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Post by luke45 on Aug 31, 2012 23:30:25 GMT
The reality of this transfer window is that we've failed to add a single striker to a squad that mustered up 36 goals in 38 league games last season. I'm generally a very positive supporter, but I'm really struggling to find any encouragement from that.
Okay the distribution in central midfield has improved, but will the central midfielders be given the freedom to roam forward and support attacks and put their good distribution to good use? To me the Crouch and Walters partnership looks disjointed and non-functional, it lacks pace and mobility, and it's hard to imagine us adopting any other strike partnership between now and January is it? Even if we do manage to bring Michael Owen in, he's highly unlikely to be a regular starter is he? I just really feel we needed to add some pace and flair to our attack, someone who is willing to run the channels in the same way Fuller did.
At the very least I hope Pulis will rotate Jones, Jerome, Crouch and Walters around more between now and January and use them all a lot more than he did last season.
Oh well, onwards and upwards for Wigan tomorrow. Let's do our bit and give the lads our backing for 90 minutes.
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Post by cousindupree on Aug 31, 2012 23:36:21 GMT
The signings today have confirmed what the manager believes and has said publicly...that its the midfield that let us down last season and need to chip in with more goals. Kightly and Adam is allowed some freedom should help. But personally I'm not convinced he's right.
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Post by armitagestokie on Aug 31, 2012 23:37:46 GMT
No I can't
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Post by bostonstokie on Aug 31, 2012 23:39:13 GMT
The reality of this transfer window is that we've failed to add a single striker to a squad that mustered up 36 goals in 38 league games last season. I'm generally a very positive supporter, but I'm really struggling to find any encouragement from that. Okay the distribution in central midfield has improved, but will the central midfielders be given the freedom to roam forward and support attacks and put their good distribution to good use? To me the Crouch and Walters partnership looks disjointed and non-functional, it lacks pace and mobility, and it's hard to imagine us adopting any other strike partnership between now and January is it? Even if we do manage to bring Michael Owen in, he's highly unlikely to be a regular starter is he? I just really feel we needed to add some pace and flair to our attack, someone who is willing to run the channels in the same way Fuller did. At the very least I hope Pulis will rotate Jones, Jerome, Crouch and Walters around more between now and January and use them all a lot more than he did last season. Oh well, onwards and upwards for Wigan tomorrow. Let's do our bit and give the lads our backing for 90 minutes. You're right about the manager giving them the freedom, but I HAVE to think that swapping Whelan and Whitehead for Adam and N'Zonzi (who is defensive but has a good pass rate) has, has, has, has to lead to more goals...
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Post by thisfootballclub on Aug 31, 2012 23:42:03 GMT
If Crouch and Jerome get decent service they will both score enough goals for a mid-table position, the problem we did have is that the service almost entirely came from the flanks, the long diagonal from the defence or Rory's throw. If the wingers are off form, on a DUI charge etc then we have little to no creativity. Adam and N'zonzi (especially the former), will hopefully go someway to addressing that.
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Post by Jamo on the wing on Sept 1, 2012 0:06:46 GMT
I'm living in hope rather than expectation.
Realistically any team with Walters and Crouch (who you have to assume will both start) won't score enough goals.
My only hope is that Adam and Kightly are allowed to get into attacking positions and they both get 7 or 8 goals each.
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Post by stokemanusa on Sept 1, 2012 0:48:16 GMT
I want to see adam shoot and kightly take people on that's where we will get more goals in addition to pennant's crosses to huth and crouchy / walters.
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Post by furny88 on Sept 1, 2012 3:14:59 GMT
If Crouch and Jerome get decent service they will both score enough goals for a mid-table position, the problem we did have is that the service almost entirely came from the flanks, the long diagonal from the defence or Rory's throw. If the wingers are off form, on a DUI charge etc then we have little to no creativity. Adam and N'zonzi (especially the former), will hopefully go someway to addressing that. i agree with all that but can someone tell shawcross not to hoof it over their heads adam and n'zonzi will only br effective if they get the ball into feet
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Sept 1, 2012 6:02:58 GMT
Luke, if you were working from 6 am this morning (as usual) and still posting at 12:30 last night, don't expect me to keep prodding you awake at the Wigan game!
