Parked my motor as always in Trentham and walked along Stanley Matthews way in what seemed like a force 9 gale. The wind was blowing so hard we could hardly progress forward. I said to my little one, whoever plays it along the ground today will win knowing for well it would not be us. Any side that comes to the Brit and plays football will always beat us. West Brom were not that good to be honest but knocked the ball around well. Soro totally fumbled the first goal after pulling off a magnificent save prior to it. West Brom never looked like scoring up to that point as both sides were poor. It was like watching the Villa and Wigan games again. 0-1 down at half time and once more we never had one shot on goal in the first half which is disgraceful considering we are the home side. We will never win games without quality midfielders and Shotto over Pennant is a massive mistake in my opinion just as Woodgate over Wilko is. I sat there with my daughter freezing cold watching pure ****e. Pulis always leaves it too late to try and win the game. When Jerome came on we looked like we had a goal in us but up to then nothing. Foster saved brilliant from Walters penalty kick and had done his homework as to what side he was going to hit it. We were disgraceful but to be totally truthful West Brom were not that much better and did not really deserve all 3 points as both teams were poor. They just passed it around better. I'm actually getting real tired of watching this same garbage week in and week out now! As I trudged back down Stanley Matthews way in the wind and rain I thought to myself, what would the legend himself have made of that dire performance once more!
Agree Waddo. I also park at Trentham Vale as it easy to get out from there provided you are near the exit.I got there at 12:50 and it was a howling gale on SSM Way. I was shouting at Pullis that he must play players in their right position from the start. Totally pissed off with the way he is playing Woodgate at RB, and not playing Wilko or Shotton at RB Pennant. Leaving somebody that can go past players and create chances. He also to be fair takes risks. I am so annoyed TP is so STUBBORN. We were awful first half and not much better until Pennant and Jerome came on. KJ was initially signalled to come on then told no and threw a wobbly! TP is so bloody stubborn it is beyond belief. Driving up as I do and spend £60 on petrol each time just grates when what is served up is 2nd rate. I am completely fed up tonight and TBH West Brom deserved to win. Yes they passed the ball around and managed 4 shots in the first half to our none. I lost count how often WBA went close in the second half! To win at home we must be creative and for me Wilson at LB only knows two ways to go at that is hoof down the line or long ball into the middle. Matty Ethingrinton was hacked off with the lack of service yet again. Rant over for the time being
I will agree with most of what you have said Waddo and Cris.. But, It's getting beyond a F****** joke now. Pulis is not only WRONG with his teams selections. I would go as far as to say the guy is an ingorant, arrogant F****** IDIOT. I'm sure Woy had our R/B situation well and truly sussed BEFORE a bloody ball was kicked. Honest oppinion is.. Personally I think had West Brom not won that game they would rightly say they were robbed! I partly blame Tommy for the 1st goal but, it was terrible defending AGAIN which led to the shot and sadly, Tommy didn't quite judge the swerve, I was right behind it. IF not for TOMMY they would have scored 2 or 3 more and I think we're lucky we even got back into the game. I also had a great view of the foul on Pennant. Sorry but, it was never a foul IMO. And, NO way a peno on Walters, the lad got the ball IMO we were lucky to even be awarded one. I know some will say... 1. Don't complain Pott's because 2. We are eigth 3. We're improving slowly 4. We are doing well in the Europa Cup. 5. We've had an amazing year, reaching Wembley bla, F****** bla. All I can say is.. If ANY of you think that was "improvement" " An off day for the lads" "Pulis knows what he's doing" "The guy is a legend" Don't panic we'll stay up well I paid good money like Waddo and Cris and it was IMO. Nothing short of Utter and total S***e Oh I forgot we have Utd away next league game so we'll just F****** hear Pulis say they are better than us. All I can say is right now. Every bloody team in this League is playing better FOOTBALL than we are. What's new there Tony Pulis?? YOU don't know what the word means and you are so up yourself it makes me SICK. Can't wait for Smithers views on that GARBBGE I saw today. RANT over for now at least.
