging that decision, not when he works with players day in day out week in week out.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 19:09:14 GMT
I fairly strongly disagree with you there Paul. From October until the Bolton home game, by and large, we were, for us, reasonably positive in our approach. TP was happy enough for us to press teams relatively high up the pitch and even try and kill games off. We had the likes of Ric and/or Tuncay in the team, as well as both wingers. Then, against Bolton, he went with Rory wide right for what was, we were told, a one-off tactical decision that went on for a few games. Pennant wasn't fully fit but was still considered fit enough to be an unused substitute on the bench. That we were prepared to sell Ric as well as selling Tuncay, and that we replaced Tuncay with Carew, suggests to me that TP has lost interest in anything remotely more enterprising. We are now completely, 100% reliant on set pieces, which we were not before Christmas. Even with the full back experiment, last night saw both full backs continually ping it long when possible - if we're going to do that we might as well have just played Higgy. We have always played the percentages under TP, but we are doing so markedly more now than before the January, when we had Ric in the team and we seemed happier to use a player like Tuncay more. I'm not really sure which bit you're disagreeing with Rob ... As I said earlier, I think the reason we're not playing as positively, is specifically down to us losing Tuncay and Ric and through the two wingers being pretty much unavailable at the same time. If Tuncay was still here, if TP and Ric hadn't fallen out and if Matty & JP had both been as fit as fiddles since January, then I suspect we would have been seeing quite different peformances to the ones we're currently getting. I don't think for a minute, that TP at some point thought to himself, hey for the second half of the season, I'm going to deliberately attempt to play a more one dimensional/negative brand of football until the spring - the Wilson/Pugh experiment substantiates this. What happened was ... Tuncs wanted to leave, Fuller wanted a bigger contract and the two wingers got injured. Carew became available and he (rightly) snapped him up, he chased Ba and Jerome as alternatives to Ric but ultimately failed and most people on here didn't think that Tuncay fitted into our game plan anyway. A set of circumstances have arisen, which have led to the football we're witnessing now, if the manager has dealt with those issues as well as he could have done, is a separate debate but I don't think he deliberately set out in the New Year, with the intention of playing even more one dimensional football, than that which we were already playing. I agree that it is down to personnel Paul - but TP made those decisions. It is he who has opted for two big men up front, and that's how we started the season as well. Neither Tuncay nor Eidur had to be sold before they were replaced. Our substitutions are increasingly negative - the Whelan for Pennant thing has taken hold since Boxing Day, we're leaving it until ten minutes before the end to bring Ric on. It will be interesting to see how often he fields both wingers away from home when (if) they are both fit between now and the end of the season.
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Post by alster on Mar 1, 2011 20:24:59 GMT
I could have been posting like a mental man, telling you all that you're just coming round to the conclusions I've been posting for ever and a day but its killing me as much as any of you. I honestly believe that if we don't change the manager we'll just keep coming back to this same shit time and time again. You must see that by now.
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Post by AlliG on Mar 1, 2011 20:48:51 GMT
I am not sure that it was having to watch last night's game on TV made our performance look any worse than it did at the ground. On the basis that condemnation of the all round performance and lack of even our usual drive and commitment has been just about universal, I suspect you would have felt the same if you had been there. Even in the Blackpool & Fulham games there were moments when more composure, a bit of luck, a kinder bounce could have brought a goal (no matter how undeserved) to discuss in the long hours on the South Car Park. Last night was a long, quiet wait! Look on the bright side. You didn't have to get cold or stuck in one of the neverending traffic jams.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 20:51:45 GMT
I could have been posting like a mental man, telling you all that you're just coming round to the conclusions I've been posting for ever and a day but its killing me as much as any of you. I honestly believe that if we don't change the manager we'll just keep coming back to this same shit time and time again. You must see that by now. They weren't true when you were bollocking on about them though
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 21:03:51 GMT
Does there come a point where Stoke fans stop being grateful just to be in Premiership, no matter by what means? I'm already there. The Prem is the mythical 'best in the world' as it's choc-full of average sides, with 4 decent ones and 3-4 shit ones. Anyone can beat anyone. Defences leak 5 goals here and there. Perversely, it's wankness makes it 'the best'. The novelty has worn off for many and whilst you wouldn't swap it for the CCC, there comes a point where stagnation, mid table mediocrity, piss-poor football, clueless tactics, decent players stifled to the point where they could be mistaken for one you'd see on Trubshaw Cross on a Sunday, failure to find players better than we already have in key positions, & a stubborn manager who fails to see what 90% of ordinary folk do, fails to spark the imagination of some, me included. I have not used my S/T for the last 3 games. My mate couldn't give it away, on either occasion.
