cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 3, 2018 22:43:55 GMT
'a Leeds fan in peace' The irony of it! It’s funny you should say that, cause I’ve had 3 related comments deleted on this thread already... Post away. I really dont mind. Not my first thread like this, i expect banter and such. Be a bit dull if everyone just nodded and agreed😀
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 3, 2018 22:44:57 GMT
'a Leeds fan in peace' The irony of it! I'm part of the new generation. Peaceful😂
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Post by blackpoolred on Aug 3, 2018 23:04:55 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest.
Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table
Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities.
Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment.
Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal.
At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs
Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs.
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Post by tuum on Aug 4, 2018 5:39:23 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. Bloody hell. 45pts? There are 46 games. I think you are bèing a tad pessimistic myself. We may not be great but we are not complete shite...and never in a million years have I ever thought we would do a Sunderland.
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Post by SCFC92 on Aug 4, 2018 5:59:40 GMT
Hello Stoke fans Last season i started going around our Championship rivals forums and having an old chat. Normally just before we played each other. Then the thread goes on the thread on our forum. Sooo. Just general things. Thoughts on your signings, your new manager , how do you see the season going for you and finally the game on Sunday. All responses greatly appreciated. Good luck for the season (as long as you finish below us) Hello cjay, more than happy to put my thoughts in for you. Thoughts on our new signings:Afobe - Really, REALLY pleased with this signing, he has all the attributes of a top striker at this level. If Rowett can get him firing as I believe he will, he will bang 20+ goals in for us this season. A powerful and direct striker who knows where the onion bag is. Him alongside a hopefully rejuvenated Berahino, with the back up of Crouch and Diouf, we have a strong front line up for this division. Ince - Shaqiri was never going to stay, and this is about as good a replacement for him as we could have got. In fact, for this league I believe he is better. He will do the hard miles and support the squad. Also worth adding he has an impressive track record at this level. He is coming into his prime now, I think this guy will be up there for our player of the season this year. McClean - I'm not going into the main reason he splits opinions, I will only judge his footballing ability. From what I have seen of him in the past, coupled with his pre season performance after not training properly I am actually excited by what he could bring us over the next year or two. He is direct, will get up and down the wings like a madman, and will provide the much needed grit our team was missing last year. Etebo - He looked a class above at the WC and this has shown through in the few minutes he had in pre-season also. A great engine to have in midfield and will complement our current middle of the pitch, Allen and Badou perfectly. Federici - Good back up, I will be worried if we lose Jack Butland and don't get a replacement number 1 in front of him. Williams - Again divided opinion, mainly due to his age. However this is a wake up call for our fans that we are not in the Premier League anymore. I think he will provide a solid back up / step in for our 2 main defenders, especially in this division. Our new manager:Delighted when he came to us. And this hasn't died down since. He tells it exactly how he feels. He always has time to speak to the fans and will never shy away from any media duties, which, in this day and age, is vital to keep the connection with our support. I think he will have us playing aggressive direct football, which, if there is a 'DNA' of teams out there, is EXACTLY how Stoke City should be. Season and game on Sunday:I have extremely high hopes for our season, the only true class act we lost through relegation so far is Shaqiri, and as mentioned before I believe we have replaced excellently. A lot of our fans hang themselves up over net spend and can't see the facts. We have dropped a division and the calibre of players required don't need the outlays we used to spend. A £12 Mil Striker and a £10 Mil winger are luxuries in this division and I think this will show. Our first team is extremely strong, and our back up is beginning to take shape. 1 or 2 more signings and I will be very happy with how our club has reacted to relegation. I never make predictions on league finish or games, as I always seem to jinx things. All I will say is I am a happy potter and very excited to get underway on Sunday!
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Post by jimigoodwinsbeard on Aug 4, 2018 6:03:35 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. I stopped reading after your assessment of our defence. Bauer will be one of the players of the season, he was the one shining lights in our season (Lambert playing him on right wing is still one of the worst decisions ever seen by a Stoke manager). Pieters will be fine in this league, everyone struggles against pace but Pieters is no slouch (always up there in Prem stats for quickest players). Shawcross will be ok if managed properly (and may actually get a few goals with more emphasis on set pieces). 45/46pts prediction is laughable. And i'm a glass half empty guy when it comes to Stoke!!
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Post by PotteringThrough on Aug 4, 2018 6:23:55 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs. Struggle to get 45 points, seriously? Championship: Points Needed To Stay Up Since 2005/06 2017/18 42 2016/17 51 2015/16 41 2014/15 42 2013/14 45 2012/13 55 2011/12 49 2010/11 43 2009/10 48 2008/09 47 2007/08 53 2006/07 47 We're not in that bad of a shape are we?
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Post by pyrus on Aug 4, 2018 7:25:57 GMT
The opening weekend is more about getting the season underway than really learning much about how the season is going to go. I’m glad we drew Leeds first game - A great club with a magnificent history - it makes it a good curtain raiser. As a kid, I always looked forward to the Leeds fixture. Back then you had your own invincible team under Revie (Bremner, Reaney, Lorrimer and so on) and I think we ended that run in a cup game with the team that many of us look back on as the part of our brief glory years (Banks, Pejic, Greenhoff, Ritchie, Smith, Conroy and so on).
