£3m he cost. Fair play to Pulis he got a fantastic deal there. The lad is exceptional. So calm on the ball and barely plays a bad pass, he can tackle and constructs everything we do going forward. He's getting the best out of Whelan when they've played alongside each other in my opinion as well.
I think so too Sgt, Whelan had a cracking first half, and a good game against Fulham, and I think a lot of that is down to having N'Zonzi next to him. Geoff Cameron is turning out to be great signing, another one who looks calm and confident on the ball.
Spot on, excellent player - but I cant see us keeping him the way we play. He has so much to offer and I feel he is being held back.
Fair play Sgt But didn't Whelan arse around for the Newcastle goal? He should not get caught with the ball like he did. If in doubt, don't mess about. Steven N... brilliant signing I doubt we'll keep him for that long but who knows. If we keep this recent run going, we DO have the player's now and it's starting to click I think.
Yes Potts Whelan received a pass from N'Zonzi, miscontrolled it, did not even to rugby tackle the man down and ended up on the deck himself! Asmir did not hold the shot but I blame Whelane for that! Will put my thoughts down on the game together later!
Cris NOT too late please, we're celebrating tonight.. not sure what for or why but, it involves plentymucho drinks. Como esta muckka
Last night. Thought we were second best for just over 70 minutes. MOTD did not show: A) The Walters shot which the keeper just parried back to him to pathetically blaze over! B) make no mention of the Crouch loss of 3 teeth in a collision with Colicinni C) The 'penalty' incident. I recall that I thought it hit Huths arm as it was going away from the Stoke goal. I also thought it was literally a rebound off another player. If this is what Pardew thinks is a penalty God help defenders! Until Kightly and Jerome came on to inject pace & willingness to commit players, I thought we were at best pedestrian and lacking ideas. I texted my wife to update her the score at half time and my words were ' we are poor so different from Saturday.' It really did not look like we were going to score and the Jones effort from the left wing cross of Kighly summed up the attacking efforts for me. I also thought that Whelan was never going to score from the distance he tried from in the first half. In addition his freekick in the first half was absolute garbage to be honest. Anyway Kightly, Jones & Jerome made the difference. The Walters goal was a terrific header and the second goal was very well taken by Jerome. The goal given away I have commented elsewhere on. I left the Brit last night so pleased as I really thought we got of jail with the win. A mighty valuable 3 points and a cushion if things do not go our way at WBA & Villa! However I do expect us to get some sort of return from at least one of these games. Looking forward to Saturday though my good lady feels I am spending too much time going up and down the motorway at present!! All for now.
From where I was sitting, it looked like it hit Huth in the chest. But it was from point blank range and the ball was going away from goal so I don't see how Pardew could see it as a penalty - sounds like sour grapes and clutching at straws to me.
N;Zonzi is in my opinion the best player we have at the moment (also Crouch), he is absolutely brilliant and outshines any other midfielder we have. I can see a few clubs coming in for him if he keeps this form up. He has everything to be a very very good player.
I actually said to my mate last night that I go to the game with that Nzonzi is actually too good for our current team. He is absolutely brilliant and the amount of times he looks up and has nothing on is unbelieveable. The difference with him against the likes of Whelan (who was caught in possession for their first goal last night), and Whitehead (that kicks anything that moves), is that he can put his foot on the ball and turn and pick out a pass instead of blind panic. A lot of the older guard Stoke team treat the ball like a hot potato and don't want it hence the hoof tactic that still remains with the odd few players. I thought Adam was poor last night and that Cameron had probably his worst game to date. In saying that I think cameron is another great buy for me and was playing out of position.
Waddo N'Zonzi kind of reminds me of a young Alan Hudson. IF he's ever half as good as Huddy was he will be some talent in the future.
Watched him live for the first time on Wednesday and I thought he stood out. He seems calm on the ball and always wants to go forward.
Michu is the obvious bargain of the season because you can see a direct end product from him. But N'zonzi has been quality for us but no one else knows this as he goes about his business quietly.but brilliantly.
Well I've not seen the last three home games Smither's so.. maybe I can't really judge Charlie Adam yet! I'm not sure but the last time I did see Whelan, he was average at best? Adam played really well as did N'Zonzi. Just wondering IF when fit and IF we sign a full back in Jan. Maybe Wilson could slip into midfield in place of Whelan? I was lucky enough to meet and chat to Harry Burrows last night. He's told me quote " The club are almost certain to sign a least one full back in Jan" Let's hope he's right.
I think Adam would be playing next to N'Zonzi, instead of Whelan, but unless we change formation, I don't know who would play behind Crouch. If Owen gets a game at any point he could do it, but can't imagine him having the legs to do any tracking back. Walters might be able to, but that'd mean needing someone else to play RW. . .