I think we'll score more goals this season. Yes, I'd have liked a fresh striker (with one or two of the ones we have moving on) but with our new midfield options, there should be no need for Walters to play as deeply as he has done last season. In effect we've been playing 451 with Crouch being far to isolated. Walters should not need to hang around just in front of the centre midfield. He should be able to do what he did the previous season and stay fresh enough to score a decent number of goals from open play.
Also, with Kightly in the squad, he should be able to take over as second striker on occasions to give Walters a rest.
Finally, if TP uses N'Zonzi and Adam properly (big if, I know) then Adam should be able to get far enough forward to score some goals himself - certainly more than Whelan has ever managed. And, of course, our free kicks should produce more goals than they have done in recent years with Adam taking them.
I wouldn't claim we'll score a shedload of goals but, last season, just 10 or 15 more would have given us a top half finish.
Fingers crossed I won't be eating my words. My biggest worry is that we haven't managed to move on more of our fringe players. In January, I think Coates may have to bite the bullet and either pay up a few contracts or subsidise the wages of players to tempt other clubs to sign them - we probably do that with most of the players who go out on loan anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2012 6:28:28 GMT
Will have to wait & see but if you don't shoot you don't score. Take note Whelan....
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Post by Linx on Sept 1, 2012 7:03:05 GMT
Adam will score more goals than Whelan. A stronger midfield like we now seem to have will help us to have more control over games, rather than relying on long ball breaks from a defensive strategy. The strikers we have are good enough; they have just lacked good service and have sat too isolated because of the defensive and weak midfield.
I'll bet that Crouch is really happy with TP's signings, while Walters and Jerome will be able to run on to balls rather than have to carry them all the way through hostile territory on their own. Even Jones will appreciate letting the pass of the ball do the work for him.
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Post by yogibear78 on Sept 1, 2012 7:07:14 GMT
Kenwyne Jones has to be interested to score goals for Stoke, anyone who says he is is lying. Walters has to be good enough to score goals for Stoke, anyone who says he is is lying. Cameron Jerome has to be picked to score goals for Stoke, anyone who says Pulis 'fancies' him is lying. Sidibe shouldn't be in the squad, anyone who says he should be is lying. Fuller is better than the above 3, anybody who says he isn't is lying.
wank, wank uttter utter wank.
Only Stoke would finish lowest football league goalscorers last year and fail to buy at least one striker.
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Post by You want salad on kebab boss? on Sept 1, 2012 7:08:50 GMT
More goals from midfield but don't think it's going 3s & 4s each week !
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Post by wembley4372 on Sept 1, 2012 7:09:51 GMT
Walters lacks mobility!
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Post by foster on Sept 1, 2012 7:19:02 GMT
Is not our strikers that are the problem. Its out midfield and the number of opportunities they provide the strikers in addition to how they support them when we're attacking. I think this issue has been addressed to a large extent this window.
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Post by pez75 on Sept 1, 2012 7:22:21 GMT
I may be giving TP & Co too much credit here, but I think (hope) that the absence of a new striker yesterday points towards a chance of a deal with Owen still in the offing - watch this space?
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Post by partickpotter on Sept 1, 2012 7:22:50 GMT
Adam will score more goals than Whelan. A stronger midfield like we now seem to have will help us to have more control over games, rather than relying on long ball breaks from a defensive strategy. The strikers we have are good enough; they have just lacked good service and have sat too isolated because of the defensive and weak midfield. I'll bet that Crouch is really happy with TP's signings, while Walters and Jerome will be able to run on to balls rather than have to carry them all the way through hostile territory on their own. Even Jones will appreciate letting the pass of the ball do the work for him. Agree with all of this. Central midfield is key - you can't just rely on wide men and long diagonal balls from the defenders to create chances. Playing football through the middle of the pitch is something we have not seen at Stoke for a while. It's going to be interesting to see if these signings see a change in our approach - I bloody hope so.
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Post by lawrieleslie on Sept 1, 2012 7:27:00 GMT
Is not our strikers that are the problem. Its out midfield and the number of opportunities they provide the strikers in addition to how they support them when we're attacking. I think this issue has been addressed to a large extent this window. You are right. We have some very good strikers who have been let down by poor midfield and hoofball system. Here's hoping to see a sea-change in performances.
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Post by foster on Sept 1, 2012 7:30:07 GMT
Let's say that we get more delivery in the box which is what you would expect now.
