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Post by JoeinOz on Dec 27, 2007 0:29:38 GMT
Against Blackpool and WBA we conceded dopey goals late goals. Apart from goal difference not being as good as it might, they proved inconsequential. But its all habit forming. All season we have failed to defend as well as we should and those two late goals we conceded at Oakwell could have proved costly. We had loads of the play and could have won the game BUT give goals away willy nilly and its always going to be an uphill struggle. We've done well to be this high up and have every reason to believe the current position can be maintained.....as long as giving stupid goals away is stopped immediately. Next time we might not get away with it. Its inexcusable and slack and has to stop.
Attention to detail is crucial.
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Post by Top Stopper on Dec 27, 2007 0:32:48 GMT
Who would have thought it Joe, TP's team being a bit slack on defensive!
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Post by JoeinOz on Dec 27, 2007 0:36:43 GMT
I know thats what I'm surprised by too. If there's one thing you'd expect us to be on top of its that. Especially as our record signing was brought in recently and is a central defender. We have plenty of foundation to work from and hopefully it'll be rectified soon.
An unsoiled sheet would be appreciated.
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Post by luke45 on Dec 27, 2007 0:42:55 GMT
Yep quite right, it's quite strange to be honest, as last season we could keep clean sheets and kill teams off by going 1 up, and shutting up shop, but at times we struggled for goals....
where as this season, we have been scoring frequently, but as you say conceding sloppy goals.
I think we have a pretty good back four really, cort and shawcross are looking really dominant, and wilko is just impressing me the more i see him, and pugh at left-back, is playing consistently well.
Two of today's goals were avoidable and although, we are flying high and credit must be given to the team and the gaffer, i really also don't want to see history repeat itself like last, year.
All those late last minute goals we conceded in several games, right at the death, meaning we only took a point or maybe even lost.
Adding on them points we lost and we wouldn't have been far short of automatic promotion.
We have the right man for the job, and if anyone is gunna strengthen the defence and stop the goals leaking we all know it's " our " tone.
We have the credentials this season to even make an automatic place, we have a top goalie (excusing today) good hard working wingers, and the legend himself fuller up-front, the quality is there, and with the right signings in january, which in my opinion need to be a creative midfielder to partner salif in the midfield, whelan?, a left sided player, thus allowing cressy to push up-front, routledge perhaps?, and to be honest, any other additions would be nice, but we will have strengthened the areas needed strengthening.
The opportunity is there grab it with both hands stoke, you have our full backing.
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Post by stokiegary on Dec 27, 2007 0:43:25 GMT
going behind last season we would have lost,there is determination about this team this season
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Post by JoeinOz on Dec 27, 2007 0:45:53 GMT
Perhaps Diao returning and protecting the defence will be a big improvement. ???
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Post by mermaidsal on Dec 27, 2007 0:53:46 GMT
I agree, this is definitely one of the weaker TP defensive sides we've had at Stoke. If it's a trade between that and the kind of commitment we saw at the end at Barnsley I'll take what we've got, but like Luke says, it's strange.
Partly I guess the problem is Shawcross and Cort not having a sixth sense for playing together yet. Higgy was inspirational but they're similar calibre, Shawcross even better in the long run imo, so that ought to get there ok. Griff and Hoof are good going forward but weren't honestly the best defenders in the division last year - apart from Wright the replacements are looking good. Again the unit needs to bed down but I'm wondering if it's also exposed by weaknesses in defensive midfield. Be interesting to look at this one again once Salif's match fit...
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Post by mermaidsal on Dec 27, 2007 0:55:06 GMT
Joe, I was writing the same thing and didn't see your post, sorry ;D But we agree...
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Post by stokiegary on Dec 27, 2007 0:59:23 GMT
hold on hold on, when was the last time we scored three goals on the bounce?
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Post by JoeinOz on Dec 27, 2007 1:02:12 GMT
Ages ago Gary and its great. BUT its important to make sure we don't undo all the positive work by giving away sloppy soft inexcusable goals.
Its a genuine flaw that needs to be rectified.
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Post by stokiegary on Dec 27, 2007 1:03:51 GMT
totally agree joe we seem to go to sleep everytime we score bloody strange one that
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Post by JoeinOz on Dec 27, 2007 1:21:59 GMT
And sound more dangerous when we've just conceded.
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