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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:24:33 GMT
The reaction of a lot of Stoke fans to today's result has convinced me that expectations have reached unrealistic levels.
I'm by no means a happy clapper but there was not a lot wrong with our performance today, even before the sending-off. I thought we were unfortunate to be behind at half-time (we created more chances, but Walters' touch let him down once or twice, and Etherington should have done better) and the second half was pretty much all Stoke.
It's not often we create that many chances away from home; our only problem was that our finishing was not good enough. Walters especially had an off day. However, I never worry as long as we're creating the chances, which we did many times today against a newly-promoted side in front of their own fans for the first time.
I suspect the frustration may come from our lack of signings and there was definitely a sense today that a couple of impact subs could have won us the game, but I was pleased with the performance and am now really looking forward to the signings.
A happy Potter.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 16:26:53 GMT
Well said Homzy and some posters on here need a reality check imo.
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Post by Gods on Aug 21, 2011 16:28:14 GMT
Agreed. We created enough chances to win 3 games and were well worth a point and probably more.
I just think some people felt cheated when they didn't get the defeat they needed to prove their "point" whatever it was meant to be.
Never underestimate the size of people ego's.
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Post by Jamo on the wing on Aug 21, 2011 16:29:10 GMT
Just driving back and we're very happy with our second half showing and deserved equaliser.
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Post by Targaryen Stokie on Aug 21, 2011 16:29:52 GMT
Some sense, well said.
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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:30:28 GMT
Agreed. We created enough chances to win 3 games and were well worth a point and probably more. I just think some people felt cheated when they didn't get the defeat they needed to prove their "point" whatever it was meant to be. I think you're right. Many people are so frustrated by the lack of signings that they were itching to blame the defeat on Pulis. The reality is that we are small club in the Premier League doing our best to sign big players, which means we're having to wait until the end of the window. In the meantime we're getting by with a small squad, but one that is still full of quality. There was absolutely nothing wrong with today's performance. |
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Post by stokie25 on Aug 21, 2011 16:31:35 GMT
I, personally, think that the only thing people are guilty of on this board today is worrying about the rest of the season, Europe and cup games if the next 10 days don't bear fruit for us in terms of signings. Maybe people, myself included are being a bit premature but i'd rather feel a bit of a twat on the 1st September because we bolstered the squad when it looked a bit bleak than have that dread of uncertainty until January because we didn't  |
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Aug 21, 2011 16:31:57 GMT
Homzy, you obviously haven't been paying attention. A Stokie in Chicago has advised us that "it is hard supporting Stoke City right now" !! Now ponder that thought and I think you'll find you are actually depressed! ;D
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Post by Paul Spencer on Aug 21, 2011 16:32:36 GMT
I hate these type of threads.
They're so vague, they become impossible debate.
Which reactions are you talking about Homzy?
If you addressed the specific thread with which you disagree, then maybe a proper debate could be had.
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Post by chicagostokie on Aug 21, 2011 16:33:02 GMT
Based on the 2nd hald performance we definately deserved a point, and I we created more than enough chances to win the game.
However, without the sending off, I didn't see us scoring, and in the first half, some of our play was plain awful. We gave the ball away a lot, and some of the passing was ameaturish.
I don't think that is getting carried away, or high expectations. I just expect a well established Premier league team to score against a newly promoted Championship team with 10 men. The frustration is in the lack of signings and options (or lack of) on the bench.
Overall, I am happy with a point, and if we avoid defeat to WBA next weekend, and move to the Group stages of the Europa cup, I think it's an excellent start to the season (results if not performance).
Let's hope we bring in 4 or 5 this week, and then we can all breath a sigh of relief and hope for what could be a great adventure this season.
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Post by chicagostokie on Aug 21, 2011 16:33:38 GMT
Homzy, you obviously haven't been paying attention. A Stokie in Chicago has advised us that "it is hard supporting Stoke City right now" !! Now ponder that thought and I think you'll find you are actually depressed! ;D . |
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Post by RAF on Aug 21, 2011 16:33:45 GMT
I don't think it's unrealistic to think we should have had 3 points against a team we just scraped a draw with who were down to ten men. It's two points dropped and you know it.