I can see Crouch, KJ, Jerome and possibly Owen banging the goals in.
At present we only create about 3 opportunities to score per match. Hopefully now we'll get that into double figures.
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Post by rubyonrails on Sept 1, 2012 9:02:15 GMT
Let's say that we get more delivery in the box which is what you would expect now. I can see Crouch, KJ, Jerome and possibly Owen banging the goals in. At present we only create about 3 opportunities to score per match. Hopefully now we'll get that into double figures. Taking corners - Adam is WEAPON
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2012 9:15:24 GMT
We have players to score the thing is can we create chances for them, if we can they will no problem. KJ in the 6yd box in the air still imo deadly we may have some CM players to do just that.
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Post by pippin44 on Sept 1, 2012 9:17:53 GMT
If Crouch and Jerome get decent service they will both score enough goals for a mid-table position, the problem we did have is that the service almost entirely came from the flanks, the long diagonal from the defence or Rory's throw. If the wingers are off form, on a DUI charge etc then we have little to no creativity. Adam and N'zonzi (especially the former), will hopefully go someway to addressing that. i agree with all that but can someone tell shawcross not to hoof it over their heads adam and n'zonzi will only br effective if they get the ball into feet Shawcross has started to pass the ball now... Did you not see that against Arsenal?
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Post by pippin44 on Sept 1, 2012 9:21:51 GMT
Kenwyne Jones has to be interested to score goals for Stoke, anyone who says he is is lying. Walters has to be good enough to score goals for Stoke, anyone who says he is is lying. Cameron Jerome has to be picked to score goals for Stoke, anyone who says Pulis 'fancies' him is lying. Sidibe shouldn't be in the squad, anyone who says he should be is lying. Fuller is better than the above 3, anybody who says he isn't is lying. wank, wank uttter utter wank. Only Stoke would finish lowest football league goalscorers last year and fail to buy at least one striker. Sidibe is never a striker Fuller was a liability The strikers we have at the club will score goals with good service. You could have had van persie in the team against arsenal and he would not have scored!
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Post by hinckpotter on Sept 1, 2012 9:23:15 GMT
We dont need strikers. Any we could possibly attract are no better than the ones we have. Its service they have been lacking and hopefully now they will get that !
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Post by pippin44 on Sept 1, 2012 9:26:18 GMT
We dont need strikers. Any we could possibly attract are no better than the ones we have. Its service they have been lacking and hopefully now they will get that ! Now that's a man with sense!!
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Post by rubyonrails on Sept 1, 2012 9:29:27 GMT
We dont need strikers. Any we could possibly attract are no better than the ones we have. Its service they have been lacking and hopefully now they will get that ! Well we'll soon find out. Personally, I think we need a fox in the box.
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Post by chiswickpotter on Sept 1, 2012 9:30:20 GMT
No question, we have completely changed our midfield. More pace from Kightly and pressure on Ethers and Pennant, more mobility from N'Zonzi and great delivery form Adam. We an now play long form midfield not defence if we have to. If Cameron and Edu are our full backs, we will have mor epace wide and surley Adam will improve our free kick and corner success rates
I would reckon at least 10 more goals
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Post by rubyonrails on Sept 1, 2012 9:31:49 GMT
No question, we have completely changed our midfield. More pace from Kightly and pressure on Ethers and Pennant, more mobility from N'Zonzi and great delivery form Adam. We an now play long form midfield not defence if we have to. If Cameron and Edu are our full backs, we will have mor epace wide and surley Adam will improve our free kick and corner success rates I would reckon at least 10 more goals Cameron wont be playing full back.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2012 9:35:59 GMT
More than one person has said over the past few weeks/ months we could have our pick of forwards in the world but if we smashed it 60yds 20foot in the air to whoever i think we would still struggle.
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Post by gibby1409 on Sept 1, 2012 9:38:11 GMT
We could have put Rooney & Van Persie up front, but without good service they won't score many.
The midfield and widemen are the key, we now have strength in depth and creativety in the middle, as well as having cover out wide (Kightley looks the pick of the three so far)
So from a chance point of view, we should make lots more opportunities, and now the onus is on the strikers to take them. Our four strikers are all good in different ways, so there should be no excuse why we can't score more goals, from what will hopefully be more opportunities.
Would have liked a proper fullback or two, but come on, does our defence look weak?
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