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Post by stokecitydom on Sept 10, 2016 16:12:52 GMT
Walters and Pieters were beyond appalling today Some of the defending from Pieters was schoolboy stuff. His decision making is awful. It's poor that there is no real competition in the squad. As for Walters it was nothing new.
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Post by stokecitydom on Aug 27, 2016 17:40:49 GMT
What kind of football are we trying to play? Are we a possession team, are we a counter attacking team or are we long ball? It seems to chop & change randomly.
Its vital that we find an identity. Work out what we are & what we want to be and then build on it.
We seem to go from 4231 to 433 (false nine) to 433 with a target man. The team selection is not settled & nobody (except Arnautovic) gets a continued run of games playing together. Joselu, Diouf, Walters & Crouch have all come in & been given 1-2 games, then they are out. Bojan is the same, give him a run of 5+ games to get some kind of consistency and form.
We have to settle on a formation & a consistent line up in order to get some fluidity & understanding on the pitch.
Hughes has to make a decision on his best team, as it seems like there are numerous positions where he still cannot decide who should play. Whether it be upfront, or at the back.
Obviously you mix it up against certain opposition & don't want to be too predictable. But lets have a clear idea of what we are trying to achieve.
Before the window shuts I'd sign 2 new strikers (like Bony & Berahino who offer something different from each other). A solid centre half & a left back who offers something going forward.
Maybe I'm wrong, I just don't really know what the plan is at the minute.
I do believe we will be fine though & be relatively comfortable in the league, as we have had some tricky fixtures.
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Post by stokecitydom on Aug 27, 2016 16:07:05 GMT
Stats say we've had one shot on target. When was that? Are they talking about Arnie's strike against the bar (which isn't on target)? The keeper saves it, then it hit the bar. Or at least that's what I thought happened.
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Post by stokecitydom on Aug 21, 2016 10:03:50 GMT
Mike Dean had 3 decisions to make in the game yesterday.
He got them all wrong.
Gave 2 penalties that were extremely soft.
Then missed an absolute blatant penalty.
That pretty much sums up the mans incompetence. Nothing surprises with the egotistical pillock.
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Post by stokecitydom on Jul 29, 2016 12:21:16 GMT
Give Fargo (the TV series a go).
I enjoyed it.
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Post by stokecitydom on Apr 2, 2016 17:36:12 GMT
Wolly would have been a good shout but that pass that led to the second goal and then moaning instead of getting back negates it. Bojan was MOM for me, it would have been Wolly but that second goal is just terrible from him. Too many times this happens. A player makes a mistake, then instead of getting back into position & winning it back, we argue & blame each other. It cost us today with the 2nd goal & it shouldn't have happened. Wollscheid should have played a simple ball out to Arnuatovic on the left, but once the mistake was made, at least bust a gut to get back into position.
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Post by stokecitydom on Apr 2, 2016 17:00:15 GMT
When Shaq is back, we've got a bit of a dilemma. Not for me. Arnautovic Bojan Shaqiri Diouf Afellay is a competent understudy in any of the 3 midfield positions, but when everyone is fit & firing, the others just offer more
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Imbula
Apr 2, 2016 16:57:24 GMT
via mobile
Post by stokecitydom on Apr 2, 2016 16:57:24 GMT
One of the main reasons we threw that away today. He was completely anonymous, as much use as a chocolate tea pot defensively. Leroy Fer completely bossed the last 30 minutes as he was given about 30 yards of space every time he received the ball. He really needs to improve this side of his game. Time and again he failed to track runners. He looks great when things are going well. When it's backs to the wall stuff? Liability at the moment. Body language is awful. Get rid I'm not sure if you're being serious. There are definitely things to work on, but he's shown his class since arriving.