I don’t know what to make of Leeds these days, you seem to the definitive mid-table Championship team with the occasional scrape with the play-off places and I have to apologise for knowing very little about your squad. What surprises me is that with all the investment coming into the game, I cannot understand why Leeds have not attracted that sort of money and ‘done a Bournemouth/Burnley/Wolves/Huddersfield’
We, on the other hand, sleepwalked into relegation by talking about how we had too much quality to go down ...then we did. And now we are talking about spending big to go straight back up ...but the talk has raised more expectation than our transfers have, thus far, fulfilled. And there are plenty of other clubs to act as cautionary tales, Villa being the most recent example.
The range of expectations for our season would be anywhere from 1st to 6th. I am not confident we will win, but it is possible. I will be spitting feathers if we don’t make the play-offs. The squad is largely new - so difficult to assess. As it stands.... our central defenders are prone to injury, we lack strength in depth and we have added 34 year old Ashley Williams to the roster of CDs. We have form in buying players that were great ten years ago but currently spend their time browsing Zimmer-frame catalogues -exhibits A and B: Glenn Johnson and Darren Fletcher. I worry that the rigors of the season will see Shawcross and Martins Indi injured and replaced by Williams on the decline and a young Harry Souttar. Our full backs are good - Bauer will be one of the players of this league, Pieters struggled with Hughes style of mismanagement - but he is a good player and I think he will be solid.
The midfield would grace most Premiership teams - Allen and Etobe are here for the season Ndaiye is less certain to stay, but would look very good in the Championship. Going forward we have options - Tom Ince seems like a good player (I hope he can stay away from his Dad - who seems to be his main problem). McLean I am not sure about. I live in Worcs and there are loads of Baggies fans round here - they tells me he runs fast in straight lines and then runs out of ideas - lets see how that pans out. Further up Afobe looks like a good signing, I hope that we can do something with him and Bojan. I also hope we can get another forward in - there was talk of us being after Pearson at Preston - that would be a good signing. But Crouch is still a great Plan B and we will at times, resort to Plan Z in Diouff - a hard working player, but he finds it easier to hit the moon than the net from 5 yards out.
The new manager seems like the right pick - he would have taken Brum up but they shafted him, he got Derby punching above their weight. With Stoke, he will get some loyal commitment from the owners and I think he will be able to take us up. I hope (more than expect) it will be this season.
So in summary, I am optimistic for the season, worried that Leeds will be the cold water shock we need to wake us up to this league and aware that we are Stoke, we know how to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory - it’s how we ended up in the Championship.
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 4, 2018 7:27:04 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. Are you benji from Blackpool?
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Post by blackpoolred on Aug 4, 2018 9:00:47 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. I stopped reading after your assessment of our defence. Bauer will be one of the players of the season, he was the one shining lights in our season (Lambert playing him on right wing is still one of the worst decisions ever seen by a Stoke manager). Pieters will be fine in this league, everyone struggles against pace but Pieters is no slouch (always up there in Prem stats for quickest players). Shawcross will be ok if managed properly (and may actually get a few goals with more emphasis on set pieces). 45/46pts prediction is laughable. And i'm a glass half empty guy when it comes to Stoke!! I did say if the stars aligned we could get more than 60pts. It looks like Afobe is already out for Sunday, it would also not be beyond the realms if Shawx and Bruno were to spend considerable time on the treatment table this season and will almost certainly not be able to play 50+ games - who will replace them when they are out? If we were to lose a couple of our midfield four through injury or suspension we are thin on the ground there too. We have a possible problem with he number 1 shirt too For me, we are walking a tightrope. If we pick up a number of injuries then their potential replacements are below par - defensively, in my opinion, we do not have any viable backup for any of the defensive positions. We are basically relying on luck with injuries in a physical division where the games will be coming thick and fast - this is the reason for the wide prediction of 45pts to possible 60+
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Post by GoBoks on Aug 4, 2018 9:55:36 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. It’s going to take some doing from the other clubs to get more than 107 points to keep us stuck in mid table.
