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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 14:01:11 GMT
Left the ground disappointed but royally entertained.
We're definitely getting nearer these big clubs Now although most annoying to watch some of their 'spoiled brat antics'
DO THEY HONESTLY THINK THEY CAN REF THE BLOODY GAMES AS WELL ? -
Out team selection appeared most strange at the outset but, seemed to work for an hour. Unfortunately I believe the enforced first half substitutions did do for us in the end, we simply ran out of steam for the last 20 minutes and got a real hammering.
My only disappointments - how we conceded the wining goal (after a series of poor choices by our own players )and, just how Poor Dean Whitehead was throughout. I though he offered us nothing at all in a football sense - my only serious criticism really.
As for Tuncay coming on - hardly ideal after an international week to be thrown into that one - Id have put Lennie on myself
but there you are - disappointed we lost - not surprised really and we can do better
we need something at Bolton now and hope Beats and Tommy can come back again - very soon
PS as for the crowd
back to our vociferous and very nasty best !
well Done !
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Post by luke45 on Sept 13, 2009 14:04:57 GMT
Agree with most of that, disagree on Whitehead though, I thought it was one of his better games in Stoke colours yesterday.
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Post by entropy92 on Sept 13, 2009 14:05:54 GMT
even tho we lost and i was dissapointed second haf thinkin we were going to push on it was 37 quid well spent i cant fault many of the players really, i think tuncay was shite tho *ducks*
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Post by waitingforwaddo on Sept 13, 2009 14:10:04 GMT
'Royally entertained'?
I'd say entertaining was the last thing it was.
Battling and brave, yes, heroic even but not entertaining.
Bizarre choice of words imho.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 14:14:26 GMT
I thought that was a compelling battle and entertaining. You could see from the outset, they were better footbalers all around but, pitted against a team, less well blessed with talent but - an overburdon of gutsy fighting spirit
a good contenst
and yes entertaining
unless, you prefer the 'euro carpet non contact sport' - played by pansies - type footie
(which - I dont)
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Post by luke45 on Sept 13, 2009 14:19:09 GMT
'Royally entertained'? I'd say entertaining was the last thing it was. Battling and brave, yes, heroic even but not entertaining. Bizarre choice of words imho. I thought it was entertaining! For me an entertaining game doesn't stop being entertaining if one side is having to defend for large spells. I was on the edge of my seat all game, I find it difficult to believe that anybody wasn't biting the remainder of their finger nails and being glued to the action, especially in the last 15 minutes or so. It was a terrific game, the only down-side is we didn't get the point we deserved. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 14:23:55 GMT
I usually always find our home games entertaining and yesterday was no different. A good game between one side of good but devious footballers and a side of good honest pros. It would have been nice to see a more positive formation but we just never had the luck as soon as Beattie missed that chance he should have buried and then got injured for his troubles. Good game but gutting.
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isoza
Spectator
Posts: 43
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Post by isoza on Sept 13, 2009 14:27:58 GMT
I went along thinking Chelsea was probably going to be our hardest home game all season and that we'd be fortunate to get a point. Also couldn't see how all the new signings were going to fit in, nor imagine what Pulis would do to try and stop Chelsea turning us over.
Fair play, to him - though I get the negativity argument - he did try something different - and without the injuries it might have worked with the chance to freshen things up late on. Thought the full-backs (esp Wilko) pushing onto the Chelsea ones bombing on was great organisation - with the centre-backs pulling across when the full-backs had pushed up to mark.
Chelsea didn't have that many clear-cut chances - considering the heavy % of the ball and the early switch of Tuncay - which proved a mistake as Kitson had been holding things up well - was at least an ambitious move to try and win the game. I was expecting such a change late on if we needed a goal. Thought Tuncay's theatrical gestures when losing the ball was a bit worrying. Also, thought Whtehaead played well - still running hard at the end, always got stuck in. Rory & Glenn semed to be flagging towards the end - albeit understandably.
The best summing up is that I joked to my cousin, "Fancy going home early?" as some Stokies amazingly trooped out with 5mins to go. He laughted, then added, "But it would stop us having to watch the inevitable last minute Chelsea winner.
And so it came to pass...
Still none the wiser though how Huth, Collins an Tuncay are going to fit in next week.
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Post by wuzza on Sept 13, 2009 14:31:23 GMT
Very good entertainment in comparison to the fixture last year when we were dead and buried from very early on.
TP did everything he could to give us a chance. Progress is being made.
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Post by waitingforwaddo on Sept 13, 2009 14:35:42 GMT
Hm.....yep, Tony, I think anyone who actually likes football would prefer to see the style of football you are so disparaging about.
That's not to say we are equipped to play that sort of football right now because we're not.
