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Post by philm87 on Dec 7, 2014 23:34:53 GMT
I would love an Oatcake youtube channel
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Post by philm87 on Dec 7, 2014 0:06:55 GMT
I defended him on here early doors, but have to admit I'm still not entirely convinced. His touch isn't good enough. Not complaining too much though because he was a freebie. Plenty of pace, commitment to the cause, decent enough in the air. He will bag a few goals. I will always get behind a player who puts in a shift and Diouf always does that. Long-term though, I think we may need to spend a few bob on a top centre forward. Someone who can hold the ball like Crouch, but run like Diouf. Agree, if QPR go Austin would be ideal, scores for fun, the amount of chances we are capable of creating he would have a ball. My mate was saying the same on the way back. Not sure with Austin though. Whether he is the real deal or just on a winning streak at the moment?
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Post by philm87 on Dec 7, 2014 0:02:04 GMT
I defended him on here early doors, but have to admit I'm still not entirely convinced. His touch isn't good enough.
Not complaining too much though because he was a freebie. Plenty of pace, commitment to the cause, decent enough in the air. He will bag a few goals. I will always get behind a player who puts in a shift and Diouf always does that.
Long-term though, I think we may need to spend a few bob on a top centre forward. Someone who can hold the ball like Crouch, but run like Diouf.
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 23:58:09 GMT
Can never understand people leaving at 43 minutes
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 23:34:55 GMT
Ask most Stoke fans what they think about Burnley and they will say 'Proper club, proper fans, etc.'.
Ask them what they think about Arsenal however...
The secret ingredient is vitriol.
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 23:32:54 GMT
Nice to see someone come out and admit they were wrong for criticizing one of our own. A rarity on this board.
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Enjoy
Dec 6, 2014 23:30:41 GMT
Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 23:30:41 GMT
Missing the one where Ryan takes Moneybayor out off the pitch, and JP squaring up to Wilshite, but otherwise top work.
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 20:51:34 GMT
Yup. And I think most Arsenal fans actually agree with us too
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 20:46:07 GMT
We should have won 4-0 today. Simple as that.
If Rojo was not interfering with play, despite actually heading the ball into our goal, then how the fuck did Diouf have any involvement in a brilliant individual goal by Bojan. Then the penalty that was a blatant dive.
We have had a lot of luck go against us so far this season. Fortunately today our three goal cushion meant it didn't matter so much.
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 20:43:19 GMT
I had a little go on goonerworld or whatever it is called.
They honestly hate him more than we do. The level of abuse he was getting that first half was much worse than anything Pulis ever got on here.
They had photo-shopped that 'Thanks for the memories, but it's time to go' banner and changed it to 'Forget the memories now fuck off you old cunt'.
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 12:06:44 GMT
When I'm walking to the ground today, I want to feel the hatred emanating from fellow Stokies. I want to be able to look each one in the eye and see that whatever else we do or don't have in common, today we are uniting in tribal hatred. I want to smell it in the air when the players walk out. I want to see the trepidation on the faces of the stewards, the mixture of fear and wonder on the faces of small children, realising for the first time they are part of something bigger than a simple game of football. And I want those eleven Arsenal players to know there is thin wall of social convention between them and 25,000 people who want to eat them alive.
BE LOUD, BE PROUD, BE STOKE ... and just for a day ... BE FUCKING NASTY
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Post by philm87 on Dec 6, 2014 11:42:52 GMT
I'll try and respond without insulting you, because you clearly seem unaware of what the issue is.
1) The whole premise of your article is that 'it is nothing personal'. Given you have just written an open later to our captain, how is that plausible? You are asking us to believe that in the space of about 24 hours, you have suddenly had a personality transplant and fundamentally altered your view about the nature of the rivalry between us, in response to online abuse from Stoke fans?
2) The rivalry precedes Ramsay's leg break. Do you not recall the fallout after our 2-1 victory in our first season in the Prem? That was Arsene Wenger and Arsenal fans that created that by being bitter, sore losers. For those belonging to an older generation, they can also throw in the FA Cup semifinals in the 1970s.
3) It really wasn't a horrific tackle was it? It was a bad tackle. It was late and he was coming in with a lot of force, but we will see far worse tackles this season where no such injury occurs. The only reason he got sent off was because of the injury. It was the injury that was horrific, not the tackle. It is ONLY Arsenal fans that can't see this.
