Match Day Thread Stoke City v Cardiff City....Fug Me....Garth Crookes Country!

With the absence of the finest striker in Cardiff City history, namely the prolific GM now scoring goals for mighty Blackpool....what can we expect from this one?! Need to get back on the winning trail again, not much room for error. Stoke, of Stanley Matthews fame (and Blackpool), a famous club of years ago would normally be favourites for a game like this, but Masky thinks we will win this, a tight game, with four goals.....4-0 Bluebirds! Anybody notice what I did there...Blackpool thingy?

 

Stoke City striker Tyrese Campbell has declared himself fit to face Cardiff City after going off with a calf injury in last weekend's 4-2 loss to QPR.

But it is too soon for Republic of Ireland winger James McClean, who has been training in Dubai in a bid to overcome medial ligament damage. Garth Crookes May get a start.

Cardiff could welcome back midfielder Joe Ralls back after six games out.

Brad Smith and on-loan Wolves defender Dion Sanderson are still awaiting their debuts after joining in January.

Although Stoke are again without Ryan Shawcross, who has made just three appearances this season, the Potters' club captain is at least back in training.

Boss Michael O'Neill will be eager to get him back as soon as possible after seeing his Stoke side concede 11 goals in their past four games - although eight of those have been away from home.

Match facts

• Stoke City are unbeaten in their last four home matches against Cardiff in all competitions since a 3-0 defeat in September 2005 - the first leg of a double for the Bluebirds over the Potters that season.
• Cardiff have lost just one of their last 12 league games - and are unbeaten in seven since losing 6-1 to QPR at Loftus Road on New Year's Day.
• Stoke have lost three of their last four league games, more than they had in their previous nine.
• Potters striker Tyrese Campbell has scored six Championship goals this season. Of players currently aged under 21 in the competition, only Brentford's Bryan Mbuemo (12) has scored more.

 

No George Eastham for Stoke then. That's good news as I remember being at the Victoria Ground when he took us apart in a 1 - 4 FA Cup thumping in the late sixties.

 

No Gordon Banks or Stanley Matthews either.

 

Just watching the Brentford/Blackburn game on the box. Blackburn leading away 0-1 at half time and both sides playing some lovely stuff - a joy to watch.

We've still got both of these at home and we'll really need to step up to the mark to get anything by outplaying them - maybe a case for "gruntball and Paterson" tactics because we wont outplay them on the floor.

 

Do we know any other way?

If Pato and/or Tomlin get injured or suspended we are well and truly stuffed.

 

Brentford 0 - 2 Blackburn now.

What a ridiculous penalty decision awarded to Blackburn - never a penalty in a million years.

 

Sorry about this but game on!!

What a strike from Ollie Watkins to pull one back for Brentford - super game of football.

 

Penalty!

 

Half watching spurs and chelski.
Just about to switch over to watch italy v scotland, then prepare myself for giving my undivided attention to the second game of the afternoon....

....wales v france.

The U20s game at parc eirias last night was interesting given the weather.

Wales france women at noon tomorrow. I'll be watching on S4C.

 

Team news.

Same as......except Tomlin out with serious knee injury - suffered in training. Ward in and Pato at 10?

 

Another soft penalty - this time to Brentford to even things up 2-2. Great game.

 

Adomah, Vaulks, Murphy; Ward, Paterson - that's a pretty attacking approach away from home

 

Ralls back in 18 so another option from the bench.

Tomlin's absence creates a worrying lack of invention through the middle.

 

If Ralls had some minutes under his belt I'd have been tempted to have slotted him in next to Pack and pushed Vaulks forward.
Saying that, bacuna next to pack with Vaulks further up the pitch.

 

Well the Brentford/Backburn finished all square with a point apiece - probably the best result for us albeit that we need to do the business ourselves.

On an aside and apart from the result of the game, I would willingly pay more for my seat at the CCS to watch that sort of football - brilliant exciting stuff.

 

Bluey - did you have to say that!

 

Soz. Lol!!!

 

Gutted to hear about Tomlin. Is that him done for the season? Route 1 football then