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Post by stokecitydom on Mar 14, 2016 19:09:45 GMT
The idiocy of the oatcake strikes again. Why just because I don't want a mard arse who shows up the odd game becoming our top earner? Half a good season and the sun shines out his arse from many supporters. And there's some games this season where he's been shit as well. We didn't go balls out for nzonzi in his last season and we shouldn't for arnie. There's better players in our squad who deserve to be or match the "top earners" Arnautovic is currently the only player who seems to want to score. He's constantly making runs & trying to get into goal scoring positions. At times he is single handily the goal threat. Wouldn't be sensible to get rid at all. First name in the team sheet for me. He may not play well every game (like on Saturday), but without him we are completely toothless.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 17, 2016 9:43:49 GMT
Butland
Johnson Shawcross Wollscheid Pieters
Cameron Imbula
Shaqiri Bojan Arnautovic
Then I just cannot decide who the forward should be. Nobody has really grabbed the opportunity & cemented the position as their own. You could argue for any of the forwards starting, depending on the opposition
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 22:41:49 GMT
I agree mate. I mentioned Affelay & Whelan in another post. Complete lack of protection from them. I've not been massively impressed by Affelay as many on here. I think he's very neat & tidy, but not a defensive midfielder. He's not the defensive midfielder? Whelan is! You have to have 2 players in the middle of the park who can chip in with the dirty work. We don't have that, hence why we seem to get over run in there. Affelay is playing a deep role in central midfield & I feel must offer more.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 22:05:40 GMT
I just don't get why only two (one in particular) is being dug out from the attackig options. For me Affellay was our worst player by some distance tonighr. Offered nothing to an ailing defence, constantltgave the ball away, can't shoot and in the end took to just falling over! I agree mate. I mentioned Affelay & Whelan in another post. Complete lack of protection from them. I've not been massively impressed by Affelay as many on here. I think he's very neat & tidy, but not a defensive midfielder.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 22:00:07 GMT
Our top scorer last season.
Started the season brightly & obviously tragedy struck, but since then when he's played he's been hung out to dry on the wing.
If there was a striker worthy of a start then I'd understand. But the omission from the staring 11 up top is utterly bizarre.
We need pace & someone with a knack of being in the right place at the right time. We have that with Diouf, so lets get him on the field (in his natural position) & see what happens.
Zero shots on target & one goal in over 4 matches.
What have we got to lose?
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:55:19 GMT
There was no other options for selection at the back & in the midfield. The lack of investment at the back is a question for another day. Where as we have options upfront. So surely that can be questioned? Zero shots on target tonight, toothless. Bojan, Arnie, and Affelay played. Well played fucking shit. I don't get it?
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:52:27 GMT
Spot on. It was needed & worked. This week, we needed some pace, craft & technical ability. Utterly bizarre selection How is that the major contribution to tonight's result? Thinking our two remaining centre halves were invincible yesterday, dreadful performances from the rest of the back four, Affelay's worst game for us by a mile would all stand out more to me. There was no other options for selection at the back & in the midfield. The lack of investment at the back is a question for another day. Where as we have options upfront. So surely that can be questioned? Zero shots on target tonight, toothless.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:41:46 GMT
Just because Crouch and Walters was what was needed last week didn't make them the right option tonight. Baffling selection. Spot on. It was needed & worked. This week, we needed some pace, craft & technical ability. Utterly bizarre selection
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:39:57 GMT
Be great to have a captain That's super Glenn. The midfield destroyer
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:21:39 GMT
No it's one of though, and a missing midfield. Is it getting overrun again? Ha ha, I remember we mentioned it after the Leicester game. Once again, central midfield offers no protection.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:20:06 GMT
Be nice for the Defensive midfielders to chip in knowing our position at the back. Pathetic stuff from everyone. Bang on the money. Too often the central midfields have avoided criticism this season. It's just so easy to get at our defence. Offer little or no protection too often this season. Hopefully Imbula will add abit of much needed muscle in there.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:15:28 GMT
Seeing Crouch and Walters starting knocked the enthusiasm out of me for this game I'm afraid, quite surprised at Sparky there, United's defence is the shakiest it's ever been. Did you say that at Liverpool? The thing is, against Liverpool it was a good idea. Liverpool have been a shambles with balls into their box. It worked well for that one game. Usually when Crouch plays, we go one dimensional & have absolutely no mobility or pace. To then play Walters aswell is just baffling. That's exactly what has happened tonight & we are just so so slow & laboured in attack.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 21:00:17 GMT
Crouch off, Walters off. Shaqiri & Diouf on, fucking bomb forward and win 14-2. Easy, why aren't I the manager? Bringing them 2 on would mean adding pace to the team. We seem determined to field a team lacking any kind of pace. Which is quite frankly bizarre.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 20:46:03 GMT
Who told Pieters that he could take a set piece?
