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Post by kevkj on Sept 12, 2011 7:32:33 GMT
God we were poor on the eye but got a fantastic result based on defensive awareness and team spirit.
When everyone was creaming about the signings, whilst being pleased myself i just saw individual position upgrades only .
the sum of the total parts is exactly the same,nothing will change until we get a ball playing midfielder and full backs who can receive and pass the ball comfortably.
I think we may see this in the January window if our league form continues.
Onwards and upwa ;Drds
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2011 7:43:23 GMT
I think it's possible to have individual upgrades and still play football that's entertaining to watch, as we saw towards the end of last season.
Yeah. we did purely a stopping job on Saturday. Can anyone think of a reason why?
Liverpool - this Liverpool team at least - are going to be top four contenders this season. They're one of the most expensively assembled sides in the league. Were people really expecting us to play them off the park?
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Post by staffordstokie999 on Sept 12, 2011 7:49:27 GMT
if its not broke dont try to fix it
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Post by mountflorence on Sept 12, 2011 8:01:32 GMT
Did you go to the match? I ask because I notice your location is "way down south". If you are judging the game on the basis of the Match of the Day report you may have a slightly distorted view of events. It was a hard fought game featuring some good football from Stoke as well as determined defending, against quality opposition. There has been a very noticeable change in Stoke's approach to games since January.
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Post by Jamo on the wing on Sept 12, 2011 8:05:04 GMT
We have to be realistic. We played a Liverpool team with their tails up and 100m quids worth of new players in the squad.
If you thought we'd play them off the park you were kidding yourself.
Don't get me wrong if we end up being under pressure like that against the less fancied teams, you would have a valid point.
As it is, I don't think you do.
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Post by vahl on Sept 12, 2011 8:05:08 GMT
I think we are slowly improving. Each game brings a bit more flair to our play, which is a good thing.
I would rather be watching us defend like champs for 80 minutes and having a great 10 minute spell where we score, than watch us play teams off the park and still lose.
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Post by Binndy on Sept 12, 2011 8:18:35 GMT
+1 . When playing those teams with multi millions of pounds players, it can only be all hands on deck. Blood , sweat and team spirit. This dedication is working.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2011 8:25:29 GMT
We could have two great ball playing full backs and a "playmaker" in midfield and may have played a bit more attacking but in the end we might not have got the win. Adam is a playmaker, whitehead is a grafter yet I'd much rather have the latter in my squad, especially after saturday's performance.
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Post by buiskatthebrit on Sept 12, 2011 8:30:26 GMT
+1 . When playing those teams with multi millions of pounds players, it can only be all hands on deck. Blood , sweat and team spirit. This dedication is working. Good point, well made. Hard work, passion,commitment, spirit,tenacity etc etc. All this defines Stoke City. All this is winning us games and points.
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ab
Academy Starlet
Posts: 104
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Post by ab on Sept 12, 2011 8:47:42 GMT
Kevkj, you always this happy lad, if i was a Stoke fan i would have the ground thinking that was great, just witnessed one of the best team performance you will probably see this season, The likes of Wigan, Norwich may come any you beat them with ease, say 3-0, but i bet you wont play half as well as satdee, you were fuckin immense, just enjoy it and stop being so negative.
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Post by homegrownstokie on Sept 12, 2011 8:48:50 GMT
One of the most important things for me, like buiskatthebrit said, is that we're never going to lose our team spirit. Teams like Liverpool will come and go, and occasionally they'll perform, but at the end of the day if they don't and we stick to our game plan, we'll pick up points against the big boys.
It's ridiculous to think that that will be our game plan against the Swansea's or the Fulham's - we'll obviously play a more expansive game, but I can't see how we can question the attacking capabilities of our side against teams like Liverpool.
Personally, I love watching Stoke graft. It'll obviously be great to keep improving the quality of player, but we've shown we can perform with the players we've got when we show the kind of mentality and attitude we showed Saturday.
So upgrading player by player, position by position, has to be the key to improving year on year.
Vis Unita Fortior.
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Post by gnosallpotter on Sept 12, 2011 8:53:20 GMT
A fit Palacios will hopefully start alongside Whelan who can be our poor mans creative midfielder hopefully.