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Post by bathstoke on Aug 4, 2018 10:38:55 GMT
Good luck for the season (as long as you finish below us) It’s no laughing matter
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 4, 2018 13:43:32 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. Thanks for the response I'll return the favour. Defence- Full back positions we are in a good place. Luke Ayling is a fine right back, on his day one of the best in the league, full of energy and wont stop running all day, new lad Barry Douglas was a key player for Wolves last season, he can score goals and create to so thats a weapon not many have. Central defence is a worry, we only have 2 senior cbs at the moment, one is Pontus Jansson who is class, on form he is totally unbeatable, a one man defence. Liam Cooper is less so, a weak link if you ask most Leeds fans, capable of being very solid, but there is always a mistake in him. For cover we dont have much, Gaetano Berardi is a right back, similar to Cooper, always got a mistake in him, but more popular then Cooper, cult hero status. Young left back Tom Pearce is very highly rated and offers a bit of height to, something we really lack. And NI winger Stuart Dallas (you are after him apparently) is a bit of a jack of all trades, covers full back although primarily a winger, not the most exciting player, a solid squad member though. Midfield- Adam Forshaw (injured) a good player, controlling player, good passer, Kalvin Phillips, all heart and energy, average Championship midfielder, Mateusz Klich, like him a lot, tall, technically good, hope to see much more from him this season. Then there is new lads like Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, particularly Harrison seems well thought of at City, quick, direct and pacey winger, could be one of the best in the league potentially. Pablo Hernandez, Samu Saiz, Gianni Alioski- The last 2 divide opinion, at times they look really good, but then other times they look far to weak and delicate for the league. Pablo Hernandez though is top class, only his age goes against him, most chances created in the league last season, 3 a game or something, on his day he can look like an international playing against pub players. Strikers- A lot of hope on Patrick Bamford, good record in this league, decent pace, quite tall, good movement, Kemar Roofe, similar to Bamford without the height, lacks in the strength department, 50/50 over whether he really is good enough, then there are unknowns like Tyler Roberts and Sam Dalby. Depth wise we havent much proven quality, more talented youngsters, we lack any real height apart from Pontus, if Rowett has any sense hed start Peter Crouch, get Afobe, Ince and McClean buzzing around him for knockdowns, Crouch will win every header.
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 4, 2018 13:52:01 GMT
Hello Stoke fans Last season i started going around our Championship rivals forums and having an old chat. Normally just before we played each other. Then the thread goes on the thread on our forum. Sooo. Just general things. Thoughts on your signings, your new manager , how do you see the season going for you and finally the game on Sunday. All responses greatly appreciated. Good luck for the season (as long as you finish below us) Hello cjay, more than happy to put my thoughts in for you. Thoughts on our new signings:Afobe - Really, REALLY pleased with this signing, he has all the attributes of a top striker at this level. If Rowett can get him firing as I believe he will, he will bang 20+ goals in for us this season. A powerful and direct striker who knows where the onion bag is. Him alongside a hopefully rejuvenated Berahino, with the back up of Crouch and Diouf, we have a strong front line up for this division. Ince - Shaqiri was never going to stay, and this is about as good a replacement for him as we could have got. In fact, for this league I believe he is better. He will do the hard miles and support the squad. Also worth adding he has an impressive track record at this level. He is coming into his prime now, I think this guy will be up there for our player of the season this year. McClean - I'm not going into the main reason he splits opinions, I will only judge his footballing ability. From what I have seen of him in the past, coupled with his pre season performance after not training properly I am actually excited by what he could bring us over the next year or two. He is direct, will get up and down the wings like a madman, and will provide the much needed grit our team was missing last year. Etebo - He looked a class above at the WC and this has shown through in the few minutes he had in pre-season also. A great engine to have in midfield and will complement our current middle of the pitch, Allen and Badou perfectly. Federici - Good back up, I will be worried if we lose Jack Butland and don't get a replacement number 1 in front of him. Williams - Again divided opinion, mainly due to his age. However this is a wake up call for our fans that we are not in the Premier League anymore. I think he will provide a solid back up / step in for our 2 main defenders, especially in this division. Our new manager:Delighted when he came to us. And this hasn't died down since. He tells it exactly how he feels. He always has time to speak to the fans and will never shy away from any media duties, which, in this day and age, is vital to keep the connection with our support. I think he will have us playing aggressive direct football, which, if there is a 'DNA' of teams out there, is EXACTLY how Stoke City should be. Season and game on Sunday:I have extremely high hopes for our season, the only true class act we lost through relegation so far is Shaqiri, and as mentioned before I believe we have replaced excellently. A lot of our fans hang themselves up over net spend and can't see the facts. We have dropped a division and the calibre of players required don't need the outlays we used to spend. A £12 Mil Striker and a £10 Mil winger are luxuries in this division and I think this will show. Our first team is extremely strong, and our back up is beginning to take shape. 1 or 2 more signings and I will be very happy with how our club has reacted to relegation. I never make predictions on league finish or games, as I always seem to jinx things. All I will say is I am a happy potter and very excited to get underway on Sunday! Hi Mate, thanks for your response Think you have made some really good signings. Etebo looked great in the World Cup, full of energy and power and running, that sort of player could be key in such a long season. Tom Ince is class at this level (although not good enough for the Prem, something that im sure bugs his old man). Afobe is certainly one of the best Championship strikers around, weird situation with Wolves that was. McClean, not sure, he kind of reminds me of our Stuart Dallas, just sort of there most of the time, could be wrong. Excited for Sunday myself, but nervous
