|
Post by robstokie on Apr 24, 2024 18:23:11 GMT
He's looked very promising, always looking for the ball to run at defenders and create, plus showed some end product in recent weeks, but Have we ever seen a more one footed player in a Stoke shirt?
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Apr 21, 2024 11:37:46 GMT
Think Thompson is definitely one we should keep - not necessarily a guaranteed starter but a solid performer, versatile and seems to have the minerals ("Stoke DNA" as Jonny Walters/Schumi would put it, similar to Gooch) that a lot of our current squad lack.
As for Stevens, yes, he's played well recently, but is a crock who's on the wane, so it's a no from me.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Apr 21, 2024 6:28:52 GMT
Iversen 8 - did what little he had to do excellently
McNally 9 - absolutely excellent, marked Whittaker out of the game, showed leadership and contributed coming forward.
Wilmot 7 - Very solid after shaky opening 20 minutes or so.
Hoever 8 - quality on the front foot and across all areas second half - did get rinsed by Mumba a few times early doors though.
Stevens 8 - defended his flank exceptionally well, used his experience to great effect.
Thompson 10 - ran the game today, won every second ball through the middle and pressed well too, did not put a foot wrong - MOM
Laurent 8 - grew into the game, lovely run for the goal and contributed more as the game developed
Cundle 9 - best performance for us, sharp on the press, retained the ball excellently and runs offered options in possession.
Manhoef 9 - well taken goal and put the Frighteners on their full back, dynamic and willing to be direct in his running and his passing.
Bae 8 - controversial, and he did play well generally, but I thought that he did almost play us into trouble at times with his lack of strength. Clever coming forward and showed real willingness to cover his full back behind the ball, lovely lay off for second goal too.
Campbell 8 - full of running for once, ran the channels and looked to drag their centre halves around to create space for others.
Ennis 7 - great work rate and enthusiasm, and gets into positions to stretch teams, but he lacks quality with his end product.
Burger 8 - showed his class to help manage the game towards the end. Well taken goal too.
Leris 7 - direct running and workrate again helped manage the game late on. Nice little cut back for Burger too
|
|
|
Vale.
Apr 20, 2024 16:24:29 GMT
via mobile
Post by robstokie on Apr 20, 2024 16:24:29 GMT
The Port Vale shirt is a heritage brand 😂😂😂😂 There was me thinking it was only for wiping your arse on when there’s no big roll 🤔 There's no need for bog roll ever whilst there's vile shirts in the world!
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Mar 17, 2024 7:55:48 GMT
Streets ahead of anything we have at the moment. Actually remember thinking when he was released by Sunderland we should go back in for him - no nonsense, a leader and, as others on here have already said, can actually defend unlike the fannies we have here at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Mar 9, 2024 19:55:21 GMT
Wade Barrett - Wrestler
Your boys took one hell of a beating!!
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 18, 2024 9:29:41 GMT
I'll qualify this post by saying I live in Cornwall, very rarely get to games these days - maybe one every couple of years on average and Southampton at home so far this season - and for the last 10 years have watched maybe 10-15 a season via streams due to work committments and general apathy/finding something "better" to do. However, my record is appalling. I realised I hadn't seen us win this season so trawled back through the fixture lists and found that Reading away on 7th November 2020 was the last game I watched where we got the three points. To give everyone an idea this season so far I've seen Millwall away, Leicester away, Sheffield Wednesday at home, Millwall at home, Ipswich at home, Sunderland away and Blackburn away on streams and that Southampton game live. 6 losses and 2 draws. Depressing stuff. But yeah, it's generally been a depressing season and a pretty dire few years to watch Stoke. Pure luck obviously. But... 22/23: no wins seen 21/22: no wins seen 20/21: Reading away 19/20: Cardiff home 18/19: Millwall home 17/18: no wins seen 16/17: Swansea home, Watford away (was actually in Minnesota watching at 6am for this one; maybe a hint at what my strategy should be) Not right is it? If a butterfly (me) flaps its wings and decides to watch Stoke in Falmouth, they don't win. Chaos theory. Not Coates or Coates or