Match Thread Stoke City (5 Viewers)

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Derby are skint so doubt they'll be doing much. Not sure about Forest but all clubs will be feeling a pinch and they've got big wage bills to manage already

With Derby I'm thinking more if their takeover is completed in time.
 

Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon

Well-Known Member
A point vs a likely playoff contender isn't too bad, i think we rode our luck at times today too so to come out with a point and clean sheet is alright. The games vs Wednesday and Forest later in the month look seriously important right now, i'm expecting a bit of a tough spell up until about March.
 

stevefloyd

Well-Known Member
100% agree.

Should have been Giles for Allen.

His love affair with Shipley is baffling.

I'd rather bring on a substitute goalkeeper than Shipley. Lol
I was going to put Camp for Shipley but I thought some on here may think I was being sarcastic instead of serious
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
Just watching Watford 1 v 0 Norwich (Norwich easily the better side) and the difference in the pitch quality is vast. Blues fans and players in for a shock when they play Derby in a couple of days.
 

capel & collindridge

Well-Known Member
We haven't won there since Hannibal brought elephants over the Alps
I think that was before my time, but do remember those who saw Hannibal in the single campaign he played for us said he was never the kind of mid-field general we needed and used to rubbish him all the time for just playing it over the top.

Still we now see he was years ahead of his time. First North African to play for us, of course, long before Hadji and Chippo. And still remembered for the single elephant seen in City's emblem, and in our Sky Blue mascot. What's forgotten is that Hannibal brought a huge squad of Sky Blue Sams with him who knew how to win the hard way, unlike the current bunch of donkeys we're now familiar with every season who only know how to lose all the time and never in a million years would have invented the famous donkey kick of which we are so rightly proud.

They say Hannibal's only legacy was when we aspired to play a team of Breens, but they never reached the same heights. In fact, they were just donkeys, really, compared with the famous team of old Hannibal and his ten Sky Blue Sams. They were twice as good as any previous City team. It is said that in those days all our fans had rattles in both hands (firmly gripped in ten digits, unlike those of some neighbouring fans) and the cry then was "Come on the old ten!" Even in defeat, the Romans wrote of the X Factor we possessed at that time. Which may explain why a small minority of our fans are still unimpressed with Max.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
I think that was before my time, but do remember those who saw Hannibal in the single campaign he played for us said he was never the kind of mid-field general we needed and used to rubbish him all the time for just playing it over the top.

Still we now see he was years ahead of his time. First North African to play for us, of course, long before Hadji and Chippo. And still remembered for the single elephant seen in City's emblem, and in our Sky Blue mascot. What's forgotten is that Hannibal brought a huge squad of Sky Blue Sams with him who knew how to win the hard way, unlike the current bunch of donkeys we're now familiar with every season who only know how to lose all the time and never in a million years would have invented the famous donkey kick of which we are so rightly proud.

They say Hannibal's only legacy was when we aspired to play a team of Breens, but they never reached the same heights. In fact, they were just donkeys, really, compared with the famous team of old Hannibal and his ten Sky Blue Sams. They were twice as good as any previous City team. It is said that in those days all our fans had rattles in both hands (firmly gripped in ten digits, unlike those of some neighbouring fans) and the cry then was "Come on the old ten!" Even in defeat, the Romans wrote of the X Factor we possessed at that time. Which may explain why a small minority of our fans are still unimpressed with Max.
I can hear you chuckling to yourself as you typed this :ROFLMAO: (y)
 

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Just watching Watford 1 v 0 Norwich (Norwich easily the better side) and the difference in the pitch quality is vast. Blues fans and players in for a shock when they play Derby in a couple of days.
I was going to comment on the pitch which looks in an awful state. It's had a lot of football and presume wasn't relaid during the first lockdown?
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I think that was before my time, but do remember those who saw Hannibal in the single campaign he played for us said he was never the kind of mid-field general we needed and used to rubbish him all the time for just playing it over the top.

Still we now see he was years ahead of his time. First North African to play for us, of course, long before Hadji and Chippo. And still remembered for the single elephant seen in City's emblem, and in our Sky Blue mascot. What's forgotten is that Hannibal brought a huge squad of Sky Blue Sams with him who knew how to win the hard way, unlike the current bunch of donkeys we're now familiar with every season who only know how to lose all the time and never in a million years would have invented the famous donkey kick of which we are so rightly proud.

They say Hannibal's only legacy was when we aspired to play a team of Breens, but they never reached the same heights. In fact, they were just donkeys, really, compared with the famous team of old Hannibal and his ten Sky Blue Sams. They were twice as good as any previous City team. It is said that in those days all our fans had rattles in both hands (firmly gripped in ten digits, unlike those of some neighbouring fans) and the cry then was "Come on the old ten!" Even in defeat, the Romans wrote of the X Factor we possessed at that time. Which may explain why a small minority of our fans are still unimpressed with Max.

I think this is chronicled fully in the archives by the Roman historian Brownius. According to what survives, the appointment of Scipio Africanus as manager in the 203/202 BC season led to a severe falling out between Hannibal and the coach, mostly because of the latter's jibes about destroying Carthage. Hannibal was sold to Roman Villa and thus we have not won at Deepdale since.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
Wycombe and Wednesday will finish below us - confident of that. One other team from the group (Blues, QPR, Rotherham, Forest, Derby, Millwall) Don't care which team - just one !
 

