Think we have a good chance of winning this. According to BBC, Mackay is rotating the squad. Our squad: Starting XI vs Cardiff: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross (c), Wilson, Pieters; Arnautovic, Nzonzi, Whelan, Adam, Assaidi; Crouch Cardiff squad: Marshall, Caulker (C), Turner, Whittingham, Medel, Campbell, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Cowie, Theophile-Catherine, John. Posted on the official twitter accounts of Stoke & Cardiff. Hopefully I can go to bed happy 3-1 IMO Cya and good evening
Hoping for a win tonight, we could do with the points and it may settle the team more after the Everton trip. Onwards and upwards.
Stokies in Australia are getting in the spirit: https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1453533_549955671745662_1218840286_n.jpg
Come on guys Let's have some of your comments on the game last night. Not a bore draw by any means, I thought Cardiff edged the 1st half but 2nd half we bossed the game. Crouch, Ireland and Adam should have hit the net. That for me was the only downside. Also think that Frasier Campbell is a diving cheating chunt too! The ref was feckin useless and I think the lino on my left only had one eye. And that was a glass eye. Assaidi not brilliant first half but much better when Ireland replaced Whelan.
It's difficult Potts, tough game but these are the ones we need/should be winning. The offside was tough but we didn't do enough to win the game and a draw was a fair result. Looking at the team and what they are capable of its hard to see what we can do to be a better team other than to add quality in the window.
From a Cardiff point of view. Watched the game on sky at 10 pm last night. Personally i have to say i would see this as points dropped and not a point gained. Trouble is Mackay sets up for a 0 - 0 draw every game, we have some really talented players however he chooses to leave out Noone and Bellers. Therefore there is little or no service to Campell up top, Dire stuff indeed, nobody deserved this and on that showing both sets of fans are in for a very long arduous season. I have been waiting for us to get to the premiership all my life, and from what i have seen so far, well, honestly it wouldnt bother me if we became a top 6 side in the Championship again, at least we were getting entertained, and that is pre Mackay. I hope Dr Fu Man Chu our Malaysian owner gives MM the boot for Christmas.
We have moved forward in areas but these have exposed inate weaknesses in others meaning that we are - as Jowlere says - sitting in a transition period which is yet to yield results. Possession and intenet to go forward are miles ahead, but these have exposed several weaknessess that are only solveable with new players. A lack of sharpness/pace has always been a problem, but when you already an ageing squad which is a year older and you are naturally playing 10 yards further forward, its obvious that we will be exposed. Highlighted also by the fact that as a club we have never developed a CB cover and over relied on the Huth/Shawx partnership. The other area which has been magnified (as opposed to highlighted) is the lack of pace and and conversion upfront. Whilst playing a more froward type of game you have to be able to stretch the oppositions defensive line and hit the traget regularily - we have never, and will never do this with the strike force we have - but given that a 100 million has been spent (and 40 million on strikers) I dont see Hughes getting the funds to buy his way out.
Potts Will let you have some thought possibly later tonight if I get the chance. Got back late last night after the game! Just a quick line to say that on a positive side we had 17 efforts on goal on the downside 2 on target and I can only remember Marshall having to make one save from an Adam save, Will get back soon. C
Like I say, the intent is far better but the quality highlighted by the 17/2 ratio is ultimately what is hurting us. Grass root football reiterates the importance of working the keeper or hitting the target, something we struggle with.
We have scored 8 goals at home in the prem, the worst home goals scored, in all 4 divisions. We have been one of the worst scorer of goals for years, I was there again last night freezing, not a lot to warm you up, two crap teams on the night.
Well it is simple to say as the last comment states that both teams were crap. I do not know what you have been watching but although not of the highest standard it was I thought a workmanlike performance certainly not for the purists. Although it was not a game which involved a tremendous amount of goalmouth incidents, the closest I thought Stoke came to scoring was at the end of the game when Arnie won the freekick and Adam forced a save from Marshall with the ball falling to Ireland for him to blaze wide. There was another chance in the first half when Cameron put it in the back of the net. However, I think it was Assaidi who missed the original chance just scuffing the ball to Cameron who wandered offside! On another point this particular move involved Stoke passing the ball around and probing and probing. There is a definite change in how we play and we are playing more football than last year. There are frustrations still as we are not scoring goals. There is frustration in that the ball still seems to go backwards too often. Hughes was almost jumping up and down with these frustrations last night and the most guilty of passing backwards was Willson. Overall I thought that Wilson was solid in partnership with Shawcross and that Muniesa settled down after a hairy first five minutes. It looks as if Adam was lucky not to be sent off for pushing that tosser Campbell to the floor. The treatment Crouch got from Caulker and Turner was disgraceful. I just wish that Crouch would keep his arms down as it gives the referee an easy way out. I also thought that Highes was trying to get Arnie to play close to Crouch and unfortunately the flicks and tricks from Arnie just did not work. So a fair result. I have seen that Cardiff think they should have had a penalty when Wilson and Cambell got tangled up, but I would suggest that Campbell saw that as an opportunity to buy a penalty! The song for Campbell was most appropriate! I look forward to Saturday and will be delighted if we get a point but think we will have to improve significantly!
We have atough run through to the new year now, we need a result and we need to start deliverying - the January transfer window could be very quite if we do not show something soon.
Smithers, I'm agree with that mate but we may be able pick up a loan with the world cup coming along.