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Post by GreaterGlasgowstokie on Aug 4, 2018 13:54:37 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. Thanks for the response I'll return the favour. Defence- Full back positions we are in a good place. Luke Ayling is a fine right back, on his day one of the best in the league, full of energy and wont stop running all day, new lad Barry Douglas was a key player for Wolves last season, he can score goals and create to so thats a weapon not many have. Central defence is a worry, we only have 2 senior cbs at the moment, one is Pontus Jansson who is class, on form he is totally unbeatable, a one man defence. Liam Cooper is less so, a weak link if you ask most Leeds fans, capable of being very solid, but there is always a mistake in him. For cover we dont have much, Gaetano Berardi is a right back, similar to Cooper, always got a mistake in him, but more popular then Cooper, cult hero status. Young left back Tom Pearce is very highly rated and offers a bit of height to, something we really lack. And NI winger Stuart Dallas (you are after him apparently) is a bit of a jack of all trades, covers full back although primarily a winger, not the most exciting player, a solid squad member though. Midfield- Adam Forshaw (injured) a good player, controlling player, good passer, Kalvin Phillips, all heart and energy, average Championship midfielder, Mateusz Klich, like him a lot, tall, technically good, hope to see much more from him this season. Then there is new lads like Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, particularly Harrison seems well thought of at City, quick, direct and pacey winger, could be one of the best in the league potentially. Pablo Hernandez, Samu Saiz, Gianni Alioski- The last 2 divide opinion, at times they look really good, but then other times they look far to weak and delicate for the league. Pablo Hernandez though is top class, only his age goes against him, most chances created in the league last season, 3 a game or something, on his day he can look like an international playing against pub players. Strikers- A lot of hope on Patrick Bamford, good record in this league, decent pace, quite tall, good movement, Kemar Roofe, similar to Bamford without the height, lacks in the strength department, 50/50 over whether he really is good enough, then there are unknowns like Tyler Roberts and Sam Dalby. Depth wise we havent much proven quality, more talented youngsters, we lack any real height apart from Pontus, if Rowett has any sense hed start Peter Crouch, get Afobe, Ince and McClean buzzing around him for knockdowns, Crouch will win every header. Thanks for that mate. I watched Barry Douglas closely as he was at Dundee Utd for a while and they are my second team. Barry was not great defensively, though that may have changed. I gather he is primarily a wing back. Are you guys expected to go with a back 5? Back four with Douglas and like you say, I'd be thinking of bringing on crouch quite early if things are not going to plan, and exploit those back post knock downs
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Post by blackpoolred on Aug 4, 2018 13:59:42 GMT
Impossible to tell and so many variables too, we could struggle or we might surprise ourselves and be challenging for a play-off spot, but I don't see that if I am honest. Defence: For me we are in a weak position as it stands: Baur possibly going to be a bit lightweight in a physical league - not brill in the air, BMI, Shawcross will not be able to play 46 competitive games in this division without picking up injuries(in the plural) or just need resting, we don't just need numbers but quality in the centre of defence, same with Pieters: pace is pace and he struggles against it and there will be pace in this division too, no backup for him yet again. Will Butland still be here and if so will he be a liabilty like last year. Defensively fecking worrying for me and not good/deep enough to compete at the top half of this table Midfield: Allen should be one of the best players in his position at this level, Etebo looks brill and hopefully he can do it on a cold Tuesday night at the Brit, these 2 will hold the key to how our season will pan out, elsewhere I am struggling, opinions will be split over Mclean/Ince, but personally I am underwhelmed, neither will go missing though and will not shirk defensive responsibilities. Strikers: All hopes on Afobe at the moment. Would be nice to get another quality striker, central defender and creative mid on top of the deals done, but not looking overly promising we will be able to address all of the major concerns - the manager seems to be aware we need a massive overhaul, so hope springs eternal. At the end of last season could only see us doing a Sunderland, I am a little more optimistic, but it is going to be a tough season if we can't add to that squad - somewhere between 45-60 pts, but to be quite honest would not be surprised to see us get less than 45 if we fail to get more bodies in, but likewise if players come back in form and we have luck with injuries and add a bit more quality we may even top 60pts - impossible to tell at the moment, but I don't think we will be anywhere near pushing for the play-offs Leeds are harder to predict than Stoke, but I see them somewhere in the top half, not quite play-offs. Thanks for the response I'll return the favour. Defence- Full back positions we are in a good place. Luke Ayling is a fine right back, on his day one of the best in the league, full of energy and wont stop running all day, new lad Barry Douglas was a key player for Wolves last season, he can score goals and create to so thats a weapon not many have. Central defence is a worry, we only have 2 senior cbs at the moment, one is Pontus Jansson who is class, on form he is totally unbeatable, a one man defence. Liam Cooper is less so, a weak link if you ask most Leeds fans, capable of being very solid, but there is always a mistake in him. For cover we dont have much, Gaetano Berardi is a right back, similar to Cooper, always got a mistake in him, but more popular then Cooper, cult