Potts, I know mate, just gets me sometimes when comments are made about not going to the matches or how long people been supporting. it's not a competition. This season has been our worst, agreed, we've spent a lot, and not really improved, agreed, but for Stoke to improve and evolve, so does Pulis, and I think he's trying, without breaking the mould, we've signed some better quality player, he obviously thought a lot of Wilson, but our lack of a decent LB has forced him to play there, and there's Palacios, Crouch and Pennant, all improvements on what we had, but having money to spend isn't something he's used to! Yes, he's ****ed up a bit, and that's affected our season, but so has whatever was going on with Pennant (I think there's still alot we don't know about him), and I don't want to use europa as an excuse, but the extra games haven't helped. All in all, we've had a pretty disapointing season, but it's not been disasterous, and I don't think it's enough for Pulis to be sacked. Hopefully we'll see his intent in the transfer window, if there is no attempt to sign a LB, and at the start of the season it's still Walters over Jerome upfront, it really will be a case of "repeating the same thing and expecting different results", which I don't think will happen, TP may be stubborn, negative, and sometimes gets his tactics wrong, but he ain't stupid.
he aint stupid?, hes played CB's and CM's at full back for over a season. I could list lots more stupid things he has done but it aint worth it mate.
Your right, TP isnt stupid. He is stubborn and we all know why he hasnt signed any FB's because he wants a flat back 4! Thats why Shotton plays RW more often than not and Wilson has no pace. The palcious siging has been a stupid one - you have pointed out the number of games we have played (although Fulham have done ok on a smaller squad!)yet he spent 8 million on a player who has played about 4 games worth of minutes all season? He stuck 4 million into Jerome who despite scoring has had little opportunity over his counter part Walters, 9 goals in 50 odd games and 5 from the penalty spot! He stuck 10+ Million into Crouch to replace Jones, but lets Jones rot on the bench - another 8 million investment and 40k a week? He isnt stupid, he is stubborn beyond belief and doesn't (I REPEAT DOESN'T) have the capabilty to play any other way! So in conclusion, this term hasn't been that bad and give him another transfer window. The Summer comes and goes with good/bad signings (doesnt matter who or what they are, its how they are played that counts!) and then we are into the routine of - Do we really wnat to sack a manager mid season? Not really, so we will stumble on for another season - GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY!GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY! GROUNDHOG DAY!
Smither's You are quite correct.. NO WAY is Pulis going anywhere just yet but, I said a while back. He surly has to wake up and smell the coffee. Money or not, improving that midfield is not difficult. I think there are player's far better than what we have currently. Sadly, I think Pulis is stupid for giving Rory another 12 month contract... It's fine with some saying he's ok on the bench, to use now and again. But, once Palacios IS FIT. What happens then in youre oppinion?
We dont need to look outside the squad to improve our midfield - its exists within the group in Palcious & Wilson!!!!!!!!! But TP WONT play them!!!!!! But again this is just a tiny example of TP's stubborness! Like playing Huth at RB to accomodate Woody and running Walters for a 1000 games straight, its not stupid (well it is to us), to TP he is defending his decession to prove gthe fans and press wrong! As with the players, this is just TP piss1n contest!
Is that because he wants to, or because we've got no choice. Who would you have play fullback? Danny Collins and an injured Wilko? We tried to sign Ridgewell, and no doubt other fullbacks. Can't play them if we haven't ****ing got them. So what's the next stupid thing on your list? It's my guess that Shotton played RW more because of Pennant ****ing about, the only issue I've got really is Walters over Jerome, it's not even like Jerome doesn't help track back. I can't answer any questions on why Palacios has hardly played, but in signing him we showed some ambition, and yeah, it may not have necessarily worked out, but not everything does And re Jones on the bench, he is a lot of money's worth of play to have on the bench, but rather him than Sidibe, who would be they next choice after Ric and Jerome. Nice work with the old ctrl+ v btw.
Pistol I think you will find Palacios is the new Tuncay. Pulis wanted Huth but had to take Tuncay as part of a package. Pulis wanted Crouch but had to take Palacios as part of the package. Why would anyone pay 8 million for a player and not play him? Not match fit is bullshit mate. Eidur was not match fit and we didn't keep him. Ba was not match fit and we didn't sign him! To be honest Pulis really does not know what his best side is. He only has to try something once and if it works he will then try the same thing every other game until it fails. The reason he is shoe horning a below prem standard Shotton into the affray is because deep down he knows Rory is coming up to be put out to grass and he is his replacement. By doing this he sacrifices a prem player with flair (Pennant), for someone that can hurl a ball in from a long throw. Pulis has no plan A, B or C. 4 years on and we can't score from open play and still relying on set pieces. If you think that's progress and a joy to watch then who am I to argue?
Maybe that is the case with palacios, but it's not quite the same as tuncay, WP is more of a Pulis player, good hard tackler, and actually has a position, whereas Tuncay wanted freedom to roam about the pitch, and if fit ess is an issue, Palacios is likely to regain, Eidur never looked close. I don't agree about Shotton/ Delap, there have been times (admittedly not a great many) where neither have played when they could have, but didn't, and our throws aren't all that effective now anyway. I firmly believe Pennant was the problem, and it was his fault he got limited chances, not because we wanted to chuck the ball in. We still rely on set pieces, yes, and I would have hoped this season our attempts at goal from open play would have been better, but fact is, there HAVE been attempts, but until they do get good enough, we can't abandon the set pieces. Progress has been very limited, and it's hardly a joy to watch, but I'm not ready to cry about it either.
I dont hold with the back four reasoning Pistol, on the basis that Wilko was fit at the beginning of the season, but becuase TP left Woody out of the Euro squad he felt the need to play him in the early prem games to justify the purchase. He couldnt drop either Huth or Shawx, so he dropped Wilko and shifted Huth out to RB! The error was buying 2CB's in the first place - take into account we had both Higgy and Collins in the squad who could double up as a left CB. The mistake was that we have only ever had Griffin and Wilko as a RB since promotion and he has never looked or been linked with a FB - after 4 years - we let Kelly go to Fulham??????????. He rebought Higgy and bought Collins at the LB because they play with a CB mentality, which is why we were linked with Ridgewell who again is more a CM than a true LB! Its a fact that all he wants is a flat back 4, to defend 1st attack 2nd! Why is this a problem? Well quite simple really! In the modern game (something TP does not understand because he has always played and coached direct lower league football), you have to move the ball foward with pace and angles and to do that you have to FB's who play 15 yards infront of the CM's - this allows you to play the ball through the midfield and give you width. So we have broken the half way line without hoofing it to their keeper in 3 or 4 passes! To be a threat you have to have a numerical advantage in space and to do this the FB's have to overlap the midfield and wingers, again creating a further angle and pulling the oppositions FB wide. This leaves space for strikers and forward midfielders to run the channels between the back 4! FFs, Gary Neville and Beckham made a career out if it and neither had an ounce of pace between them! So TP didn't go this route - for what ever genius reason - he instead went down the philosphy of keeping his back 4 flat and playing the ball central through a midfielder? OOOPPPS, cant do that because the only players we think can put their foot on the ball is at left back and the other cant make the team! Even if they did play in their correct position, it would be no use, becasue our wingers are actually wing backs and are in our box defending not on the halfway line so the midfielder can feed the counter attack! Fundementally flawed! I would give him more credit of he played 3 x CB's and 2 proper wing backs - at least it woudl be balanced.
