I admit their resolute attitude, i admire their centre half (Shawcross), real cracking centre half, and i think Fuller is an excellent striker.
But everything else about them stinks - the timewasting (from the 16th minute), the long throws, the long balls, the thuggishness and desire to spoil games, the sly fouls, everything.
Reams has been pushing for us to buy Shawcross for a while, I think Stoke have made him permanent. Stokes time wasting ultimately proved a negative for them as they had less time to get back into the game. They should have had a player sent off for that cynical hack on Youga. Of all the teams in this league playing their style they are the best and we beat them, we finally look like we are able to play against the bullies and the ref.
Soon found their level when they were losing though didn't they? Was it Lawrence who took out our player at the end? I know it wasn't a two footer but when there's that much intent, I think he should be sent off.
just had a glance at a Stoke forum and found this fair summing up:
We could say we were unlucky not to get a point but in reality we were out played for large periods of the game.
'They played a purist footballing game. We had three tactics pass it to Fuller to conjour a chance out of nothing; get a throw in to allow Delap to ping in a trajectory or try and hold on for a point.
In the second half we defended very well but there were a few heart stopping moments in front of goal. The goal when it came was sloppy but I dont think we can have many complaints. It was a shame to conceed when we did which left us no time to come back.
What worried me about tonight was we couldnt retain possession for long to take the pressure off the defence. We missed Mama too.
I think we will get in the play offs but I wonder if teams who have more quality sides like Charlton have worked out how to play us. Tonights game showed that eventually our defence can be worn down. We need to strenghthen midfield and sign a playmaker urgently.'
Holland has been twice the player under Pards than he was under Curbs and that's including in the Prem. I'd make him MOM tonight and can't see where Reid's going to fit in with him and Zheng doing so well.........
[cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]Reid will play when fit, no doubt about that. He'll come in on the left and Ambrose might switch to the right, depending on how well Sam is playing.
A midfield of Ambrose - Holland - ZZ - Reid has got Premiership class all over it.
And, no doubt with Moo2 & Youga bombing down the wings, Ambrose - Holland - ZZ - Reid, can play a bit narrower, so chances are we can deprive opponents the room to create in midfield - which should help us defensively.
Do you really think that's a premiership class midfield ormy? I'm not sure - I don't go for obvious reasons so others can tell me if I'm off the mark here but I think that:
Ambrose - Inconsistent is not the word Holland - Not premiership class anymore I'm afraid ZZ - Will need good players around but yes maybe Reid - When fit yes premiership.
I think they really are a very decent quartet and would compare very favorably with anything in the bottom 6-8 in the Premiership, although each of them has their imperfections.
Ambrose is a very frustrating player but obviously has talent, Holland still has something to offer although he would struggle in the Prem, ZZ would probably be in the Prem if he could get a work permit for someone else and Reid is obviously Prem class when fit.
I think that only West Brom have a comparable midfield.
The real difference, though, has come with the 2 current fullbacks overlapping, showing great speed & energy.
To think if Mills hadn't been such a tosser getting himself deliberately sent off - and Youga had stayed at Scunny (which he might well have done if Powell hadn't been so permanently knackered, having played too many matches over Xmas) - we may very well be perservering with two 30-something defenders who weren't really pushing forward enough.
Mills & Powell did well enough defensively, but Moo2 & Youga have given the team fluidity and dynamism that we never had before.
I quite like fuller and have always thought it a shame we didn't keep hold of him but last night I don't think I've ever seen a footballer bugged for the ball so much in one match , his concentration continuously wandered when the ball was played up to him.
Our style of football of late has been so much better and had we not won last night it would have been a travisty
The irony that the big bad Stoke who main tactic was the high ball thrown in were beaten by a goal from the head of the shortest player on the pitch.
It wasn't pretty but we deserved it. I thought Magic was MOM. Won nearly everything in the air and looked composed on the ground. Credit to Paddy too. Not been his biggest fan but, one slip aside, did well. Loved his 50 yard sprint to complain about the ABH assult on Youga and his celebration with Weaver at the end.
Gray looked good if not outstanding. I can see why Pardew wanted Big Chris's height to combat them but we looked better going forward when Varney came on. Good to have the option to mix and match is BC's injury isn't serious.
I thought Stoke were a decent side and did what they did well but we were better and once we went ahead we should have (not of) got 1 or 2 more. Some of our final balls when in good positions were terrible.
Again the strenght of our squad showed. Bringing on Thomas, Varney and Samedo when we needed them.
Ref didn't want to give fouls or cards at all and the Lino in the front of the East stand didn't flag for one foul all night.
Best bit was Weaver and everyone else's timewasting at the end.
22,108 with 800 Stoke. we be another 2,400 Palace at the next game and few more of us. Time for flags to come out me thinks.
Excellent performance by Ambrose last night. Well done Darren. He showed a great appetite for the ball & barely wasted a pass all night (OK, his shooting was a little off - LOL). I know the whole team played well but it was good to see him getting stuck in & battling as hard as anybody. He is not a natural wide man but cuts inside very effectively. Good substitution though to bring on Thomas & give us two natural wingers to widen the game & to attack them in the last 15 minutes. And it worked well. Good to see Ambrose get a standing ovation when he went off as well.