Yes it's better than losing but 3 points were there to be had.
H
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 16:34:53 GMT
I thought we were pretty shit.
Better second half and deserved point.
I just expect more. Maybe my expectations are too high, fuck knows.
We need more players so we have more options.
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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:35:06 GMT
I hate these type of threads. They're so vague, they become impossible debate. Which reactions are you talking about Homzy? If you addressed the specific thread with which you disagree, then maybe a proper debate could be had. You do this all the time Paul! Nobody else has questioned it because they too read the numerous negative posts during and after the game. I'm not going to waste my time trawling the board looking for them because we've all read them. As have you I expect, but you make a point of disagreeing with everything I say! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 16:36:41 GMT
I don't think it's unrealistic to think we should have had 3 points against a team we just scraped a draw with who were down to ten men. It's two points dropped and you know it. Yes it's better than losing but 3 points were there to be had. H Bingo. |
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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:37:13 GMT
I don't think it's unrealistic to think we should have had 3 points against a team we just scraped a draw with who were down to ten men. It's two points dropped and you know it. Yes it's better than losing but 3 points were there to be had. H If you read my posts again you will notice I did not say it was a good result. I expect us to win games like this (although it was always going to be tough after Europe and it being their first home game), but all that let us down today was our finishing. The performance was absolutely fine. Not amazing and not perfect, but not bad at all. |
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Post by mark71 on Aug 21, 2011 16:37:40 GMT
I thought we were poor in the first half. Whitehead and whelan didnt get high enough up the pitch to support the forwards which resulted in us failing to keep possession in their final third. Walters and woodgate had poor games and it was obvious pennant wasn't fit from the first whistle.
The second half we did get forward and create chance after chance, as you've said more than weve ever done away from home. The only problem was our finishing was woeful, this was summed up by walters penalty.
I personally think weve dropped 2 points today, on the chances created we should of won comfortably.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 16:37:56 GMT
but there was not a lot wrong with our performance today apart from the fact that we were gash - Beggo apart (again) - in the first half ... Pulis blames the heat, down in Costa-Del-Delia Couldn't hit a barn door with a cow's arse in the second. (Like you say) had next to no one on the bench to change it (nor to replace Jimmy Pennant, when he finally did limp off) Passed the ball back to the goalkeeper from the penalty spot Couldn't pass wind, nevermind the ball (though that's not new is it) Were playing against a newly promoted team ... So our expectations were always going to be higher than they were against Chelski the week before (obviously that's unfair, and we should know, we've been at it for 3 seasons) For me, the first half was abject ... That was really the only bit that upset me .... I know we need signings, if we are going to have a serious go in Europe and try to better the last couple of season's in the Premier, but we should have been twice as good - even with the injuries and the jolly abroad - than we were 1st half (probably a glass half full half empty thing, if I'm honest) |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 16:38:44 GMT
The performance wasn't fine, Homzy.
Far from it.
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Post by Pugsley on Aug 21, 2011 16:40:03 GMT
I thought we were pretty shit. Better second half and deserved point. I just expect more. Maybe my expectations are too high, fuck knows. We need more players so we have more options. It's a well known fact that PAYING football supporters, ESPECIALLY Stoke City supporters, should have no expectations whatsoever. In fact any hint of having any, even the tiniest, will be clamped down upon by the Pulis Thought Police. |
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Post by hchpotter on Aug 21, 2011 16:40:27 GMT
Couldn't agree more Homzy - the match day thread comments suggest that many of our fans think that Pulis, Walters, Whelan, Whitehead, Wilson and Jones are simply not good enough for this club.
I imagine that they are just making unfair comparisons between the current team and the players from the halcyon days when we go to the FA Cup final and won matches away in Europe for the first time.