Scholes or Hughes or Lambert or Rowett or Jones or O'Neill or Neil or Schumacher or Martin or Dublin...but me. I am the bringer of chaos. If anyone feels down about all things Stoke City please know there is probably always someone feeling more down. Or have I been shielded from the worst of it by only watching 25% of the debacle in the first place? Anyway: should I watch this afternoon? I'm not working. Don't worry, I haven't seen us win a game for a year, in fact losing the last 8 matches ive attended, and a home game for over 18 months. I get to about 10-12 games a season on average as I commute from Bristol (formerly South Wales), but didn't attend any games for first few months this season as went for an extended holiday touring New Zealand. Games I've attended since start of last season. 6 August 2022 Blackpool Home - Won 2-0 4 September 2022 Reading Away - Lost 1-2 2 October 2022 Watford Home - Lost 0-4 10 December 2022 Cardiff Home - Drew 2-2 17 December 2022 Bristol City Away - Won 2-1 21 February 2023 Swansea Away - Won 3-1 25 February 2023 Millwall Home - Lost 0-1 7 April 2023 Bristol City Home - Lost 1-2 29 April 2023 QPR Home - Lost 0-1 8 May 2023 Watford Away - Lost 0-2 This Season 25 November 2023 Blackburn Home - Lost 0-3 2 December 2023 Plymouth Away - Lost 1-2 20 January 2024 Birmingham Home - Lost 1-2 17 February 2024 Coventry Home - Lost 0-1 So since we Beat Blackpool at the start of last season, I have seen us pick up a single point at home in my last 8 visits to the bet 365, and 8 defeats in a row watching Stoke both home and away. My overall record since start of last season. P14 W3 D1 L10 F13 A24 And my home record P9 W1 D1 L7 F6 A16 It gets even more depressing too if we look at the season before, which was the first season post COVID where we could go to matches - and it actually started pretty well! 7 August 2021 Reading Home - Won 3-2 17 August 2021 Swansea Away - Won 3-1 28 August 2021 Fulham Away - Lost 0-3 11 September 2021 Huddersfield Home - Won 2-1 25 September 2021 Hull Home - Won 2-0 30 October 2021 Cardiff Home - Drew 3-3 24 November 2021 Bristol City Away - Lost 0-1 11 December 2021 Middlesbrough Home - Drew 0-0 9 January 2022 Leyton Orient (FA CUP) Home - Won 2-0 22 January 2022 Fulham Home - Lost 2-3 12 March 2022 Peterborough Away - Drew 2-2 16 March 2022 Cardiff Away - Lost 1-2 5 April 2022 Reading Away - Lost 1-2 15 April 2022 Bristol City Home - Lost 0-1 23 April 2022 QPR Home - Won 1-0 7 May 2022 Coventry Home - Drew 1-1 So league Record P15 W5 D4 L6 F21 A22 And All Comps P16 W6 D4 L6 F23 A22 So since football reopened my record is P30 W9 D5 L16 F36 A46 However, I remember I caught COVID at our match against Hull (came down with it the following week as had the whole row apparently) so my record since I recovered from my sick bed is even worse. P25 W5 D5 L15 F26 A39 And in the league P24 W4 D5 L15 F24 A39 Am I or my COVID antibodies the curse? Should I be forced to submit to a self imposed restraining order to ensure results pick up? Or catch myself a bit of the Kung Flu again to hopefully reverse my curse. Or would going to an away game in Wales, the scene of me witnessing our last victory with myself present, albeit in a different location, be enough to break the spell of misery?
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 17, 2024 18:55:14 GMT
Bonham 6 - one decent save early doors, left horribly exposed for the goal, doesn't convince with ball at feet. Wilmot 6 - generally solid without being convincing Rose 6 - same as above to be honest. Got into positions to capitalize off set pieces but didn't. Hoever 2 - liability, cost us the game today with some brain dead playing. Also the weak link every time. Gooch 6 - looked good coming forward with ball at feet and did his defensive work ok too. Probably his best game as a full/wing back but that's not particularly a high watermark in itself. Thompson 7 - probably our best outlet first half. Never stopped running and defended well too. MOTM. Pearson 6.5 - one of his better games for us this season, worked hard, covered ground and retained ball well. Baker 6 - kind of drifts in and out of games. Not anonymous, but didn't offer much either, bar corners that were our best opportunities. Laurent 5.5 - linked up well on occasion with Thompson, again kind of anonymous. Cundle 7 - full of running and effort looking to press, tracked back well and was generally neat and tidy but lacked any killer quality final third. Lowe 5.5 - Tried, but not ready and offered zero physicality. Couple of decent link ups but didn't offer any threat behind them or aerially.
