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Post by GeordieDave on Mar 17, 2008 14:46:12 GMT
Saturday is MASSIVE and moaning aside its great to have massive games in March for the right reasons rather than relegation six-pointers.
Stoke host Blackpool. Watford travel to in-form Plymouth and Bristol play local rivals Cardiff. And as well know West Brom travel to Mardews Charlton on Friday.
Looking at the fixtures we could/should have a wee cushion by 5pm Saturday should we win as all of the other fixtures look like nailed on draws. And if not draws a home win looks more likely than an away win. Although anything can happen now as we keep seeing.
The following Saturday is interesting too as Watford are away at in-form Hull and WBA/Bristol have home bankers against Colchester/Norwich respectively.
We have to go Sheff Weds to win and we have a cushion with five left ....
I'm confusing myself ....!
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Post by mcf on Mar 17, 2008 14:56:43 GMT
4 points from 2 away games you old Pulis Hating twat.
Some wankstains are never, ever happy.
I bet no where in the history of man have so many been so fucking miserable as their team returned to the top of the league.
You muppets deserve to have a manager that you hate in charge.
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Post by surreystokie on Mar 17, 2008 16:11:16 GMT
GD, what's this about 'common sense to play deep the first twenty minutes' and 'the wrong time of the season to trial a new system'?!? Did you not go to the Hawthorns and watch as we shocked everyone, including ourselves, by attacking from the off and leaving the samba boys half-paralysed? Ah, I still dream of it - especially at times like 4.50 on Saturday, hoping that TP may recall it, on at least one more occasion.
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Post by GeordieDave on Mar 17, 2008 16:40:08 GMT
Monica, I was at WBA when we won 3-1. And yes it was a very untypical Stoke display. And yes like you I wish we could embrace those tactics in every game but I think, deep down, we both know you cannot do that in the "modern" game. Since the money came flooding into the sport we've seen it re-classified as a business rather than a) entertainment and b) a sport. Its now more about NOT losing.
Remember that side you fell in love with under Waddo, if he hadnt been so offensive away from home the would probably have won more than the token single trophy. Theres an argument to say we might have won the league too. We had an appalling away record, yet were deemed "entertaining" and were a popular attraction.
I think its finding the right balance.
I think TP was right to box it off first twenty, but after Eustace went he should have been more couragous and should have known a win would have made it difficult for Watford to catch us.
And as for systems, eight games from the end of the season is not the time to start buggering about with a system that has seen you emerge from nowhere to occupy second spot.
We can create chances, witness Blackpool or more recently PNE when we made enough to win five games. We chose not to on Saturday, despite circumstances favouring us.
Frustrated of Newcastle .... still I could be a Geordie, howay the Brum !!!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2008 17:25:26 GMT
It is in our hands. Watford and Brazil have to play eachother. They can't both win that game. (I'll ignore all the rest ... again) ah
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Mar 17, 2008 17:46:36 GMT
I was happy with the 5 at the back to begin, and if we hadn't have had that many bodies in the box for the first half they would've scored, no doubt about it. They took us apart at the start and it didn't really let up after the red card. Gally was down to his shorts about 5 mins after SJE went, but then didn't come on until half time, and you know I think he was right to leave it as it was, as painful as it is to be hanging on for half time against 10 men.
Clearly Pulis was not confident of us scoring more than one without lawrence playing, and quite right seeing how well Shittu completely took Fuller out of the game. Likewise we all know about our lack of unsoiled sheets lately, so this really was an occasion when we HAD to keep a clean sheet to get the three points, hence the five at the back.
After that I think most of the subs were attacking ones. Unfortunately we couldn't string 2 passes together all day, and after a while it seemed like noone wanted the ball, players were just not making runs and trying to stretch them to make the space, it was frustrating as hell. Diao's introduction was arguably negative, but we really needed someone to show composure and i tihnk TP gambled on him being that man, but then the Diao of this season turned up again, rather than the one of last, and he joined in with the wayward passing.
I'm not part of the rimming club, but I lay the blame for not winning this one firmly with our players and not our manager. Having said that Watford played excellently, especially shittu, and a few of their boys on the train back to london considered that one of their best performances of the season.
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Post by Parksy on Mar 17, 2008 18:45:23 GMT
I sort of agree with the sentiments and I myself am not sure to class this as a point gained or two lost. I certainly would have taken the point prior to kick off but wondered why we didn't seem to make more of the game when Eustace was sent off. However, looking at the run in, it is still in our hands. Watford and West Brazil have to play each other on the 12th April and even the media can't give both of them the 3 points from that game Watford have still to play Plymuff and Hull away and Palarse at Home, whilst West Brazil have Charlton and Wanky Wanderers away (and let's not forget they have their FA cup game(s) to go). So we need to beat Brizzle and it is in out hands, providing the right team turns out on the day! And one thing that got me thinking it is our year, was Carlo's save. I thought we had finally screwed it totally, but when he saved that penalty I had a strange feeling that this was going to be our year at last! Hope I'm right Edit - keyboard knackered, must be number of times it gets bounced off the wall on a Satdee
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Post by gamesmaster on Mar 17, 2008 19:03:47 GMT
Top post Dave! One of the only, if not THE only post that I've read since the Watford game that has a set up a reasoned, thoughtful discussion about that game and the side in general at the moment.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2008 19:24:45 GMT
Listening to the commentary on Saturday the initial thoughts of the commentary team was that Stoke had lined up 'to go for it'. It was only mumbling Mick that actually stated that the system deployed would never work as an attacking option simply because you need pace to move forward as a wing back system and sadly we have not got pace at all (well Bothroyd apart now) which unless you pick the ball up and play it quick ball to feet movement you will get pegged back.
I really thought that TP was very very slow to react to the sending off and in the ensuing period after the dismissal allowed Watford to carry on imposing the game on us. This alone worries me for the future if we get to the Prem or even in the last few games a chance was presented to go for the throat and he chosed to go for the point no doubt in my mind. I rated TP as 10 in my initial summise now I am not so sure after having thought about it.
If he thought the players were edgy as he said so then who's job is it to remove those fears and give the players the motivation? I still think we will do it though it looks like it will be with the relegation threatned tactics rather than the Sheff Utd style of gung ho type we all crave to finish the season with Style.
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Mar 17, 2008 20:27:22 GMT
"I really thought that TP was very very slow to react to the sending off and in the ensuing period after the dismissal allowed Watford to carry on imposing the game on us"
Sidders, maybe i am wrong and a change straight away would've worked, but at the time we looked so much like conceding that it seemed daft to take a defender off. Attack is the best form of defence they say, but we could't put anything coherent together.
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