We cannot deny what the capped one has done FOR THIS FOOTBALL CLUB, but does it now seem that he as hit his managerial limit? Yes we are top 10, in the 5th round of the FA Cup, last 32 of Europa. But can ANYONE, hand on heart, say that our football has been anything but ABSOLUTE DROSS. I'm in a real quandry with the capped one, results shows he gets it right, but how much longer i can put up with Pulisball, makes me have cold sweats at night. So Performance or Position?
I just watched a video of the Crawley fans reaction at drawing Stoke in the cup and they were gutted. Nobody likes us but to that I'm not bothered and like it to be honest. Everyone on not606 knows I'm not a TP fan but I am grateful for what he has done for the club. My honest opinion on TP is that he 100% genuinely does not have a clue. He does not know what his best side is and he does not know how to play football. He does not know how to win a game only how not to lose a game. Hand on heart Stokies do you ever watch Stoke and say wow that was new where did that come from? Never it's same old same old. We even know what time he makes his substitutions and roughly who will be going off and coming on. Like Hodgson said "Stoke are predictable" I wish Coates would get TP a better right hand man, someone that knows a bit and has a prem pedigree and also not a yes man, someone that will kick him up the arse over stupid tactics and daft substitutions or team selections. Old TP is totally out of his depth in the prem and really does not know how to take the game to clubs like United at their place. We are a one dimensional side with little or no creativity and too many passengers there for the ride because they know no matter how bad they play they will still be starting come Saturday. TP needs to get more adventurous and more brave! When TP does something and it pays off he will try the same thing for about the next 5 games until he realises that only actually worked in that particular game. Now to me that shows a man that really does not know what he is doing!
Huth, I'm not sure what to think. I want to see Stoke remain in the PL for as long as possible so perhaps position is important to me. However I do wish TP would be a bit more adventurous, especially at home. We do have some quality in the squad but I wonder if Pulis uses it wisely. Living away from Stoke for the last 25 years I am not forking out fortunes to watch them every other week unlike you and many other posters on here. But I am a lifelong fan and want them to dine at the top table but would love to see them play a more entertaining brand of football.
Huthy, off hand I can think of at least 32 things that could/would make you (or anyone else for that matter) wake up in a cold sweat! I'm just sick to the back teeth with Pulis and I am sure that there are folk on here that are equally as sick of reading my posts. It really is frustrating and unfortunately all I can do is lump it (just like Pulis Ball),
Saw a decent enough debate on the Oatcake for once about Pulis. http://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Potters&action=display&thread=184851
Waddo if you look at the Crawley reaction again it shows them going crazy about the draw u must of been watchin the reaction to the draw as it came out
Waddo, just watched the video. The Crawley fans were moaning that their name hadn't been drawn out. If you watch it to the end, they cheer when their name is drawn and then go mental when ours follows it out of the hat!
I read suffolkstokie on that thread ( I think) and I am concerned how we are going to win again. What must happen is that he perhaps looks at the games last week and how others were knocking in goals. I personally think we should have purchased full backs. How we are going to achieve another 18 points the way we are playing? The home matches over the next 6 weeks are a concern. Are we likely to win against a resurgent Sunderland? An attacking Norwich, a slick passing Swansea. Now Woodgate is in the naughty corner following his interview on Football Focus. I am not particularly bothered about that but it means either Wilko or Shotts at right back. For me Shotts looked very slow on the turn against WBA when he dropped to RB in place of Woodgate. With Higgy going on loan Wilson will now have to go the whole season as LB. If injured I suppose back up is Upson! In midfield I thought of what I saw that Whitehead was negative. One instance when a one two was asked for as Pennant moved forward. He showed no confidence so it went backwards to Wilko and then Ryan who had to just knock it forward and give possession away. For me Midfield should be Pennant, Palacios, Whelan, and Etherington. I just hope that Matty is fit. How and why Delap comes on for Palacios is beyond belief. TP must make sure that all ten outfield players give angles, make triangles, to the player on the ball. Playing the ball straight makes it difficult for the receiving player. I look at the way Graham, Fletcher, Defoe, and so on receive balls with which they are comfortable controlling and then distributing to players that want the ball. I despair some of the passes that Crouch, Walters receive. IMHO Jones just could not control anything before falling over. Agree wholeheartedly that TP needs somebody to offer some alternative as the last few home games he has looked clueless. A guy called Steve who sits next to me in Block 13, we talk about subs and invariably get it right each and everytime. The last few weeks have been painful and the natives are definitely restless. For me as well, TP must interact with supporters as I do not think he understands the concerns. He ought to take note of Roy Hodgsons comments and THINK long and hard. The RANT is still going on. Let's hope I feel better at 5pm on Saturday
I dont think its position or performance because if you look at the league (Sunderland were something like 10 points behind us when Bruce got sacked) the teams are slowly clawing us back. I said on another thread that our performance did not justify our position and I can see a few more teams going above us in the next few weeks! If Bolton catch us, were are in trouble but I wouldnt be suprised if QPR finish above us. On another note, Norwich are 1 point behind us and Swansea 3 - they have spent fuk all and are pretty much a championship team! Does that mean TP is doing a great job?
Interesting and constructive debate - if the Oatcake is discussing this I would assume that the fans concern is bigger than I thought?
