Stoke challenge

Will they be more of a challenge than Spurs?

I know they play **** football, but they're extremely well organized at home and defend very well.

Stoke away, IMO is probably our toughest challenge so far. Any result would be fantastic.

I know we have a cup game to look forward to soon, but what line up would you play vs Stoke?

Mine -

--------------------Ba---------------------

Jonas--------------HBA-------------Marveaux

--------Tiote---------------Cabaye----------

Raylor-----Coloccini-------Taylor------Santon

--------------------Krul----------------------

 

I should have added a poll to the thread asking which game is toughest. Oh well.

 

They will definitely be our biggest test so far , said a few weeks ago that I thought our unbeaten record would end at their place , however we're on a high and we are capable of beating them.

Fulham could and should have beaten them last week.

 

I hope we claim 4 pts from the next 2 games because we have our tough 3 games after that, BUT!!

We have Swansea, Norwich, WBA and Bolton in a row in DEC, which are all winnable games.

 

Definitely , a draw at Stoke and a win against Everton and I'll be delighted!

Think we'll lose to both Manchester clubs but we can DEFINITELY take a point or maybe even 3 against Chelsea at home in my opinion.

 

I like that line-up. I said last night that Stoke could easily cope with the Best / Ba partnership so bringing in Ben Arfa and / or Marveaux is a must.

Stoke don't just play **** football, they do have good wing play and our fullbacks will be tested and must stop the crosses getting in to Crouch and Walters.

As for who's toughest, I'd be more confident of getting a point at home to Spurs than getting a point away at Stoke. But a point is possible. As has been said, Fulham weren't far off.

 

Agreed lads

 

I'm not sure about Ben Arfa starring just yet. He is trying to hard to make things happen and was losing the ball quite a lot. Pardew should give him 90 minutes against Blackburn to get it out of his system. My team would be similar to the one that ended the game:

Krul Simpson Taylor Coloccini Taylor Marveaux Cabaye Tiote Jonas Ba Shola

 

Do Stoke play midweek too?

 

I'd go:

Krul
Santon - Saylor - Colo - Raylor
Obertan - Cabaye - Tiote - Jonas
Ba - Shola

Plenty of height in that team ensures we won't get battered on their set pieces and also means we'll be a threat from ours. Their full backs are donkeys so pace on the wings will help, Marveaux coming off the bench should be effective too

 

Yep , Liverpool at home.

 

Liverpool at home on Wednesday.

 

Hopefully Liverpool can do us a favour then a rough 'em up then

 

wouldnt start Raylor at LB, he'll get done on the outside by their winger

 

What we need to do against Stoke is keep the ball on the ground when we have it and try to work it around the pitch. As soon as you start hoofing it you play directly into their hands.

 

Really does depend on which Stoke turn up imo. The one that held Man U, or the one that got beaten by Swansea and the Mackems. They're formidable at home, and I think we struggle against their style of football, meaning we have a **** record against them.

But, if Blackpool, Fulham and Wigan could all win away at Stoke last season, I don't see why we should immediately write off 3 points. I'm predicting a 2-1 loss, but I wouldn't be surprised if we got something. I think it's definitely a bigger test than Spuds.

 

If we get a point or even take all 3 from the Brittania, then i'll be absolutely buzzing! Stoke have a strong back-four, but if we play Marveaux and Ben Arfa, then we could out skill them.

Imagine getting 6 points from the Stoke and Everton games and being on 25 from 11 games, plus remain unbeaten?

 

People have said time and time again that Raylor would get annihilated before the game has even started, and each time, even though he's had a lot of help from Jonas, he has done quite well.

Give the lad a break, he was excellent yesterday, defensively and creatively, and certainly better than Simmo.

 

I think from our next 6 games we will get 6 points. 3 vs Everton, 1 v Stoke, Chelsea, Norwich. Although, Everton is difficult and not saying we will definetly get 3 points lol

As for team v Stoke I'd play:

Krul

Santon - Taylor - Colo - Taylor

Tiote - Cabaye

Marveaux - Ben Arfa - Jonas

Ba

That is our best possible team imo and we should go with it

 

The wind in Stoke is annoying lol.

I think we will get a draw there, We need our full backs don't let them cross the ball Crouch and Walters(like said above) and we deal with their set-pieces. I would go for

--------------------------Krul---------------------------------

Simpson-------------Taylor---------------Coloccini--------Raylor

Marveaux-----------Tiote-----------------Dreamboat------Jonas

--------------------Best----------------Ba--------------

I don't think it's time yet for Ben Arfa and would give him 90 minutes against Blackburn and leave him out against Stoke like we did against Wigan. Would like to see Santon to if we're struggling to cope with one of their wingers, and as for Obertan I think it's time he was dropped for Marveaux who never fails to impress when he comes on for 15-20 mins.