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Post by LGH87 on Apr 11, 2024 9:53:46 GMT
I'm slightly worried they played at home on Tuesday night whereas we had a long trip to Swansea on Wednesday, in awful conditions too.
How does that work that Sheff get a nice home game a full 24 hours before we have to travel 4 hours away for an away game.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 10, 2024 21:44:03 GMT
We never ever look like scoring with Ennis on the pitch.
He needs to find a way of making the ball stick up front by Saturday.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 10, 2024 12:31:19 GMT
Bad luck really and hopefully it doesn't affect us too much. Has showed better recently and hopefully a good preseason will help him get better. Whilst he was on the naughty step his replacements were more than able, so we should be OK. We do need to look at all these strains, too many seem to be happening. With all due respect a good preseason doesn’t make players better only fitter. He is not going to get faster, run the channels better, or chase defenders down . He will hopefully 3/4 choice striker next season as he’s under contract. With all due respect, that's not what we need a striker to do in this system. That's what Ennis does when he plays and we looking awfully toothless. We create so many more chances and look a lot more dangerous in attack when Mmaee plays, because he brings the wide forwards and attacking mid in to the game. We don't want him chasing lost causes.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 10, 2024 12:29:20 GMT
Too fucking right we shouldn’t let him go. The problem is, we're going to have to do without him at some point - due to military service. At best, it might be a shorter period, but there's no way he'll be let off completely. An Olympic medal grants exemption from the military service. He also doesn't have to complete it until he's 28, he's only going to be at this club for another 12-24 months max anyway, so it will probably never be our problem.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 10, 2024 10:19:18 GMT
It's that time of year again. The build up this week has been really interesting with some excellent interviews and press conferences. I have been watching for years and never realised untill Tiger said yesterday "It's a really tough and tiring walk. Basically you are playing on the side of a hill".!! The competition starts on the back nine on Sunday was another thought that struck me.It's been over by the time the leaders got on the back 9 the last couple of years. We haven't had a proper good sunday since 2019.
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Mmaee
Apr 9, 2024 15:30:00 GMT
Post by LGH87 on Apr 9, 2024 15:30:00 GMT
Really? He has had one decent game In your opinion. In mine we look a lot more creative when he is on the pitch, both before and after the alleged spat. I think he's had more than one good game. This is the big issue now, Ennis is the type of striker you bring on when winning, to see the game out because he will press and put a big tackle in, unfortunately he doesn't look very good starting as he's constantly chasing the ball due to his touch. Campbell just always looks a bit lost playing through the middle. Wesley seems completely out of it but given we need someone up there that makes it stick and brings others in, to be at our most effective, do we give him one last throw of the dice? It would be desperation but Ennis/Campbell simply don't work. The only other option is trying one of the wingers through the middle, could Vidigal do it? could Leris do it maybe? he wins headers and puts as much of a shift in as Ennis. Jesus I'm clutching now
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Wesley
Apr 9, 2024 15:24:10 GMT
Post by LGH87 on Apr 9, 2024 15:24:10 GMT
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 4, 2024 15:36:41 GMT
I think whenever Priest cashes in, Dom will cost him the win which will be the final nail and see him exiled from Judgement Day, freeing him up to join/create a new Latino faction. I think his recent link up with Santos is the beginning of this. Rhea's become too much of a face now to be in Judgement day too and since Priest won MITB, they've signed Punk and Drew has got red hot on this heel run. So it only really leaves them the option of Priest cashing in on Gunther or botching a World title cash in imo. There’s a few factors behind the scenes, Drew Rollins & Lynch contracts are up shortly after WM. I think it was Raw a week ago where they Easter egged a MITB cash in. Re the tag titles I agree they will be split but I’m not sure who will take them? As far as the other matches go, other than Ripley Lynch (maybe Bailey Sky) I don’t have a clue which way they could go? I’m looking for to this WM, especially as it’s HHH’s first WM show in charge. If they let Drew go now, they'll have fucked it big time. This heel run has been his best work to date, it's been fantastic to watch. The "freakin" gimmick for Rollins has gone a bit stale now anyway, tbh I think his music was move over than he's ever been . I do think all 3 will sign new deals, Becky has been brilliant the last few months too but can see why maybe her and Seth would leave for a break and some time with littl'un.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 4, 2024 15:12:41 GMT
My Wrestlemania predictions: SaturdayThe Rock & Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins - Bloodline winWomen's World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch - Rhea WinIntercontinental Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn - Gunther win (although something may go down if Gable is in Sami's corner.Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso - Jey winSix-Pack ladder match for Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: Judgment Day (Damian Priest & Finn Bálor) vs. Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) - Truth & Miz win Raw belts / Theory & Waller win Smackdown beltsBianca Belair, Naomi & Jade Cargill vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka & Kairi Sane) - Bianca, Naomi & Jade winRey Mysterio & Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar & Dominik Mysterio - Rey & Dragon win (I do think this is the beginning of the end for Dominik and the Judgement Day, think he's going to end up in a latino faction again. SundayUndisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes - Cody winsWorld Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre - Drew winsWWE Women's Championship: Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley - Bayley winsUnited States Championship Triple Threat: Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens Logan Paul winsLA Knight vs. AJ Styles LA Knight winsBobby Lashley & The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross & The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) - Bobby & the Profits winI think that Seth Drew match will be a Money in the Bank Cash in & Damian Priest walks away as Champion. I think whenever Priest cashes in, Dom will cost him the win which will be the final nail and see him exiled from Judgement Day, freeing him up to join/create a new Latino faction. I think his recent link up with Santos is the beginning of this. Rhea's become too much of a face now to be in Judgement day too and since Priest won MITB, they've signed Punk and Drew has got red hot on this heel run. So it only really leaves them the option of Priest cashing in on Gunther or botching a World title cash in imo.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 4, 2024 12:43:34 GMT
My Wrestlemania predictions:
Saturday The Rock & Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins - Bloodline win
Women's World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch - Rhea Win
Intercontinental Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn - Gunther win (although something may go down if Gable is in Sami's corner.
