Much better from the lads today. Yes Blackburn were extremely poor and it was almost like a Europa game as Blackburn played so deep and it allowed us to pass it around a bit more, Wilson especially got a lot of joy down the left. A wonderful pacy free kick from Pennant and an easy header for Rory to give us a 1-0 lead. Blackburn's chance at the start of the 2nd might've been crucial but I still think we would've gone on to win the game. Quite satisfying seeing us get the ball round the back, getting crosses in and putting the Blackburn defence under a lot of pressure. A nice little move involving Walters, Crouch and Wilson culminated in Whelan getting the 2nd. Then some quite awful marking from Blackburn gave Crouch time so slam home the third. Disappointing to concede but the win is the most important thing. There were some good individual performances out there. Delap was absolutely everywhere today, deserved his goal, looked very energetic and pressured the Blackburn players quite often. Wilson looked very assured on the ball, played some lovely passes and had a very solid game, looking a lot more confident as well which is good to see. Some of Crouchy's play today was superb, him and Walters looked very good together, especially in the 2nd half. His general play was very good, and at times with his touch showed that he is a class above any of our other players. All in all, a great and much needed win. My Man of the Match: Delap. P.S. Blackburn fans, I do feel sorry for you. You've got a clueless git as a manager and he will take you down if he stays with you. I'm sorry but I thought you looked pretty poor today.
Should not complain because we were much better and played with passion but a better side would have punished our sloppy passing and but for Whelan's goal line clearance and Sorro's excellent save could have been close Better to have replaced Pennant with an attacker rather than Whitehead??? Whelan must have been close for MOM as he appeared to be everywhere and made some good defensive blocks All in all well done the lads SiS
Stoke had the better of what was largely a forgettable first half, but raised their game in the second and thoroughly deserved the win. Some good football at times, helped by the lack of quality shown by the opposition. I thought that apart from a couple of chances, Blackburn were terrible. I think I must have been watching a different game to the BBC statisticians who have given Blackburn 12 shots on target - I must have dozed off at some point! It was good to see Pennant have a better game and I also liked that he was disappointed to come off - a much better attitude from him than the one he showed last week against QPR. Matty was much more effective today too. I would have given man of the match to Whelan, but Rory did play well which was a refreshing change. I'm not getting too excited though as we might have looked better than we were due to Blackburn's ineptitude. Safer to reserve judgment until we play a tougher team. Still, you can only beat what is put in front of you, a win is a win and all those other cliches that might apply in situations like this! The booze will taste a lot better tonight than it has done recently!
TWELVE on target? who's kidding whom.. A win is a win and Crouch's touch was brilliant for such a tall player Blackburn fans it's no wonder they want Kean out... you looked pretty awful and can't see anything improving for you. Fair play to Delap but WHY take off Pennant? we should have kicked on and scored more goals but typical of T.P. we sat back and just hoofed it or gave the ball away too easily, and we sat off and Blackburn scored, a great hit but WHERE were our defenders. I think Ryan and Huth still looked shakey at times but much better than last week. WELL done the lads.. now? KEEP it going. I thought Whelan was my MOTM Sgt. Followed by Crouchie.. took his goal really well cos he took a gamble and if you don't gamble. A much needed win and let's KEEP it GOING.. it's a start we MUST still improve that midfield I think.