Subs
Ennis 6 - puts himself about, seems a similar sort to Jacob Brown but was given scraps on his own. Burger 6.5 - head and shoulders the best player on the field when he came on today, changed the narrative of the game without us landing any meaningful blows on them, but his passing stretched them and put them on the back foot. Tchamadeu 6 - solid enough, also dropped into midfield when opportunity allowed to allow us to push forward. Manhoef 6 - looked hungry on the ball, and kept making himself available to run at people, even if it didn't come off. Should have done better with his one on one. Bae 6.5 - made a real nuisance of himself, used his skill to create space and opportunities for overloads/balls into box but again lacks any end product. A bright cameo though.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 17, 2024 18:23:38 GMT
Think now it's not just about picking up the points but ensuring we do so against the teams in and around us - we have 4 of them left to play - that being Huddersfield, Plymouth, Swansea and Sheffield Wednesday. Those are the games we absolutely have to win, not just to give ourselves points but deny them the points too - if they all have less points then the marker for survival should theoretically be lower, so 12 points from that would leave us on 47 - which would mean we would probably need a single win and the odd draw from the other 9 games. Worrying thing is, those games, against other teams fighting for their lives are exactly the games we don't show up for. Add to that our complete lack of goal threat, our propensity for gifting the opposition shit goals out of nothing and the constant wholesale changes from one week to the next meaning theres no real prospect of us beginning to really click, and I'm struggling to see us getting more than maybe a handful of points between now and the end of the season.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 17, 2024 18:10:25 GMT
Nowt wrong with Wes. Poor fella can barely walk and is the only one of our forward line who hasn't cried off at any point this season. I can't watch Lowe from the start again this season. The problem with Lowe is that he's just not ready for this division - either physically (he's so lightweight we might as well have had no one up top) or technically (hes not quick, cant play with his back to goal or offer any real goal threat or focal point). It's great to see one of our own getting minutes, and i love the fact that he tries to put himself about but not when we are in the thick of a dog fight to avoid dropping down to League one. The boy needs a loan out to league 2 to toughen him up a bit and hopefully bag a few goals, which will build his confidence. As for Wes, he's hardly a world beater but at least he can be a bit of a menace physically, drag defenders about creating gaps which we can hopefully exploit and potentially offer a foil for Ennis and potentially an advanced midfielder to work off.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 17, 2024 17:59:08 GMT
Tricky and Dublin I wholeheartedly agree - somehow contrived to lumber us, along with the slap-head scottish guardiola, with a squad of even bigger losers, mercenaries and cowards than we've had before, which is some achievement.
As for Schumi - I think we do have to stick - we lost today thanks to some absolutely brain dead thinking by Hoever (who should also be fucked off as soon as humanely possible) and whilst you can argue about the team selection, the shape and the fact that the subs were reactionary, you could at least see that the players out there were playing for him and we were reasonably comfortable, and would have got ourselves a hard earned point but for the Dingles secret agent. Changing again now would have no guarantee of us staying up, or indeed any improvement at all.
Honestly now I think that we have to win the 4 games against teams around us - Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday, Swansea and Plymouth, try and scrape a few points out of the other games and hope that those below us don't suddenly go on a 3/4 match winning streak to put us under even more pressure. I've got a feeling this will go down to the wire...
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 13, 2024 9:23:26 GMT
Think we are almost at the stage now where we play Stoke Tombola - first 11 names out of the hat start. In all seriousness though, even though I hate 3/5 at the back, I think that's the way we have to go as none of the centre halves convince me and putting an extra body in there would hopefully increase the odds of having 1 in the right place. Also, we need to flood midfield with bodies and runners - just to try and kill games and then play a direct style, winning second balls and ensuring we don't concede territory where its going to hurt us. Finally, we need to start playing percentages into channels and force them back rather than fanny around with it at the back allowing the opposition to first set before pressing us into turning over the ball in dangerous areas. So,
Bonham (actually his best period for us before Iversen came in)
Rose (probably our best centre half, which in itself is frightening) Clarke (pray that experience will get him through as an organiser with those either side of him can track runners) McNally/Wilmot (ideally neither, both have been liabilities) Junior (poor Saturday, but generally been excellent. Also has the quality and work-rate to play as a wing back) Thompson (good, if limited pro. Left sided, better than Stevens, can tackle and can deliver a decent set piece when given the opportunity)
Pearson (very poor this season, but hopefully can do a job sitting in front of back 3) Gooch (solid pro who runs all day - just what we need in these 6 pointers. Not a full back though) Burger (no explanation needed)
Ennis (scored Saturday and has plenty of energy about him - also Schumis man so will understand exactly what we need him to do) Leris (again, excellent work rate allied with the ability to act as a focal point to push QPR back)
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 10, 2024 17:02:36 GMT
I was just thinking about that man. The only competent manager we've had down here. Spent seasons turning this club around. Rooted out the horrors of the Hughes, Rowett and Jones managerships and built a reliable team. Would he come back? Easily the best manager we've had for a number of years. Yes, it all went rather stale towards the end, but he performed miracles here, keeping us up, reducing the wage bill and doing more than any manager we've had in the modern era to promote youngsters. Also unlucky to have to suffer the injury crisis that robbed us of a team that could have competed for the play-offs. Class act as a man too.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 10, 2024 16:12:43 GMT
Didn't expect Johnson to score that - utter fucking bottlejob.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 10, 2024 15:51:54 GMT
We could well finish bottom. Third richest owners in English football and were limp dicking into the third tier. I give up, I can’t be arsed anymore. The way we are playing at the moment, I'm genuinely worried we will slide straight through league 1 too - we will be outworked, bullied and will inevitably crumble in on ourselves every time the going gets tough, especially knowing we will be lumbered with the same soft, cowardly, characterless wankstains
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 10, 2024 15:39:19 GMT
Fuck them all off tonight. Pathetic yet again!!
