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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 2, 2008 20:24:43 GMT
...if he fails to learn from them.
The obsession with playing Cresswell (and slow strikers in general) on the left wing continues to baffle, especially now we have Gallagher in the squad. The transformation in the performance was quite dramatic when Gally came on, simply because we had someone else who could create chances, put his foot on the ball and show a bit of skill now and again. To not utilise a player like this will cost us points, and Pulis has to make the decision to drop either Cresswell or Sidibe. (and should have done weeks ago)
The other significant change that saw an upturn in Stoke's performance was the withdrawal of the frankly pitiful Diao. Without a pre-season, or any training for 6-8 months, the bloke is so far off the pace, he's still playing last week's match. If his legs haven't gone for good, then Diao should be kept in the reserves for the rest of this season, and not be seen again until he's caught up with the rest of the squad in terms of sharpness. Any game that he starts at the moment means we're playing with 10 men from the off.
Please Pulis, don't fuck up all the brilliant work that you've done so far. Everyone makes mistakes, and they're there to be learnt from...I just worry that in the past this manager has failed, or refused, to see what is blatantly obvious to everybody else. He has changed his approach in lots of ways since his return (and largely for the better) but now would be the worst possible time for that stubborn streak to make a return.
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Post by maryhinge on Mar 2, 2008 20:28:14 GMT
agree
top post
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Post by trebor63 on Mar 2, 2008 20:33:19 GMT
The fact that we are in our best position for three decades is down largely to Pulis! He will make mistakes everyone does BUT he makes many many many more right decisions than bad uns!
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Post by Olgrligm on Mar 2, 2008 20:33:24 GMT
It really was strange that Diao didn't get a run out for the reserves in the week, wasn't it?
Gallagher on the left, Cresswell on the bench, Cort out, Riggott at centre back and I'm starting to doubt Pugh at left back. I think we should consider him for the centre of midfield while Whelan is suspended, because Diao really isn't up to it, and put Dickinson at left back. Still, if Griffin's sending off sets the tone for football from now on, perhaps poor old Dicko won't last for very many matches.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2008 20:33:32 GMT
I disagree wholeheartedly and respectfully with the headline post - i.e. a silly post, borne of post match depression, desparation and hysteria, totally failing to recognise its Tony Pulis that got us where we are in the first place !
Yep theres lots of twists and turns to come - but count on Pulis to get it right - again !
and after today -what are the chances we turn over both bristol and watford shortly ?
And what Ive not seen anyone else mention today - Delap wasnt playing
pretty good I'd say !
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Post by slangking on Mar 2, 2008 20:35:39 GMT
...if he fails to learn from them. The obsession with playing Cresswell (and slow strikers in general) on the left wing continues to baffle, especially now we have Gallagher in the squad. Is this one of your hilarious 'jokes'? Gallagher makes Cresswell look like Linford Christie after an injection. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 2, 2008 20:43:50 GMT
Pulis has done brilliantly this season, tha's not in question.
However, picking Diao will cost us points whenever he plays.
Cresswell is workman-like, whereas Gallagher is a match winner.
If the manager realises this, no problem. If he doesn't then I doubt we'll be going up automatically.
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Post by knype on Mar 2, 2008 20:44:43 GMT
Trouserdog, you are an attention seeking wanker....  |
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Post by potters11 on Mar 2, 2008 20:45:34 GMT
Top post TD. Gallagher in for Cresswell, would make us an even better team. I said at the match today, we may have to sacrifice the goals of Cresswell for the creativity of Gally.
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Post by FullerMagic on Mar 2, 2008 20:46:45 GMT
Let's not foget Gallagher scored about 12 from that position in 05-06.
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Post by TheDee51 on Mar 2, 2008 20:47:15 GMT
Totally agree about diao, he was useless today
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 2, 2008 20:47:32 GMT
...if he fails to learn from them. The obsession with playing Cresswell (and slow strikers in general) on the left wing continues to baffle, especially now we have Gallagher in the squad. Is this one of your hilarious 'jokes'? Gallagher makes Cresswell look like Linford Christie after an injection. Gallagher's hardly captain speedy, but he has bucket loads of skill, and looks miles better out wide than he does in his supposedly natural-position of centre forward. Cresswell is too cumbersome for the left wing berth, and should be used properly, as a striker, or not at all. |
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Post by trebor63 on Mar 2, 2008 20:49:52 GMT
RE Gallagher's hardly captain speedy, but he has bucket loads of skill, and looks miles better out wide than he does in his supposedly natural-position of centre forward.
Cresswell is too cumbersome for the left wing berth, and should be used properly, as a striker, or not at all.
I totally agree with that!
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Post by slangking on Mar 2, 2008 20:50:32 GMT
Cresswell is quicker than Gallagher, I thought you wanted fast players? Make your mind up FFS.
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Post by maryhinge on Mar 2, 2008 20:53:21 GMT
Cresswell is quicker than Gallagher, I thought you wanted fast players? . hahahahahaha comedy post of the year!!!! classic |
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Post by FullerMagic on Mar 2, 2008 20:53:58 GMT
Yeah, I'd say Cresswell has the edge on speed. But he's hardly a whippet. Both are pretty slow.