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Post by alster on Mar 1, 2011 21:05:07 GMT
I could have been posting like a mental man, telling you all that you're just coming round to the conclusions I've been posting for ever and a day but its killing me as much as any of you. I honestly believe that if we don't change the manager we'll just keep coming back to this same shit time and time again. You must see that by now. They weren't true when you were bollocking on about them though I'm afraid they were very true, problem was everbody was just so grateful for the promotion season they didn't want to see how limited Tony Pulis is as a football manager. His limitations were just as clear during that season as they were previously and have been since. He somehow managed to get the job done, please don't try to kid me it was done with aplomb, his limitations have now caught up with him and its time to replace him with a more suitable manager for where we're at now, no concience, no sentiment just do whats right for Stoke City. Step forward Martin O'Neil.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 21:50:49 GMT
They weren't true when you were bollocking on about them though I'm afraid they were very true, problem was everbody was just so grateful for the promotion season they didn't want to see how limited Tony Pulis is as a football manager. His limitations were just as clear during that season as they were previously and have been since. He somehow managed to get the job done, please don't try to kid me it was done with aplomb, his limitations have now caught up with him and its time to replace him with a more suitable manager for where we're at now, no concience, no sentiment just do whats right for Stoke City. Step forward Martin O'Neil. Depands what you mean by "aplomb". Before Christmas was up and down, but we at least looked more prepared to try and win games, splay both wingers, and score from open play on occasion. We've stopped doing that.
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Post by alster on Mar 1, 2011 22:00:49 GMT
I'm afraid they were very true, problem was everbody was just so grateful for the promotion season they didn't want to see how limited Tony Pulis is as a football manager. His limitations were just as clear during that season as they were previously and have been since. He somehow managed to get the job done, please don't try to kid me it was done with aplomb, his limitations have now caught up with him and its time to replace him with a more suitable manager for where we're at now, no concience, no sentiment just do whats right for Stoke City. Step forward Martin O'Neil. Depands what you mean by "aplomb". Before Christmas was up and down, but we at least looked more prepared to try and win games, splay both wingers, and score from open play on occasion. We've stopped doing that. No Rob promotion was not achieved with aplomb, once the manager realised automatic promotion was a realistic possibility he became very negative and just about stumbled across the line because no other team proved capable of putting a consistent run together. I've been clear that prior to Christmas even I was quite encouraged by our play, win lose or draw and as a result I backed off in my critisism. Since then however he's had a total brain fart and taken us way backwards. I conclude that its just his psyche and he will always revert to this dross notion of football as only he knows it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 22:11:09 GMT
Depands what you mean by "aplomb". Before Christmas was up and down, but we at least looked more prepared to try and win games, splay both wingers, and score from open play on occasion. We've stopped doing that. No Rob promotion was not achieved with aplomb, once the manager realised automatic promotion was a realistic possibility he became very negative and just about stumbled across the line because no other team proved capable of putting a consistent run together. I've been clear that prior to Christmas even I was quite encouraged by our play, win lose or draw and as a result I backed off in my critisism. Since then however he's had a total brain fart and taken us way backwards. I conclude that its just his psyche and he will always revert to this dross notion of football as only he knows it. How do you not achieve promotion with aplomb? A lot of teams have a wobble en route, we had ours and came up regardless - and as one of the top socring teams in the division. There's no way that deserves anything other than credit. Same with the first season up. Last season was ok. This season has been turbulent. Other than one good spell it's looked a lot like the manager is starting to panic, and it isn't clear why.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 22:15:41 GMT