Fantatsic 3 points on a day when pretty much all below have struggled, well done the lads and TP for winning what I all think we know was a must win game! Its amazing how fans can be at the same game but see it very differently. Positives: 3 Goals, roughly 50% possession at home (which is excellent for us), Ethrington with an excellent performance and pennant more positive although his attitude and reactions on the pitch still seem as though he is not a happy chappy. Godd to see Shawx and Huth at CB, although the back 5 has been tinkered with that much that a solid run of games will be needed to get it back to its best. Negatives; All goals came from unlikely sitiuations, Delap on the end of a cross, a Whelan defelction just has Blackburn had us under pressure and a Crouch touch from a Sunday league moment of defending - even aginst the bottom team in the league and playing at home we are unable to create open play chances - worrying! Two wingers not lasting the full 90 and compounding it with bringing a CDM on his place without changing formation and from this point on we looked even weaker - classic TP error of changing something thats working. If he had to sub Pennant (who didint look happy and they didnt even acknowledge each other) then surley dropping Walters to the wing and putting Jerome upfront would have kept or width and ability to deal with their winger! Not keeping a clean sheet! A win as a win (and at the moment I'll take anything we can beg, borrow or steal), but we wern't great today against a terrible team. Relying on 1 shot on traget all 1st half by Delap is not going to win us many games, and the 2nd goal deflection was massively against the run of play. It would be absurd to think that performance will keep us out of the rut we are in, it just appears that there are a few teams who are even worse than us at the moment. Intersting SGT that you think Delap was man of the match? I find you very balanced and knowledgeable but a goal doesnt change anything - he is not good enough, cant pass and IMO he was no different today. We all know that Palcious and Wilson is the ideal CM partnership, but neither play there and thats why we cant create chances or defend the back 5 effectively enough! Thabk god for the points and thats 3 down 9 to go for the Xmas target, but I cant see us getting much with that level of perfromance over the coming games, especially as 3 out of 4 are away! I though Yak for them was excellent and another day, they could easily have scored 3 goals and won a penalty. I dont quite see the light at the end of the tunnel, but a good result non the less!
Smither's I wonder "with the greatest of respect to Sgt Potter" Did I imagine things or, we're we loads better first half? Cos apart from the two goals you mentioned.. Whelan/Crouch. Blackburn had the ball this is ... from SKY stats.. 58% to 42% in their favour. I said 60/40 to my mate who sat next to me.. not a bad guess or what. THAT for me is worrying although I still thought Blackburn we're pretty awful, especially in defence. Like I said, loads of room for improvement. I HOPE T.P. knows that too!
There you go then, 3 points, watched the game in the local, the comments from the locals (me the only Stokie) were less than flattering. All I could say was 3 points. IF we could play 'intelligent' balls to Crouchy's feet, he would score a hatfull I reckon. To all the regulars - are Blackburn the worst team seen at the Brit for a long time (excluding home Europa's)????? 3 points though!
I was saying to the old man during the game that they are probably even worse than a couple of the Europa teams we've played, i.e. Tel Aviv and Thun. Even without the goal, I thought he was magnificent. Even the old man, and he dislikes having Delap in the side as much as the average poster on here, said that it was the best he'd seen Rory play in a long time. It is just my opinion though.
Agreed. He has 2 good feet and has a good range of passing. Wilson and Palacios has to be the future in the centre in my opinion. I am disappointed Wilson hasn't had more of an opportunity in the centre in Europe, just to see how he does there, especially now Higgy's back. I follow Wilson's brother-in-law on Twitter and he said to me that when Pulis signed Wilson, he said to him he wanted him for centre midfield as he hated playing centre back for Pompey, so hopefully he'll get a chance to play there soon.
I like Wilson(Marc) and have been impressed with him on the few occasions I have seen him 'live'. A good passer and he has a good shot too which would threaten if he were to play in midfield. So the answer is to have Wilson and Wilson in midfield then alongside Whelan (or Whitehead) ..... www.midfield
Much better. Played with passion (even Pennant) and tempo though Blackburn were awful Realised that the best players were those who hadn't been exposed to Wigwam all week since they couldn't train!!
Sgt I'm with your dad, I hate it when Delap plays instead of? whoever else but.. HANDS UP from me well done Rory Delap That was a very good game by Rory and I also thought Whelan and Crouch were pretty good today. Just that midfield isn't as good as it could be. IF it had been, Nick mentioned ball to feet, we could have won more easily than we did. Well chuffed with the win, and I thought Blackburn, at times passed the ball OK.. but up front they are lacking and their defence is worse than useless. Thun run them close for the worst team I've see at the Britannia.
2 **** sides, but fortunately our **** side, was better than their **** side. Will we get relegated?.....NO Will we ever enjoy the football we play under Pulis?.....NO Will we still support SCFC........YES
Fair comments and thats what makes the game son interesting, anything can happen and we all ahve an opinion.