hero status. Young left back Tom Pearce is very highly rated and offers a bit of height to, something we really lack. And NI winger Stuart Dallas (you are after him apparently) is a bit of a jack of all trades, covers full back although primarily a winger, not the most exciting player, a solid squad member though. Midfield- Adam Forshaw (injured) a good player, controlling player, good passer, Kalvin Phillips, all heart and energy, average Championship midfielder, Mateusz Klich, like him a lot, tall, technically good, hope to see much more from him this season. Then there is new lads like Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, particularly Harrison seems well thought of at City, quick, direct and pacey winger, could be one of the best in the league potentially. Pablo Hernandez, Samu Saiz, Gianni Alioski- The last 2 divide opinion, at times they look really good, but then other times they look far to weak and delicate for the league. Pablo Hernandez though is top class, only his age goes against him, most chances created in the league last season, 3 a game or something, on his day he can look like an international playing against pub players. Strikers- A lot of hope on Patrick Bamford, good record in this league, decent pace, quite tall, good movement, Kemar Roofe, similar to Bamford without the height, lacks in the strength department, 50/50 over whether he really is good enough, then there are unknowns like Tyler Roberts and Sam Dalby. Depth wise we havent much proven quality, more talented youngsters, we lack any real height apart from Pontus, if Rowett has any sense hed start Peter Crouch, get Afobe, Ince and McClean buzzing around him for knockdowns, Crouch will win every header. Let's hope both Leeds/Stoke can march on together this season and perform above our expectations. Thanks for the reply and good luck to LUFC
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 4, 2018 14:00:07 GMT
The opening weekend is more about getting the season underway than really learning much about how the season is going to go. I’m glad we drew Leeds first game - A great club with a magnificent history - it makes it a good curtain raiser. As a kid, I always looked forward to the Leeds fixture. Back then you had your own invincible team under Revie (Bremner, Reaney, Lorrimer and so on) and I think we ended that run in a cup game with the team that many of us look back on as the part of our brief glory years (Banks, Pejic, Greenhoff, Ritchie, Smith, Conroy and so on). I don’t know what to make of Leeds these days, you seem to the definitive mid-table Championship team with the occasional scrape with the play-off places and I have to apologise for knowing very little about your squad. What surprises me is that with all the investment coming into the game, I cannot understand why Leeds have not attracted that sort of money and ‘done a Bournemouth/Burnley/Wolves/Huddersfield’ We, on the other hand, sleepwalked into relegation by talking about how we had too much quality to go down ...then we did. And now we are talking about spending big to go straight back up ...but the talk has raised more expectation than our transfers have, thus far, fulfilled. And there are plenty of other clubs to act as cautionary tales, Villa being the most recent example. The range of expectations for our season would be anywhere from 1st to 6th. I am not confident we will win, but it is possible. I will be spitting feathers if we don’t make the play-offs. The squad is largely new - so difficult to assess. As it stands.... our central defenders are prone to injury, we lack strength in depth and we have added 34 year old Ashley Williams to the roster of CDs. We have form in buying players that were great ten years ago but currently spend their time browsing Zimmer-frame catalogues -exhibits A and B: Glenn Johnson and Darren Fletcher. I worry that the rigors of the season will see Shawcross and Martins Indi injured and replaced by Williams on the decline and a young Harry Souttar. Our full backs are good - Bauer will be one of the players of this league, Pieters struggled with Hughes style of mismanagement - but he is a good player and I think he will be solid. The midfield would grace most Premiership teams - Allen and Etobe are here for the season Ndaiye is less certain to stay, but would look very good in the Championship. Going forward we have options - Tom Ince seems like a good player (I hope he can stay away from his Dad - who seems to be his main problem). McLean I am not sure about. I live in Worcs and there are loads of Baggies fans round here - they tells me he runs fast in straight lines and then runs out of ideas - lets see how that pans out. Further up Afobe looks like a good signing, I hope that we can do something with him and Bojan. I also hope we can get another forward in - there was talk of us being after Pearson at Preston - that would be a good signing. But Crouch is still a great Plan B and we will at times, resort to Plan Z in Diouff - a hard working player, but he finds it easier to hit the moon than the net from 5 yards out. The new manager seems like the right pick - he would have taken Brum up but they shafted him, he got Derby punching above their weight. With Stoke, he will get some loyal commitment from the owners and I think he will be able to take us up. I hope (more than expect) it will be this season. So in summary, I am optimistic for the season, worried that Leeds will be the cold water shock we need to wake us up to this league and aware that we are Stoke, we know how to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory - it’s how we ended up in the Championship. Bit young to remember those days unfortunately, always jealous of fans who remember them. Nice to here good things about us from a non Leeds fan, seems to be a begrudging respect around football for us which is nice You described us perfectly,we are the definitive mid table side who occasionally flirt with promotion for a bit then drop down, never ending cycle. Interesting you mention the bit about not attracting the money etc, i had a bit of a mini meltdown after Villa were rescued by there Billionaires, not because i hate Villa, but because they were in trouble for a month till there knights in shining armour arrived, we been waiting 15 years Have to say my view on Stoke is still probably clouded by Tony Pulis and his style, whenever i think of Stoke i think of Rory Delap lobbing the ball 3 miles and Mamady Sidibé heading it in. Are things different now? Watched you a bit since Pulis left and they seemed to be.
