Sat through another dull 90 minutes wondering where the hell our next goal is coming from. At home in a must win game and we have one supposed striker upfront in the name of Walters who in all honesty could not score in a brothel with 10k in his back pocket. Westbrom were indeed the better side and unlucky not to take all three points. Arnautovic is a class player and wasted on the flank. Nzonzi was his usual petulent self and for me slows down the flow of the game. Wilson had a nightmare the brief spell he was on and had it not been for an outstanding performance from Begovic and a denied penalty we could have easily conceded 4 today. Whatever system Hughes is playing it's clearly not working and just like Pulis he seems to have no plan B whatsoever. Just as we were under big Tone we are garbage only we are keeping the ball longer to be looking less garbage! TP always had a game changer to come on and sort it out, no game changer today just Kenwynne "constantly on his arse" Jones! Relegation form guys!
I sense your frustration is increasing mate! I agree in principle with everything you say mate, especially the point about Walters - I've been banging my head over this for the past 2 years! However, I do think Hughes has tried different formations and player combinations which is more than Pulis ever did and for me that's progress in itself. I also think that more possession (which the previous regime hated/refused) is a good thing, and if we have the ball we can at least work on creating chances.
Well said Smithers, it's hardly as if we have been prolific scorers over the last few years we have relied on set plays rather than creating through open play, it may take a while to sort it all out.
I agree in principal guys that Hughes has inherited a poor squad of players from the Pulis era but in all honesty yesterday I could not see where a goal was coming from at all. This is 2 games on the trot now we have tried a system with very few strikers on the pitch. We are not Barcelona or Arsenal and a lot of our players Adams, Ireland, Jones and Crouch etc. have done the premiership rounds and coming to the end of the line. I'm giving Hughes until January to sort it out as for me we are on our way down otherwise. Pulis was shocking and a bottle merchant and I'd hate to see him back don't get me wrong but this new system clearly is not working. The crowd was almost silent yesterday with Westbrom fans singing "it's just like being in church" No wonder Dad's can't get the kids to go games anymore as there are never any goals to see. Last on Match of the Day again so what's new from previous seasons other than we keep the ball a little longer? Everyone sat around me was voicing the same opinion that it is terrible to watch. Unless a massive clear out is made and at least 3 new strikers are bought in, things are not going to change!
I have to agree,Waddo. The only point where we differ is that even if we did go down,and I think that`s quite possible (given the present squad of players) you`ve got to give Hughes time to assemble HIS team and tactics. I personally didn`t want Hughes,but now he`s here it`s only fair that he`s given a fair `crack of the whip`. Look how Redknap`s turning QPR around(I know, I know ,with the squad of players inherited from Hughes) You`re right about Adams etc. and to that list you can add-Palacios,Whelan Etherington and Pennant. The problem is there`s no pace in the team apart from Arnie and Assaidi .The midfield is too slow,and the `strikers` useless! Sorry ,unlike Jowler,my glass is half empty.
The issue is the strikers. We have gone from having on average less than 40% possession to over 50% and I think the stats would look favourably on shots compared with last season. The issue is shots on goal and that is an out and out striker problem. You can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig! Our strikers are and will continue to be woeful. Crouch was past his best when we paid over the odds for him and KJ has been used to such ill effect that his natural positioning as a goal scorer has all but gone, leaving us with totally inpet Walters, who may I remind you all was a winger for championship team prior to his arrival. As a club we have spent between 40 million plus on strikers since our promotion and we are where we are now because alot of them were bad buys which were not right for our club. Thats something that needs to be rectified but unfortunatley cant until at least the transfer window - assuming Coates is prepared to spend more money in this area?
Just on t hat point, redknapp has turned the Hughes squad around by getting rid of all Hughes signings and team tactics.....Think about it !
Thats a fair comment CT but its also about the TEAM ethic and willingness to play for each other. i accept our oppo is of lower standard, but even during our joke of a cpmpaign n the Prem, we never played like that for each other.
and to think I took a slaughtering on here when I suggested it was "meet the new Stoke, same as the old Stoke" at the start of the season. MH might have got the team playing differently, but not effective, as was the case at Liverpool on the opening day when I made my comments. I am not proud to say - I told you so, but I did say it from an outside perspective with a shiny pair of red and white tinted specs
Thai,I`m not surprised you took a hammering on here after just one game. After that we beat Palace,went to W.Ham and outplayed them,and should have beaten Man.City. You must have been very perceptive. I wonder if you went on the Arsenal site after their first game?
