|
Post by Kjones9 on Feb 3, 2016 11:26:35 GMT
Yes unless you went last night you can't have a say boys. This new rule should whittle the board down to about 3000.
We bow down to your superiority mutts.
|
|
|
Post by cheadlestokie on Feb 3, 2016 11:27:10 GMT
I tend to agree with others that Bojan was showing up pretty well last night and seemed to be trying to make things happen.He just did not have the runners aound him and looked exasperted and more than one occasion.
Does anybody know the reason why he keeps getting taken off at about the hour mark?I could understand it sometimes but not in the last 3 matches at Liverpool ,Palace and ManU
|
|
|
Post by Kjones9 on Feb 3, 2016 11:28:19 GMT
Of course you can. The fact that they failed to help relieve any pressure whatsoever contributed massively to the shambles that was our performance last night. You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. So there we have it, your scapegoat. Affelay was shit. That doesn't mean Crouch and Walters weren't either because they damn well were.
|
|
|
Post by cheadlestokie on Feb 3, 2016 11:29:23 GMT
Of course you can. The fact that they failed to help relieve any pressure whatsoever contributed massively to the shambles that was our performance last night. You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. You are quite right - Afellay completely left Lingard to go beyond him to score the first but that does not take it away from the fact that Crouch and Walters were awful - only makes it worse.
|
|
|
Post by liamo on Feb 3, 2016 11:30:39 GMT
Of course you can. The fact that they failed to help relieve any pressure whatsoever contributed massively to the shambles that was our performance last night. You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. Which is why we needed and bought a player who naturally plays in that role, Afellay is an attacking player and he hasn't got that Zonz brain that tells him when to go forward and when to sit back, he's done well for a square peg but it's pretty obvious that his talents lie further up the pitch
|
|
|
Post by pavel on Feb 3, 2016 11:32:35 GMT
You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. So there we have it, your scapegoat. Affelay was shit. That doesn't mean Crouch and Walters weren't either because they damn well were. Was Affelay there to provide cover for Johnson or to hold the ball up in their half or were these duties assigned to other players, who utterly failed to carry them out!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 11:37:36 GMT
I am delighted with the potential that exists at my club, love the work that Mark Hughes has done and continues to do and wouldn't swap him for anyone, can't wait to see our new signing in action and genuinely believe that our club has many fantastic players and a trophy, so long as Hughes stays, is around the corner for us. HOWEVER, I will never ever lose the right to comment on a particular game or particular performance, be that on here or at the game itself, regardless of what certain "holier than thou" supporters say at the game. Make no mistake, we were fucking wank last night. Absolutely, mind numbingly dreadful with several players producing performances that wouldn't look out of place in Hanley park on a Sunday morning. Walters and Crouch should NEVER start in the same team and if I ever have to witness it again, I will think that Mark Hughes needs sectioning. Crouch didn't do a thing right all game and if the ball wasn't within a foot of him, he got nowhere near it. Even when it was within a foot of him, he still often got nowhere near it. Walters, well, what is to say. Offers nothing going forward and offers even less going backwards. Complete and utter shite. Having spent an extortionate amount of money to watch that shit, I reserve the right to say that a player is playing badly, dreadful, wank or whatever else that I want to say to my own mates who I'm attending the game with. If that offends certain people sitting in front of me, so be it. I didn't abuse anyone, I didn't shout obscenities, I simply commented that certain players were laughably bad in various passages of play TO MY MATES. If those same people want to applaud a centre half who is positioned on the left wing when we concede a second goal that is their prerogative. It is mine to say that it is embarrassingly bad and question just what the fuck he's playing at. In the context of last nights game of football, which I paid £ 46 to watch, that was a pile of shit by anyones standards. In the context of a football season, a defeat away at Manure matters not a jot. It will be forgotten when our new signing steam rollers Everton on Saturday and we coast to our biggest win of the season. However, last night was shit and it is everyones right to comment on how they see it! Last night proved to me how much I've changed as I have got older. I'm less hot headed than I was as a youth and I made light of the comments that were thrown in my direction despite watching the abject shit that my team were producing on the pitch. The irony of it all is that these same people who were preaching loyalty, asking if I was at Liverpool the week before and such like were the same two people I fell out with at Walsall 15 years or so ago when I had the audacity to defend Graham Kavanagh who was a rare ray of sunshine amongst the steaming pile of horse dung that we had playing for us at that time. I love Stoke City but at times, they don't half piss me off! Agree with you totally but it's stupid how people say things like 'the season is over now' - they are the people whose loyalty should be questioned. I fail to see how a season can be over 'till the last game has been played, EVERY game is an opportunity to try and progress, people who think it's over are the ones who only support when we are in with a chance of a cup.
