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Post by Trouserdog on Dec 16, 2007 14:49:39 GMT
As someone who has always been "anti" Pulis, what might amaze some people is that personally I am just as happy that Stoke are doing well as those people who have always considered Pulis to be the messiah.
I would bet that 99% of people who have expressed a previous dislike of Pulis also feel the same.
Which is why, at a time when Stoke have a genuine chance of being promoted, this pathetic "point-scoring" really doesn't serve any kind of purpose, other than to get peoples' backs up and possibly even turn them away from the message board, and maybe even the club.
I know it's very satisfying to say "i told you so", but at a time when Stoke are moving in the right direction, and the message board is the most positive it's been in years, why feel the need to start settling old-scores and deliberately winding people up?
Personally it doesn't bother me all that much to admit I'm wrong about things, but there are some folk on here who seem to have real trouble being seen to "lose face" over the Pulis issue. The all-out warfare on the old board got that boring that I had virtually stopped reading it by the time we moved over here, and there's no better way to start it up again than by resuming this point-scoring routine.
We're now firmly in the top 6 with a week until Christmas, Diao has finally signed, and the championship is the weakest it's been for years. Everyone can see that Pulis has answered his critics and has given himself the perfect platform to build-on in the January window.
Is it too much to ask that the fans now finally pull in the same direction without any more "Where are all the haters now?" after every single positive result, or vice versa when we next lose a game?
In short...play nicely...ultimately, we all want the same thing.
Gooooooarn Stoke.
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Post by mamathestriker on Dec 16, 2007 14:53:43 GMT
I agree...but it is strange how quiet the message board is in the TP front when we are doing so well.
I think TP is a fantastic manager and wouldn't swap him for anyone in The Football League.
The anti-Pulis brigade have had their day in the sun and hopefully most are realising they are/were wrong about him.
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Post by daverichards on Dec 16, 2007 14:56:14 GMT
Nope I am not wrong about him, never have been and never will be as my opinions are based on his antics in the past , which will never change .
ps Trouserdog could you cover up that avatar at meal times, there are kids and ladies trying to eat their lunches whilst reading this MB don't you know
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Post by mamathestriker on Dec 16, 2007 14:59:28 GMT
His antics in the past?
Which are?! I see a manager who is improving us every season.
I suppose it shows how stuck in your ways you are ID.
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Post by trebor63 on Dec 16, 2007 15:00:17 GMT
Speaking as more or less a 'pro' Pulis person it doesn't bother me at all if people have digs at TP over certain things cos he has obviously (like everyone) got weaknesses. There are several people who make negative points about him and its hard to disagree with them.
However there are one or two posters who don't make balanced or reasonable critisisms they merely slag off everything they can about him whilst ignoring any good bits. People such as BBM and HG almost forced people to have pops back cos they made such unreasonable arguements in the first place.
I honestly think most of the 'antis' and 'pros' would agree with each other on 90% of all Stoke related issues. We can be fantastic, entertaining and winning and we can be dull, boring and losing I guess either side could make up a case of where we are! But at the moment the litmus test (the league table) says we are doing very well!!!
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Post by Trouserdog on Dec 16, 2007 15:03:19 GMT
It depends what you perceive yourself to be "right" and "wrong" about though.
I'd maintain that Pulis plays mostly unentertaining football that is based on physical strength, defending and the use of the long ball. Nobody in full-command of their sanity, could say that I was wrong about that could they?
However, I've also said that Pulis' style of management would never, ever take us into the Premiership. If we do get there, then clearly I'd be very wrong about him in that respect.
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Post by mamathestriker on Dec 16, 2007 15:06:56 GMT
I'd disagree Trouser. Not for the sake of, by the way!
I'd say I enjoyed last season's football more than anything else we've seen for 10-12 years.
We mix up the play, sometimes we go long ball, othertimes we pass the ball really well. Look at the comment from the Blackpool report yesterday..."make no mistake, this side play good football."
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Post by Trouserdog on Dec 16, 2007 15:12:33 GMT
Last season was great at times, and there have been a handful of games this seaosn which have been entertaining.