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Post by GreaterGlasgowstokie on Aug 4, 2018 14:03:29 GMT
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 4, 2018 14:07:12 GMT
Thanks for the response I'll return the favour. Defence- Full back positions we are in a good place. Luke Ayling is a fine right back, on his day one of the best in the league, full of energy and wont stop running all day, new lad Barry Douglas was a key player for Wolves last season, he can score goals and create to so thats a weapon not many have. Central defence is a worry, we only have 2 senior cbs at the moment, one is Pontus Jansson who is class, on form he is totally unbeatable, a one man defence. Liam Cooper is less so, a weak link if you ask most Leeds fans, capable of being very solid, but there is always a mistake in him. For cover we dont have much, Gaetano Berardi is a right back, similar to Cooper, always got a mistake in him, but more popular then Cooper, cult hero status. Young left back Tom Pearce is very highly rated and offers a bit of height to, something we really lack. And NI winger Stuart Dallas (you are after him apparently) is a bit of a jack of all trades, covers full back although primarily a winger, not the most exciting player, a solid squad member though. Midfield- Adam Forshaw (injured) a good player, controlling player, good passer, Kalvin Phillips, all heart and energy, average Championship midfielder, Mateusz Klich, like him a lot, tall, technically good, hope to see much more from him this season. Then there is new lads like Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, particularly Harrison seems well thought of at City, quick, direct and pacey winger, could be one of the best in the league potentially. Pablo Hernandez, Samu Saiz, Gianni Alioski- The last 2 divide opinion, at times they look really good, but then other times they look far to weak and delicate for the league. Pablo Hernandez though is top class, only his age goes against him, most chances created in the league last season, 3 a game or something, on his day he can look like an international playing against pub players. Strikers- A lot of hope on Patrick Bamford, good record in this league, decent pace, quite tall, good movement, Kemar Roofe, similar to Bamford without the height, lacks in the strength department, 50/50 over whether he really is good enough, then there are unknowns like Tyler Roberts and Sam Dalby. Depth wise we havent much proven quality, more talented youngsters, we lack any real height apart from Pontus, if Rowett has any sense hed start Peter Crouch, get Afobe, Ince and McClean buzzing around him for knockdowns, Crouch will win every header. Thanks for that mate. I watched Barry Douglas closely as he was at Dundee Utd for a while and they are my second team. Barry was not great defensively, though that may have changed. I gather he is primarily a wing back. Are you guys expected to go with a back 5? Back four with Douglas and like you say, I'd be thinking of bringing on crouch quite early if things are not going to plan, and exploit those back post knock downs From reading Wolves fans views he is ok defensively, ok though, not good not bad, but that probably describes most Championship defenders anyways. Yeah primarily a wing back, suit Luke Ayling to as he likes to get forward. We start on paper with a back 4, seem to be playing 4-1-4-1 a lot in pre season. But Bielsa is like Pep, always want to be on the front foot, so what happens is the full backs become wing backs and even wingers, they are pushed really high to try and create an overload and we become a back 3 with one of the midfielders(Kalvin Phillips it seems) dropping into defence. Its really exciting but it leaves us light at the back if played right. Either Bielsa will be a disaster or a joy, we will win some games 6-0 and lose some 4-3 i think.
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 4, 2018 14:08:39 GMT
Thanks for the response I'll return the favour. Defence- Full back positions we are in a good place. Luke Ayling is a fine right back, on his day one of the best in the league, full of energy and wont stop running all day, new lad Barry Douglas was a key player for Wolves last season, he can score goals and create to so thats a weapon not many have. Central defence is a worry, we only have 2 senior cbs at the moment, one is Pontus Jansson who is class, on form he is totally unbeatable, a one man defence. Liam Cooper is less so, a weak link if you ask most Leeds fans, capable of being very solid, but there is always a mistake in him. For cover we dont have much, Gaetano Berardi is a right back, similar to Cooper, always got a mistake in him, but more popular then Cooper, cult hero status. Young left back Tom Pearce is very highly rated and offers a bit of height to, something we really lack. And NI winger Stuart Dallas (you are after him apparently) is a bit of a jack of all trades, covers full back although primarily a winger, not the most exciting player, a solid squad member though. Midfield- Adam Forshaw (injured) a good player, controlling player, good passer, Kalvin Phillips, all heart and energy, average Championship midfielder, Mateusz Klich, like him a lot, tall, technically good, hope to see much more from him this season. Then there is new lads like Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, particularly Harrison seems well thought of at City, quick, direct and pacey winger, could be one of the best in the league potentially. Pablo Hernandez, Samu Saiz, Gianni Alioski- The last 2 divide opinion, at times they look really good, but then other times they look far to weak and delicate for the league. Pablo Hernandez though is top class, only his age goes against him, most chances created in the league last season, 3 a game or something, on his day he can look like an international playing against pub players. Strikers- A lot of hope on Patrick Bamford, good record in this league, decent pace, quite tall, good movement, Kemar Roofe, similar to Bamford without the height, lacks in the strength department, 50/50 over whether he really is good enough, then there are unknowns like Tyler Roberts and Sam Dalby. Depth wise we havent much proven quality, more talented youngsters, we lack any real height apart from Pontus, if Rowett has any sense hed start Peter Crouch, get Afobe, Ince and McClean buzzing around him for knockdowns, Crouch will win every header. Let's hope both Leeds/Stoke can march on together this season and perform above our expectations. Thanks for the reply and good luck to LUFC You to
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Post by scfcno1fan on Aug 4, 2018 14:11:12 GMT
Should be a close game tomorrow.