|
|
|
Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 3, 2016 11:41:18 GMT
You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. So there we have it, your scapegoat. Affelay was shit. That doesn't mean Crouch and Walters weren't either because they damn well were. I'm not saying they weren't shit. I'm saying the two are entirely unrelated.
|
|
|
Post by Kjones9 on Feb 3, 2016 11:49:15 GMT
So there we have it, your scapegoat. Afellay was shit. That doesn't mean Crouch and Walters weren't either because they damn well were. I'm not saying they weren't shit. I'm saying the two are entirely unrelated. Unrelated to what? Our poor performance? You seem to laying all your blame at the door of Afellay for some reason (even though we're not allowed scapegoats). You've given Muniesa a by for the second one, even though he was left wing at the time of the goal, because he had no protection form midfield (no doubt Afellay again). Anyway if you didn't go you can't have an opinion, rolls says so.
|
|
|
Post by crapslinger on Feb 3, 2016 11:54:58 GMT
You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. You are quite right - Afellay completely left Lingard to go beyond him to score the first but that does not take it away from the fact that Crouch and Walters were awful - only makes it worse. The biggest issue for me is that we are still playing Walters an Crouch I the same team, I thought we are supposed to have moved on from this sort of shit did Pulis pick that team last night cause it feckin well looked like it, we are going backwards at the moment why ?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 11:59:46 GMT
I tend to agree with others that Bojan was showing up pretty well last night and seemed to be trying to make things happen.He just did not have the runners aound him and looked exasperted and more than one occasion. Does anybody know the reason why he keeps getting taken off at about the hour mark?I could understand it sometimes but not in the last 3 matches at Liverpool ,Palace and ManU I think yesterday Hughes had accepted it was game over and just gave him a rest before the Everton game.
|
|
|
Post by alster on Feb 3, 2016 12:04:14 GMT
Totally agree with Johnno. I wish we'd have got rid of Crouch, I've never like the way this or any other team play when he's in it. The fact that Walters would be my second pick for the central strikers role speaks volumes about what I think of our options in that position. Hughes is great but I don't ever want to see petty issues destroy a players career at Stoke we've seen too much of that in the past. If MBD has transgressed in a serious manner it needs to be made clear, if the manager thinks Peter Crouch is a greater goal threat or helps the way the team play he needs to have a long chat with himself before he seeks counseling.
|
|
|
Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 3, 2016 12:08:06 GMT
I'm not saying they weren't shit. I'm saying the two are entirely unrelated. Unrelated to what? Our poor performance? You seem to laying all your blame at the door of Afellay for some reason (even though we're not allowed scapegoats). You've given Muniesa a by for the second one, even though he was left wing at the time of the goal, because he had no protection form midfield (no doubt Afellay again). Anyway if you didn't go you can't have an opinion, rolls says so. Davejohnno (whose op I largely agreed with), blamed Crouch and Walters for Affelay’s defensive no show. I’m saying they’re unrelated. All three were uniquely wank without help from anyone else! The defence was poor but I would have expected more from then defensive midfielders under our threadbare circumstances. I saw Whelan having a go, Affelay decided he wouldn’t offer any support. I’m not scapegoating him but thought he had a poor game. However he may have been acting under management instructions.
|
|
|
Post by foster on Feb 3, 2016 12:12:37 GMT
Unrelated to what? Our poor performance? You seem to laying all your blame at the door of Afellay for some reason (even though we're not allowed scapegoats). You've given Muniesa a by for the second one, even though he was left wing at the time of the goal, because he had no protection form midfield (no doubt Afellay again). Anyway if you didn't go you can't have an opinion, rolls says so. Davejohnno (whose op I largely agreed with), blamed Crouch and Walters for Affelay’s defensive no show. I’m saying they’re unrelated. All three were uniquely wank without help from anyone else! The defence was poor but I would have expected more from then defensive midfielders under our threadbare circumstances. I saw Whelan having a go, Affelay decided he wouldn’t offer any support. I’m not scapegoating him but thought he had a poor game. However he may have been acting under management instructions. Whelan having a go? He barely touched the ball all game. There was literally a 10 minute spell in the first half where I genuinely thought he wasn't playing.
