That’s back to back clean sheets for them under Lambert, so the worst defence in the league stat is pretty meaningless in the context of us playing them tonight with a new manager as opposed to playing them with old manager who was sacked for being ****.
Deeney is better as the deeper striker in a 4411, he has never been at his best up front on his own. Maybe we should try either Gray or Okaka (if he's still with us after tonight) up front and Deeney in behind from now on.
Trenchant analysis from our colleagues in the Potteries. As if Arnold Bennett had never laid down his quill.
This isn't a bad idea. Okaka and Deeney come deep for the ball whereas Gray runs towards goal so Deeney and Okaka wouldn't work it would have to be Gray up top and one of the other ones deep.
Just back. My thoughts: * 100% improvement on Saturday in terms of commitment, energy & quality. Gravitas has obviously worked on the organisation. * Capoue was excellent (for him), just hope it lasts * Delilah ticked the cold, winter's night in Stoke box. Not always in the game but great touch and awareness when he was on the ball. * The boy Deeney done good, again. Bravely led the line against a typically physical Stoke side fantastically well. * Gray a real threat when he came on. He and Deeney could be a great double act if given half a chance. * Another ***** ref. Too many examples to mention but looked a def penalty when Delilah went down (ooh er missus) in the first half. * Funny Holebas song, can't remember the exact words but it ends '... he never smiles.' Anyone know the rest? * A draw was about right.
That link is hilarious. They actually believe that they’re one of the greatest football playing sides!
I feel people often downplay just how difficult it is to score in the Prem. You have to be one hell of a talent to find space. Both Deeney and Gray are low on confidence, I think its easy for people to say they're rubbish etc, while overlooking that the whole team is bang out of form. You only need to look at Rich to see what a lack of belief does to your game With our resources, we won't be finding anyone who can do it on a regular basis, and even if we did he'd be taken off us rather swiftly. I do think if we're to get goals, Deeney and Gray have to play together. I do understand why Gracia is hesitant to play 4-4-2 with the players we have available, and I don't think we'll see it implemented until Ndong is available, as two very powerful midfielders are required - we only have one at the moment.
They seem to forget their own performance in the reverse fixture. You literally could have copy and pasted the comments on this forum from the match thread onto that one.
That will work if we are going to get points in the games against 5 of the top 6. If we lose those we need 3 or 4 wins. Can't see where they are coming from. Solid point today and clean sheet but this was one of the few potentially winable games.
Having seen a bit more they think all the teams they play do it with Bournemouth being the worse! Ofcourse Stoke have never played the game to it limits - always gentle and fair in the tackle and physically.
I’m not sure if this has been mentioned in the thread, but I thought Karnezis was very good again. For me he was unfairly ridiculed and written off after his debut performance, which came in difficult circumstances, and now after a decent run of games he looks solid and commanding. He wasn’t overly extended last night, but that says something about how we defended, which brings me neatly on to Pr*dl, who I thought put on a massively improved performance. Stoke have some tricky customers upfront but he dealt with them well for the most part. Playing midweek up in Stoke is a cliche for a reason: it is usually a genuinely tough game. Last night was something to build on, and I hope the team take heart from their display, for its grit if not for its quality. Chelsea are there for the taking on Monday, which obviously means we’re in for a total hammering of apocalyptic proportions, or maybe a famous Gracia masterclass on his home debut?
It's not even a cliche. A cold/wet Tuesday/Wednesday night up at any vaguely northern unglamarous town. Every team in every division has a place they nominate. Heck even Stoke fans talk about a cold Tuesday night up at Burnley or Huddersfield or somewhere.
It always used to be cold wet Tuesday night at the Dell didn't it? Which is ironic because statistically I believe Southampton has the highest average temperature in the UK
It always used to be cold wet Tuesday night at the Dell didn't it? Which is ironic because statistically I believe Southampton has the highest average temperature in the UK
Couldn’t agree more. Yesterday summed it up so well. A day in which we failed to strengthen our strike force, then fail to score a goal for the third match in a row. It’s just crazy to expect Gray, Deeney and Okaka, combined tally of 5 outfield goals in the league this season, to keep us up. Gracia deserves credit for already making us look better organised at the back and tougher to beat, but we also need goals. By the time we play last on Monday night, the table could look a whole lot worse for us.
Don’t panic everyone. If it takes us as long to drop from 11th to 12th as it did from 10th to 11th we're already safe!
As long as we continue to have the same or more points than the number of games played 'till the end of the season we're not going down. Simple as that. Wasn't there last night, so can't comment on the match, but top marks to all those that made the trip.
**** match last night to be honest. Our defensive strategy seemed to be hoof it away, which I suppose worked in that we got a clean sheet, though they did miss an absolute sitter. Our forwards are utter dung. I cannot believe I've logged on this morning and not seen that we've signed a striker. We are doomed. Deulofeu looked good but passing to those arseholes up top will demoralise him and I guarantee he will fade to total anonymity within 5 matches and be counting down the seconds until he can go back to spain. I dont blame him one bit. Looking at the match last night and our transfer business, we're going down. Apologies for the negativity but I'm tired and feel terrible. edit just seen we've got rid of watson. THE HORNS ARE STAYING UP!
We are on 27 points with 13 games left. 13 more points would do It, as you rightly point out, however, we've mustered just 9 points over the past 13 games. Will 36 points be enough? Will we improve on that form? Will we get worse even? I believe your complacency is misguided.
Everton and West Brom at home are the most important two matches in the history of the club. And I bet we'll lose them both.
I repeat, as long as we continue to have the same or more points than the number of games played 'till the end of the season we're not going down - i.e, if after 38 games we have 38 or more points we will not go down. So, as things stand we've got 27 from 25 games so we're 2 points ahead of schedule. I'm not being complacent just stating the simple reality of the situation
Not at all. Merely stating that despite the non-stop negativity of those people on this site who have a tendency to catastrophise the slightest setback, we are currently comfortably on course to stay up.
It gets more difficult when you try to map out where those 11 points will come from given 5 of the game are against MU (A), Chelsea (H), Spurs (A), Arsenal (A) and Liverpool (A). We need to win 3 games (from the other 6 games?) to be sure of getting to 38 and I still believe this season we will need 40. But as I've just posted on the relegation watch thread, I don't think relegation would be that bad and don't think Gino is worried by the prospect.
That is a very foolish interpretation of the current situation. It assumes that we will be able to perform at the ytd average over the next 11 games yet the vast majority of those points were won months ago with a different manager, different players and a different atmosphere about the place.
But we also have WBA, Everton, Muff, Burnley, Palace and Newcastle to come at home. Fail to get enough wins in those games and we'll deserve to go down. The away games against the big boys are just free swings. As a very last resort, Man Utd in particular could well be on the beach come 13 May, particularly with most of their stars more worried about an impending World Cup than what is likely for them to be a PL dead rubber. But I don't think it'll come to that.