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Post by bogus on Nov 16, 2008 23:14:20 GMT
It won't change. Pulis will consider those two 0-0 draws as just one set piece, or one magical Fuller moment, away from a victory. I'm sure that he will be thinking that if we can just convert a couple of our 19 away games to wins, then it will be a decent tally to add to the bulk of our total that we must surely get at home. He doesn't do change, it's how he works
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Post by bayernoatcake on Nov 16, 2008 23:14:24 GMT
We need an outlet in midfield. Currently with the four centre mids in the midfield we don't have one. Last season we had Lawrence therefore while he is injured Tonge or Soares need to be on the wing to act as an outlet. With that we would keep the ball better and turn defence into attack quicker.
Plus we can only afford to have one Salif Diao type player when Diao, Faye and Seyi play we have three that won't run and will sit in.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Nov 17, 2008 1:21:03 GMT
If only we were that good. The press (rather generously) have us down as making up for our 'lack of quality' away from home, through our determined, fighting and scrapping for every ball spirit, pressing the home team with our dogged, if unattractive style. Sadly, we all know deep down ... that even this isn't true.
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Post by staffordshireknot on Nov 17, 2008 6:38:54 GMT
Ive said it before and I'll say it again Pulis has'nt got a clue about attacking football That's why we beat Wolves 4-2, and Leeds 4-0 and West Brom 3-1 twice in one year, and that's why we beat Villa 3-2. Its also why we have only gained 2 points (lucky ones at that) away from home all season.
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Post by monkhousestokie on Nov 17, 2008 11:05:11 GMT
It won't change. Pulis will consider those two 0-0 draws as just one set piece, or one magical Fuller moment, away from a victory. I'm sure that he will be thinking that if we can just convert a couple of our 19 away games to wins, then it will be a decent tally to add to the bulk of our total that we must surely get at home. He doesn't do change, it's how he works Sadly, I think you are right there Bogus. Can't see it changing before it's too late. Hopefully it won't come to that.
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Post by Smudge_SCFC on Nov 17, 2008 11:11:17 GMT
There's no panic stations yet and there won't be for some time IF our home form continues to be as outstanding as it has been.
I think we probably do need to start looking at how we approach away games because two points from SEVEN games is weak and will hurt us in the long run.
We have yet to take the lead in an away league game so far this season and show little intention of trying to do so most of the time.
Perhaps TP is waiting for the transfer window to being in new players, with whom he feels he could be more adventurous?
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Post by Pugsley on Nov 17, 2008 11:15:27 GMT
...and show little intention of trying to do so most of the time. I think this is the salient point.
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Post by stan on Nov 17, 2008 12:37:07 GMT
I think it's slightly unfair to say that we didn't have any inclination to take the lead at Boro, Pompey, Man. City or Wigan. However, it's only stating the reality to point out that, at present, we have one game plan: keep a clean sheet and hope we can nick something.
After Man City, it appears that TP thinks our best chance is to play no creative midfielder whatever and just try to stifle.
Forget Old Trafford, I just think this is too risky. Had Wigan scored last week, we'd have lost as, second half, we just weren't capable of stepping it up had they scored. I'm not keen on going to Newcastle and Blackburn and West Ham virtually knowing that, as soon as they score, the game's over.
I'm not sure things will change in January. We'll have to sign a serious player if they're going to offer more than Soares has so far. However, presumably, Lawrence will be trusted when he is fit, so maybe we will have a greater threat.
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Post by MrMagic on Nov 17, 2008 12:57:24 GMT
I'm most worried about his response to the Arsenal game. Because we achieved a massive win playing hard-workers, it seems that now a team with faye as a wide midfielder is our preferred option.
Surely TP has to be able to see that we need some creativity??? No shots on target on Saturday. Setting up like that against the best team in Europe is just madness.
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Post by smapples on Nov 17, 2008 13:53:27 GMT
As well as some of the other points on here, my main criticism for Pulis this weekend was his Jose' style management with regard to the "untouchables". Fuller was limping and walking around after about ten minutes and I think as time went on he got more and more pissed off with the 9-0-1 formation. His attitude wasnt brilliant and I think a sub for Kitson would have been my choice. Delap played alright but Soares was in the press all week about how he wanted to play Man U and who does he bring on, fucking Cresswell.
Im a Pulis fan, but he's not perfect.
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Post by Staffsoatcake on Nov 17, 2008 14:17:37 GMT
With 19 away games, we will be lucky to pick up 7/8 pts the way we play.So TP must think we can get more than 32 pts at home.
