The narrow pitch at stoke - QPR all over again?

Stokes pitch is very narrow so that they can take advantage of their aerial prowess with long throws and set pieces etc. QPR probably gave us our biggest scare all season with SWP terorising us and their narrow pitich not really allowing us to get our passing game going. its something we really rely on nowadays and the fact that we had 70% possesion in our last game proves it.

my question is are we going to struggle with the lack of width against Stoke in a similar fashion to QPR? pennant doesn't exactly need acres of space to cross a good ball into the area so although he won't run at them like SWP did the threat will still be there.

thoughts??

 

It is a worry, but don't forget that we went 442 in that QPR game for the most part until Pardew realised it was suicidal and beefed up our midfield, from that point on I seem to recall we were a lot stronger. He'll hopefully have learned from that and will be aware of it in the Stoke game.

 

thing is we don't exactly have many big lads in the centre mid position. they could be totally bypassed in the midfield if they choose to play over us.

 

HBA needs to start this game. He can help us out in midfield and in this sort of game we may have to unlock the Stoke defense through the middle. Whipping in balls from out wide probably won't work.

 

Personally i can see them lumping someone like Barfa straight out of the game. i'm not saying he needs to be wrapped in cotton wool as he's going to have to get used to the rough and tumble sometime. but i just feel they'll knock him about so much that he'll be pretty uneffective.

 

I'd have thought this would be a game least suited to Ben Arfa.... just the physicality of Stoke might be too much for a player still feeling his way back in. He's looked off the pace so far.

 

We should be fine, as long as we don't commit the cardinal sin of trying to match up to their physical game. That's what a lot of teams try to do, and get destroyed. We have to attack them with pace, so HBA, Santon and Marv in, Best, Simmo and Ober out.

 

I agree with that.

See us playing a 5 man midfield with Ba up front on his own and Ben Arfa being the linking player to attack with Jonas and perhaps Marveaux (maybe Obertan...) bombing it into the edges of the box.

Cabaye and Guthrie to hold the midfield and feed Arfa and the wings.

 

But Shola was playing against Qpr (and it wasnt this new Shola who's played in the last couple of games either)

 

They'd have to be about 30 foot tall to reach their head to any of Stoke's through balls , you have a point though. But I honestly think if we play on the floor, our more skilled players could cause them all sorts of problems. Remember last game we played when Ferguson 'absolutely raped' their defense when he cut in and took it into the box instead of trying to whip in crosses?

 

4-5-1 for me

 

I think its about time marv got a justified run out. he's done more than obertan last game and we eventually lost so hes not changing a winning team. he's far better at crossing than obertan so he should be a defo starter. to be honest i wouldn't be surprised if best started. he's pretty good in the air and bringing in the midfield so i wouldn't be shocked if he made the XI.

 

Is Woodgate fit for this one?

 

QPR's pitch isnt that narrow, just the advertisements are really close to the pitch, giving te illusion that it is.


Perhaps Jonas on the right and Marv on the left to maximise the width?

2 upfront as 3 in midfield would crowd it out making it hard to play through (which would help stoke out as they dont play football in CM anways)

^or would that be playing into stoke's hands anyway? it would kind of be trying to beat stoke at their own game

 

What makes Stoke so hard to play against at home, is that since the pitch is so narrow, it's hard to pass it about the pitch, and Stoke are good at closing players down and stopping you playing your game, and you can't play hoof ball against them because they'll just dominate you physical wise.

We should play this -

-------------------Ba--------------------------

--Marveaux-----------------------Ben Arfa----

---------Jonas-----Tiote----Cabaye------------

Raylor------Colo----------Taylor--------Santon

------------------Krul------------------------



Try and out pace them with our attacking mids and Ba, but stay strong in defense.

 

QPR's stadium isn't narrow, it just looks like it's narrow but it isn't. (Some QPR fan said it on here)

 

i remember that it was totally sick. he flipped them over molested them, kicked a spastic, punched a queer, got a mong in a headlock then almost scored.

you reckon he'll bite?

 

Aye, QPR's pitch is wider than ours!


Stoke's on the other hand is the narrowest allowed by the premier league

 

I stand corrected then!

stokes 18yrd box is nearly in the dug out though.