I'm very impressed we managed to keep out a Liverpool side that have looked bloody strong in the last two games. I'm also pretty sure it will be Adam dropped for Gerrard upon his return. Utter toss he was apart from his usual hollywood balls.
Whitehead worked his socks off in a defensive role yesterday, you can't drop him on that performance. I think we may see him playing against the better teams to nullify their midfields, and Whelan starting against the weaker teams who we can attack.
Saturday also proved that we can win games without our wingers seeing much of the ball. Both Ethers and Pennant have seemed pretty off the pace so far this season in the league IMO.
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ab
Academy Starlet
Posts: 104
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Post by ab on Sept 12, 2011 8:57:25 GMT
Actually think Henderson will make way for Gerrard, Adam has played very well this season, up until Sat, Henderson i think is still feeling the pressure and is there for the long haul lots to learn yet, Carroll hasnt settled in at all, and think he will be a sub more and more this season, although if Coates comes in as the player all the so called experts say he is, then we may get a better service from back to midfield, wing and into box, problem at the moment is too many hoofs from the likes of Carra when Carroll is on.
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Post by gnosallpotter on Sept 12, 2011 9:08:55 GMT
Aye, he should have buried that one on one against Asmir. Depends if Gerrard wants to play out right, rather than through the middle. Suarez needs those balls slipping through (pardon the pub) the centre for him to sneak onto.
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Post by Gods on Sept 12, 2011 9:11:51 GMT
I don't think we do have "individual upgrades" after the last transfer window, what we have is more alternatives and a broader squad which will enable us to compete on hopefully more fronts.
Is Crouch an upgrade on Kenwyne ? No, but he is a good alternative.
Is Jerome an upgrade on Walters ? No, but he is an able alternative.
Are Upson and Woodgate a better combo than Shawcross and Huth ? No but they are a decent alternative.
Palacios may be a genuine upgrade but I haven't seen enough of him to form an opinion.
Overall I think we underestimate what we had and over estimate what we have bought, the truth will lie somewhere in the middle as it usually does.
So as regards the football I expect more of the same but with a squad which is better able to deal with injuries, suspensions, exhaustion and loss of form.
Anyone who expected a sea change in the style after these signings is whistling in the wind.
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Post by johnsmithsupper on Sept 12, 2011 9:12:52 GMT
I am sick of these type of threads. Somehow i wish people could be transported back and compare these fantastic players we now have to what we did have not that long ago.
They are winning and not even conceding goals at the moment what more could anyone possibly want.
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Post by RipRoaringPotter on Sept 12, 2011 9:18:22 GMT
Our whole team ethic works on the premise that everyone is given as go to prove that they are good enough which often is the reason for the likes of Pugh and Daio getting a bit of game time every season.
For that reason, I can't see how Whitehead can be dropped after Saturday. He's been given his chance and stepped up (just like Whelan did last season at the expense of Whitehead).
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Post by kevkj on Sept 12, 2011 9:23:48 GMT
Some of you took my point wrongly,i was delighted with the result and just questioned how we evolve.
Yes i was at the game lol.
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Post by firingsquad on Sept 12, 2011 9:24:23 GMT
+1 well said that man
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Post by woodin43 on Sept 12, 2011 9:25:17 GMT
I would gladly have accepted a point before the match, so I'm totally happy that we got all 3 and that was down to a solid defence and a fantastic all round team spirit. OK, the strikers were short of service again, but I hope that will change when Palcious gets into the team and Matty shakes off this niggling injury which seems to be restricting him at the moment. I also saw Crouch chasing balls around the halfway line that Jones would have given up on, so thats an improvement. I agree with Gods, the new players are good alternatives and the squad is stronger for having them.
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Post by davejohnno1 on Sept 12, 2011 9:27:44 GMT
We will play better and lose and some will moan then.
Top and bottom of it is that our wingers are in really poor form and as such, our current performances, whilst good, are not overly pleasing on the eye.
We had loads of good situations at West Brom but the move broke down when it reached Ethers or Pennant and the same was true during the first half on Saturday.
When they start playing, we will continue our good form but become more pleasing on the eye.
It really is that simple!