We’re historically slow starters and I think we will be tomorrow.
If I was a betting man I’d say 2 1 Leeds.
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 5, 2018 14:51:27 GMT
Having seen the lineups.
It comes down to Bielsa for us, tactical masterclass needed.
If it comes down to talent on the pitch then we aint got a chance.
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Post by Laughing Gravy on Aug 5, 2018 15:11:58 GMT
Having seen the lineups. It comes down to Bielsa for us, tactical masterclass needed. If it comes down to talent on the pitch then we aint got a chance. You clearly didn't see us play Coventry last season.
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 6, 2018 11:14:44 GMT
Left this till today.
Didnt expect that yesterday, especially after seeing the team sheet apart from Douglas that was the side that was near the bottom of the form table for all of 2018, so very surprised.
1st half was exceptional, we could have scored 4 or 5, some of the passing was fantastic, so slick, lovely 1 touch passing. The interchanging of positions made life difficult for you, the movement of the front 4, your defence seemed lost.
2nd half wasnt quite so comfortable but bar the penalty (which im not sure was one) until you made some changes you didnt look like scoring.
Crouch came on, Flether to and Bojan, you seemed to have found a decent shape, 4-2-3-1 i think. Saiz no longer had the room to do his thing, the long balls forward had a proper target and there was a link between midfield and attack.
All in all it was as close to perfect for us as you could get, could and maybe should have scored more.Bielsa did what he needed, tactical masterclass from him.
Some thing about you guys that i thought well watching
1) Your defence was to inflexible and slow, Roofe pulled them all over the place and gaps opened up, especially first half.
2) Afobe was so isolated, the midfield 3 never got close enough.
3) Midfield failed to track the runners beyond them, Saiz and others kept finding space between defence and midfield.
4) For reasons i dont understand, one tactic seemed to be long balls to James McClean, who is hardly a giant human being, didnt get that.
5) Subs made a difference, Crouch won all the headers, Fletcher helped nulify the players running beyond midfield, Bojan was the link between forward and midfield that was lacking first half, credit to Rowett for that.
6) Its only 1 game, wouldnt worry about it to much.
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Post by mrred on Aug 6, 2018 11:20:22 GMT
Left this till today. 6) Its only 1 game, wouldnt worry about it to much. Unfortunately, this is just a continuation of 2, with a losing mentality that is rank throughout the club, which under a new manager is very worrying. We've put plaster over something that needs ripping down and starting again. The rest of your comment is spot on though. Good luck for the season, you look pretty considering you're under the instruction of a bloke that can't speak a word of English.
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Post by andystokey on Aug 6, 2018 11:21:04 GMT
Left this till today. Didnt expect that yesterday, especially after seeing the team sheet apart from Douglas that was the side that was near the bottom of the form table for all of 2018, so very surprised. 1st half was exceptional, we could have scored 4 or 5, some of the passing was fantastic, so slick, lovely 1 touch passing. The interchanging of positions made life difficult for you, the movement of the front 4, your defence seemed lost. 2nd half wasnt quite so comfortable but bar the penalty (which im not sure was one) until you made some changes you didnt look like scoring. Crouch came on, Flether to and Bojan, you seemed to have found a decent shape, 4-2-3-1 i think. Saiz no longer had the room to do his thing, the long balls forward had a proper target and there was a link between midfield and attack. All in all it was as close to perfect for us as you could get, could and maybe should have scored more.Bielsa did what he needed, tactical masterclass from him. Some thing about you guys that i thought well watching 1) Your defence was to inflexible and slow, Roofe pulled them all over the place and gaps opened up, especially first half. 2) Afobe was so isolated, the midfield 3 never got close enough. 3) Midfield failed to track the runners beyond them, Saiz and others kept finding space between defence and midfield. 4) For reasons i dont understand, one tactic seemed to be long balls to James McClean, who is hardly a giant human being, didnt get that. 5) Subs made a difference, Crouch won all the headers, Fletcher helped nulify the players running beyond midfield, Bojan was the link between forward and midfield that was lacking first half, credit to Rowett for that. 6) Its only 1 game, wouldnt worry about it to much. It's a bang on summary that most of the most thoughtful posters on here woukd wholeheartedly agree with. Bielsa is a proper coach and I don't think we will be playing the likes of you every week. Keep that up and you will go up.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2018 11:24:04 GMT
Left this till today. Didnt expect that yesterday, especially after seeing the team sheet apart from Douglas that was the side that was near the bottom of the form table for all of 2018, so very surprised. 1st half was exceptional, we could have scored 4 or 5, some of the passing was fantastic, so slick, lovely 1 touch passing. The interchanging of positions made life difficult for you, the movement of the front 4, your defence seemed lost. 2nd half wasnt quite so comfortable but bar the penalty (which im not sure was one) until you made some changes you didnt look like scoring. Crouch came on, Flether to and Bojan, you seemed to have found a decent shape, 4-2-3-1 i think. Saiz no longer had the room to do his thing, the long balls forward had a proper target and there was a link between midfield and attack. All in all it was as close to perfect for us as you could get, could and maybe should have scored more.Bielsa did what he needed, tactical masterclass from him. Some thing about you guys that i thought well watching 1) Your defence was to inflexible and slow, Roofe pulled them all over the place and gaps opened up, especially first half. 2) Afobe was so isolated, the midfield 3 never got close enough. 3) Midfield failed to track the runners beyond them, Saiz and others kept finding space between defence and midfield. 4) For reasons i dont understand, one tactic seemed to be long balls to James McClean, who is hardly a giant human being, didnt get that. 5) Subs made a difference, Crouch won all the headers, Fletcher helped nulify the players running beyond midfield, Bojan was the link between forward and midfield that was lacking first half, credit to Rowett for that. 6) Its only 1 game, wouldnt worry about it to much. Spot on and three of those points have been prevalent through pre season, and not addressed.