maybe Radio Stoke should ask him 'why' ?? <perhaps not>
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Post by Paul Spencer on Mar 1, 2011 22:22:24 GMT
I'm not really sure which bit you're disagreeing with Rob ... As I said earlier, I think the reason we're not playing as positively, is specifically down to us losing Tuncay and Ric and through the two wingers being pretty much unavailable at the same time. If Tuncay was still here, if TP and Ric hadn't fallen out and if Matty & JP had both been as fit as fiddles since January, then I suspect we would have been seeing quite different peformances to the ones we're currently getting. I don't think for a minute, that TP at some point thought to himself, hey for the second half of the season, I'm going to deliberately attempt to play a more one dimensional/negative brand of football until the spring - the Wilson/Pugh experiment substantiates this. What happened was ... Tuncs wanted to leave, Fuller wanted a bigger contract and the two wingers got injured. Carew became available and he (rightly) snapped him up, he chased Ba and Jerome as alternatives to Ric but ultimately failed and most people on here didn't think that Tuncay fitted into our game plan anyway. A set of circumstances have arisen, which have led to the football we're witnessing now, if the manager has dealt with those issues as well as he could have done, is a separate debate but I don't think he deliberately set out in the New Year, with the intention of playing even more one dimensional football, than that which we were already playing. I agree that it is down to personnel Paul - but TP made those decisions. It is he who has opted for two big men up front, and that's how we started the season as well. Neither Tuncay nor Eidur had to be sold before they were replaced. Our substitutions are increasingly negative - the Whelan for Pennant thing has taken hold since Boxing Day, we're leaving it until ten minutes before the end to bring Ric on. It will be interesting to see how often he fields both wingers away from home when (if) they are both fit between now and the end of the season. If he was determined to play the second half of the season with two target men up front, then why did he chase Jerome and Ba with such vigour? He obviously attepted to replace Fuller but it didn't work out. I think it's a little unfair to include Eidur in the debate as he hadn't figured in the equation previously and there's scant evidence to suggest that he would have done in the future. As for Tuncay, he wanted to leave, he and TP never really saw eye to eye and an acceptable offer was on the table. I agree that we should have kept hold of him for the time being but it's also not difficult to see why he ultimately did move when he did. I'd suggest that we've witnessed the manager make his most radical and indeed positive substitutions (against Sunderland) only very recently. For sure. I think essentially, I disagree that TP has gone into the New Year with the absolute intention to set up more one dimensionally and/or play more negatively, if we'd landed Ba and if Matty & JP had both stayed fit, then I do wonder if we would be having this discussion?
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Post by alster on Mar 1, 2011 22:28:34 GMT
No Rob promotion was not achieved with aplomb, once the manager realised automatic promotion was a realistic possibility he became very negative and just about stumbled across the line because no other team proved capable of putting a consistent run together. I've been clear that prior to Christmas even I was quite encouraged by our play, win lose or draw and as a result I backed off in my critisism. Since then however he's had a total brain fart and taken us way backwards. I conclude that its just his psyche and he will always revert to this dross notion of football as only he knows it. How do you not achieve promotion with aplomb? A lot of teams have a wobble en route, we had ours and came up regardless - and as one of the top socring teams in the division. There's no way that deserves anything other than credit. Same with the first season up. Last season was ok. This season has been turbulent. Other than one good spell it's looked a lot like the manager is starting to panic, and it isn't clear why. Perhaps because he's got a very narrow view of the game and just keeps keeps attempting to go even further in his own direction despite evidence its not particularly effective. He's obviously not very comfortable with trying to play more football and has made the team even more reliant on hoofing than ever.