Haven`t been on here for quite a while due to all the negative comments but I must admit that I now am starting to feel the same way. The selling of Marshall was a huge mistake,but I`m not surprised he wanted to leave given TP`s reluctance to change tactics.He should have been given a start against Derby after giving a great performance in the reserve game against Walsall.As has been said we just can`t pass the ball,and it`s horrible to watch.His substitutions are just woefu land what does Jerome have to do to get a start? Jones is absolutely s---e.Everybody can see that Walters needs resting,and Crouchy is heading the same way.Fullers magic has deserted him and does hardly anything but foul. Management seems very smug about our league position but I don`t think ther`s a `cat in hells chance` of staying there. To be honest I think Sunderland will turn us over,Swansea willpass us to death,and Norwich will certainly test us just like Blackpool did last year. It`s ironic that I feel more confident away from home (except when we play the topteams)where we rollover like no other team does. Sorry to be so pessimistic but I`ve not felt so `down` since we`ve been n the Prem.:-(
Very interesting debate. The comments "going to watch Stoke nowadays is like going to work" pretty much sums up most peoples feelings at the moment!
Mighty Huth A very well put thread sir, If I may say so.. With regards to OUR 8th when I wrote it see the Man Utd v Stoke thread please. I mentioned this are we in a "false position on there" more or less saying IMO we were. And Waddo, When I saw the draw, their fans seemed delighted with STOKE following Crawley at their place? WHAT was more interesting to me though was this.. Last night I was driving home, just about to put the car in the garage and I sat with the radio on listening to The Crawley Town Manager.. did NOT catch his name SORRY no offence. BUT he seemed really confident that they can in his words "Turnover a prem club at their place" and was SO confident they WOULD beat Stoke. I say good for him. If they don't he's going to be GUTTED. It shows TWO things. One that Huthy's thread for me.. TP is so NEARLY getting it right, but hardley ever does without us bricking it for a few months, HE hardly EVER say's WE can BEAT A,B, of C it's always.. THEY are GOOD, their Manager is GOOD... TOO negative for me IMO. I'm still not convinced by Tony and NEVER will be sorry but that is how I see it. YES we did put out a different team v Utd BUT how come JONES/CROUCH didn't do jack nothing and JEROME in form MIGHT have? I can NOT WAIT for the SUNDERLAND game, should be a cracker. But T.P. will do his usual, and HEAP praise on MON. Which we ALL KNOW is FACT anyway. HE WILL .... NOT tell our lads this game is WINNABLE when interviewed it sends out the wrong message to ME as a FAN. What the player's must think I don't know?
Everything that you need to know about the TP philosophy with regard to football, is summed up by the fact that both penalties against Man U. were concede by our wingers. You never see any other teams wingers being asked to defend inside their own box, they are actually asked to do their work in the opposition half. Yes, Crawley might beat Stoke, but it would be an almighty shock - most other Premier league managers would expect to progress through to the next round. Perhaps TP would have preferred Chelsea (away)?
Thanks for the replies guys, seems like we all are in complete agreement, given that playing players in their rightfull positions, with a license to attack a bit, we could see the performances that we displayed towards the end of last season. Lets hope that when the Capped One Finally decides we are safe, he will take the shackles off.
And when will that be Huthy? Sunderland won't be the only team in the bottom half who will overtake us I fear, so exactly when we willl be safe is anyone's guess. We should have been much closer to the magic 40pts by now, if we had been more positive in the last 3 home games.
Which i totally agree with PP, we could have been safe 4+ weeks ago, that was sort of my point on the OP, Pulis drives us all bonkers, but he still gets the job done. So like i said Performance or Position?
It was ME TOO! who said, whey the fick can't Tony Pulis tell the lads to relax, go win a game and shut the hell up and let them DO, what I think? MOST of our player's are NOT allowed to. Sounds a little confusing I know. But, we have all agreed to a man I think? We are NOT safe, we SHOULD be by now. WHO'S fault is that? I say it the Manager picking the player's.. Newcastle, QPR and W Brom. I NOW cringe when IT was quite SANE at the time for us to actually be POSITIVE as Stoke fans that we could have WON all THREE. Hence we would be on 39 pts this weekend NOT 30 and I for one will be bricking it at the Brit. Make no mistake, Sunderland we in TOTAL collapse almost to the point where, I think? some fans were saying SOD IT if we go down they in comes MON. A guy who all of a sudden waves a magic wand and hy presto.. they could be ABOVE us on Saturday night. What is the difference between Sunderland and Stoke? I think I know... I'll hazzard to say, Brucie was clueless, MON certainly is NOT. I may be wrong but a bit like TP NOT playing BOTH our wingers.. Mr Coates say's on yer bike. In comes a Manager who isn't scared of losing but plays OUR best team? MON I think? has only brought in a guy McClean that is different from the Sunderland team and Bruce had that player and did not USE him. MON Has and they are the "form team must be top or near enought the last month or so" A miricle? No, just a Manager who KNOWS how to win with making the best with what he has. T.P. has had the chance to do that. And we're now back to square one. It's coming to the point where, it's a must win game this weekend. UTD didn't matter, the THREE home games he mentioned, we didn't win a single POINT did we Tony. Rant over. that is the EXCUSE in part, he used after the defeat at OT when, we didn't need one if we're honest. When he said, this is our 11th game and our 8th away out of those 11. Should be easily mid 30s pts wise and we are not even close. What is worse and many Stoke fans don't see this is when Smither's said, Swansea play some teams off the park, and they do. Spent NOTHING worth shouting about but can almost outplay and BEAT Chelsea. They attack so do Sunderland. LOOK what's happened there well done to them.