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Post by gibby1409 on Aug 21, 2011 16:40:36 GMT
I don't think it's unrealistic to think we should have had 3 points against a team we just scraped a draw with who were down to ten men. It's two points dropped and you know it. Yes it's better than losing but 3 points were there to be had. H Your right RAF, and I think that most Supporters would have a similar view. I think the point Homzy is making, is that when you read through some of posts, then one or two are getting ahead of themselves. Yes, we are improving year on year, but we need to improve massively away from home, before we can go to most Grounds "Expecting" to get something. Playing a "Newbie" in their first home game is always tough, I think Burnley stuck it up Manure not long ago, so a point isn't a bad return. I'm really looking forward to when we get the reinforcements in, then we can work out if this Season is going to be as good as we all hope it will be.!  |
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Post by RAF on Aug 21, 2011 16:41:01 GMT
I don't think it's unrealistic to think we should have had 3 points against a team we just scraped a draw with who were down to ten men. It's two points dropped and you know it. Yes it's better than losing but 3 points were there to be had. H If you read my posts again you will notice I did not say it was a good result. I expect us to win games like this (although it was always going to be tough after Europe and it being their first home game), but all that let us down today was our finishing. The performance was absolutely fine. Not amazing and not perfect, but not bad at all. And if you read my post again instead of being condescending you will find I never said that you said it was a fucking good result. I was commenting on your 'Unrealistic' line. H |
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Post by FullerMagic on Aug 21, 2011 16:41:25 GMT
I genuinely thought we were pretty close to abject until they went down to 10 men.
And God knows my expectations watching us away from home aren't particularly high to start with.
Lots of reasons for it - tiredness, players not 100% fit, playing a team well up for it, Pennant about 60% fit and then being replaced by The Inspirational One.
But, even so, it was pretty witless for an hour.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Aug 21, 2011 16:41:31 GMT
I hate these type of threads. They're so vague, they become impossible debate. Which reactions are you talking about Homzy? If you addressed the specific thread with which you disagree, then maybe a proper debate could be had. You do this all the time Paul! Nobody else has questioned it because they too read the numerous negative posts during and after the game. I'm not going to waste my time trawling the board looking for them because we've all read them. As have you I expect, but you make a point of disagreeing with everything I say! You really think I can be arsed, to single you out Homzy ... you're either paranoid, or you have got a massive ego fella. Some of the stuff people have posted this afternoon, I agree with and some of the stuff people have posted, I disagree with but I hope I've managed to respect their opinon by at least responding to it - specifically. In my humble opinon, your post is impossible to actually debate because it's so vague. |
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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:41:40 GMT
The performance wasn't fine, Homzy. Far from it. We'll agree to disagree. We were marginally the better side in the first half in my opinion, and vastly superior in the second. That, with a small squad, on the back of a game in Switzerland and against a newly-promoted team in their first home game, equates to a decent performance in my book. Someone will have to remind me of all these saves Begovic made in the first half. We should have been 2-0 up by the time they scored (a poor goal from our point of view). |
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Post by hooftastic on Aug 21, 2011 16:42:40 GMT
We are becoming villa fans
Today wasn't great but it was much better than a lot of our away performances last year when we had a better squad available.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 16:43:31 GMT
We were fucking dire first half Homzy. Absolutely fucking dire.
Fullermagic, I agree mate.
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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:43:31 GMT
You do this all the time Paul! Nobody else has questioned it because they too read the numerous negative posts during and after the game. I'm not going to waste my time trawling the board looking for them because we've all read them. As have you I expect, but you make a point of disagreeing with everything I say! You really think I can be arsed, to single you out Homzy ... you're either paranoid, or you have got a massive ego fella. Some of the stuff people have posted this afternoon, I agree with and some of the stuff people have posted, I disagree with but I hope I've managed to respect their opinon by at least responding to it - specifically. In my humble opinon, your post is impossible to actually debate because it's so vague. Plenty of others have managed to. If you do not think there have been no overly-negative posts today that's fair enough, but I'm not alone in thinking there was. |
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Post by Homzy on Aug 21, 2011 16:46:18 GMT
I genuinely thought we were pretty close to abject until they went down to 10 men. And God knows my expectations watching us away from home aren't particularly high to start with. Lots of reasons for it - tiredness, players not 100% fit, playing a team well up for it, Pennant about 60% fit and then being replaced by The Inspirational One. But, even so, it was pretty witless for an hour. I think we're usually about on the same level when it comes to judging performances so I don't know what I've seen today. But I can't change my mind - I genuinely, genuinely thought we were ok in the first half. |
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