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Post by silverdollar on Mar 12, 2016 18:50:28 GMT
We are not very different than many other teams in the top half of the league. I am as disappointed as the next man because I thought we would win today but it seems that inconsistency is a character of many teams. I am excited by the team we can put out and expectancy levels are high and it is so frustrating when we do not perform to a good level.
The first half was agonising to watch today. Southampton showed much more urgency than us and also quality.
Despite all of this our team is heading in the right direction and I feel one more good transfer window will see us becoming realistic candidates for a top six finish.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 18:52:10 GMT
Not unless we address our complete inability to break teams down we won't. Our home record tells its own story and we are not learning.
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Post by march4 on Mar 12, 2016 18:53:03 GMT
If you put TP's away form with LMH's home form it wouldn't look very pretty.
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Mar 12, 2016 18:54:46 GMT
I am fed up of getting results against decent teams and then bottling it against teams we're competing with or should be smashing every week.
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Post by liamo on Mar 12, 2016 18:56:38 GMT
I am fed up of getting results against decent teams and then bottling it against teams we're competing with or should be smashing every week. Decent teams come at us and we benefit from an open game, any team happy to defend in numbers and try to break on us will succeed because we're as effective at breaking down a wall as a midget with a claw hammer |
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Post by oatcakesteve on Mar 12, 2016 19:01:34 GMT
I honestly thought before the game that we'd win 2-0, very disappointed in the end. We are building a very good team, nothing wrong with us fans expecting more every season. Are we as fans deluded to think we can play in Europe? It's exciting times to be a Stoke fan, but we take two steps forward and one step back it seems, frustrating.
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Post by silverdollar on Mar 12, 2016 19:01:43 GMT
Not unless we address our complete inability to break teams down we won't. Our home record tells its own story and we are not learning. Can you explain that if we have " a complete inability to break teams down" that we are in the top half of the league and we have beaten Chelsea, Man City, Man United and Liverpool this season. You need to accept that the league we play in is difficult and no one team seems capable of being consistent except Leicester and no opponent comes and lies down except for Aston Villa. |
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Post by Waggy on Mar 12, 2016 19:04:19 GMT
We are not very different than many other teams in the top half of the league. I am as disappointed as the next man because I thought we would win today but it seems that inconsistency is a character of many teams. I am excited by the team we can put out and expectancy levels are high and it is so frustrating when we do not perform to a good level. The first half was agonising to watch today. Southampton showed much more urgency than us and also quality. Despite all of this our team is heading in the right direction and I feel one more good transfer window will see us becoming realistic candidates for a top six finish. Here here |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 19:04:46 GMT
Not unless we address our complete inability to break teams down we won't. Our home record tells its own story and we are not learning. Can you explain that if we have " a complete inability to break teams down" that we are in the top half of the league and we have beaten Chelsea, Man City, Man United and Liverpool this season. You need to accept that the league we play in is difficult and no one team seems capable of being consistent except Leicester and no opponent comes and lies down except for Aston Villa. Spot on. This season seems to be far closer in terms of margins that other seasons, which could go to explain the league table. Bad first half today, better second. Hopefully we'll learn from this. |
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Post by Waggy on Mar 12, 2016 19:05:27 GMT
I am fed up of getting results against decent teams and then bottling it against teams we're competing with or should be smashing every week. I wouldnt say we should be smsshing them. |
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Post by oatcakesteve on Mar 12, 2016 19:07:31 GMT
Can you explain that if we have " a complete inability to break teams down" that we are in the top half of the league and we have beaten Chelsea, Man City, Man United and Liverpool this season. You need to accept that the league we play in is difficult and no one team seems capable of being consistent except Leicester and no opponent comes and lies down except for Aston Villa. Spot on. This season seems to be far closer in terms of margins that other seasons, which could go to explain the league table. Bad first half today, better second. Hopefully we'll learn from this.Not the first time though is it mate? So we aren't learning from it. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 12, 2016 19:08:58 GMT
We need to find a way to play at home because this season it hasn't worked on the whole.