Goal threat from that position seems about the same, based on their records playing left wing.
Defensive solidity, tracking back etc would seem to favour Cresswell on paper - but we're all at sea in the goals against column anyway. Could we get any worse?
And surely Gallagher would bring infinitely more to the table in terms of creativity.
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Post by maryhinge on Mar 2, 2008 20:55:41 GMT
fullermagic and slangking
do you have eyes?
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Post by slangking on Mar 2, 2008 20:56:17 GMT
Cresswell is quicker than Gallagher, I thought you wanted fast players? . hahahahahaha comedy post of the year!!!! classic Are you a simpleton? Don't worry we already know the answer. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 2, 2008 20:56:45 GMT
AGSF... where did I say we needed someone fast, specifically, as opposed to "good"?
You really should give up this debating lark, because you're absolutely wank at it.
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Post by slangking on Mar 2, 2008 20:57:45 GMT
Delap should go straight back in, if Gallagher does play I hope to God Diao isn't in there as well as we would have the slowest midfield in the world.
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Post by Thank you from Moorlander1 on Mar 2, 2008 20:59:14 GMT
Totally agree about diao, he was useless today Please do not forget his other 2 & 1/2 matches. |
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Post by actionjackson on Mar 2, 2008 21:04:44 GMT
get gally in... the bloke is asking to play in the reserves which shows just how much he wants to get stuck in. dont see anybody else in the team doing the same.especialy not diao who realy does need to regain some fittness
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Post by Alvechurch Assassin on Mar 2, 2008 21:10:17 GMT
I only started to like Pulis 6 months ago, and am not going to give that up too easily!
However, Diao is a total passenger and we can not afford to "play him in" at this stage of the season. Cresswell has to play upfront with Fuller, and alongside him not behind him. Gally on the left, Lawrence on the right with Delap and Whelan in the middle (with Pugh as great cover for either). That looks to be the best we have going forwards.
At the back, fuck only knows. The Shawcross/Cort pairing looks very shaky and I only hope Riggott is not too far away from match fitness. Who does he replace though? As for the fullbacks, Griff should go back to the left, with Wilko, and an underrated Buxton as cover for the right back slot.
And Simmo in goal.
That, I reckon, is the best we have to try and get promotion this year.
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Post by FullerMagic on Mar 2, 2008 23:09:30 GMT
He's not the boldest of souls though, is he?
He likes what he knows, and knows what he likes?
Chances of a mini shake-up are pretty remote.
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Post by Trouserdog on Mar 2, 2008 23:22:42 GMT
Sadly I think you're right, as despite the glaring shitness of his team selection today, the line up for Burnley will probably be the same, apart from Delap in for the suspended Whelan.
I'm afraid that Cort is a £1million liability, Pugh is not a left back, Cresswell will never be a left winger and Diao is six months of hard training away from being fit.
Unless Pulis accepts these things and makes a few changes, we won't be in the top 2 come the end of the season.
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Post by mcf on Mar 3, 2008 7:16:39 GMT
We made the top two with having Pugh at left back, Cresswell left midfield and Cort at the back?????
The team selection may not be quite right but its hardly 'glaring shitness' either.
All aboard the Pulis Hating Express.
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Post by Godo on Mar 3, 2008 8:27:58 GMT
So having an opinion about alternative team selections is "Pulis hating" is it? Fook me Stalin's politbureau had nothing on you lot!
We are conceding heavily and Dicko has consistently proved to be a better defender than Pugh. Pugh's best perfromances have come in central midfield; Cresswell has worked hard and tracks back but struggles to create or go past his man when wide left; Gallagher worked wonders for us last time he was here playing wide left; Diao is struggling very badly. Now the conclusions I'd draw from that are that Dicko should be left back, Pugh should be central midfield ahead of Diao and Gallagher should be wide left!!
I'm not reacting to yesterday's defeat because QPR played very well and obviously the referee is a vile clueless qunt - but I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that the above team might just have done a bit better than the one that - Fuller and Gallagher aside - underperformed.
Pulis has done well to assemble our current squad and loyalty to players who have worked hard for him is very laudable but he needs to utilise the players to maximum affect because our squad is now one that SHOULD be in the play offs so we can't keep saying Pulis has overachieved anymore.
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Post by FullerMagic on Mar 3, 2008 9:57:59 GMT
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Post by bobafett on Mar 3, 2008 12:46:23 GMT
seems to me that their is alot of panic after TWO defeats . all of a sudden everyone know's better than Pulis and we should drop members of the team who have got us to the position we're in . although I do agree that Diao doesn't look match fit he wouldn't have played had Delap been available .
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Post by FullerMagic on Mar 3, 2008 12:52:16 GMT
Since November, only Scunthorpe have conceded more goals than us in the league.
Based on that (and not as a kneejerk reaction to back-to-back defeats), it's pretty hard to mount an argument that the defence is functioning at all well. Surely changes are called for?
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