4) I wouldn't say it reduced both sets of fans to lunacy. It reduced your manager and YOUR fans to lunacy. We have responded, unfortunately, by dragging ourselves down to your level. But it fires us up so I'm not knocking it.
5) Tension between urban and rural? Seriously... what the fuck are you on about there?
6) The caricature you are referring to would be appropriate when Tony Pulis was our manager. Anyone who has seen us play under Mark Hughes would have to disagree. We play a completely different style now. Against the big teams, we tend to be more direct and more physical, like everyone else is, but against similar sized opponents we look to get the ball down and play. It's worked pretty well for us, because we finished 9th last season despite a pretty tight budget.
7) Does Ramsey savour the role of helpless victim? You claim not, most would probably disagree. He has never publicly drawn a line under the incident and refused to accept any apologies. That's really quite unusual. Most players - in fact pretty much every single player I can think of - would just accept the apology and move on, even if privately they resented the person who injured them.
8) Whether we reside in Stoke or London? I'm a bit of a hypocrite for saying this, because I grew up down south and have never lived in Stoke... however, having lived in Kent I can assure you there are A LOT of Arsenal fans round there who have never actually been to seen you play. Part of our resentment is probably the fact that we have to deal with an army of armchair pundits and keyboard warriors claiming to be Arsenal 'fans' when they have no real connection to the club. It makes it difficult for us to take you seriously, and even more difficult for you lot to take the moral high ground.
9) The bottom line is this: when we were promoted we disliked all the big clubs. I suspect we disliked Liverpool more than Arsenal. We certainly hated the The Shit more than we hated you lot. We really do HATE The Shit, so that you have managed to surpass them in that regard is quite impressive. You must have done something pretty special to create that intensity of hatred, because we didn't voluntarily decided to hate you more than we hate The Shit (just to reiterate, we really do fucking hate The Shit).
How have you managed to achieve this?
Yes, we roughed you up a bit. Our style of play under Pulis was not likely to win over many neutrals. That Shawcross tackle on Adebayor was nasty, the one on Ramsey led to a horrific leg break. Yes Stoke is a very working class place, whereas you lot can apparently afford to spend £1300000 a year on season tickets. I expect, therefore, a mutual dislike.
However, the main reason we have come to hate you so much is your incredible levels of delusion. Part of it is the arrogance, the constant patronizing blog posts from 'soccer' fans who should have long since abandoned any pretence at a career in journalism. It is also because you constantly bring up Ramsey's injury at every available opportunity, refusing to let it go and then pretending that both sides are equally to blame for the persistent refusal to move on from that 'fateful' day as you put it. I'd be quite happy moving on. You can't. That is the difference. Most of all though, we hate the hypocrisy. You can't draw attention to the fact that Ryan Shawcross has 4 yellow cards already this season, given that golden boy Callum Chambers easily surpasses that. You can't criticise others for bad tackles and then when one of your own is guilty, simply reply 'I deednt see eet'. You can't accuse others of thuggery when you had a player like Martin Monkeyface Keown at the heart of your defence for so many years.
I would honestly suggest that fans of pretty much every other club would relate to a lot of what I have just written. It is only Arsenal fans that are too deluded to see past their own hypocrisy.
I doubt you will ever get a more rational response than the one I have just given you, we have long since abandoned the prospect of a civilized voicing of differences with you lot. Today I will boo and shout abuse at every one of you cunts. You can spit your prawn sandwiches out and bemoan how uncivilized we are, but if you can't see how fucking deluded you all are, well surely I am justified in indulging in some tribal hatred for a few hours on Saturday afternoon?
Now go on, off you fuck.
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Post by philm87 on Dec 5, 2014 23:47:51 GMT
Where was Pieters? I love the guy's commitment and he is decent going forward but often when we concede ... just try and pause play in your mind and check where he is... he has either gone too far forward and left us exposed on the counter (e.g. West Ham) or has got sucked in too narrow (e.g. Villa) or is just watching the ball and too slow reacting (yesterday). Cameron is nowhere near good enough defensively at RB. Most of the shit goals we have conceded this season have come about because Shawcross has been dragged out of centre back to cover ground because one of our fullbacks has disappeared. That was how he got the yellow card yesterday. Had to take one for the team to cover Geoff. There goal yesterday... yep Arnie shares a large part of the blame... but Shawcross gets drag out ... Pieters ends up in the centre back position... ball comes back of the cross bar.... Pieters is watching. He is just watching the ball in the air whilst Johnson is running. So who are you blaming? Cameron, Pieters, Ryan, Wilson, Arnie ? I was blaming Pieters for that goal specifically, Geoff for the yellow that Ryan picked up, and the fullbacks in general for our poor defending this season.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 30, 2014 23:01:23 GMT
Where was Pieters?