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Post by chiefdelilah on Mar 12, 2016 19:09:17 GMT
Not unless we address our complete inability to break teams down we won't. Our home record tells its own story and we are not learning. Can you explain that if we have " a complete inability to break teams down" that we are in the top half of the league and we have beaten Chelsea, Man City, Man United and Liverpool this season. You need to accept that the league we play in is difficult and no one team seems capable of being consistent except Leicester and no opponent comes and lies down except for Aston Villa. Surely you get that it's not a coincidence that we're considerably worse at home than we are away? And that the strengths that suit our game on the road aren't present at home and we struggle to deal with that different set of challenges? We're a good side but until we address our problems breaking down teams who sit deep we won't fulfil our potential. |
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Post by stonestokie76 on Mar 12, 2016 19:10:52 GMT
I'm sorry but it is us!!. Any team that presses us high up the pitch and can effectively use the channels wins every time!!!. Palace, Everton, Watford, today just to name 4!. We have to have a plan B. Also the other big factor is that the premier league right now is all about counter attacking and that does but more pressure on the home team, this coupled with the fact that at the mo pretty much who scores the first goal in the prem goes on to win the game!.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 19:12:08 GMT
Are we as fans deluded to think we can play in Europe? It's exciting times to be a Stoke fan, but we take two steps forward and one step back it seems, frustrating. Work to do. Frustrating. Incomplete piece of work. Patchy. Unfocused. Sloppy. On our day, worldbeaters. etc |
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Post by liamo on Mar 12, 2016 19:20:13 GMT
Our problem is the 2 extremes, we are rarely just mediocre, we either put a decent performance in and everyone screams "Europa!" or we play completely shit and our frailties are pointed out
If i was in charge (and i should be) i'd play false no.9 at home with Bojan up front and i'd play Diouf and co on the counter away from home, it's far too comfortable for teams coming to the Brit, they sit back and watch us pass the ball around in front of them and then strike on the break
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Post by chuckrocky on Mar 12, 2016 19:24:33 GMT
The one disadvantage we have over pretty much every other team in the league is that we have to have to rely entirely on goals from open play because we don't bother our arses doing any work on set pieces. We also piss away points by not being able to defend set pieces. It's a massive frustration.
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Post by cobhamstokey on Mar 12, 2016 19:24:49 GMT
We are not very different than many other teams in the top half of the league. I am as disappointed as the next man because I thought we would win today but it seems that inconsistency is a character of many teams. I am excited by the team we can put out and expectancy levels are high and it is so frustrating when we do not perform to a good level. The first half was agonising to watch today. Southampton showed much more urgency than us and also quality. Despite all of this our team is heading in the right direction and I feel one more good transfer window will see us becoming realistic candidates for a top six finish. Top post. Certainly better we do it gradually like we have been than keep changing the entire first 11 like Newcastle, Sunderland and Villa seem to do every season. Right now I feel like we're very close but not quite there. We certainly need to offload a few at the end of the season and free up some wages to bring 2-3 starters in. I really don't think there's much between us and Southampton and in time I think we can catch them. Compared to where we were 3-4 years ago we're on a different planet. Sadly injuries more than anything have denied us from having a very special season. Leicester have proved this season how far a team can go with a fully fit side. For me I'd like us to start next season with something like .............Butland............. Johnson...Ryan.....Wolli.....Eric ........Imbulla....New DM........ Shaq.....Afellay or Bojan....Arni .............New Striker......... Other ins - CB, Winger, LB. Outs - Crouchy, Ireland or Adam, Odom, Wilson, Tex, Sidwell. |
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Post by johnnysoul60 on Mar 12, 2016 19:28:37 GMT
In far too many games at home we look way to slow and its as dull as anything that Pulis served up at times , just a different dull. Many teams like Southampton seem quicker and fitter than us , we certainly don't work hard enough and its a good job Arnie has had a much better season especially in terms of his finishing or we would be looking pretty sad in the goals for column . Away from home and at home when we can play on the break against teams who come at us we look much better , but often when teams let us have possession we simply don't have a clue . Hughes needs a major rethink for next season in terms of these type of matches
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smithypotter
Academy Starlet
"Damn you people, go back to your shanties".