Utterly bizarre that he now seems to be out set piece taker.
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Post by stokecitydom on Feb 2, 2016 20:27:04 GMT
First goal was Afellay ball watching.
Second goal was poor from Pieters. Got dragged to the ball when he wasn't needed, should have gone with Rooney. Class finish though.
Some basic defending really that has let us down.
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 24, 2016 10:58:01 GMT
With how we lined up yesterday, our whole attacking threat was going to have to come from Shaqiri. It didn't happen for him & therefore we had nothing as an attacking unit.
For me Shaqiri has played his best football when linking up with Glen Johnson on the right. Due to our lack of options Hughes decided to play him through the middle.
Then we had Walters & Diouf on the wings, which has never worked. Neither are wingers, they just simply do not have the technical ability to take a man on/whip in a good ball.
So yesterday we had a 80% fit Shaqiri, playing in a unimaginative front 4, in a position where he has hardly featured for us.
Give the guy a break, play him on the right & when we have players who make runs (eg Arnie who he seems to be on the same wavelength) we see his quality.
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 23, 2016 17:37:22 GMT
Totally agree. We are just weak in the central midfield. Completely lost the battle in there too. I've thought it for a long time, it's just simply too easy to get at our centre halves. I think we need a defensive midfielder who is tough & nasty & can impose himself on the game & grab the team by the scruff of the neck if it isn't going well. Like Whelan ? Not for me. Must improve in the central midfield if we are ever going to push on.
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 23, 2016 17:34:07 GMT
Amazing, two weeks ago we din't need anyone, now we need at least four. Our support is riddled with babies who can't take a poor display and result. I'd be surprised if there was anyone who honestly believed that we didn't need anyone. For me we've needed a central midfielder & a winger since August. Games like this just highlight the issues we have when we have an injury/dip in form (Arnautovic & Bojan).
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 23, 2016 17:27:36 GMT
He's been a good servant & value for money, but we must upgrade in that position. Its an unpopular opinion to have, but I truly believe we need a better defensive midfield.
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 23, 2016 17:23:14 GMT
Affelay is decent, but very rarely plays a truely penetrating pass.The only one I can think of was to Arnie for the penalty at Everton, and that still leftArnie with Stones to bear. For me, he is tidy and competent but I am not sure that he is qquite as good as we would like to think. Perhaps he will dictate at Liverpool on Tuesday. I totally agree. He is neat & tidy, but not really offering an awful lot else. I was a big fan of N'Zonzi but he got quite a lot of stick for playing safe passes, yet Afellay is similar in that regard but it doesn't seem to get mentioned. He needs to have more of an influence, take a few risks etc. Personally I think we need better central midfielders if we are going to push on.
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 23, 2016 17:15:28 GMT
Totally agree. We are just weak in the central midfield. Completely lost the battle in there too. I've thought it for a long time, it's just simply too easy to get at our centre halves. I think we need a defensive midfielder who is tough & nasty & can impose himself on the game & grab the team by the scruff of the neck if it isn't going well. Apparently, we've got one.......... Who?
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Post by stokecitydom on Jan 23, 2016 17:08:48 GMT
No Shawcross, we concede 3. Perhaps there does need to be a Centre Half signed- we seem to have lost all defensive organization. Midfield has been very disappointing today. Shawcross was the real reason for our improvement in recent times. Our midfield offers no protection and gets overrun too often. This is a huge wake up call. Totally agree. We are just weak in the central midfield. Completely lost the battle in there too. I've thought it for a long time, it's just simply too easy to get at our centre halves. I think we need a defensive midfielder who is tough & nasty & can impose himself on the game & grab the team by the scruff of the neck if it isn't going well.
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