Early Sunday morning should be a time for stinking in my bed but Osca had other ideas, back in from the cold and wet and time to reminisce on yesterdays events and look forward to next weekends.
I have read all about Stokes style of play referees and lack of strength from our boys but IMO none of that matters. We knew what to expect and we simply could not handle it. Should the referee have given more protection to Gordon, I think so but he didn̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t.
Stoke are masters at pushing the laws to the limit and they do it very well, to be honest I don̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t see the point in having a go at Stoke or their fans about it, they got 3 points and that̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s what they wanted to do.
To me I saw far more positives than negatives in the game, the first being we only have to face that style twice and we have done that so we can forget it.
We played some good football with a team in a strange formation for them, 2 players who are still getting up to speed and getting to know the team, the country and the premier league.
Richardson, love him or hate him, scored again.
Gyan was on the score sheet.
Bardsley again was fantastic.
To me I feel no shame in being out muscled because I don̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t want us to be best at that sort of play. Next weekend will be the real tester for me because we will have the chance to show what type of football team we can be, far more important.
We still have Sess and Muntari settling in and big players to return, we still have a potential fantastic season to complete.
A few weeks down the line yesterday won̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t even be a bad memory.
I have read all about Stokes style of play referees and lack of strength from our boys but IMO none of that matters. We knew what to expect and we simply could not handle it. Should the referee have given more protection to Gordon, I think so but he didn̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t.
Stoke are masters at pushing the laws to the limit and they do it very well, to be honest I don̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t see the point in having a go at Stoke or their fans about it, they got 3 points and that̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s what they wanted to do.
To me I saw far more positives than negatives in the game, the first being we only have to face that style twice and we have done that so we can forget it.
We played some good football with a team in a strange formation for them, 2 players who are still getting up to speed and getting to know the team, the country and the premier league.
Richardson, love him or hate him, scored again.
Gyan was on the score sheet.
Bardsley again was fantastic.
To me I feel no shame in being out muscled because I don̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t want us to be best at that sort of play. Next weekend will be the real tester for me because we will have the chance to show what type of football team we can be, far more important.
We still have Sess and Muntari settling in and big players to return, we still have a potential fantastic season to complete.
A few weeks down the line yesterday won̢̢̮ââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t even be a bad memory.