New management on both sides but same old same old on the pitch
Mancini may be a distant memory but this turgid display epitomised the lack of fighting spirit which ensured the premier league title being rehoused back across Manchester
Stoke were first to every ball, symptomatic of the Pulis years bringing stoke from the depths of the second division to a mid table premier league side,but now appear to be progressing football wise through Hughes into a hardworking good footballing side. The excellent Nzonzi and Adam made out ultra expensive midfield look simply inadequate at times and but for Nzonzi wearing moonboots when clean through and the profligacy of Walters & kenwynne Jones,a comfortable home win was squandered by stoke and we greeted the end of the 6 added minutes with a sense of relief and a decidedly undeserved point
Clearly we were missing the craft of Silva and the dominance of Kompany at the back but as ever you need to win the battles to win the war and that performance was unacceptable
The prematch meal in the Stanley Matthews suite was about the only palatable part of the day
Such is life as they say but good to see superman stevie Ireland back on a football pitch,hope he gets his mojo back
Mancini may be a distant memory but this turgid display epitomised the lack of fighting spirit which ensured the premier league title being rehoused back across Manchester
Stoke were first to every ball, symptomatic of the Pulis years bringing stoke from the depths of the second division to a mid table premier league side,but now appear to be progressing football wise through Hughes into a hardworking good footballing side. The excellent Nzonzi and Adam made out ultra expensive midfield look simply inadequate at times and but for Nzonzi wearing moonboots when clean through and the profligacy of Walters & kenwynne Jones,a comfortable home win was squandered by stoke and we greeted the end of the 6 added minutes with a sense of relief and a decidedly undeserved point
Clearly we were missing the craft of Silva and the dominance of Kompany at the back but as ever you need to win the battles to win the war and that performance was unacceptable
The prematch meal in the Stanley Matthews suite was about the only palatable part of the day
Such is life as they say but good to see superman stevie Ireland back on a football pitch,hope he gets his mojo back