But to suggest that you actually PREFER this brand of football is frankly daft.
And I don't think you actually mean what you say.
In fact, I recall you banging on about the need for a creative midfielder and better ball retention around transfer window time.
The fact is, I think most if not all of us would prefer to see more flair and passing football but what we have has worked and right now we're grateful for that.
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Post by waitingforwaddo on Sept 13, 2009 14:39:14 GMT
PS Euro carpet football a la Barcelona....you're right, Tone.....boring shite innit?!?!?! Smiley wotsit thingy!!!
And before someone jumps in, I'm NOT saying we should or could play that way. Just suggesting that it's great to watch.
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Post by stokemark on Sept 13, 2009 14:41:03 GMT
Unless shakemepenis comes along with the odd £500million then this is as good as it gets
Reality check required by some Stokies
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Post by fentonstokie1 on Sept 13, 2009 15:03:18 GMT
I was bemused when I first saw how negative the starting line-up was, but it worked well for the first half. When they equalised with their first real attempt on goal, it was pretty obvious that the forced substitutions which killed TP's game plan would probably cost us dear and then when the ref found five minutes, I think that most of us knew what the likely outcome would be. How different it could have been with a little of luck.
Another thing, when are referee's going to start clamping down on mouthy bastards like Terry, Ballack and Lampard who are allowed to contest every decision at length.?
The positives are that we now look like a far more formidable unit than last year and it should bode well away from home especially, as I think that we will command far more respect from our opponents.
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Post by waitingforwaddo on Sept 13, 2009 15:04:47 GMT
Just as I said, Mark....
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 15:05:23 GMT
I thought Whitehead was comfortably the pick of our midfielders yesterday.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:07:56 GMT
I disagree rob although he played well. Delap covered more ground and Whelan tried to pass it forward but due to the lack of space and options couldn't do much but still tried. Whitehead was steady but I still only see a better Darel Russell.
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Post by stokiepo on Sept 13, 2009 15:10:03 GMT
I would personally love to see referees given more backing. I know they make mistakes. They always have and its no different now from 30 years ago. However, the constant "back chat", grief and abuse the refs have to put up with from PLAYERS is appalling. I'd like to see the rugby rule of "only the captain can approach the referee" introduced.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 15:12:43 GMT
I disagree rob although he played well. Delap covered more ground and Whelan tried to pass it forward but due to the lack of space and options couldn't do much but still tried. Whitehead was steady but I still only see a better Darel Russell. I've not been a fan of Whitehead up to now but yesterday was by far his best performance in a Stoke shirt. True, a lot of that was down to his energy but he was strong in the tackle and I thought he was less wasteful than the others. I'm starting to get a little bit bored of people making excuses for Whelan's inability to use the ball consistently well. He deserves praise when he plays well, as he did at times yesterday, but when he clumsily allows himself to be closed down or panics and puts us in trouble with a stray pass he has to accept the blame. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:14:29 GMT
Mike Dean bought it on himself yesterday though. As soon as they started crowding around him he should have told them to go away and then book them. Same with Cole, when that little arrogant tart just walked off he should have grabbed him, bollocked him and then in an ideal world kick him in the nuts! ;D In the real world just tell him who is boss and if he doesn't book him for the foul and dissent. Then he would have had the respect. Dean yesterday wimped out of doing this.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:16:45 GMT
I disagree rob although he played well. Delap covered more ground and Whelan tried to pass it forward but due to the lack of space and options couldn't do much but still tried. Whitehead was steady but I still only see a better Darel Russell. I've not been a fan of Whitehead up to now but yesterday was by far his best performance in a Stoke shirt. True, a lot of that was down to his energy but he was strong in the tackle and I thought he was less wasteful than the others. I'm starting to get a little bit bored of people making excuses for Whelan's inability to use the ball consistently well. He deserves praise when he plays well, as he did at times yesterday, but when he clumsily allows himself to be closed down or panics and puts us in trouble with a stray pass he has to accept the blame. It was and he played well but Delap and Whelan outshone him for me. And I don't think he clumsily allowed himself to be closed down it just happened and due to the lack of outlet going forward he had no one to pass too. Harsh on Whelan imo. |
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Post by stokiepo on Sept 13, 2009 15:17:20 GMT
A lot of refs lack bottle but isn't that to be expected? As soon as the top 4 don't get their own way, the complain and the FA come out and support them not the refs. Ridiculous. Bring back Jeff Winter.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 15:20:18 GMT