Its too early to judge, afterall - look at United. They had a "champions squad" and have added to it, we had a relegation squad and added nothing of note.
Of course not, but then there is a massive gulf in the class of their players compared to the likes of yours and ours. It is also fair to say, that even a team that is poor or even average is going to have some good games through the course of the season, and perhaps (only perhaps) Stoke have used up a fair proportion of their quota already on those games, not that Palace or West Ham are serious contenders for the top half of the league though. The Liverpool game did actually highlight quite a bit about the fragility of Stoke at both ends of the pitch, although you have a superb keeper that can be relied upon most of the time. I have no doubt, Stoke will see some improvement over the course of the season, but as with my team, it may or may not be enough.
Queenslander, I can understand how bitter you must feel towards Hughes, he was a disaster for QPR that`s why we didn`t want him. The point I was making is that now we`ve got him he`s got to be given a chance. He`s inherited a squad of players who only know how to play one way. Some of them may adapt to a new way.but a lot of them wont. We are totally deficient of anyone who can score a goal and therefore we are in S--t st. We are desperate for January to come around and hope it`s not too late by then!!
We could do with off loading a few come the window, I think we have one striker coming already but we are desperate for a dynamic player up front.
I hope you are right Joe because he has inherited maybe not the prettiest team in the league (no offence) but an established Prem team that other team dont like playing again. In theory he's trying to do what he wanted us to do, by playing a diffrent style to that which brought us success. Its a bold move by your owners (esp given MH track record) and its going to go one way or the other. With us he tried to change to much too soon and it failed spectacularly. With you he has more to work with and maybe that might just keep you in the Prem. i hope so, i have no axe to grind with Stoke and whilst you get/got loads of stick about Pullis's playing style it kept you up. I honestly believe that far from complaining about the Stokes, Wimbledons,Blackburns of the leagues, Its up to the other teams to find ways of beating you if they want you out the league i suppose i'm tring to say "If it aint broke then dont fix it"! Many of us thought MH deseved time and I suppose he does. Our mistake was giving him too much time. Hopefully your board will have a Plan B should that happen Just dont give him too much cash in Jan or you'll end up with Kia's cast off like we did. Im watching this one with intrest as i like nothing more than to see QPR play against another MH team, no matter who it may be. He'll get some stick thats for sure
Valid point, but its easy for someone on the outside to comment. We take a verbal bashing every game from 95% of the country's fans and pundits about our style and its disheartening tp say the least. Also I think its worth pointing out that teams were starting to beat us at our own game which was evident with a tough fight right through to the end of the season. Its always Ifs & Buts, but I do think that even if we had continued as we had left off from last season with either TP or a new manager, we would be in a similiar position anyway.
From my point of view I think after last season it was always gonna be a struggle this time round whether we kept pulis or we changed it like we have done. Theres a few reasons for this. Firstly are squad has to many average players that wud struggle get in any other prem team, from that we struggle so sell players on and to make a profit on any player is almost unheard of at the moment.That leaves us with minimal transfer funds this season following years of big spending on players that have either been badly used or have been poor but expensive. Rightly the board have decided enough is enough and the club shud sustain itself so the days of spending big in the transfer window are gone.unfirtunately Were so unfashionable as a team and a city it is hard to attract quality players we need without paying over the odds. Next we have a new manager trying to change the whole ethos of a team and working with mainly the same team that struggled last season so sense dictates that we will struggle and it takes time to change things. Basically what im tryin to point out is if we finish the season 17th or above then we have had a great season and the way the season has panned out so far palace and sunderland are lookin like they may take two places in the bottom 3. I no it frustrates and hurts but were in the biggest fight since are first year in the prem and stayin in the league wud be an achievement
Red, If we had stayed with the old manager I would agree with you but we are playing more and better football than we have for a while and that will help to attract players who wouldn't consider us before, not big star players as we couldn't afford the wages but if we pick up a couple of younger players even on loan to get us through this season we should be ok, all we are missing is a few goals.
Jowler mate, we have been missing goals now for about 3 seasons. I pay good money every week to watch Stoke City and constantly have to sit and listen to everyone around me moaining about the lack of entertainment. Parents can't get their kids to go anymore as it's boring. WBA played well the season they went down too. Hughes has till January for me to turn this round as at the moment it's dire!