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 10, 2024 15:34:52 GMT
Question is will the board sack him ? After Wednesday. We lose Wednesday and I think we are done if we fall into the bottom 3. We won't get out of it then. Gutless cowards the lot of them - I actually hate the vast majority of them, with a couple of exceptions.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 6, 2024 20:45:58 GMT
Some clubs never learn. Charlton nailed on for relegation for L2 and lower, the longer they stick with him. None of the clubs Jones managed have been relegated while he was in charge. You could say some were relegated as a result of his management before he was sacked, but you could just as easily say that Luton were promoted after he left but as a result of his work prior to leaving. The reason for that is because both ourselves and Southampton came to our senses before relegation was officially confirmed - and, in our case, we had a miracle performed by MON. And Luton were mid-table when he left, Rob Edwards took them up another level in my opinion. The nutty dwarf is nothing but a fraud and a chancer - Charlton already have enough issues to deal with never mind a delusional tosspot who believes his own hype, even though he has been found to be a laughing stock everywhere bar Luton.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 3, 2024 21:10:50 GMT
There are definitely two teams worse than us. Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday. After that it's questionable. Rotherham probably - but that's not through a lack of desire or attitude, they punch well above their weight in this division and with a little bit more quality would probably scrape it through turning a few of their narrow losses into draws and draws into a few wins. After that, in terms of technical ability we are probably better than a fair few sides, however, most of those sides will work for each other, be better organized, know how to manage games if the momentum is slipping from them, be fitter than us and have more resilience and character - for example Cardiff and Plymouth and probably even Hull and Coventry. The thing is that this isn't a high quality league apart from the relegated sides and Ipswich, and none of them will do any more than maybe just about survive in the prem. The fact of the matter is that if you have a side that's fit, will run through walls for each other and are well managed, they will be towards the top end of the division even if they lack real quality - Millwall are usually up there and they are woeful, same with Preston. And look at Luton last season, similar with Huddersfield and Blackpool when they went up - nothing to fear in terms of quality but they knew what they could do, stuck together and picked up results when they needed to, not bottling it. Finally, of course, is ourselves in our promotion season. Only Fuller was genuinely someone to fear - even Lawrence happened to have the season of his life that season, but on paper it was a very average side, but we had leaders and real men who dug in and found ways to win, unlike this lot of prima Donna mercenaries. Simples
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Feb 3, 2024 19:59:15 GMT
As it stands at 4pm today we’re just 6 points clear of the bottom 3. In 2 games time we could feasibly be sitting in the relegation zone. Haven’t seen anything in our recent performances that suggest we’re ready for the scrap. Worrying times, hope it’s down to my half glass empty approach but I feel us sleep walking into real trouble again. Only 4pts clear of QPR tonight - with them the next to come to our place. I fear this is exactly the kind of game we will bottle....again as our bunch of mercenary pussies won't have the stomach for it. They will come, compete for every ball and chase everything, we won't, and we will turn in on ourselves when we inevitably make little mistakes, and won't put in the legwork to support each other both in and out of possession.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Jan 13, 2024 20:37:43 GMT
Has to be a 9 - this is exactly the sort of game where we would have had our pants pulled down over the last few years, especially under the bald Scottish tosser, but he set us up well, limited them to virtually nothing off the set pieces that they tend to be rather effective at, motivated us to match them in terms of work-rate which allowed us to let one moment of quality win us the match. Subs were spot on - Leris provided an outlet at a point when they were looking to pin us in, Campbell offered a threat on the break and Pearson came on to lock down the midfield. You can see his enthusiasm and influence is clearly rubbing off on his players, and we are already showing clear progression on developing an identity and becoming a coherent unit.
