last night doesn't change our season

[ted1965]

The age old debate of style versus substance and results will always be brought up when we lose a game to side who are playing a more eye catching brand of football, that happens at clubs all around the globe. The supporters look and say why can’t we play like that, why do we play a rigid formation when others are more fluid and less structured. The answer as we all know we can but if we tried with the players we have the results would not be as consistent. The manager plays to our strengths as a side, we have paid an awful lot of money for some very good defenders but we keep giving away poor goals, that is unusual as we are constantly tighter than ducks behind most of the time. The thing that most would say until this year, we don’t concede but we hardly scored enough to win game comfortably.

The change has come, we have scored more goals and yes a lot from set pieces but that isn’t unusual for a side who lack the real creative guile in midfield to open teams up on a regular basis. They have to find a strength and play to it, we do that and for most of this season it has worked, not always pretty, hard working but pretty effective as is seen by looking at the league table and the number of points we have. We now need something extra, a little more craft, guile and a player who can change the direction of our play, see the bigger picture, the problem they cost money even at this level. The other area we really need that fox in the box, a player who you might not see for 90 minutes but who suddenly takes that half chance when it arrives, someone like Connolly was mentioned, yes a good shout or maybe even a loan move for Chopra who seems to have lost his way after his bright start, both have pedigree at this level and would offer something we certainly haven’t got now.

I think there are many reasons don’t play like Charlton firstly because we don’t have the creative players they do and we haven’t had the funding from the Premiership to be able to acquire such players either. That is a shame, though I agree a more fluent style of play is something most supporters would like to see. The arrival of Salif is certainly going to help in the long run, he now needs that creative player alongside him, someone who can use the freedom his ability to protect and simply distribute the ball will offer. Though lets be honest, one game doesn’t mean Charlton will suddenly find consistency, the thing about this season is consistency is a rare commodity and we have been as consistent as most, so it’s as always wait and see who arrives, what they bring to the side and more importantly two wins in a week and who will be remembering the Valley, not many.

The problem we are a product of our own success this season, it has worked up to now and the manager believes in it, therefore I don’t see a dramatic change in how we play based on how well Charlton play. I am sure he would point out how effective we were against Brazil and how they couldn’t cope with our style of play, it evens itself out. We are like any surprise success story, we will have ups and downs because we don’t have the overall strength others do.

Though unless we have a little more craft to go with the graft this opportunity may fall down in a big hole, that would be such a waste considering how much of a feel good factor has been built up, the momentum was building and we need to strengthen, it’s no secret has been the same since last summer, quality in forward areas and it has to be soon or we really could see the train come off the tracks.

My opinion of Pulis hasn’t changed much, though he’s doing in my opinion this season a good job with what he created. Football is about evolution, look at Albion a few years ago they played a brand of football not unlike ours, it worked and they gained promotion, that experience and the money it brought into the club meant they began to evolve and they play differently now, though they have spent to achieve this. Who knows where we shall be in 4 years, maybe this structured style we play now will have been totally changed and people will be talking about us in the same way. None of us are fortune tellers but we are all Stoke though and through and wherever we are, we’ll be there with them. We have a good foundation, what it needs now is some quality stones to build the house that will carry this club to the next level and carry us into the next 5 years or so. Like a many ugly beginnings beautiful things can grow, who says we wont do exactly the same.

Though I will reserve judgement until we play the next few games, then I think we will get a better picture of how things are looking. If we beat Cardiff and Wolves, then one bad result will not even be remembered amongst the delights of victory, if we fall short then doubts will set in and questions asked. That’s how football has been since it was invented, you’re only as good as your last performance or result and fans react accordingly. I think one game where we didn’t quite hang in there for 90 minutes is too soon to be talking doom and gloom and this from someone who doesn’t really like a lot about the manager but lets wait and see.

[bayernoatcake]

It just shows how desperately we need 2/3 more qualty players. It has been coming for a while though as even though we beat Preston we looked a bit shakey in that game. We need at least one new permanant signing or else we'll struggle to keep with the pace.

[luke45]

Good Post Ted have to agree with the above, have some karma

[Deleted]

'We now need something extra, a little more craft, guile and a player who can change the direction of our play'

Unfortunately that's something Pulis has never achieved throughout his management career so I can't see it happening.

[scfclifer]

karma 4 theyt ted

[Godo]

Problem is though Ted it might change Charlton's.

Regardless of individual performances or team personnel I just don't fancy Pulis being put in a position where we have to win a game to make play-offs.