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Post by thepremierbanksy on Nov 17, 2008 14:39:49 GMT
Indeed, the success of a delap-diao-george-amdy midfield against arsenal (which we all agreed was a masterstroke) seems to have let TP settle into the thinking that this is his best midfield. I was a bit disapointed to see him start the same team against wigan, but maybe not man u. i don't really mind him playing 2 holding midfielders, but three seems over the top and more likely to be to our detriment in more games than it wins for us.
I will get worried if i see us start with that side against WBA or Hull, or in fact newcastle, fulham or blackburn. Soares seems to be what we need at the moment, someone who is cut out for doing a bit of attacking work. He can pick up the ball and has the pace to at least run at players and gain some territory (throws) or get a ball into the box.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Nov 17, 2008 15:33:16 GMT
I think it's slightly unfair to say that we didn't have any inclination to take the lead at Boro, Pompey, Man. City or Wigan. However, it's only stating the reality to point out that, at present, we have one game plan: keep a clean sheet and hope we can nick something. After Man City, it appears that TP thinks our best chance is to play no creative midfielder whatever and just try to stifle. Forget Old Trafford, I just think this is too risky. Had Wigan scored last week, we'd have lost as, second half, we just weren't capable of stepping it up had they scored. I'm not keen on going to Newcastle and Blackburn and West Ham virtually knowing that, as soon as they score, the game's over. I'm not sure things will change in January. We'll have to sign a serious player if they're going to offer more than Soares has so far. However, presumably, Lawrence will be trusted when he is fit, so maybe we will have a greater threat. Pompey? ;D You taking the micky? We didn't turn up to that game and got everything we deserved-bugger all!
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Post by smapples on Nov 17, 2008 15:46:25 GMT
Banksy, what you said about Soares getting up field is the exact reason I want him to play, he can win us throws, penalties, corners and even assists and goals. Lenny back will nice, play em on each wing, some solid players (like Diao) in the centre.
If we have extra defenders in the middle (his current tactics) but good wing players like Lenny/Soares we can feed the strikers and get the goals. That way Fuller wont have a face like a smacked arse and we get some more wins.
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Post by mikeyb99 on Nov 17, 2008 16:10:44 GMT
Indeed, the success of a delap-diao-george-amdy midfield against arsenal (which we all agreed was a masterstroke) seems to have let TP settle into the thinking that this is his best midfield. I was a bit disapointed to see him start the same team against wigan, but maybe not man u. i don't really mind him playing 2 holding midfielders, but three seems over the top and more likely to be to our detriment in more games than it wins for us. I will get worried if i see us start with that side against WBA or Hull, or in fact newcastle, fulham or blackburn. Soares seems to be what we need at the moment, someone who is cut out for doing a bit of attacking work. He can pick up the ball and has the pace to at least run at players and gain some territory (throws) or get a ball into the box. Pulis's masterstroke tactically seems to be getting rather close to being a lucky fluke at the moment. What appeared like a fantastic tactical decision to nullify Arsenal's passing, and shake-up a weak defence, has seemingly become a 'Plan A' against every team - regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I felt the 0-0 at Wigan (regardless of the performance) was a good point - the typical Stoke thing to happen in recent years would have been for us to turn up at Wigan, after a superb performance against a top team a week previously, and lose. The loss to Manure was inevitable, and while the performance again was poor, the result would never have been in any doubt IMO. Once again, the key game is our home match against basement-boys, and historically our whipping-boys, WBA. We need a result, we need a performance, and we need at least one offensive midfielder on the park to do that - ideally two, in Tonge and Soares.
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Post by stan on Nov 17, 2008 16:39:55 GMT
Pompey? ;D You taking the micky? We didn't turn up to that game and got everything we deserved-bugger all! Yeah, we were shit at Pompey. I was saying that we showed some indication to score, though...when Kiston went clean through, for example. We had Tonge and Kitson on that day, didn't we? IMO it wasn't a "park the bus" job, we just didn't play well/they were much better than us. As mikey says, our tactics have changed recently: with the four we now have in midfield, it's just a wing and a prayer job. I think it was the Man City defeat -when Pulis said we needed to tighten up, coupled with Arsenal- that has prompted the change but, whatever, it's a risky policy when as soon as the opposition score -be it Wigan or Manchester United- you have effectively lost the match.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Nov 17, 2008 16:48:31 GMT
We did have Tonge on and I can't remember him touching the ball sadly. We had that chance but I agree since the Man City game TP seems to have got scared. We were cut open that game but we can do better than putting 10 men behind the ball. There seems to be no happy medium.
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