|
|
|
Post by Kjones9 on Feb 3, 2016 12:19:45 GMT
Unrelated to what? Our poor performance? You seem to laying all your blame at the door of Afellay for some reason (even though we're not allowed scapegoats). You've given Muniesa a by for the second one, even though he was left wing at the time of the goal, because he had no protection form midfield (no doubt Afellay again). Anyway if you didn't go you can't have an opinion, rolls says so. Davejohnno (whose op I largely agreed with), blamed Crouch and Walters for Affelay’s defensive no show. I’m saying they’re unrelated. All three were uniquely wank without help from anyone else! The defence was poor but I would have expected more from then defensive midfielders under our threadbare circumstances. I saw Whelan having a go, Affelay decided he wouldn’t offer any support. I’m not scapegoating him but thought he had a poor game. However he may have been acting under management instructions. Davejonno doesn't say such thing. If it's between the lines I think you'll have to point it out to me. He says they played shit, he then goes on to criticise a centre back for being left wing (not crouch or Walters) But seeing as though you've typed that last sentence a few times i think we have got to the crux of it.
|
|
|
Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 3, 2016 12:19:52 GMT
Davejohnno (whose op I largely agreed with), blamed Crouch and Walters for Affelay’s defensive no show. I’m saying they’re unrelated. All three were uniquely wank without help from anyone else! The defence was poor but I would have expected more from then defensive midfielders under our threadbare circumstances. I saw Whelan having a go, Affelay decided he wouldn’t offer any support. I’m not scapegoating him but thought he had a poor game. However he may have been acting under management instructions. Whelan having a go? He barely touched the ball all game. There was literally a 10 minute spell in the first half where I genuinely thought he wasn't playing. He did seem to gather the notion that defence playing behind him was a bit under strength and adjusted his mindset accordingly. Affelay decided that fact gave him license for a free attacking role!
|
|
|
Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 3, 2016 12:23:00 GMT
Davejohnno (whose op I largely agreed with), blamed Crouch and Walters for Affelay’s defensive no show. I’m saying they’re unrelated. All three were uniquely wank without help from anyone else! The defence was poor but I would have expected more from then defensive midfielders under our threadbare circumstances. I saw Whelan having a go, Affelay decided he wouldn’t offer any support. I’m not scapegoating him but thought he had a poor game. However he may have been acting under management instructions. Davejonno doesn't say such thing. If it's between the lines I think you'll have to point it out to me. He says they played shit, he then goes on to criticise a centre back for being left wing (not crouch or Walters) But seeing as though you've typed that last sentence a few times i think we have got to the crux of it. Davejohno said exactly that thing as below: Of course you can. The fact that they failed to help relieve any pressure whatsoever contributed massively to the shambles that was our performance last night. You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. I'm attempting to defend a player who completely neglected any defensive aspect of the game. Maybe Hughes thought the best way to try and protect that defence was attack but feel free to get your agendaometer out and make your usual plays.
|
|
|
Post by foster on Feb 3, 2016 12:25:03 GMT
Whelan having a go? He barely touched the ball all game. There was literally a 10 minute spell in the first half where I genuinely thought he wasn't playing. He did seem to gather the notion that defence playing behind him was a bit under strength and adjusted his mindset accordingly. Affelay decided that fact gave him license for a free attacking role! True that Afellay did no defensive work yesterday - just checked his stats and he has a zero for everything. However, Whelan's stats are piss poor for someone who's main job is to protect the back 4. (Tackles 2, Blocks 0, Headed Clearances 1, Interceptions 0, Clearances 1).
|
|
|
Post by jimmygscfc on Feb 3, 2016 12:27:44 GMT
I think Afellay and Whelan in a midfield two lacks dynamism. When he's up to speed then you'd expect Imbula to slot into a three with Arnie, Shaq and Bojan up front or for Afellay to play in the number 10 role behind Diouf or Joselu. Afellay is a flexible player but I feel we're getting overrun at times. He can play deeper in midfield, on the left or right side if we're a winger short, or behind the striker. If Whelan struggles then Cameron comes on to take over. Of course, this all relies on Hughes accepting that Crouch and Walters represent the past and are Plan C at best. I'd be staggered if Imbula started at the weekend but he may get 10 at some stage. I'd leave his debut for now and ensure he's bedded in and understands what's expected of him.