I've not been a fan of Whitehead up to now but yesterday was by far his best performance in a Stoke shirt. True, a lot of that was down to his energy but he was strong in the tackle and I thought he was less wasteful than the others. I'm starting to get a little bit bored of people making excuses for Whelan's inability to use the ball consistently well. He deserves praise when he plays well, as he did at times yesterday, but when he clumsily allows himself to be closed down or panics and puts us in trouble with a stray pass he has to accept the blame. It was and he played well but Delap and Whelan outshone him for me. And I don't think he clumsily allowed himself to be closed down it just happened and due to the lack of outlet going forward he had no one to pass too. Harsh on Whelan imo. I thought Whelan had his usual game. His delivery at times was excellent and when on form he's the heartbeat of the side. He is frequently careless in his passing though, and he needs to be more consistent. He played us into trouble and put us under pressure more than once yesterday. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:21:25 GMT
A lot of refs lack bottle but isn't that to be expected? As soon as the top 4 don't get their own way, the complain and the FA come out and support them not the refs. Ridiculous. Bring back Jeff Winter. Do they? The refs for me get far too much protection from any comments saying they were poor. The refs themselves need more backbone imo. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:23:26 GMT
It was and he played well but Delap and Whelan outshone him for me. And I don't think he clumsily allowed himself to be closed down it just happened and due to the lack of outlet going forward he had no one to pass too. Harsh on Whelan imo. I thought Whelan had his usual game. His delivery at times was excellent and when on form he's the heartbeat of the side. He is frequently careless in his passing though, and he needs to be more consistent. He played us into trouble and put us under pressure more than once yesterday. At times? Every corner and free kick delivery was very good yesterday when usually I don't think it is. I didn't think he played us into trouble more or less than Whitehead or Delap, they all misplaced the odd pass. Its Whelan gets more stick for it imo. |
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Post by stokiepo on Sept 13, 2009 15:25:06 GMT
But they don't have the power they once had - video replays may not be used in current matches but they are used in assessments, meaning the FA can always refer to them and say the ref was wrong. Some decisions that refs have to make in an instant are near impossible to call correctly.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 15:25:38 GMT
I thought Whelan had his usual game. His delivery at times was excellent and when on form he's the heartbeat of the side. He is frequently careless in his passing though, and he needs to be more consistent. He played us into trouble and put us under pressure more than once yesterday. At times? Every corner and free kick delivery was very good yesterday when usually I don't think it is. I didn't think he played us into trouble more or less than Whitehead or Delap, they all misplaced the odd pass. Its Whelan gets more stick for it imo. Delap gets far more stick on here than Whelan. We get the "only in the team for his throw" brigaders on here all the time. Whelan from some quarters seems immune from any criticism. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:27:10 GMT
They have the right to book players if they are surrounded by 3 or more players don't they? Why didn't he do it? And the Cole one was just pure cowardice by the ref as he should have booked him for the foul and demanded he came to him and had a word with him. If he carried on walking, threaten him for a card for dissent and if he doesn't respond send him off. All within the law and the powers that the ref hold.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:30:10 GMT
At times? Every corner and free kick delivery was very good yesterday when usually I don't think it is. I didn't think he played us into trouble more or less than Whitehead or Delap, they all misplaced the odd pass. Its Whelan gets more stick for it imo. Delap gets far more stick on here than Whelan. We get the "only in the team for his throw" brigaders on here all the time. Whelan from some quarters seems immune from any criticism. The Delap stick generally goes "he's shit" which just isn't true. Whelan gets stick for misplacing 1/2 passes and gets a lot of it. I'll have a go at any of them but I've read on here that Whelan was "gash" yesterday and that simply isn't true. I think Delap gets more stick but Whelan isn't far behind and it is usually unjustified. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2009 15:34:02 GMT
Delap gets far more stick on here than Whelan. We get the "only in the team for his throw" brigaders on here all the time. Whelan from some quarters seems immune from any criticism. The Delap stick generally goes "he's shit" which just isn't true. Whelan gets stick for misplacing 1/2 passes and gets a lot of it. I'll have a go at any of them but I've read on here that Whelan was "gash" yesterday and that simply isn't true. I think Delap gets more stick but Whelan isn't far behind and it is usually unjustified. tbh I think it's more than one or two passes. It's maybe amplified as a backlash against the Whelan "rimmers" who don't accept that he's not the second coming of Alan Hudson, based I think to some degree on his pre-Stoke reputation. I don't think Whelan was gash yesterday, I thought he was ok - did some good and some bad. He's still our best midfielder, but I would have replaced him and Delap in the summer with better versions if they could have been found. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Sept 13, 2009 15:37:53 GMT
;D Who thinks he's the second coming of Alan Hanson? That is the sort of shite I'm on about!  And I would have replaced him too but I still think Whitehead isn't as good as him or Delap. |
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And I would have replaced him too but I still think Whitehead isn't as good as him or Delap.
