We have no leaders in the team to give the guys an earful when things aren't going our way. Our results since Shawcross got injured -
Leicester 3-0 Stoke
Liverpool 0-1 Stoke (How???)
Palace 1-0 Stoke
Manchester United 3-0 Stoke
Everton 0-3 Stoke
Just awful. Today could've been a whole lot worse. Butland was our best player in that second half and he made some very important saves. Muniesa is not a centre back, he's clearly more interested in pushing forward than defending. Outmuscled by Lukaku who won every second ball today. Johnson & Wolly look even more incompetent defensively. Wolly had his worst game as a Stoke player today (yes even worse than Blackburn). Didn't do a thing right. He clearly can't hold his own when he doesn't have Ryan beside him.
Whelan has completely lost his form. Afellay needs to be dropped asap imo. He's the player who's holding us back in the centre. Just when you think we're going to attack, he flips back & passes it sideways (or back to the defenders). It's infuriating me & Hughes, who hasn't looked as pissed off today as I've ever seen him in that first half. Arnautovic needs to be dropped as well (but sadly we don't have any backup wingers, oh except for Odemwingie).
Contrary to what a lot of people think, I felt Shaqiri did fine in that first half. One of the reasons Imbula got so much space in the centre is because Martinez had 3 players man-marking Shaqiri. But he still managed to put in a couple of good crosses. 2nd half he was poor. Diouf was anonymous all game. It's just not working for him this season.
On a positive side, Imbula was impressive & so was Ireland. When is he going to be given his chance. Last 3 games, he has come from the bench and looked like our most creative player. Time to bring back false 9 next game. Bojan up front, Shaq & Arnie out wide. Ireland in the number 10 role with Whelan & Imbula behind him & hopefully with Ryan back at the centre.