BornSlippySkyBlue

Well-Known Member
Derby and Forest can both afford to improve their squads next month, we ain't got a pot to piss in and long term injuries seemingly every few games. We desperately need some help up top and in midfield. Think in the case of the latter there must be at least a few decent free agents available
Thing is if having the money to buy players was the answer for those clubs, they’d both be top 6. Forest in particular have bought loads of players in recent seasons, and yet...

There is some deeper malaise at both clubs, whether Rooney can arrest the slide at derby (on the pitch) remains to be seen, but Forest seem incapable of performing how they really should. Not convinced money will necessarily help them, whereas a well spent couple of million could make our season.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Thing is if having the money to buy players was the answer for those clubs, they’d both be top 6. Forest in particular have bought loads of players in recent seasons, and yet...

There is some deeper malaise at both clubs, whether Rooney can arrest the slide at derby (on the pitch) remains to be seen, but Forest seem incapable of performing how they really should. Not convinced money will necessarily help them, whereas a well spent couple of million could make our season.

They have the option, is my point. We have to soldier on as we are unless someone persuades Bristol Rovers that Baka is worth £5 mill
 

letsallsingtogether

Well-Known Member
Doesn’t matter how much money you’ve spent and how many shit tattoos you’ve got. If you decide to stop bothering supporting the team then you’re no longer a supporter. Same bullshit the trust wronguns pulled out every time people pointed out they’d given up on the club.
Wow another hero fucking super fan!
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
Godden was never going to last 90 minutes so I think we got it right yesterday in terms of having a go in the first half when we were at our strongest and then settling for a point vs the usual of making it to half time at 0-0 and then trying to nick it. Thought the subs were a little slow to be made but it was a clever defensive move to go to 2 strikers to push Stoke back a bit when they were on top.

Stoke are another one of the template teams for the mid to upper half of the Championship, there's a fair few of these teams now who are all just generic 6 foot athletes with one or 2 bigger names in their squads, relying on overpowering teams rather than outfootballing them - very little trickery or guile on display. Given our physical size and squad limitations, a point is a good result against that style of team.
 
Last edited:

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
Godden was never going to last 90 minutes so I think we got it right yesterday in terms of having a go in the first half when we were at our strongest and then settling for a point vs the usual of making it to half time at 0-0 and then trying to nick it. Thought the subs were a little slow to be made but it was a clever defensive move to go to 2 strikers to push Stoke back a bit when they were on top.

Stoke are another one of the template teams for the upper half of the Championship, there's a fair few of these teams now who are all just generic 6 foot athletes with one or 2 bigger names in their squads, relying on overpowering teams rather than outfootballing them - very little trickery or guile on display. Given our physical size and squad limitations, a point is a good result against that style of team.
Agree. Millwall, Birmingham, Stoke, Rotherham, Cardiff, Middlesbro and possibly Luton - I would put all of these clubs in a group of teams who have big hard players first and foremost, They then rely on one or two players who have a bit more quality to produce, but become mind numbingly average if they don't, or those players get injured.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
It’s imperative with Walker out that we don’t overload Godden so I agree. Was a decent point yesterday.
Agree - I'd leave Godden out for PNE, perhaps use him for Millwall, then rest him for the Cup game, so he is fresh for the home game v Sheff Wed,
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
Agree - I'd leave Godden out for PNE, perhaps use him for Millwall, then rest him for the Cup game, so he is fresh for the home game v Sheff Wed,
I’d think about giving O’Hare a break from the start and playing Biamou up with Godden so he isn’t chasing so much, when Godden tires I’d then bring him off for O’Hare’s energy from the bench.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Agree - I'd leave Godden out for PNE, perhaps use him for Millwall, then rest him for the Cup game, so he is fresh for the home game v Sheff Wed,

To be honest I’d field a 2nd XI in the Cup, give players who need the game time the opportunity with little pressure riding on it. It’s a shit tie anyway so no harm done.
 

BornSlippySkyBlue

Well-Known Member
I’d think about giving O’Hare a break from the start and playing Biamou up with Godden so he isn’t chasing so much, when Godden tires I’d then bring him off for O’Hare’s energy from the bench.
Quite like that idea, O’Hare has gone from a sometimes starter / impact sub in l1 to playing pretty much every minute in the championship. We need to be careful with him, a rest would do him good. Also he’s dangerous AF coming on against tired legs and if he can nick a goal or two it would do his confidence the world of good.
 

ccfc92

Well-Known Member
Are you serious? They will be scratching their headings wondering how they didn’t have a comfortable win

Because they had about 1 notable shot on target from what I remember, the Wilson save.

The game was there to be won for both teams, we didn't look massively inferior, just didn't have that bit of luck in front of goal.
 

procdoc

Well-Known Member
I’d think about giving O’Hare a break from the start and playing Biamou up with Godden so he isn’t chasing so much, when Godden tires I’d then bring him off for O’Hare’s energy from the bench.
I agree, think he needs a rest. I’d start Giles as an attacking mid perhaps if we choose to play one up front again
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top