I know everybody plays everybody twice but I fear for our run of games through to November. Aresnal (H) Wigan (A) Man City (H) Chelsea (A) Swansea (H) Liverpool (A) Man Utd (A) Sunderland (H) Whilst I appreciate that we have the opportunity to sign some new players, based on the set up today, the same old approach and the comments of concern from the pundits we could realistically be on only 3-6 points come November. I understand that TP can only work with what he has, but surely he has to acknowledge that he CANT continue in the same old format and approach that sees so little ball retention and very few clear cut goal opportunities. We cant win ganes if we cant score goals, we cant get points if we cant keep clean sheets and we cant improve if we play the same old players who have failed time after time.
Waiting to watch the highlights on MOTD but it does appear that he adopted the same approach as always today, subbing a winger for Delap and trying to defend a 1 goal lead in the later stages instead of going for more goals. The road ahead could be rocky.
I did not agree with the substitutions as you may see from my post on Thoughts from Today thread but given the heat TP may have seen it was best to sub those flagging. That may too generous as I beleive that Whitehead having been booked should have been subbed. That is what he did with Fuller! Anyway upto November it does look very tough and we must pick up 3 points against somebody. Future signings, as I said eleswhere I do think that PC has clipped TP's wings and he has to be more prudent with his dealings. How Owen thinks he is worth £70K a week I do not know. He need to get in the real world! I do despararately think we need to replace Wilko and Wilson at LB as numerous others have said. And again WP is given 5 Minutes at the end. Ridulous in my view. I just hope up until 31st August some fresh blood is brought in as it was last year!
I think thats the issue Tent; we all understand that Stoke can't continue to spend in the way TP has done to date but he must utilise what he has got and maximise it. Playing Wilson at LB and not playing Palcious at all is fundementally wrong and finishing games with no natural wingers is a mistake he has made consistently for the last 2 seasons. As for Owen - your right he isn't worth 70K a week and I wouldnt thank you for him, but on the flip side why would he take a pay as you play deal when TP will juts play Walters and never sub him?