Keeper kicks ball (after a while) into touch 15 metres into our half.
Freak (Delap) throws in.
Hope for the best.
Horrible, horrible side, havent been as pleased to beat a side for yonks. That Griffin needs a shoeing for his physical and verbal abuse of Youga, hope he plays against Kevin Muscat in the near future.
I was a bit worried in the 2nd half, Magic and Paddy stopped pushing up and Holland/ZZ had to come back into our half to pick up the ball leaving a lack of options to go forward. Much improved when Varney came on, but it's a worry when at home we are picking a team to thwart the opposition rather than take the game to them. Ambrose, Magic stood out for me.
[cite]Posted By: Addickson's God[/cite]but it's a worry when at home we are picking a team to thwart the opposition rather than take the game to them. Ambrose, Magic stood out for me.
Comments
I admit their resolute attitude, i admire their centre half (Shawcross), real cracking centre half, and i think Fuller is an excellent striker.
But everything else about them stinks - the timewasting (from the 16th minute), the long throws, the long balls, the thuggishness and desire to spoil games, the sly fouls, everything.
He put down a real marker that we wouldn't be intimidated with those two sliding tackles in the opening minutes of the first half.
A true captain's performance.
He's putting in the leadership that we missed 1st half of the season, no disrespect to Reidy.
We could say we were unlucky not to get a point but in reality we were out played for large periods of the game.
'They played a purist footballing game. We had three tactics pass it to Fuller to conjour a chance out of nothing; get a throw in to allow Delap to ping in a trajectory or try and hold on for a point.
In the second half we defended very well but there were a few heart stopping moments in front of goal. The goal when it came was sloppy but I dont think we can have many complaints. It was a shame to conceed when we did which left us no time to come back.
What worried me about tonight was we couldnt retain possession for long to take the pressure off the defence. We missed Mama too.
I think we will get in the play offs but I wonder if teams who have more quality sides like Charlton have worked out how to play us. Tonights game showed that eventually our defence can be worn down. We need to strenghthen midfield and sign a playmaker urgently.'
fair play to them, a very fair summary.
Holland has been twice the player under Pards than he was under Curbs and that's including in the Prem. I'd make him MOM tonight and can't see where Reid's going to fit in with him and Zheng doing so well.........
A midfield of Ambrose - Holland - ZZ - Reid has got Premiership class all over it.
And, no doubt with Moo2 & Youga bombing down the wings, Ambrose - Holland - ZZ - Reid, can play a bit narrower, so chances are we can deprive opponents the room to create in midfield - which should help us defensively.
Ambrose - Inconsistent is not the word
Holland - Not premiership class anymore I'm afraid
ZZ - Will need good players around but yes maybe
Reid - When fit yes premiership.
Maybe I've been away too long.....
Ambrose is a very frustrating player but obviously has talent, Holland still has something to offer although he would struggle in the Prem, ZZ would probably be in the Prem if he could get a work permit for someone else and Reid is obviously Prem class when fit.
I think that only West Brom have a comparable midfield.
To think if Mills hadn't been such a tosser getting himself deliberately sent off - and Youga had stayed at Scunny (which he might well have done if Powell hadn't been so permanently knackered, having played too many matches over Xmas) - we may very well be perservering with two 30-something defenders who weren't really pushing forward enough.
Mills & Powell did well enough defensively, but Moo2 & Youga have given the team fluidity and dynamism that we never had before.
And that's allowing our midfield to play.
Our style of football of late has been so much better and had we not won last night it would have been a travisty
It wasn't pretty but we deserved it. I thought Magic was MOM. Won nearly everything in the air and looked composed on the ground. Credit to Paddy too. Not been his biggest fan but, one slip aside, did well. Loved his 50 yard sprint to complain about the ABH assult on Youga and his celebration with Weaver at the end.
Gray looked good if not outstanding. I can see why Pardew wanted Big Chris's height to combat them but we looked better going forward when Varney came on. Good to have the option to mix and match is BC's injury isn't serious.
I thought Stoke were a decent side and did what they did well but we were better and once we went ahead we should have (not of) got 1 or 2 more. Some of our final balls when in good positions were terrible.
Again the strenght of our squad showed. Bringing on Thomas, Varney and Samedo when we needed them.
Ref didn't want to give fouls or cards at all and the Lino in the front of the East stand didn't flag for one foul all night.
Best bit was Weaver and everyone else's timewasting at the end.
22,108 with 800 Stoke. we be another 2,400 Palace at the next game and few more of us. Time for flags to come out me thinks.
Keeper kicks ball (after a while) into touch 15 metres into our half.
Freak (Delap) throws in.
Hope for the best.
Horrible, horrible side, havent been as pleased to beat a side for yonks. That Griffin needs a shoeing for his physical and verbal abuse of Youga, hope he plays against Kevin Muscat in the near future.
There number as well prick
We were all over them.