Sunday is here

Early Sunday morning should be a time for stinking in my bed but Osca had other ideas, back in from the cold and wet and time to reminisce on yesterdays events and look forward to next weekends.

I have read all about Stokes style of play referees and lack of strength from our boys but IMO none of that matters. We knew what to expect and we simply could not handle it. Should the referee have given more protection to Gordon, I think so but he didn’t.

Stoke are masters at pushing the laws to the limit and they do it very well, to be honest I don’t see the point in having a go at Stoke or their fans about it, they got 3 points and that’s what they wanted to do.

To me I saw far more positives than negatives in the game, the first being we only have to face that style twice and we have done that so we can forget it.

We played some good football with a team in a strange formation for them, 2 players who are still getting up to speed and getting to know the team, the country and the premier league.

Richardson, love him or hate him, scored again.
Gyan was on the score sheet.
Bardsley again was fantastic.

To me I feel no shame in being out muscled because I don’t want us to be best at that sort of play. Next weekend will be the real tester for me because we will have the chance to show what type of football team we can be, far more important.

We still have Sess and Muntari settling in and big players to return, we still have a potential fantastic season to complete.

A few weeks down the line yesterday won’t even be a bad memory.

 

morning syd, forget our defending, look at arsenals, hope you got a chance to watch what i thought was a cracking match (skunks will love that one), im still baffled how they pulled it off, twas a strange day

 

The strange thin to me was they score a second goal then minutes later take a free kick from the same place, by the same player, he puts it in the same place and they score the dame goal. Cant say we were not warned.

 

have to agree with what you say, as long as the laws of the game allow them to get away with it they will carry on, and you can't blame them if it brings a modicum of success. hope that sounds ok, having difficulty typing due to massive hangover. i don't drink much these days but got carried away yesterday

 

Can't agree more Syd - only thing I was annoyed about was the goal from the same spot and the fact that the goals weren't scrutinised more - I feel two of their goals were dubious. An offside and an infringement and the assistants didn't seem capable of asserting themselves. One thing that did stand out for me was Sess and Muntari who i accept are settling in Sess looks fast but easily pushed off the ball (again testament to Stokes approach) and Munts who didn't seem to want to pick the easy pass out wide and preferred to thread the ball through - to me it showed his different class - once settled in I thik these two will come good!

 

Agree with the vast majority of this Syd and certainly agree that there is much to be optimistic about, but, we must defend set plays better than that.

 

I agree but its better defending, some protection and better refereeing, ll consired against us yesterday

 

Lads. stop feeling sorry for yourselves Sunderland wont be the only team to play at Stoke this season.

 

Didnt realise we were

 

Lots of mackems complaining about thier boys being 'roughed up' by them nasty Stoke players

 

Definetly Syd - I agree several elements contributed to the goals in varying degrees yesterday.

BDU - Disappointed yes, self pitying no, the day after a match is a time to reflect and compare notes, it's called being a supporter.

 

If Stoke had been playing Chelsea or Man Utd or Arsenal, the first goal would never have stood, the ref would have blew for a foul on the keeper, of that i am sure. I'm not trying to make excuses, it was our own fault and as you rightly said Syd, we knew what to expect and didn't do anything to stop it. But you have to admit, the ref was weak yesterday as were the linesmen, very poor IMO.

 

I would say weak is far to kind

 

.

Like most of us I was and am pretty gutted about the result yesterday - but taking a step back I had to contrast the sick feeling over losing three points with realising that we we would have won but for some dodgy refereeing.

The outcome does not detract from the knowledge that we are building a great team which will probably finish between 6th and 8th place this year.

I still feel gutted but at least I can look forward to the next game with a decree of optimism... something that hasn't always been the case.

 

we wernt getting anyware fast in the last half hour of the game thier goalkeeper could of read a newspaper.we were content to invite them onto us and paid the price

 

Or lots of comments with legitimate points?

Unlike your fellow Mags who were slanging off their team and wanting to be beat by more goals!

Stoke were putting two players in on the keeper one in front where the rref could see him challenging for the ball, whilst the one hidden behind either pushed or grabbed Gordon.
Even some of our own supporters have been saying Gordon was weak, I have to say I would love to see them catch a ball whilst jumping being in midair and being manhandled by someone on the ground, simple physics.


Having valid worries is not complaining, it's pointing out legitimate concerns about the state of refereeing.

 

I reckon you're on a loser there, MR. He might be big down under, but he don't appear to be too strong up top!