Well, well, well that was really quite atrocious. Well done to West Brom, you fully deserved the win, you played much the better football, you wanted it more and created many chances. Special mention for James Morrison, I thought he was excellent. I love Pulis. He's done so much for the club and the city and there's no doubting he is a great manager but I do wonder what goes on inside his head at times. i.e. His obsession with Delap, playing a centre half at right back, a right back on the right wing and out of form striker up front, our best crosser on the bench and an inform striker on the bench. I just don't get him at all at times. He is so frustrating. Did anyone else hear him on the radio after the game? Someone told me he said he didn't play Palacios because of the windy conditions, basically saying he thought Rory would be more suited to it. So he pretty much said Palacios isn't someone who's up for a battle. Doesn't that just sum the guy up?! Yes why would you want to play a guy who could pass the ball to feet, when it's windy!! Pulis says all we missed was a bit of luck?! Good grief man get a grip on reality!! If anything we were lucky as Morrison hit the bar twice and they wasted many more opportunities to score. 2-1 flattered us. We were abysmal and Pulis should man up, ala Dalglish's reaction to Liverpool's performance yesterday, and admit that he and the players didn't get it right. Pulis not happy with the crowd's reaction to Woody's sub. Some are saying that they saw him mouth "oh **** off" when it happened. I reckon the ironic cheers were for Pennant finally coming on, rather than Woody being subbed.
The only explanation I can come up with regards the wind, Delap and Palicios was that Pulis actually meant to say " with the strong windy conditions Rory would be able to throw the ball in further than Palicios" Which is the bit that irks me. 4 seasons on and top players some ex England internationals and we are still playing for throw in's. As Woy said pre match Stoke are predictable and he is right too! Until we have midfiled players that can pass, hold the ball up and score we will never be a decent side and any team that can play football and pas will always beat us hands down.
Where did Hodgson say that Waddo? The sad thing is we have some of those players. Pennant and Jerome on the bench, Wilson, Whelan and Palacios are still fine passers of a ball, they're just not been utilised. We've been praised down the years for "playing to our strengths". Well we aren't doing that now, if we were we wouldn't be using Crouch as a target man, leaving our best crosser on the bench and many other things that I have alluded to in my original post.
Sgt For once I did NOT listen to Pulis's interview. NOT after the game nor later on MOTD. The only thing I think I heard on the way home was. The player's looked flat but don't quote me. I was so anoyed I did my best to miss all of it. And, we have NOT had a very good midfield since the days of Huddy and Co IMO. Like I said above.. Tony Pulis is so arrogant, stuck in his ways he is an idiot not to see what's happenin with Pennant and Wilso, Woodgate, Delap and of course Palacious. He is also saying If that **** off comment is correct. He has ZERO respect for the loyal Stoke fans who can see the oh so obvious. I didn't boo by the way I just cheered when Pennant FINALLY came on and we looked bettter but not much. Great cross for the goal by Pennant full marks to him for that. Unilke K.D. he does not have the balls to say that was crap, useless, not near good enough. That, is why I am way past frustrated. Last night I was livid with Pulis, not so much the players. Get it right next home game Tony otherwise I will be asking the same questions like all those above.
I dont need to be provoked into a TP rant, but he hasnt changed a bit! Poor dcessions/tactics and the failure to make amends for it by changing something up! Will he drop Toomy for Begovic - that would be consistent? Will he play RB's and not CB's - that would make sense! Will he play CM's that pass - no he doesnt even include our 8 million signing in the squad and the 9 million quid (Kitson, Lawrence, Sonko + Cash) is at left back? Will he rest/rotate Walters - He's fooked and not talented enough to play when tired. Its OK though because Dealp has just signed for another year - past his 38th birthday! Radio stoke were pleading for a change and commented that he left it too late - because the man cant make a decession! Its OK though, were 8th, playing Valencia and in the FA Cup! Sunderland are now only 3 points behind us and we are only 11 points clear of Bolton who have been unable to buy a point! It will be interesting to see how that looks in a few weeks?
