So you think Stoke would've beat Leicester tonight ? If they'd of gone 1 down as they should've if we'd taken 1 of our early chances, they'd have completely crumbled. But being the gift we are we didn't score, and slowly let them build a bit of confidence and then gifted them our compulsory goal from a corner, which instilled more belief in them. Nearly every other side in the division would've smashed them early on and won comfortably, these players are gutless and clueless and were set up wrong by the manager from the start.
‘Twas not the case and Andersen has just been bought a Bacardi Breezer by a bloke from the Bet365 call centre.
I’m not sure they did turn up tbh. As fans we can be guilty of thinking every defeat is because our team is **** and every win is because our team is great but Stoke weren’t even mediocre. The crowd went there ready to turn on them, they had nothing at all and we didn’t so much as not lay a glove on them as not throw a punch. Rotherham would’ve probably got a result there tonight.
now i have to buy a dozen beers for a stoke supporter and deliver them to his house might get the wife to drive so i can at least get 6 back
WED 14 FEB 2024CHAMPIONSHIP Stoke City1Queens Park Rangers0 ChampionshipRelive Wednesday's Championship action Victory in this basement battle moved Steven Schumacher's side six points clear of the Hoops who are third bottom after a ninth away league defeat of the campaign. QPR went closest in a quiet opening half hour when the returning Paul Smyth's clean strike forced Potters keeper Daniel Iversen into a smart save. Stoke had scored just two goals in their previous eight league matches on home turf, but finally sparked into life when Michael Rose's header from Baker's corner forced Rs keeper Asmir Begovic into an acrobatic stop. Begovic then turned away Burger's fierce strike and held Niall Ennis' long-range attempt before the skipper struck in stoppage-time. QPR had scored seven times in their four previous games and responded positively after the break, but they failed to force Iversen into another save and it was Stoke who carried the greater threat. ADVERTISEMENT The Hoops defence blocked three chances in quick succession before Begovic held Baker's long-range effort, and Lynden Gooch drove into the box before firing over. Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke: "It was a huge game - we knew we were coming up against a team who are very close to us in the league table so it was important for us to get a positive result, and most importantly to get a win at home which has been a long time coming. "We had to defend well in the second half. It wasn't the best game of football to ever watch, but at this stage of the season that doesn't really matter, the result is all that counts. "We built up a bit of momentum just before half-time and I'm really pleased to score a goal from a set-play. "If it has to be a battle in the run-in then so be it. If we can play nice football where we can, then great, but results are all that count." QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio London: "In the first half we got two good chances to take the lead and unfortunately the reality is that from a corner we shouldn't concede, they score a goal that is definitive. "In the second half we adjusted a few things, the team really tried to create chances. We got much more dominance over the last 45 minutes, but still we missed that bit of quality in the last third. "Today we definitely didn't find the flow that we wanted. Stoke played much lower than they normally do, much more narrow and compact and was not easy for us to beat. "I said before the game this will not be a season-changer. We need to keep on working, to try and get the points we need."
Just back home from being out of civilisation. Fcuk…… we lost to Stoke, fcuk. l’m going beach again. Fcuk.
I have to agree with this. Stoke were by far the poorest team I have seen this season. Any other team would have taken, at minimum a point, against their performance last night. We do lack quality in this squad but you get what you pay for. Every player was poor. My fist change would be to take Paal and Chair off corner duties and actually get someone who can lift the ball over 3 foot taking them. It's actually become embarrassing watching our defenders go up into the opposition box. Every one is just wasted. Then playing Armstrong up top, alone, when there was so much space in the channels was criminal. The shouts to bring Frey on for him were were understandable but quite pointless considering the other 9 men were nowhere to be seen. Smyth is exciting to watch until he gets to the part where he has to make a decision, it's anyone's guess what might happen then. Because of the camera angle at stoke, it was easy to see Armstrong run offside when waiting for chair to cross the ball, he turns and turns enabling every defender to get back in position. Last night was all about lack of attacking support and absolutely **** crossing. Both can be addressed.
Bloke opposite me on the train looks unnervingly like Cifuentes. No other news to report at this time. Driving three people to Bristol on Saturday. Seven hour round trip to see Rob Dickie beat us 2-0.
7 corners and not a decent goal scoring chance created from any of them and what was that poncing about with Chair holding the ball then placing it for Paal to sweep in another useless cross.
It seems every game we play or at least every game we lose someone will say "Well they were the worst team we've played" but they can't all be the worst. Last night was ****e but its no use overreacting to one **** team narrowly beating another **** team. Fundamentally we know there is a mentality issue with this team so the fact Marti is getting even this much from them is something. Is it this mental fragility or a problem with attitude that's making us spurn these chances to get out of the bottom 3? I thought the new blood might be enough to arrest some of this but maybe not. Marti isn't without culpability of course but overall he's doing a decent job. I don't believe the surfeit of forward passing is down to him he's effectively said he wants this in interviews but we haven't really got the players to do it, Hayden and Hodge have helped and Andersen might improve things more but it might be too late and we need others to be finding the space. There's still enough points to play for but we've got to win what 5, 6, 7 of our remaining games? Sadly I don't think we can do it. Then again win in Bristol and that evil glimmer of hope might be lit again.
I think they actually were. Millwall away was particularly abysmal but Millwall at least had a plan albeit Sunday league. Stoke were just sort of there, scored almost by mistake, and stood around while we fannied about nowhere near the goal.
As has been said for months now … we can’t take a corner, we can’t defend a corner and we can’t bloody turn the corner with this lot it feels. This will be a real downer as Stoke were really really poor. God knows what to expect on Saturday (nothing different in relation to corners that’s for sure, unless maybe Anderson has a go at them).
What a disappointment, another chance to escape the 'zone' wasted. So frustrating that one of our best performances on Saturday was followed by our worst in the most important match of the season so far. Our total failure to defend set pieces just keeps gifting even the worst opponents goal after goal. Our only consolation is Millwall look to be in an even worse state than us and are now our target. Bristol City will be looking to gatecrash the play-off party and will be a tough ask even for a point, then Rotherham. If we don't win that one it really will be curtains as Leicester & WBA follow that...
We never look remotely threatening from any crosses, corners or otherwise. Every other ****ing team in the division seem capable of delivering decent corners time after time. It's a joke.
Course they can, based on a single performance. Stokes performance last night was the worst I've seen. Millwall was worst up until last night
Also, we must be the worst at taking throw ins ! Every single time, we don't take a quick one, we wait until Paal jogs over to take it, then no one makes any runs with a maximum of 2 players actually going near him to throw to. Then he just throws it to whoever comes closest to him before that player passes it straight back to him on the touchline and he inevitably loses it and hands a throw in straight back to the opposition. Its utterly clueless