I love the guy's commitment and he is decent going forward but often when we concede ... just try and pause play in your mind and check where he is... he has either gone too far forward and left us exposed on the counter (e.g. West Ham) or has got sucked in too narrow (e.g. Villa) or is just watching the ball and too slow reacting (yesterday).
Cameron is nowhere near good enough defensively at RB.
Most of the shit goals we have conceded this season have come about because Shawcross has been dragged out of centre back to cover ground because one of our fullbacks has disappeared. That was how he got the yellow card yesterday. Had to take one for the team to cover Geoff.
There goal yesterday... yep Arnie shares a large part of the blame... but Shawcross gets drag out ... Pieters ends up in the centre back position... ball comes back of the cross bar.... Pieters is watching. He is just watching the ball in the air whilst Johnson is running.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 30, 2014 15:41:42 GMT
Woolywool will no doubt be along shortly explaining just how lucky that was. Pulis, total legend. Nuff said. I'll leave the field clear for you to explain how a home league game against Swansea was considered a bigger deal than playing Valencia in the Europa League knock out game where thousands of travelling Stokies were treated to a team made up of reserves and youth team players in one of "the biggest games in the club's history", Tazi? We didn't even have a full number of subs on the bench. Well if you were reading this MB at the time ... those two homes games against Swansea and Norwich were massive because we were definitely going to get relegated and nobody could imagine us winning a single game of football EVER again
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Post by philm87 on Nov 30, 2014 0:10:24 GMT
I have been saying for a while now. Begovic is a terrible goalkeeper. And that lanky bloke in front of him too. Rubbish. "Begovic is a terrible keeper"You may gave a water infection. I was being sarcastic
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 23:59:09 GMT
We did miss Whelan the first couple of games he was injured for sure. He reads the game really well in defensive positions. Last couple of games though Sidwell has been genuinely impressive. Started today well too. With Adam in a central midfield 2 we are much more open.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 23:57:14 GMT
Not really Butland Bardsley Cameron Wilson. Pieters Palacios Walters Adam bojan Muniesa Crouch Would give them a game and give s some respite it's what the squad is for
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 23:54:19 GMT
I have been saying for a while now. Begovic is a terrible goalkeeper. And that lanky bloke in front of him too. Rubbish.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 22:14:12 GMT
Cameron was at fault for Ryan's yellow though. That is why Ryan had to block Sterling off and take one for the team, because his fullback left him exposed (again)
Wilson should have done that to Downing and then we would have beaten Wet Sham. Although in fairness Wilson did quite well today
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 21:18:14 GMT
Little pete I didn't say he isn't or I wanted it just. That you should not rule it out premier league managers rarely survive 6 straight defeats or more we are are a third of the way there with arsenal man utd Chelsea as three of our remaining 4 and everton away as the seventh .it wouldn't be an issue if we had 20 points but we dont If that happens as it stands only one proven premier league survival expert is available as the outstanding candidate and at the moment who else will go first Pearson and or lambert possibly but the latter unlikely never say never inn football and our chairman remains his biggest supporter and won't be phased by a reaction in the Fan ase as he roved last time I'm not saying it will just don't rule it out and certainly don't rule out 6 or 7 straight defeats We're in the fortunate position though that unlike most Premier League clubs we have a smart chairman who knows what he is doing. Really can't see us losing 6 or 7 games in a row either. Only an idiot would predict that.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 21:13:30 GMT
I agree he did used to talk a lot of shit on here, but surely, in this instance, he has a point? He may be exaggerating, but people did used to defend Pulis in the manner in which he describes. We did used to say that you have to spend money in order to stand still. Since then we have spent peanuts compared to those around us but we have actually got better. Again I can't edit, so to add to my last I aren't a Pulis sympathiser. I liked the man and he did so much for us but the time was right to move him on. It did us both good. In Coates we trust I regard Pulis as a legend personally, but like you say, the time was right for a change.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 21:11:34 GMT