Yes, it was shocking, and it was a very, very long walk back along the canal for me. Some thoughts: -Woodgate is past it, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't be a full back. Shotton or Wilko should be starting. -Crouch was not bothered, and should have been taken off as soon as that became apparent. Jerome, Jones and Fuller were on the bench, Crouch needs to see that just because he's an overpriced England international doesn't mean he gets away without jumping for the ball. -Walters is wrecked, but still a hero. Looked like our best chance of a goal until Jerome came on. -Shotton is a not a right wing. Get Marshall into the team. -Wilson had an off day. Fair enough, he's entitled to the odd one. -Rory is not good enough for this level. -At least we tried to pass the ball around and keep it on the ground for parts of the game. That's more than we were doing a season or two ago. Hopefully this is the first step towards playing a more varied style of play. I'm still keeping the faith on Tony Pulis, but I'm annoyed at his team selection and tactics, and furious at the way in which some players just didn't seem to care yesterday.
Peadar I'm sure that it is Tony Pulis's job to make sure our player's and subs are ready and up for it EVERY WEEK. Not just for the Utds Chelsea, Arsenal games. We've seen it too often now. |I don't so much blame the player's Peadar. HE picks them, he's in charge of coaching them. More than anyone I DO blame Tony Pulis. Just wait until the Arsenal game at our place.. They will no doubt at least "have a go" we ALWAYS do. Notice the dropped pts at home.. Wigan, QPR Baggies and a few more. But, we can beat Everton, Wolves away and get a pt at Liverpool. "Away" Strange don't you think lads? We can NOT just turn up at home and HOOF and HOPE. We're better than that. But Pulis does not see it. He never will.
A good point Potts, we are better than hoof and hope or at least we should be with the players we have. Arsenal and Man U played 2 wingers apiece at the Emirates today. At home we should do the same - why be so cautious at home?. Just 2 pts from 5 home games against teams we ought to be able to beat. TP has to select a better balanced and more adventurous team at the Brit - if not we will be in danger of dropping more home points and I don't think we can rely on getting to 40 points via our away games, as good as it has been in recent weeks (Man City excepted)
Paeder, Good to see you are keeping faith. Sarge knows I will not slate TP but I was livid last night. I cheered that Pennant was coming on. My question is why does he not get over the 'spat' he had with Pennant or get rid of him or else play him for the benefit of the CLUB, the supporters? Am I feeling any better today? Yes that ArseNIL lost!!!!!!!!!! Disgusted that Ballotelli was on the field after he stamped on Parker.
Agree that he is stubborn beyond belief. Am sure yesterday that TP was looking stright at me when I was shouting at him to put Pennant on and move on! other Stokies round me really know when I shout. and given there are only 4 rows of supporters and then 2 of staff and then TP, I feel sure he heard what I thought loud and clear! I was not impressed yesterday but still look forward to a more positive performance in two weeks against Sunderland after we stuff Derby. Hoping!!!!!!
On the subject of the players, they are being paid five- or six-figure sums every week to play football, big chunks of that coming straight out of the pockets of us, the supporters. They shouldn't need Churchillian Battle of Britain speeches before every game to convince them to bother to challenge for headers, or risk getting a boot to the shin on a 50:50 ball.
Peadar Of course not I agree but.. HOW much is Tony Pulis earning each week? A hell of a lot more than we the fans are. I was before retiring on £23,000 BEFORE tax a YEAR which I consider to be more than adaquate. Still, effin peanuts compared to the oh so mighty NOT Tony Pulis. Like us, he should earn whatever he's paid. I know I did. Now? I have just an invalid pension etc until I'm old enough to qualify for the Governments weekly miserly pay, for the elderly. My youngest works effin harder than KJ she's a trained Nurse on 25 grand a YEAR and unlike KJ she has to work her butt off. Has to at times shovel S*** and take S*** when she's not at fault. All NHS do take it but never give it back. Because "they care". All I'm saying is.. anyone Pro Player who's not willing to give it everything, and some. Should be ashamed. FACT is and Harry Burrows told me this quote. 99.9 per cent of player's today do not care one iota what WE the fans think. But, will wipe the Managers arse if it gets them noticed. End of quote. That Peadar, is coming from one of the best, most honest and genuine guy I have ever met. And, of course he played for Stoke City and he's still a PROUD, PROUD man today when we talk about anything football. Sorry for the rant/long winded answer mate. Just winds me up when I think how much Harry was paid, probably a pittence compared to today.