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cjay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 111
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Post by cjay on Aug 6, 2018 11:24:23 GMT
Telling for me was we had 3 players go down with cramp near the end.
When Afobe went off he looked dry as a bone, when Roofe was on camera his shirt was soaked through with sweat, that alone may highlight the difference in the end.
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Post by thegift on Aug 6, 2018 11:24:39 GMT
Left this till today. Didnt expect that yesterday, especially after seeing the team sheet apart from Douglas that was the side that was near the bottom of the form table for all of 2018, so very surprised. 1st half was exceptional, we could have scored 4 or 5, some of the passing was fantastic, so slick, lovely 1 touch passing. The interchanging of positions made life difficult for you, the movement of the front 4, your defence seemed lost. 2nd half wasnt quite so comfortable but bar the penalty (which im not sure was one) until you made some changes you didnt look like scoring. Crouch came on, Flether to and Bojan, you seemed to have found a decent shape, 4-2-3-1 i think. Saiz no longer had the room to do his thing, the long balls forward had a proper target and there was a link between midfield and attack. All in all it was as close to perfect for us as you could get, could and maybe should have scored more.Bielsa did what he needed, tactical masterclass from him. Some thing about you guys that i thought well watching 1) Your defence was to inflexible and slow, Roofe pulled them all over the place and gaps opened up, especially first half. 2) Afobe was so isolated, the midfield 3 never got close enough. 3) Midfield failed to track the runners beyond them, Saiz and others kept finding space between defence and midfield. 4) For reasons i dont understand, one tactic seemed to be long balls to James McClean, who is hardly a giant human being, didnt get that. 5) Subs made a difference, Crouch won all the headers, Fletcher helped nulify the players running beyond midfield, Bojan was the link between forward and midfield that was lacking first half, credit to Rowett for that. 6) Its only 1 game, wouldnt worry about it to much. It was frankly embarrassing mate.
You may say 1 game not too worry, but it was like a training game for you guys, you didn't even get out of 1st gear. Rowett deserves no credit after that shocker
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Post by drfishy on Aug 6, 2018 11:24:46 GMT
Left this till today. Didnt expect that yesterday, especially after seeing the team sheet apart from Douglas that was the side that was near the bottom of the form table for all of 2018, so very surprised. 1st half was exceptional, we could have scored 4 or 5, some of the passing was fantastic, so slick, lovely 1 touch passing. The interchanging of positions made life difficult for you, the movement of the front 4, your defence seemed lost. 2nd half wasnt quite so comfortable but bar the penalty (which im not sure was one) until you made some changes you didnt look like scoring. Crouch came on, Flether to and Bojan, you seemed to have found a decent shape, 4-2-3-1 i think. Saiz no longer had the room to do his thing, the long balls forward had a proper target and there was a link between midfield and attack. All in all it was as close to perfect for us as you could get, could and maybe should have scored more.Bielsa did what he needed, tactical masterclass from him. Some thing about you guys that i thought well watching 1) Your defence was to inflexible and slow, Roofe pulled them all over the place and gaps opened up, especially first half. 2) Afobe was so isolated, the midfield 3 never got close enough. 3) Midfield failed to track the runners beyond them, Saiz and others kept finding space between defence and midfield. 4) For reasons i dont understand, one tactic seemed to be long balls to James McClean, who is hardly a giant human being, didnt get that. 5) Subs made a difference, Crouch won all the headers, Fletcher helped nulify the players running beyond midfield, Bojan was the link between forward and midfield that was lacking first half, credit to Rowett for that. 6) Its only 1 game, wouldnt worry about it to much. Well that's pretty much how we saw it as well. Hopefully Rowett (and the rest of our hierarchy) saw the same and will use it to make the changes necessary otherwise this will be a long hard season for us. It certainly dismissed the favorite tag and hopeful woke our Premiership primadonnas from their summer slumber. We need some big changes but unfortunately are stuck with quite a bit of overpaid deadwood. Rowett has spoken well until now, but it's time for action not words and we'll see how many lessons have really been learnt.
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