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso - Jey win
Six-Pack ladder match for Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: Judgment Day (Damian Priest & Finn Bálor) vs. Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) - Truth & Miz win Raw belts / Theory & Waller win Smackdown belts
Bianca Belair, Naomi & Jade Cargill vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka & Kairi Sane) - Bianca, Naomi & Jade win
Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar & Dominik Mysterio - Rey & Dragon win (I do think this is the beginning of the end for Dominik and the Judgement Day, think he's going to end up in a latino faction again.
Sunday Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes - Cody wins
World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre - Drew wins
WWE Women's Championship: Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley - Bayley wins
United States Championship Triple Threat: Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens Logan Paul wins
LA Knight vs. AJ Styles LA Knight wins
Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross & The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) - Bobby & the Profits win
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 4, 2024 9:41:21 GMT
I have nothing against Walters, he seems like a decent chap, but I do worry that he's not properly qualified for such a role and he does seem to cosy and happy to blow smoke up JC's and the families arse at every possible opportunity. Not to say he wouldn't do a good job.. He is qualified though, he's done his qualifications.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 4, 2024 8:31:08 GMT
David James, did we ever get to the bottom of that one?
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 3, 2024 19:42:41 GMT
The last two editions of RAW have been bloody, brutal and very sweary. The Attitude Era or something very similar is here again and I am all for it. Wrestlemania 40 has the potential to be one of the best. Have you seen the CM Punk interview on the The MMA Show? Talks about everything WWE & AEW. No, I’ll have a look for it thank you
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 3, 2024 14:23:18 GMT
The last two editions of RAW have been bloody, brutal and very sweary.
The Attitude Era or something very similar is here again and I am all for it.
Wrestlemania 40 has the potential to be one of the best.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 3, 2024 14:01:27 GMT
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 3, 2024 11:23:51 GMT
Nobody plays 2 forwards anymore, look at the Championship scoring charts. All the top scorers are wide forwards, who play in a 3. We need to start with a forward line of Million Mmaee Campbell/Haks/Vidigal With Bae at 10 behind them. So sorry Sir. What I was getting at is, it's easy to say lets play 2 up top but that either means playing 442 (which nobody plays anymore and we don't have the wingers for) or we play with wing backs in a 352 and everyone is in universal agreement that we should never play wingbacks.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 3, 2024 10:01:40 GMT
Starting with two forwards will help…but we know it won’t happen. Nobody plays 2 forwards anymore, look at the Championship scoring charts. All the top scorers are wide forwards, who play in a 3. We need to start with a forward line of Million Mmaee Campbell/Haks/Vidigal With Bae at 10 behind them.
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Post by LGH87 on Apr 1, 2024 17:19:38 GMT
Haks deserves to start. As does Mmaee Problem with Haks is he’s decent enough until he gets anywhere near the box. Then his shot, pass or cross is nearly always shit.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 31, 2024 1:25:11 GMT
Iverson wasn't on your original list. If 6 of his 18 signings we should keep then that is 1 out of every 3 that he signed. As I reckon that we will need, by your reckoning, to finish up with 14 new players that we are happy with then we will only need to sign 42 players. I don't really see us doing that, but maybe you do. Because realistically I don’t think he’ll sign. The only terrible Dublin signing has been Leris really. So I think your maths is off. I actually like Leris. He has his limitations but he offers something nobody else in the squad does and that’s winning headers in the attacking third. He helps out with Hoevers deficiencies too. Yes we need better but Leris has a part to play for me.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 29, 2024 19:36:16 GMT
5 away wins from 5 away games for me this season.
