No, the Stoke #7 was Vidigal, but I don’t recall him coming on. Their number #9, Al Ahmadi was the one we struggled with. Which is doubly annoying because Selles pointed him out before the game.
Matazo played very high up the pitch. Maybe that is the plan for the high press, but I thought they passed by him. I would prefer him in front of the back 4 and a proper attacking midfielder in there
This The bloke next to me wouldn't shut up talking to his wife. For 2 mins it was positive but for the other 93 he wouldn't stop calling every play ****, the managers ****, he knew we would lose. Drove me mad. The worst comments were "i hope they (Stoke) go and score 4 or 5" and "This place is a ****ing disgrace it's like a library it's only the opposition making any noise" coming from somebody who only cheered once after we scored
Another opportunity to create a small gap at home gone, Great start but couldn’t get a second when on top. Needed to defend better after that but didn’t do it. Two goals against playing at home against the team with the worst away record in the league it really shows how poor we have been at home this season We really do need to get this home form sorted otherwise getting away from the bottom three is going to be such a struggle.
Its clear we need 2 new fullbacks. What we have now just does not cut it. Drameh is prone to mistakes in defence and gives the ball away too often in attack. Jacob unfortunately apppears to get skinned too easily by the opposition wingers spoiling what is generally good displays. Coyle works hard and generally defends well but his attacking link up play at times lets him down.
yeah, made a fair few saves most you'd expect a keeper to make, the one from Pedro looked like a v good save, again one you'd hope your keeper would make.
We’re such a bizarre team. Play crap against QPR and lose, respond with a stunning victory away at one of the best teams in the league then follow it up with a disappointing loss to a poor team also flirting with relegation. It can’t be anything other than psychological. We played brilliantly for 30 minutes, conceded a **** goal but the players just looked defeated as soon as the equaliser went in. Even at 1-1 we were the miles better team for most the half and that should’ve given them confidence to go ahead again but it’s like the equaliser sucked all confidence out of them. It’s happened all season. They must genuinely hate playing at home and can’t wait to play away when the pressure and expectation is not as daunting.
Schedule a friendly against Beverley Town at the MKM before the next home game, free entry to everybody, free drinks, free food, free everything. Play full strength team. Kick the **** out of Bev. Job done.
For 30 mins I thought that was the best we've played all season, I'm still not actually sure how we've managed to lose it. The early triple sub seemed to kill all momentum and i'm really not sure it was needed. Puerta getting splinters for 90 mins whilst Slater had another poor game was also questionable. Would love to know how much the ball was in play today, ref seemed to allow them to get away with constant time wasting and still blew early both halves. Another team that has come for a point and left with all 3.
Home now, and whilst I'm still pissed off the drive home has allowed for some time to reflect. Whilst the result is as poor as anything we've seen at home in the past 12 months and 3 managers, the performance itself wasn't that bad in retrospect. Other than defending 2 corners like a bunch of school kids we limited them and created a fair amount of openings, starting 11 and subs by en large contributed and the new lads look to be bedding in. It's impossible to put your finger on what our issue is at home, pitch, crowd, position of crowd, atmosphere whatever ...who the hell knows....To be equally **** under 3 different playing styles is just baffling, maybe it's now just a mental thing, as soon as anything goes in our goal arse falls out and that's it. All of us just fed up with being charity FC, we are absolutely the team you want to be playing if you've not won in ten.
Not sure about the mental thing... half the squad haven't been part of the mental aboration. We haven't got a game for 11 days and Toasts idea above is a good one. Play on the pitch, score on the pitch, Unless of course they beat us... someone at the club has to think outside of the box
The less use that pitch gets the better. It's not the only reason for our home form, but i'm sure it's a factor. Stoke just decided to bypass it and whip crosses into the box at every opportunity, maybe that's the way to go.
Most teams would look at home 6 pointers against Plymouth , Derby and Luton as a godsend in a relegation scrap - for us it could be our undoing
Lack of ability Lack of mental toughness A combination of the above Where's the fecking desire to stop crosses going into the box? IF we sign anyone else this window (and I'm not advocating that we do -certainly not for the sake of it) Maybe we should go for a brick out-house of a centre half - no nonsense, dominate the box Peter Kay "Have it" type with a big mouth to marshal the defence
Not sure can blame pressure for our home form, it’s not like we are Liverpool or Man United with the weight of history on players shoulders . The atmosphere is crap but not overly toxic either , it’s just quiet and dull most time . If players are struggling with that, god help them if they ever signed for a “big “ club with genuine big expectation
We are the gift that keeps on giving - Stoke had 1 win in 15 league games before today. Soon as I heard that stat I knew today was the day their run ended
I don’t think they looked much of a danger in general play however when they got crosses in we seem to struggle. Why I don’t know because last week at Sheffield utd they had loads of corners ect but we defended brilliantly. It’s a mystery how we score three against each of the top two yet struggle in games like today.