Posts: 234 
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Post by smithypotter on Mar 12, 2016 19:28:45 GMT
We have a squad more than capable of finishing in a european place if we had a setup that could get the best out of all of our players consistently. We've had a few too many poor games at home against opposition around us in the league to just call them off days. I don't enjoy being negative but I'm not wrong in saying that we need to re-think our way of setting up against teams that press us high up the pitch. Our build up play is far too slow and predictable, and unless you have a top top class player (£30m+) to get you out of trouble every game the team plays poorly then you won't get anywhere. It hasn't helped that we haven't had a set team from the start of the season, especially with the striker situation.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 20:16:04 GMT
Our problem is the 2 extremes, we are rarely just mediocre, we either put a decent performance in and everyone screams "Europa!" or we play completely shit and our frailties are pointed out If i was in charge (and i should be) i'd play false no.9 at home with Bojan up front and i'd play Diouf and co on the counter away from home, it's far too comfortable for teams coming to the Brit, they sit back and watch us pass the ball around in front of them and then strike on the break IMO Bojan has done absolutely nothing to warrant a starting place. False 9 is complete pretentious bollocks and should be left to the likes of Spain who have the players of sufficient ability to make it work. It's just an excuse for more tippy tippy shite. |
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Post by chiefdelilah on Mar 12, 2016 20:17:49 GMT
Bojan played well I thought.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 20:18:30 GMT
We need to find a way to play at home because this season it hasn't worked on the whole. No shit Sherlock. We need to find a 30 goal a season striker and the new Messi as well but stating the blindingly obvious and making it happen are two different things |
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Post by werrington on Mar 12, 2016 20:19:58 GMT
Bojan played well I thought. He made us tick 2nd half rob |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 20:20:30 GMT
Bojan played well I thought. A few nice cameos but for me he's miles away from his best. |
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Post by chiefdelilah on Mar 12, 2016 20:21:28 GMT
Bojan played well I thought. A few nice cameos but for me he's miles away from his best. He's looked off it for months but last week and today he looked much, much better I thought. Certainly wasn't the problem today. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 20:22:47 GMT
Our problem is the 2 extremes, we are rarely just mediocre, we either put a decent performance in and everyone screams "Europa!" or we play completely shit and our frailties are pointed out If i was in charge (and i should be) i'd play false no.9 at home with Bojan up front and i'd play Diouf and co on the counter away from home, it's far too comfortable for teams coming to the Brit, they sit back and watch us pass the ball around in front of them and then strike on the break IMO Bojan has done absolutely nothing to warrant a starting place. False 9 is complete pretentious bollocks and should be left to the likes of Spain who have the players of sufficient ability to make it work. It's just an excuse for more tippy tippy shite. A very one eyed opinion. |
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Post by SneydGreenStokie on Mar 12, 2016 20:25:21 GMT
I am fed up of getting results against decent teams and then bottling it against teams we're competing with or should be smashing every week. What a stupid comment pal.. Smashing Southampton? They are a strong team whom today the got the better of us by taking their chances and we didn't take ours. They aren't a team we should be smashing. SGS |
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Post by FullerMagic on Mar 12, 2016 20:25:30 GMT
I thought Bojan looked very sharp last weekend in his little cameo at Chelsea.
Today I thought he floated about on the periphery of the game doing not very much.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 20:26:15 GMT
A few nice cameos but for me he's miles away from his best. He's looked off it for months but last week and today he looked much, much better I thought. Certainly wasn't the problem today. He's obviously not the problem but for me he had a two month purple patch last season. Prior to that he was very poor for a couple of years. You have to hope a good pre-season will sort him out. I really hope so because we need him on form. |
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