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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2014 10:20:47 GMT
Cameron was very good. Intelligent, kept the ball well, used it well. Just what we'd been missing for the first hour or so. Anyone who thinks Whelan doesn't influence games doesn't know anything about football. The first 70 minutes made it pretty clear that he does. Wilson had his usual game. Solid for the vast majority then a couple of dodgy moments where Ryan had to rescue him. I often feel that I'm watching a different game to some but freely admit that 'it could be me'. However, IMO Ryan was the defender marking Bony for the whole of the first half but there was a clear shift in the second when Wilson had (IMO) clearly been given that job. Bony had far less effect in the second half when Wilson was picking him up. Is it only me that saw that happen? It wasn't just you mate. I thought Wilson handled him brilliantly and his all round play was top drawer. He made one mistake when he misjudged the flight of the ball but Ryan was on hand to sweep up and that's what the centre half partnership is there for. If it was the other way round (Ryan misjudged and Wilson clearing up) I don't think we'd even be mentioning it. We defend as a unit. I find it hard to swallow when the lad even gets criticised for what was ultimately a successful defence of one of their attacks. How often did Wilson read the play and make vital interceptions or tackles? We don't highlight others who made mistakes that led to that happening, we just praise the player doing the job at the back. I was really impressed with his performance yesterday.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2014 11:10:44 GMT
Back to Marc Wilson for a moment, he was the highest rated player out of both sides yesterday with a score of 7.97 (Source: WhoScored.com.) I don’t know the science behind how they calculate that rating but a quick look at the stats indicates how they may have come to that conclusion.
The statistics show he made the most clearances of any Stoke player on the pitch against Swansea. He actually made double the amount of the player second on the list; Wilson making an impressive 10 in total, with Ryan next on 5. For the season as a whole, Wilson actually tops the list for most clearances per game with an average of 8.9, narrowly putting him ahead of Ryan on 8.8.
Wilson also made the most interceptions of any player on the pitch; making 5 in total with a few players behind him on 3 (Shawcross, Pieters and Adam).
When you compare him directly to Shawcross for yesterdays match, he makes almost double the contribution on those 2 stats alone (Wilson having 15 in total, Ryan having 8).
The stats back up what a few have quite rightly stated, Marc Wilson had a very good game, against a very decent team with plenty of pace and a very difficult front man with the attributes to cause most centre halves in this league quite a few problems.
At the very least, he’s done enough to retain the shirt.
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Post by metalhead on Oct 20, 2014 11:13:35 GMT
We gave Sigurdsson the freedom of the park in the first half. There was never anyone anywhere near him, luckily for us their finishing was inept. Can't understand why Hughes didn't alter things more quickly. We got that win yesterday because of their poor finishing rather than our good play. Could have been a different game if Cameron had started. We need a driving midfielder in my opinion, and he gave us that, whether he is the answer in the long run is the question. Ireland is just a reactive player, he doesn't tackle or get around the pitch with any enthusiasm. It's entirely possible that Cameron wasn't fit to play the entire 90 minutes. He's back in full-time training but that doesn't mean he can do a full 90 just yet, no matter how athletic he is. I think he has to start next week, because there's no way that Glenn will be fully fit after his knock. There's no point risking Glenn at this point knowing how important he was last season.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2014 11:16:01 GMT
I thought that Gcam got us the three points as much as anybody yesterday. Superb player to have in our squad and probably earned a start in midfield next week
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Post by Stokie Wan Kenobi on Oct 20, 2014 11:29:21 GMT
I thought Wilson had a better game, but was made to look amateur by some of the Swansea Passing.
I thought, although some players stepped up to the mark in the second half, we were fortunate to come away with the victory.
On the other hand, this we have been unfortunate on a few occasions this season already, and as (nearly) always, it levels itself out over the season.
Cameron was REALLY good yesterday when he came on.
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