Never known anything like it😂
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 14:18:57 GMT
What I'd pick
Iversen
Hoever McNally Rose Stevens
Baker Thompson
Manhoef Bae Campbell
Ennis
What Schuey will pick
Iversen
Rose McNally Wilmot
Hoever Baker Thompson Stevens
Laurent Bae
Ennis
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 13:53:32 GMT
Stevens is going to have to try to stay fit for 8 games then isn't he. I will never ever get over the fact we didn't sign a left back in January. Not really. Thompson can play there and do just as bad a job defensively as Gooch has been doing recently. Burger is back on Monday nice and refreshed. Thompson slots into Pearson's position and again, not much difference there for one game tomorrow. Which leaves us with a midfield 3 of Baker, Laurent and Cundle tomorrow . I honestly can't see us conceding less than 3 and goal difference is crucial.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 13:48:28 GMT
Stevens is going to have to try to stay fit for 8 games then isn't he.
I will never ever get over the fact we didn't sign a left back in January.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 13:44:23 GMT
haha those suggesting that we may be sizing up Morris for the Head Coach job should go back to his Crewe days and see how/why that ended.
Not a chance we're even considering him as a replacement for Schumacher.
It's nothing more than a all hands on deck, Morris will already have been helping out with the first team whilst handling the 21s too, it's now got to the point of the season where all focus is needed on the first team.
Literally what the article says. People trying to look for hidden agendas where there just isn't any all of the time.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 13:35:39 GMT
Wonder if we may finally see the return of Enda Stevens? Although whoever we put there will probably be mauled by Philogene. I fear for us tomorrow, they have the exact type of players we really struggle against.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 13:25:16 GMT
Aye I don't disagree with any of that mate. Was still a clusterfuck of epic proportions when he walked in, made worse only by himself though So I can see why he's saying it was the toughest job of his career but in the end he made a fucking pigs ear of it anyway. I'd trust me or you to build a more cohesive squad with £60m than that twat. Defo, a lot of players just stood out like sore thumbs when we come down, most of them are prem and international players now. We could've signed Watkins, Toney & Bowen and still had change out of what we paid for Afobe, Ince & McClean
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 12:18:27 GMT
Fractious dressing room, Butland and Allen given deals that kept them on their Prem wages whilst the rest took pay cuts. Plus many other factors. He's still a twat though that fucked it royally. Manager job to unify a dressing room imo, and if you can't unify it you have to make big calls, same as management in any business. He should of been able to build a squad from scratch with 60 million and win the championship, spent it on Afobe, Clucas ect. Aye I don't disagree with any of that mate. Was still a clusterfuck of epic proportions when he walked in, made worse only by himself though So I can see why he's saying it was the toughest job of his career but in the end he made a fucking pigs ear of it anyway. I'd trust me or you to build a more cohesive squad with £60m than that twat.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 11:45:05 GMT
Will never understand Rowett calling it the hardest job he ever had, had a unprecedented budget and he spent it on fucking tripe players, he made that job difficult for himself. Fractious dressing room, Butland and Allen given deals that kept them on their Prem wages whilst the rest took pay cuts. Plus many other factors. He's still a twat though that fucked it royally.
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 11:30:59 GMT
It's certainly an interesting read. Quite a lot of it is telling the Athletic readers things which we, as Stoke fans, already know. I just add a couple of notes of caution. Quite a lot of it cites the views of anonymous "former senior employees" and "former players". We don't know who these people are, what role they had at the club, how long they were at Stoke for, how good they were at their job, why they left, why they have to remain anonymous and whether they have any personal agendas. I am always a little wary of articles which present such anonymous opinions as "fact". Second, the author(s) cite no evidence of having approached the owners for comment on any of the topics they cover, or responses to any of the assessments made of the owners by their anonymous interviewees. If that is so, it's poor journalism. Of course, when Stoke City Connect is set up, monitored by the new Regulator, it will be able to explore with the owners some of these issues, particularly the financial ones and the strategic direction of the Club. Bring it on ! By remaining anonymous they don't stand to gain anything by lying or misrepresenting. Why would they bother?
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Post by LGH87 on Mar 28, 2024 11:29:51 GMT
Fantastic article even if depressing. To sum it up in short for me it says.... The culture created by the owners inadvertently produces teams that lack any hunger or real desire to push themselves onto greater things. Its a cushy life for half arsed pros. We are totally stagnant and until someone somewhere in the club finally slams a metaphorical iron fist violently onto the table and says ENOUGH and totally overhauls the operation then we'll just slowly continue our painful decline all the way to league 2.. Exactly this and I hope to god they're scouring the world high and low for the best possible technical/sporting director.
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