However, based on the five seasons that we have had Pulis in charge, I'd still say that most of the football has been very uninspiring to watch.
Hopefully that is changing though, as it does seem we're playing a bit more football with Eustace back in the side, and the likes of pugh being brought in to add a bit more composure.
Put it this way, at least i don't dread Saturdays like I used to!
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Post by daverichards on Dec 16, 2007 15:14:05 GMT
if you don't know what they are, go and stick your head back in the sand you just took it out of please .
we are doing fine on the pitch at this time, but I will neither forgive or forget his previous antics , I will just push them back abit from the front of my every thought that our club is managed by such a man
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 16, 2007 15:14:55 GMT
Points scoring is either a good thing or a bad thing. If it is a bad thing then it should not happen amongst Stokies whether we are doing badly or whether we are doing well. If it is a good thing then we should do it all the time - the more the merrier. Why do the calls to stop it always start when we are doing well? Don't seem right to me!  |
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Post by MrMagic on Dec 16, 2007 15:15:06 GMT
The times that we've passed the ball really well this season have been few and far between. Even Pulis himself has stated that we are playing through midfield a lot less this season.
Hopefully we can start to mix it up a little more, once he feels he has the strength and depth that he wants, thus far though we have been primarily a very direct side, and have verged very much towards percentage football rather than intelligent counter attacking.
Even so - the table doesn;t lie, and it'd be churlish to complain about being 4th at Christmas.
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Post by mamathestriker on Dec 16, 2007 15:17:08 GMT
You're right fornside...it's almost as if the anti-Pulis bunch are hiding behind the fact they're being proved wrong... |
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Post by canaladict on Dec 16, 2007 16:29:11 GMT
Trouserdog Good post but " and the championship is the weakest it's been for years. " I'm not knocking your opinions but every time we are perceived to be doing well, last season and again this, people attempt to knock us back by infering that we are only doing well because the rest of the teams in the league are so crap. Not so IMO! we are where we are because we are a decent team and with time have a decent squad.  The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving." |
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Post by daverichards on Dec 16, 2007 16:30:35 GMT
I agree entirely, but its still a weak division ;D
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 16, 2007 16:38:55 GMT
I seem to remember that when we missed out on the playoffs last season the Oatcake was full of posts saying we had missed the boat because THIS season was going to be a much stronger Championship. And I seem to rememember the same sort of posts the season before that as well. Fact is that every year Stokies say how difficult the division is going to be and then once the season starts we say how crap it is! ;D
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Post by canaladict on Dec 16, 2007 16:44:22 GMT
Sheff Wed, Sheff Utd, Coventry, Wolves, Norwich, West Brom, Ipswich, Palarse
Traditionally top flight teams,
Ok only the Baggies are doing well at the moment but the rest usually have the financial clout etc to do better.
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Post by daverichards on Dec 16, 2007 16:50:53 GMT
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D pisser
some of them are less "Traditionally top flight teams" than Stoke are by a long way
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Post by canaladict on Dec 16, 2007 16:55:34 GMT
Yes! traditionally they have spent a lot more time there in the last 25 years than we have,
if I 'm wrong I stand to be corrected.
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Post by The man from Utch on Dec 16, 2007 17:03:44 GMT
If anything i would say way more then the last 25 years
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Post by daverichards on Dec 16, 2007 17:19:30 GMT
Yes! traditionally they have spent a lot more time there in the last 25 years than we have, if I 'm wrong I stand to be corrected. PISSER on that basis we only need 2 seasons in the top flight to be a traditionally top flight team of the past 25 years like wolves (the same number of seasons they have spent in the 4th division in the last 25 years) sorry but I may only be 32, but "traditionally" means more than the last 25 years to me, on your basis , Wigan and Bradford are traditionally top flight teams , which they clearly are not |
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 16, 2007 17:30:19 GMT
If you go on tradition and past glory then Blackpool are a bigger club than Stoke. But, I'd say the rules changed for ever the day the Premiership was formed. From that day onward the playing field would never be remotely level again. Clubs which have been in the Premiership have, to all intents and purposes, become "bigger" clubs than Stoke.
