Get Mr Fuller back pronto, and let them have Upson back. Instant replay of that game and THAT goal - sorted. Dammn morphine!!
Well it's certainly not the bore draw we thought It was going be! Great point for Stoke, points dropped for West Ham!
Fair result really. We were clearly the better team in the 1st half, West Ham the better in the 2nd. Was good to see Palacios come on, even though it was only cause Whelan was injured. Anyone know if Whitehead is injured, or just been dropped?
Fair result overall. Was relieved to get in at half time only one goal down. Having said that we had plenty of chances second half so no one from either side can really complain about the draw. I actually thought both sides played some good stuff at times and made a nonsense of everyone saying it was just going to be a hoof fest. Well played Stoke and all the best for the rest of the season.
Many thanks for your positive comments. All though we had the lions share of the 1st half our lack of clinical finishing hurts us - you are right we could have scored a couple but in return I felt we were lucky to have not conceeded a penalty. 2nd half you tore us apart and apart from a couple of counter attacks we offered very little, which is typicla of us away from home just trying to see the game out! I counted at least 4 goal line clearances and for me Begovic single handedly kept us in the game - should have been booked for time wasting! You guys played some very neat and flowing stuff, especially down the wings, 4 or 5 passes and easily breaking through our back line - I was very impressed especially after the stick Big Sam can get for his style play. I think TP should take note!
Thought we played OK. Begovic and N`nzonzi being the pick. I also think Shotton did better than I expected but what`s happened to Etherington? He`s a shadow of the player he was when he first came,and I would prefer either Pennant or Kightly to him at the moment.
The problem is that he has sat on the bench most of pre season and pretty much all of the season, so he is probably not match fit and hasnt had the opportunity to get his form. Its no excuse though and he is just giving TP the amunition not to play him and stick with 1 winger and Walters. We really need Pennant back but would imagine he will have suffered like Ethringtonn in not playing regular high level games!
To be honest then,he hasn`t been match fit for 18 months, I just wonder ,with him, if his personal problems aren`t overburdening him, and then again he`s nearer 30 than 20, are his legs going? he doesn`t seem to have the confidence to get past a man and a lot of his crosses are very poor. I agree Pennant should be back but I guess he`s going the way of Tuncay. It also looks like Jerome will go without having had a ` fair crack of the whip`
He's been poor (for him anyway) since his injury against Man City, but I do think that if given a run we would be more effective with Ethrington (LW) and Kightly (RW) on the wings than Kightly on his weaker side and Walters on the other. Just my opinion.
If TP insists on playing one winger and a striker on the other winger, I'd like to see Kightly on the right and Jerome on the left, I feel that would be a more positive move without changing the setup too much.
Like your thinking and would take some pressure off the other winger if you only play one he tends to get marked out of the game.
That's highly doubtful. the only time we've ever really seen us play 2 wingers is when we've had another on the bench. Now we're down to 2 in the squad again, I doubt they'll be on the pitch at the same time too often, if at all.
Aye, but as I've said before, I think we'd do well with just the one winger and Jerome on the other side instead of JW, we did that for a couple last season, but I think we were playing 4-4-2 at the time. Still not as good as 2 wingers, but it's getting there!
The issue with Walters on the wing for me is that he lacks pace and he isn't capable of putting in a decent cross.
I'd settle for Jerome on the other wing but it would all be about "that man" accomodating Walters somewhere else.