I agree he did used to talk a lot of shit on here, but surely, in this instance, he has a point? He may be exaggerating, but people did used to defend Pulis in the manner in which he describes. We did used to say that you have to spend money in order to stand still. Since then we have spent peanuts compared to those around us but we have actually got better. He used to slate Pulis more than anyone... He'd never keep us up, he'd never come back. He'd never play decent football. He'd never take us up. He'd never keep us up (again). He doesn't value the cups. He'd never take us to Europe. He'd never get another job in the top two divisions. Sorry if I take his oracle posts with a pinch of salt. Anyway mate I think we've just re-jigged our policy, were spending more on wages to compete now. Whether were spending big fees or not the squad is unquestionably stronger. Yeah I think the squad is pretty strong. We have spent well. I said at the time the freebies we picked up this summer represented great value and Bojan for less than £2 million was the best signing we have made in my lifetime. With this squad and Mark Hughes at the home, I'm fairly optimistic for the future.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 20:58:13 GMT
Expectations are now through the roof. 3 years ago when I questioned why the expectation was so low despite spending 100 million pounds I was greeted with derision and told that Stoke are always in a relegation battle and it's a miracle to survive. Suddenly the money has gone but now we are expected to win every game. How come? You've said many things 2,3,4,5,6 years ago. The majority being proven wrong. The money hasn't gone anywhere. Whether Diouf cost £8m or nothing he's still Mame BIRAM Diouf at Stoke. Same for Sidwell, same for Bojan. This are top players who would have received massive sign on fees and won't be getting paid peanuts. I agree he did used to talk a lot of shit on here, but surely, in this instance, he has a point? He may be exaggerating, but people did used to defend Pulis in the manner in which he describes. We did used to say that you have to spend money in order to stand still. Since then we have spent peanuts compared to those around us but we have actually got better.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 20:32:24 GMT
We may well find ourselves in the bottom three by Christmas. We have a tough run of fixtures ahead, we have injury problems, and we have dropped too many points at home against inferior opponents. Failing to take our chances has cost us at times. More costly has being our growing vulnerability in defence. From where I'm sitting, the blame lies with the fullbacks, who too often get caught out of position.
However, there have been so far this season at least five terms who are worse than us and that is while we have been going through an indifferent run of form and suffering our fair share of misfortune. In a league like this, anyone outside the top seven or eight sides will occasionally find themselves fearfully looking over their shoulders. That's never going to change.
We have a decent squad of players and a decent manager. We are quite capable of getting results both home and away, even against the top sides. No sane person would be seriously panicking right now. Mild concern fair enough. But the amount of pessimism on here can only be explained by a complete and total lack of bottle. Some people really need to get a grip.
I'm not sure whether to be pissed off with some of our fans or pity them for being unable to enjoy what is a successful period for our club. The days when we moan after a narrow defeat at Anfield will surely not last forever.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 20:16:13 GMT
Those of us who grew up with the local glory hunters rubbing our noses in it in the late 70's early 80's feel the pain of defeat to these wankers that ever so bit more Don't worry mate, we play them at home on the last day of the season. Either they have already squandered their chances of a top four finish by then, or we might just have the opportunity to ruin it for them.
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 17:17:17 GMT
One decent game with about one good shot and one good dribble shouldnt me enough to hype Bojan in my opinion. Remember that the Liverpool defense are one of the worst defenses in the Premier League. Goals and assists is the most important stat for attacking players and Bojan doesnt score that many goals or assists and you need more than just fancy passes to add to the team when he doesnt offer much else. One decent game? Have you been in a coma for the last few weeks?
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 17:15:47 GMT
Disappointed with not getting anything from that. Stoke played brilliant today I genuinely don't think we were "brilliant". We were up against a pretty terrible Liverpool team and we managed to lose and not score. I am absolutely devastated and sick of these constant charitable donations to crap sides. We did not do enough to win that game today. Nowhere near enough. Crap sides? Okay Liverpool are playing shite at the moment and are without their star striker. But to leave Anfield with them hanging on fighting for their lives, narrowing suffering a 1-0 defeat and then talks about 'crap sides'? We are talking about Stoke City right?
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 17:05:56 GMT
Struggled to have an impact first half but second half he was the best player on the pitch by a mile
That pass to Diouf...
That nutmeg on Lucas and then the shot against the post
And that volley that deserved to go in
Knew he prove the doubters wrong
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Post by philm87 on Nov 29, 2014 17:02:58 GMT
Ball watching...
Hate to say because I admire Pieters commitment and apart from the goal he actually had a good game, but too often we are being exposed by our fullbacks being either too far forward and not getting back or getting dragged in to narrow and then ball watching. It has cost us a few times already and cost us again today.
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