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Post by canaladict on Dec 16, 2007 18:24:02 GMT
Looks as though I'm wrong on a couple of scores ??? Since 80-81 season Shef Wed 15 Shef Utd 5 Coventry 21 Wolves 3 Norwich12 Baggies 9 Ipswich 11 Palarse 8 Stoke 5 I might have missed the odd one tired eyes.  Fornside I agree with your comment about sides that have been in the Premiership a cash cow.  |
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Post by Davef on Dec 16, 2007 20:14:29 GMT
I'm delighted at how the team are performing at the moment and I know full well that whatever the outcome of a game, I can rely on the team giving 100% per cent in every match. We're a tough, uncompromising side who're clearly one of the best teams in the league at the moment. We shouldn't fear anyone either.
I still reserve the right to question certain things that the manager does (like playing an unfit right back when he has two fit alternatives) without being labelled a Pulis Hater though.
Lou Macari wasn't beyond reasonable criticism, and neither is this bloke.
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Post by soicowboy on Dec 16, 2007 23:07:23 GMT
'Sheff Wed, Sheff Utd, Coventry, Wolves, Norwich, West Brom, Ipswich, Palarse
Traditionally top flight teams,'
You described that comment as a 'pisser' Dave
How many times have you seen Stoke in the top flight? What about those mentioned above- would exclude Wolves but wouldn't you say they've all spent a reasonable amount of time in the Premiership? Add Charlton to the list and Watford have been there twice.
Think this whole Pulis past history is you playing Devil's advocate fella- nothing compared to Macari.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2007 23:26:11 GMT
good balanced opening post TD and a good reply from canaladict(first reply)
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Post by mcf on Dec 17, 2007 7:52:51 GMT
Davef
You are a Pulis Hater. End of.
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Post by MrMagic on Dec 17, 2007 10:56:16 GMT
I find it hard to grasp how Supertone instills this blind biggotry in some of our fan base - on both sides of the arguement. Reading the top few threads on the board, there are posts from folk who refuse to accept that anything that Tony does can be anything other than awful, and masses of posts from folk who verbally batter anyone who does not tow the "Tony is ace" line.
Its all a bit pathetic really, and anyone who beleives that life is that black and white is a few tiles short of a roof.
The reality is that 22 games into the season, we've seen a couple of very good performances, a few utterly shambolic ones, and an equal amount of mediocre ones. The league position proves that anyone who says that Pulis is a garbage manager is wrong, and the standard of some of our performances, wierd team selections, inability to spend when its needed and many more anomolies prove those that say he's the best thing since sliced bread equally as wrong.
We could well end up in the top two over Christmas, so why not just enjoy it instead of all this girly snyping.
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Post by mcf on Dec 17, 2007 11:06:54 GMT
Get real
Pulis hating wankstains only moan about point scoring when we are doing well.
They are never off here with their mindless drivel otherwise.
We've had moans at Pugh playing left back, Lozza the right back, Delap and Eustace not doing enough despite being out of the game for a while, Cresswell playing in midfield, Mamma, 8 defenders, Parkin, signing of Cort because he will cost a few bob, Wright, out-performing and really being a limited squad, boring, binary route 1 football....
...we've seen and read it all on here so please forgive us if we have a laugh at the way people are turning around....begrudingly.
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Post by MrMagic on Dec 17, 2007 12:05:08 GMT
Yes mcf - and when we lost 3 on the skip at home, the absence of all of the self style Uberfans who had moaned for 2 seasons about results under Boskamp was all as conspicuous. Theres plent of mindless drivvel from the other side of the fence!
Barbers etc.
Regardless of ones views about Pulis, it's bloody nice to go to the pub and have folk who support other sides going on about how well we are doing.
And I'm sorry - but if you think that Wright and Delap are decent footballers, you are dafter than any of the people you are criticising.
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Post by fuggers on Dec 17, 2007 12:10:50 GMT
MrMagic,
Delap & Wright are probably far better footballers than you have ever been.
Strange how such a 'crap' player like Delap can be playing week in week out in a team that are 4th in the league.
Perhaps he's unspectacular but required.
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