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Post by Staying up for Grandadstokey on Sept 12, 2011 10:06:41 GMT
I don't think we do have "individual upgrades" after the last transfer window, what we have is more alternatives and a broader squad which will enable us to compete on hopefully more fronts. Is Crouch an upgrade on Kenwyne ? No, but he is a good alternative. Is Jerome an upgrade on Walters ? No, but he is an able alternative. Are Upson and Woodgate a better combo than Shawcross and Huth ? No but they are a decent alternative. Palacios may be a genuine upgrade but I haven't seen enough of him to form an opinion. Overall I think we underestimate what we had and over estimate what we have bought, the truth will lie somewhere in the middle as it usually does. So as regards the football I expect more of the same but with a squad which is better able to deal with injuries, suspensions, exhaustion and loss of form. Anyone who expected a sea change in the style after these signings is whistling in the wind. Excellent post , can't disagree with any of this.
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Post by lancer on Sept 12, 2011 10:08:46 GMT
Rubbish peformance - you idiot!!!! Suppose you'd have been happy if we'd have lost 0-5 like Bolton? Kinnel - grow up & try to appreciate what's going on here!! It was a perfect performance. We got a goal, and defended it. That's what we had to do, and were successful in what we did. Granted, it wasn't a free flowing Bolton 5-0 type game, but then again, we weren't playing Bolton, were we?
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Post by neoisd1 on Sept 12, 2011 10:15:49 GMT
The title of this thread makes no fucking sense! ;D
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Post by andylgr on Sept 12, 2011 10:22:21 GMT
I think we will see a more attacking display against the so called lesser teams at home, where we just pummel teams with pressure. I dont think we can yet play that kind of game against the bigger teams, they will punish you, and the defensive performance has paid dividends against Chelsea and Liverpool with 4 points to our name though. I expect to see more of the same at home vs the shit.
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Post by Gods on Sept 12, 2011 10:29:30 GMT
I think we will see a more attacking display against the so called lesser teams at home, where we just pummel teams with pressure. I dont think we can yet play that kind of game against the bigger teams, they will punish you, and the defensive performance has paid dividends against Chelsea and Liverpool with 4 points to our name though. I expect to see more of the same at home vs the shit. Yes, we are definitely in for another 'Last of the Alamo' operation against Manchester United who will move the ball around even better than Chelsea and Liverpool. The problem will come should we (whisper it quietly) fall behind and we are in a position where we have to chase the game. That's when you can end up on the wrong end of a real belting of the kind all the opponents of both Manchester clubs have had to endure this season so far.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2011 10:38:03 GMT
I think it's possible to have individual upgrades and still play football that's entertaining to watch, as we saw towards the end of last season. Yeah. we did purely a stopping job on Saturday. Can anyone think of a reason why? Liverpool - this Liverpool team at least - are going to be top four contenders this season. They're one of the most expensively assembled sides in the league. Were people really expecting us to play them off the park? I agree. At the end of last season when Matty, JP and Walters were playing well, some of the football we played was fantastic (look at Bolton FA-cup Semi as the prime example.) As far as I'm concerned, I'd much rather have to watch the players scrap and defend for our lives whilst coming out victors against a much larger team, than play well and lose out on 3/1 points. In my opinion the best teams in England right now who have the balance between pretty and tough football are the Manchester sides. Unfortunately we don't have the luck of being able to spunk 38mil on one player so we'll have to do with team spirit and 110% effort for a bit!
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Post by fortressbritannia on Sept 12, 2011 10:40:49 GMT
Look we were never going to play Liverpool of the park your delusional if you think we were Sunderland naxt week will be a true representation of how much we have improved especially as its away from home.
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Post by cheadlestokie on Sept 12, 2011 10:44:52 GMT
Incredible performance for work rate and team spirit,but don't lets be blinkered,we really have to find a way of improving our passing out of defence and I hope when fully fit Palacios can help towards that. I am sure Tony Pulis is not blind to the need to improve.
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Post by captainsmith on Sept 12, 2011 10:58:38 GMT
Incredible performance for work rate and team spirit,but don't lets be blinkered,we really have to find a way of improving our passing out of defence and I hope when fully fit Palacios can help towards that. I am sure Tony Pulis is not blind to the need to improve. Correct. Also, this wasn't the match to try a more passing midfield game. This might come over several matches but with Pally newly arrived and probably not match fit, last Satdee wasn't the time for trial and error. We needed to stick to what we do best and we did. Plus, this was the new look Liverpool we were playing . Another reason not to trial a new "midfield passing" Stoke. ...and we won anyway
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