In Schumi we trust.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Jan 13, 2024 18:08:44 GMT
Iversen 6.5 - Solid, but not much of to do. Rose 8 - dominant today McNally 7.5 - very solid, no frills Hoever 5 - not awful but still too many poor choices/sloppy mistakes Thompson 7 - solid as always Burger 8.5 MOTM - ran the game, showed real leadership too Baker 7.5 - getting back to the old Baker, showed his quality from the free kick too. Cundle 6.5 - put himself about, neat and tidy, with a few games he will understand the players around him. Haksabanovic 5 - tried but didn't come off for him. Mmaee 5 - off Day, tried but didn't quite fall for him Vidigal 6 - looked lively, didn't quite have the final ball but looked threatening
Subs
Leris 6.5 - stretched them and used his physicality to win free kicks and push us up the pitch. Campbell 6 - looked hungry, ultimately not enough time to make much of an impact Pearson 5.5 - did what he was bought onto do and shut up shop. Booked again though.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Jan 13, 2024 17:47:35 GMT
Great result today. These are the kind of results you want to see - a pretty scrappy game where they looked to bombard us on occasions, but we dug in, stood up to them, made sure we won our individual battles and allowed ourselves to let one moment of real quality win us the game. Thought Burger was outstanding, he looks real quality and runs the game from midfield - almost N Zonzi-esque! Also impressed with his leadership, he's got a strong voice, kept chatting to those around him and wasn't afraid to dig Dyson out when he fucked up! Credit has to go to Schumi, firstly for recognizing what Burger can contribute but also for setting us up to look to play on the front foot whilst installing some continuity and shape defensively. Still think we are not the finished article, and a proper left back (though Thompson has been excellent in there), an out and out striker and cover at centre half and in midfield are needed, but we are certainly on the right tracks! In Schumi we trust
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Jan 1, 2024 16:50:49 GMT
Gayle is an absolute waste of a footballer. Why he's anywhere near our team is anyone's guess.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Dec 29, 2023 22:02:32 GMT
Feels like 2 points lost at the moment, considering how we dropped off when they had their guy sent off. Think we got complacent, made some wrong changes at the wrong time and overplayed it in the final third. There's positives to take away too - at least Schumi was proactive to make changes and, once he has a bit more time working with these players, that will be an asset, plus it's an away point at a side that are fighting for the play-offs. It wasn't quite our night, but it was a hell of a lot better than the shower of shit served up under the baldy Scottish gnome!
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Dec 26, 2023 22:16:43 GMT
Has to be a 10. Only had a week and a couple of sessions with the players, but we already look a different team, utilising the talents of Junior and Burger instead of shackling or alienating them. We were bold today, played on the front foot, took the game to Brum and worked for each other both on and off the ball. subs were good too, to rest players and manage the game. Still look a little shaky behind the ball (that will come in time with defenders understanding their roles and maybe a new face or 2 at centre half) but we are on the right track being led by a bright, progressive, young coach. He's a breath of fresh air too, unlike the dour jock slap-head.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Dec 22, 2023 13:58:43 GMT
Have a feeling we are going to get ourselves a come-from-behind 2-1 win tomorrow. First half we will be abject and maybe be lucky to only be a goal down, but Schumi will inspire the lads to grab an equaliser early doors second half before a 89th minute winner in front of the boothen end!
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Dec 19, 2023 19:04:40 GMT
Did Schumacher do a celebration lap after his appointment? Na, as it's a weeknight he just cut straight to the champagne spraying!
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Dec 18, 2023 11:29:55 GMT
He's a funny one ain't he? Sometimes, like yesterday or away at Middlesbrough, he genuinely looks a decent keeper - other times he looks utterly Park standard! Even though he was excellent, he's not the answer as he can't organise those in front of him or inspire confidence from anyone as you know that he will drop another clanger soon enough. Back up at best.
|
|
|
Post by robstokie on Dec 18, 2023 11:20:19 GMT
Would never stop coming to games, I'm in for life (you get less for murder these days, as my mother would say) but Dean 'Chic' Holden would be an extremely uninspiring 'yes man' style appointment, as would Vinegar Tits Mowbray - arrogant, self righteous bellend who would alienate the fan base due to his previous comments. Steve Bruce wouldnt fill me with any great excitement either - and would surely be the sign that lessons will never be learnt. Did Tony Pulis alienate the fans with his previous comments? I think TP was just divisive in general - the style of play alienated some, let alone some off the stuff said in interviews. But, for Me, TP is pound for pound our greatest ever manager, considering the achievements he had here (both spells) and having to work under the yesterday men and their inept mates, even though he could be mind numbingly negative too often - what's happened since he left and his foundations dismantled only proves it even further for me.
|
|