|
|
|
Post by Kjones9 on Feb 3, 2016 12:29:30 GMT
Davejonno doesn't say such thing. If it's between the lines I think you'll have to point it out to me. He says they played shit, he then goes on to criticise a centre back for being left wing (not crouch or Walters) But seeing as though you've typed that last sentence a few times i think we have got to the crux of it. Davejohno said exactly that thing as below: You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. I'm attempting to defend a player who completely neglected any defensive aspect of the game. Maybe Hughes thought the best way to try and protect that defence was attack but feel free to get your agendaometer out and make your usual plays. I'm not making any plays. All your posts today suggest you want to hang Afellay (who's been absolutely excellent this season) for what gain? Just so you can shift the blame from the other two? You bemoan (certain) players being made scapegoats, yet are trying your best to make one. THEY WERE ALL SHIT AND SHOULD ALL BE SCAPEGOATS (INCLUDING HUGHES)!!
|
|
|
Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 3, 2016 12:32:45 GMT
Davejohno said exactly that thing as below: I'm attempting to defend a player who completely neglected any defensive aspect of the game. Maybe Hughes thought the best way to try and protect that defence was attack but feel free to get your agendaometer out and make your usual plays. THEY WERE ALL SHIT AND SHOULD ALL BE SCAPEGOATS (INCLUDING HUGHES)!! Similar to something I posted last night. All 3/10 at best. No one played well, literally no one.
|
|
|
Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 3, 2016 12:34:12 GMT
He did seem to gather the notion that defence playing behind him was a bit under strength and adjusted his mindset accordingly. Affelay decided that fact gave him license for a free attacking role! True that Afellay did no defensive work yesterday - just checked his stats and he has a zero for everything. However, Whelan's stats are piss poor for someone who's main job is to protect the back 4. (Tackles 2, Blocks 0, Headed Clearances 1, Interceptions 0, Clearances 1). Yeah, one rubbish at protecting his back four, the other not bothering to protect his back four.
|
|
|
Post by johnnysoul60 on Feb 3, 2016 12:37:33 GMT
We desperately need more pace in the team hopefully this new fela will show some and maybe Diouf will get back in favour but we are painfully slow in too many games and if Arnie is off it as he was last night rarely look like scoring . Bojan is a shadow of the player we saw last season and Shaquri still blows hot and cold . We are roughly where we should be and will saty until we sort our problems out .
In the big picture its still massive progress of course but have seen our FA Cup run sacrificed (against a team well out of form and who lost again last night) for a few of last nights team to have rest and then get that level of performance is really annoying.
|
|
|
Post by foster on Feb 3, 2016 12:39:27 GMT
True that Afellay did no defensive work yesterday - just checked his stats and he has a zero for everything. However, Whelan's stats are piss poor for someone who's main job is to protect the back 4. (Tackles 2, Blocks 0, Headed Clearances 1, Interceptions 0, Clearances 1). Yeah, one rubbish at protecting his back four, the other not bothering to protect his back four. Afellay was turd, but I can't blame him for moving higher up the pitch after the shit show displayed by our attacking quartet.
|
|
|
Post by johnnysoul60 on Feb 3, 2016 12:39:43 GMT
He did seem to gather the notion that defence playing behind him was a bit under strength and adjusted his mindset accordingly. Affelay decided that fact gave him license for a free attacking role! True that Afellay did no defensive work yesterday - just checked his stats and he has a zero for everything. However, Whelan's stats are piss poor for someone who's main job is to protect the back 4. (Tackles 2, Blocks 0, Headed Clearances 1, Interceptions 0, Clearances 1). I agree with that one Im a huge fan of Whelan but cannot recall him having so little involvement in a game , he has had great games and some where he cant do anything right but always involved until last night
|
|
|
Post by davejohnno1 on Feb 3, 2016 12:45:50 GMT
I am delighted with the potential that exists at my club, love the work that Mark Hughes has done and continues to do and wouldn't swap him for anyone, can't wait to see our new signing in action and genuinely believe that our club has many fantastic players and a trophy, so long as Hughes stays, is around the corner for us. HOWEVER, I will never ever lose the right to comment on a particular game or particular performance, be that on here or at the game itself, regardless of what certain "holier than thou" supporters say at the game. Make no mistake, we were fucking wank last night. Absolutely, mind numbingly dreadful with several players producing performances that wouldn't look out of place in Hanley park on a Sunday morning. Walters and Crouch should NEVER start in the same team and if I ever have to witness it again, I will think that Mark Hughes needs sectioning. Crouch didn't do a thing right all game and if the ball wasn't within a foot of him, he got nowhere near it. Even when it was within a foot of him, he still often got nowhere near it. Walters, well, what is to say. Offers