Well what can you say, we certainly left it late, that is for sure! With Bolton winning 2-1, cisse steps up and scores, then 80 seconds later, we hear west brom have equalised! Cue the mad celebrations! Only sour note was some complete tool thinking it is funny to tell us west brom had won 3-2. What is the bloody need for that eh? Really? Anyway, back to the game. It wasnt brilliant to watch, and neither side got going and the ref didnt help. He blew for a foul pretty much every time someone went to the deck. Stoke are a tough side, and battled well, as did we. Neither side really deserved it if im being honest, but we did attack alot for the last 15 mins. We had no choice. Surprised there were no bookings today, especially for them, as some of their fouls were bad, but also they kept on fouling! KENNY - 7 - dont think he had a save to make? but still, he came out for crosses when required, and marshalled well. TAIWO - 7 - did ok, got forward well, but was defending mostly as the game was pretty scrappy. HILL - 7 - some vital blocks, but against crouch it will always be tough! did well in the circumstances though. FERDINAND - 7 - as above. playing agaisnt stoke is never easy, but i thought he did well. ONUOHA - 7 - same as taiwo - not much chance to get forward until the closing stages, but did he job well enough. DERRY - 6 - cant say i noticed him too much really. the midfield was very congested and neither side did enough to win it. BARTON - 7 - was always looking for the spectacular pass but was quiet by recent performances. BUZSAKY - 5 - gave the ball away alot and wasnt really in the game tbh. TAARABT - 8 - was always looking to be a threat, and most of his set pieces were very good. came into the game more in the last 15 mins. MACKIE - 6 - had alot of chances to do something, but huth is a man mountain and he had a tough day. ZAMORA - 5 - not much service, but he struggled to make an impact and seemed a bit disinterested at times. SUBS: BOTHROYD - N/A - made an impact and was showing alot of effort. was working hard. SWP - N/A - actually came on and did something postive. made a few nice runs and took players on. thats the sort of form we need from him. bit late now. Overall, delighted with the win, but we never really got going in the first 75 mins. Last 15 we put them under pressure and never gave up. The noise when cisse scored was incredible.
Stoke did what Stoke do. The biggest positive is that we kept patient, didn't react to persistent niggly fouls, kept our shape , all of which paid off in the end.
It was surreal the amount of time Stoke wasted today and all the elbows in faces and Marriner made little effort to stop it. That was disappointing as it prevented a good game of football. They game to prevent us playing. Four strikers up front. Had they scored they would have just parked the bus in front of goal. A stressful day but well done Rs for sticking with it. I thought SWP showed some flair arfter coming on. An unbelievable goal - like Mackie's against Liverpool - almost beyond hope. What a day!!!
It was an amazing moment when Cisse scored. Pullis did pick 4 forwards but he set them up as a 4-2-3-1 with Jerome on the right, Fuller on the left and Walters in behind Crouch. Then they could pile all their big forwards into the box for the set pieces and throws!! Nearly came off too!! Mariner let so much go from them today....quite amazing really. Another ref (Twatenberg springs to mind!) could well have sent a player off for one of those elbows!!
Woops, I seem to be forgetting one player at the moment every time i do this! How could I forget Cisse! Made a real impact when he came on, but I do understand why Hughes left him on the bench. What a goal though, and the noise when he scored was unreal!
Fair report Judo, but it must be your low viewpoint in the lower loft that you didn't see Derry's or Barton's performance. Derry pretty much won every ball and his simple distribution was Faurlin like. I can't re-call him squandering one pass today. His positioning and interceptions were spot on. He may be a bit slow, but he was quality and I made him MOTM. Barton was well up for this and worked hard, even his 'Hollywood' passes found there targets. He also had a good workmanlike game. Buzsaky was once again the weak link in midfield, he never really contibuted anything and still reminds me of Stuart Wardley. We really missed Diakite in midfield today, this lad is becoming an integral part to our starting line-up. Good luck with the Olympic torch leg mate. I'll see you next season.
Yeah I agree....He got us into the position for the corner that we scored from...well done SWP (never thought I would say that). But Derry and Barton both played out of their skins....and I have said this before, Barton is really playing in a grown-up way. Full of aggression and passion but not silly like he was when he came to us. No diving in, not much nose to nose stuff now (now watch how he will implode next weekj, and leave us to play City with 10 men)
I must say, I think my emotions made an impact on my scores for Barton and Derry. I was very frustrated yesterday watching the game, but on reflection after a good nights sleep they were better than I had given them credit for. You know how it is, frustrations cloud your judgement sometimes. Its better if I do my reports a day or so later! SWP didnt get nothing, but the fact that he wasnt on for long made it unfair to give him a score seeing as he was only on for 10 mins or so. He did make a difference though.
No individual deserved 8 from the game. It was a dogged team performance with a vital result but with no one in a starring role. As ever, Taarabt was magnificent at times but time and time again failed to set up chances when his team mates were well placed. So frustrating! When will he learn?
Hes been useless but his direct running was a huge improvement on his previous performances where he was scared to take anyone on.
If we think Sunday was bad for the nerves next Sunday will be even worse, i shall stay away from tv / radio for the entire afternoon,i know miracles happen but if we pick up a point at City it will be bigger than anything Jesus produced,(sorry dont mean to blaspheme)