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Post by tony harrison on Mar 1, 2011 22:31:18 GMT
and start facing the fact they have a point! I've not been able to get to the game tonight and have had to watch the game on TV. Take away the intensity associated with being at the game in the crowd and view through the more dispassionate medium of the box and you get an idea of the criticism. We are without a shred of doubt one dimensional in the extreme and the little cameos from the few talented players we have can't conceal just how much we depend on brute force to scrap something from percentage hopefulness. You have to remember that tonight we have played one of the most inept teams in the Premier League and yet in one game they have created more danger by passing the ball to each other than we have in our last three. It isn't difficult to understand why people who aren't Stoke supporters would choose us last as the Prem team to watch. It's ugly, it's hopeful, it's brutal and it isn't getting any better than it was in our first season in this league. Couldn't have put it better myself, spot on mate!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 22:31:15 GMT
I am not anti Pullis- I recognise what he has done for the club.But the evolution promised hasnt happened except for we are getting worse.Last night was terrible- everything which is wrong with a Pullis side was there to see. One goal then lock down- even though ANY TEAM in Premier league will find a way to score if you sit back in the last third. In terms of entertainment what has been on offer recently is just woefull.I am very angry that we are taken for granted- that our horizons are so limited that we shouyld be happy with what we are offered.Tony is now at a cross roads- if he wins the FA cup he will be a star, I will deny I ever wrote this and will claim I never had any doubts- dont put it past him....if not Ive had enough
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 22:32:02 GMT
Jerome has played very much as a target man for Brum, albeit one with pace.
I know Tuncay wanted to go, but we were under no obligation to let him go until we'd signed a replacement. He could have been sold in the summer.
The Walters change was absolutely a positive change, but then we were losing the game. Credit to him 100% for making such a drastic and unlikely change.
Whether it was TP's intention heading into January to be more one-dimensional than ever or play more negatively, we certainly are both of those things, certainly more so than in, say November. It isn't like we have no option but to play this way.
That's what I don't understand - why we're playing like this. The decisions the manager has made have left us with fewer options.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Mar 1, 2011 22:38:54 GMT
Jerome has played very much as a target man for Brum, albeit one with pace. I know Tuncay wanted to go, but we were under no obligation to let him go until we'd signed a replacement. He could have been sold in the summer. The Walters change was absolutely a positive change, but then we were losing the game. Credit to him 100% for making such a drastic and unlikely change. Whether it was TP's intention heading into January to be more one-dimensional than ever or play more negatively, we certainly are both of those things, certainly more so than in, say November. It isn't like we have no option but to play this way. That's what I don't understand - why we're playing like this. The decisions the manager has made have left us with fewer options. I think we're playing like this, primarily because (due to their falling out) the subborn fucker wont start Ric and because Matty and JP have been/are unfit. There were plenty of independent commentators, writing articles about how shit we were to watch prior to Christmas, now we're doing the same thing (that's shit to watch) minus two (or three) players, which makes it shitter to watch. TP could see sense about Ric but there's not a whole lot he can do about the injuries to the wingers.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 22:42:43 GMT
Jerome has played very much as a target man for Brum, albeit one with pace. I know Tuncay wanted to go, but we were under no obligation to let him go until we'd signed a replacement. He could have been sold in the summer. The Walters change was absolutely a positive change, but then we were losing the game. Credit to him 100% for making such a drastic and unlikely change. Whether it was TP's intention heading into January to be more one-dimensional than ever or play more negatively, we certainly are both of those things, certainly more so than in, say November. It isn't like we have no option but to play this way. That's what I don't understand - why we're playing like this. The decisions the manager has made have left us with fewer options. I think we're playing like this, primarily because (due to their falling out) the subborn fucker wont start Ric and because Matty and JP have been/are unfit. There were plenty of independent commentators, writing articles about how shit we were to watch prior to Christmas, now we're doing the same thing (that's shit to watch) minus two (or three) players, which makes it even more shit to watch. TP could see sense about Ric but there's not a whole lot he can do about the injuries to the wingers. It's not so much the shit to watch stuff for me personally - I have no problem with us being direct and physical, as long as we play to a decent tempo and a re positive in our approach. What concerns me is the backwards step I feel we've taken in being virtually exclusively reliant on long balls and set pieces (as opposed to just being largely reliant on them) and in being more cautious as well. I'm not entirely convinced the omission of one of the wingers has been entirely motivated by fitness issues, away from home at least.
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