nothing going forward and offers even less going backwards. Complete and utter shite. Having spent an extortionate amount of money to watch that shit, I reserve the right to say that a player is playing badly, dreadful, wank or whatever else that I want to say to my own mates who I'm attending the game with. If that offends certain people sitting in front of me, so be it. I didn't abuse anyone, I didn't shout obscenities, I simply commented that certain players were laughably bad in various passages of play TO MY MATES. If those same people want to applaud a centre half who is positioned on the left wing when we concede a second goal that is their prerogative. It is mine to say that it is embarrassingly bad and question just what the fuck he's playing at. In the context of last nights game of football, which I paid £ 46 to watch, that was a pile of shit by anyones standards. In the context of a football season, a defeat away at Manure matters not a jot. It will be forgotten when our new signing steam rollers Everton on Saturday and we coast to our biggest win of the season. However, last night was shit and it is everyones right to comment on how they see it! Last night proved to me how much I've changed as I have got older. I'm less hot headed than I was as a youth and I made light of the comments that were thrown in my direction despite watching the abject shit that my team were producing on the pitch. The irony of it all is that these same people who were preaching loyalty, asking if I was at Liverpool the week before and such like were the same two people I fell out with at Walsall 15 years or so ago when I had the audacity to defend Graham Kavanagh who was a rare ray of sunshine amongst the steaming pile of horse dung that we had playing for us at that time. I love Stoke City but at times, they don't half piss me off! Agree with you totally but it's stupid how people say things like 'the season is over now' - they are the people whose loyalty should be questioned. Not sure I agree with you on that. For me, the cups are massive. Our chance of glory. They've gone for this season and it does have a feel of the season being over to me. 9th/10th, 12th, who really cares? The season isn't over, obviously, and there is much to play for. Looking at the League Cup and the way the FA Cup is shaping up, if we can get 7th, we should get a Europa league spot. Can we do it? Play like yesterday, Leicester and WBA and we've no chance. Play like we've done so often before, then we've every chance. In terms of the rest of our season, Saturday is a massive game.
|
|
|
Post by foster on Feb 3, 2016 12:51:33 GMT
I care where we finish in the table. An 8th place finish would be good, 7th excellent, any higher - Bogasmic.
|
|
|
Post by davejohnno1 on Feb 3, 2016 12:51:53 GMT
Of course you can. The fact that they failed to help relieve any pressure whatsoever contributed massively to the shambles that was our performance last night. You can't blame Crouch or Walters for Afellay completely neglecting his defensive duties last night. It was either the decision of the player or a direct instruction from the manager. Affelay was hopeless. His worst game since joining the club and definitely his worst since coming back into the team. His legs seemed to betray him at times. Those two were equally culpable though and were every bit as hopeless, if not worse than their colleagues. Muniesa, Crouch and Walters turned in performances, relatively speaking, as bad as anything I've seen over the years. Bad though he was, at least Affelay did some good things. I'm not sure I've ever seen Whelan play as badly as that before either. Bad day at the office though it may have been for so many, I reserve the right to say they're crap when they're crap, particularly given that our comments were being made to the people we were attending the game with as we were chatting about what was unfolding.
|
|
|
Post by reddipotter on Feb 3, 2016 12:59:24 GMT
This, and several other threads, are picking out players who are 'to blame' for last night's performance and other recent ones. Overall, most of the team has been included in this. So are we saying that most of our players have all lost form at the same time? This seems possible, but unlikely. Perhaps they are drained by the number of games. Again possible, though those who should have been fresh don't seem to be doing any better than those who have played every game. (There are questions about why the squad wasn't used until it was too late, though.) The other option that I can think of, and which is very worrying, is that the players don't know what is expected of them. Why else are some beginning to look frustrated? Since formations are chopped and changed every couple of games, it is hardly surprising.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2016 12:59:56 GMT
There is no way anyone can take any positives from that display it was awful, however that is who we are. You just knew they would score in the first half SCFC charity at it's best we always break "ducks" for teams who are struggling. I except the fact that we are consistently inconsistent I have seen it so many times before one day brilliant the next shite but thats what I love about them. They are have and will do my head in with this kind of display. I have a switch in my head that removes all memories of this kind of shite.
|
|