Difficult to argue with the Huth comment!! Pulis doesn't really do creativity in central midfield. We did try for Parker in the summer but that's as far as he would go. Pulis employs 2 defensive midfielders and they are not to leave the "cage" as he calls it which is a little area of whatever size that they aren't allowed to move from. Glenn Whelan is our most creative centre mid, he is an underrated passer of the ball, mind you compared with Delap, Whitehead, Palacios it is easy for your passing to look good!! When we play at home where we our a lot more positive and the pitch is smaller, Whelan constructs things from the cage and is very good at spraying the ball to the wings. We always play our best football when Whelan starts at home.
I agree. From what the fans who saw our capitulation against Sunderland said the exact same thing, that we were just trying to hoof it to Crouchy. I think we need start Jerome away from home. He is 1 of only 2 pacy players we possess, the other being Etherington. Some of our football at home lately has been very pleasing but it's only pleasing when Whelan is on the pitch, as he is our passer in centre mid and our football always looks better when he comes on. It was his coming on against Besiktas that really changed the game there, our passing improved and we created more chances as a result.
Agree about Whelan. Good player I always thought! Random question lol: If you had to put a Stoke/Newcastle 11. What would it be? lol
Looks good. Although, would be close between Begovic/Krul. Both top keepers Ben Arfa would defo be in team when fit like. Also Coloccini is one of best centre backs in league and would defo be in for me. Arguebly Taylor but I would say there are a lot of good centre backs between our team and yours
I would probably go with: Krul Shawcross - Taylor - Coloccini - Santon Jonas - Tiote - Cabaye - Etherington Ben Arfa Crouch
Shawcross has only ever played right back once for Stoke I should point out and we lost that game 3-0 to Blackburn in our first season. Big Sam's first game at Blackburn as it happens.
Lol, well maybe Taylor right back then. He did OK when he used to play there. Love him and Colo together though. Jonas is better on the left aswell like so maybe Pennant/Jonas on wings. Would have to pass the ball though haha. Not any hoofing
Ha ha. How about a nice mix? A few hoofs wouldn't be too bad. Difficult to choose a Stoke winger in that team based on their performances this season. Pennant and Etherington have both been really poor this season and probably partly explains why we've only scored 4 goals in 7 games. Last season they were setting goals up for fun. Mind you it doesn't help that for 1 reason or t'other they hardly ever start together.
Ok then: Krul Taylor - Woodgate - Coloccini - Santon Ben Arfa - Tiote - Cabaye - Jonas Ba - Walters Had a few changes there haha. But looks gud lol Total football
Well, I won't start an argument with another Geordie, most of my family live there.. As for Delap on the right wing... we've being saying he isn't ******* good enough to even start. Let alone play right wing. Too slow, can't pass and it's time to change our entire midfield apart from IMHO Whelan. As for Huth, I feel sorry for the lad, forced to play at right or left back when he's a Center half is TOTAL madness but T.P. picks the team, we ONLY support them. Sick of seeing negative boring aimless play away from home. END OF! Smither's I think you missunderstood when I said set up at home mate? We do when both are fit, at least start with two wingers. Which gives us way more width than those emplyed EVERY time we play away. T.P. even did it in the Europa Cup at Dynamo Kiev, he then takes off one of our better player's and we concede a last min goal.. enough said. And, I will NEVER travel too another away game, Newcastle Utd being the exception UNTIL he changes the team set up and mentality. I swear that our lads do NOT believe we CAN win away.. GIVE it a TRY Pulis, what have we got to lose? We lose anyway, may as well entertain those who are willing to shell out good money. Right now, you are not..SORT IT OUT! What really hacked me off today was that Mama was on the bench.. WHY? Danny Pugh has just gone to Leeds and he NEVER let us down? Too many in that team today DID.. T.P. YOU picked em... YOU sort it out!
Not sure anymore to be honest! THEY don't work that often now anyway the throw ins, all teams are wise to it. Thank you Rory, but enough is enough.. better player's are in our squad, some like Arismendi NEVER given a full game say's it all.
At home Rory is an effective player and contributes to the team with his breaking up of play and his tackling.
Sure he is Sgt, but I can count on two fingers how many GOOD games Rory has played this season and HOW many times does he complete the 90 mins? NOT too often. Sgt, it's fine winning the ball but, it's what he does afterwards with it! Yesterday he gave the ball away three times in less than a couple of mins.. which, is why I think T.P. pulled him off. Once he did, we went at Swansea and caused them a few problems. I think Pulis is foolish to even think about playing him because when he's fit. Palacios and Shotton are much better... For Christs sake Sgt Rory played on the wing.. he can't do it simple as.
His last few home games have been his best, but he is still not good enough, his throw ins were pretty useless last season (I think I saw a stat that it was something like 215 throws per goal), he has no pace and cant last 90 minutes!!!!!! In his defence, you can see he has a football brain, but his body cant do what his mind wants to! I have said for a long time, that teams come set up to deal with his throws and exploit his lack of pace. If he was a sub on 65 minutes, when the pace of the game had slowed down, he would be far more effective and the opposition would set up differently which would mean his throwins would be more effective aswell! TP plays him out of loyality, because he rides a bike for charity, "works ard" & "is a smashing lad" - same as Sidibie! How can you attract talent, play decent football when you make sentimental decessions that impede your team?
I've come to the conclusion we need 2 managers Home: Pulis Away: Boskamp At least with Boskamp in charge away from home, we might actually play freeflowing attacking football, & would probably get more points as well.
