I know every game is a big one when you are challenging at the top or fighting to stay up at the bottom but i reckon this is the biggest game of the season so far, drop points here and city have reeled us in. I know there is still a long way to go but i think city are still better at grinding out the results at the moment. I think this could very well be a defining game in the race for the prem title. Hoping for a very big performance.
Agree L.W. This indeed is a "Biggie". Realistically it's ourselves and City now, and with them having to come to The Bridge, we still have the advantage. Stoke know we wont be like Arsenal and get physically over run, but i'm always wary of this kind of game. We need to play this one as if it was a big derby game or a top of the table clash. Anything, other than full blooded tackles and commitment from the start, will not be good enough. Hopefully then, a bit of quality finishing from Costa or a bit of magic from Hazard can swing it for us. 3 points before heading for the turkey would be just the business ! Come on the Chels.
This is the kind of game we often couldn't win last season, and the kind that cost us the title. I really think we are better now and expect a win at Stoke. If we don't, then you would have to say we are getting the wobbles. Don't see us losing, but we have to be really up for this and we will be. We might just win this by 2.
It's only 1 goal as well - so 2-0 Stoke and you are second - no one saw that coming (so soon anyway). That said, you should match them physically and in terms of class you are streets ahead, so I think you'll win. As long as you are up for a battle.
Agreed. This is the kind of game that will show us just how far we have come from last season. I expect a big performance, now that City are breathing down our necks. The positive for me, regardless of this result, is that we will have visited all the grounds I hate going to in the first half of the season. We play all the big teams (bar Arsenal) at home in the second half, and we always beat Arsenal anyway so..... We been to OT, the Etihad, Goodison, Anfield, St James Park, Stadium of Light, all the grounds I hate us visiting. Second half of the season, theoretically, should be easy street for us. With the Emirates, White Hart Lane and Loftus Road being the only "dodgy" fixtures. So even if we are only a point ahead or even slightly behind come January, I still have high hopes.
This has dropped points written all over it. Fair play to City, after that lucky comeback v Bayern they've been flying and look every bit the Champions they are, even with injuries. They also have a run of decent fixtures and I expect them to be top within the next few games. Still a long way to go though and as above, I think the fixtures in the second half of the season are kinder to us.
Anyone worried about United. Bearing in mind they have a new Manager, have looked pretty ordinary for most of the season and been riddled with injuries.... they're still bloody 3rd! Their next 10 league games are: Man Utd v Newcastle Tottenham v Man Utd Stoke v Man Utd Man Utd v Southampton QPR v Man Utd Man Utd v Leicester West Ham v Man Utd Man Utd v Burnley Swansea v Man Utd Man Utd v Sunderland Without Champions League or Europa distractions, they all look very winnable. Bring back a few sick-notes and get used to each other and actually start playing some football, and they're not out of it yet.
Yeah to a point but if that's their next 10, they must have a hell of a run in! Still think they've been pretty lucky to have as many points out of their last half dozen games as they have. Still very much an unknown quantity at the moment.
I think United are nailed on for top 4 now, as I said they would be at the start of the season. Still far too **** at the back for a decent title challenge though, they have been very fortunate lately with some of their results. But still, you make your own luck, and they have bags of goals in them. If LvG can sort out that defence in the summer they will be a problem next season for sure.
Said to RED DEVIL a few weeks ago that UTD are a defender and midfielder away from being a very good team. Come Feb they will be a very good team.
Took all of 10 minutes for Stoke to revert back to their usual ways of kicking lumps out of their opponent. Dunno how Phil Bardsley is still on the pitch. Should have seen red for that horrible first challenge, not to mention a 2nd yellow for that blatent pull back on Costa.
That was a pretty good win. It was a tough place to go, and a tough team to beat, and we did both. There's no doubt we are a much more professional team than last years, and we know how to win. Hard to fault the display, except that for long periods of the second half we were on the back foot. Did we settle for 1-0, or did Stoke improve ? Can't help feeling we should have gone at them harder, but hey, we did what we came to do and answered a few questions to boot. Very good win.
Matic was immense, the rest average, loved the Drogba and Walters Shoulder charge, made me smile as well. You know when you are beat, but hey don't stop trying by foul means or fair.
Cracking stuff. Matic is one of the best players in Europe on his day, and today he was certainly on form.
