STOKE CITY FC 2 BOLTON WANDERERS 2
Not wishing to belittle the effort which our team put into this match,it had many of the ingredients of pure circus.Bolton simply had to win,but nothing looked less likely for the first 35 minutes or so.Stoke's opener,would you believe on THIRTEEN minutes,was pure slapstick.Jon Walters has not been able to buy a goal in recent weeks.Imagine,if you will,two clowns in the circus ring amiably jostling and joshing each other.So it was in the Bolton 6 yard box,Walters,playfully,bumping into Bogdan,the keeper throwing the ball into the net for our amusement,or so it seemed.There were at least 4,000 peoplewho did not see the funny side,most of us felt Ref Foy would be sure to rule the effort out,but he entered into the spirit of things on a fine sunny afternoon.Nothing to see,the goal stood!
In the final 10 minutes of the half we had rich entertainment,side splitting stuff,if you had the humour to cope with it.Kevin Davies hit our bar,Bolton's confidence rose.On 39 minutes they created a kerfuffle in our six yard box.Robert Huth sped to the rescue,gave the ball an almighty clout,directly against Michael Davies' legs.The ball entered our net like a rocket,past bemused keeper Sorensen.You could argue that our Danish international keeper was still in shock six minutes later.Bolton skipper Kevin Davies received the ball far out on our right.There seemed little danger as he launched the ball toward our goal mouth,no other Bolton forward in sight.Sorro rose majestically
extending his arm (as if to acknowledge the crowd) before clattering into the goal post as the ball sailed into the net to give the visitors a halftime lead,and every hope of surviving in the Premiership.
Stoke pushed and probed,Ricardo Fuller took his leave of us,but still no real opening against a poor Bolton defence until 76 minutes.Peter Crouch,who had a pretty good match overall,received the ball in the Bolton penalty area.His shot was well saved by Bogdan,but the ball broke loose,and as Crouch pursued it he was brought down by the keeper,more an accidental tangling of legs rather than a deliberate trip,but a penalty was awarded.
Jon Walters made no mistake,converting from the spot.This,plus news from elsewhere,knocked what little wind there was out of Bolton's sails.After 11 seasons they slipped back into the Championship.For our part the final position 14th in the table on 45 points might be viewed as something of a disappointment.
Still I'm pretty sure its the sort of disappointment Bolton fans could do with right now!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
AND ANOTHER EARLY POST....MAKE OF IT WHAT YOU WILL
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2006
Ricardo Fuller
A thought or two about Stoke's 26 year old Jamaican forward......
First, at around £500,000, he is beginning to look like a particularly sharp piece of business by Manager Tony Pulis.
Second the way he took his goal against Norwich on Saturday marked something that we have not had at Stoke for a while : a striker who does NOT panic and shoot wildly wide or over the top if the goalmouth beckons.
From our viewpoint on Saturday he seemed to be closed down as he moved along the 6 yard line, not once, but twice. He had the cool and confidence to push the ball each time before popping it skillfully into the net.
Hopefully he will steer clear of injury.....if he does then Pulis's prediction of 15 to 20 goals this season will not be far wide of the mark.
First, at around £500,000, he is beginning to look like a particularly sharp piece of business by Manager Tony Pulis.
Second the way he took his goal against Norwich on Saturday marked something that we have not had at Stoke for a while : a striker who does NOT panic and shoot wildly wide or over the top if the goalmouth beckons.
From our viewpoint on Saturday he seemed to be closed down as he moved along the 6 yard line, not once, but twice. He had the cool and confidence to push the ball each time before popping it skillfully into the net.
Hopefully he will steer clear of injury.....if he does then Pulis's prediction of 15 to 20 goals this season will not be far wide of the mark.
FIRST POST ON HERE ....5½ YEARS AGO
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2006
Leeds Utd 0 Stoke City 4
Died and gone to Heaven.One swallow does not make a summer but....not only did they take the lead today but they had every intention of increasing it by all accounts. No way back for Leeds,unlike teams in earlier away matches this season.Loanees all made a substantial contribution.....and Fuller 2 in 2....if he stays fit could he be our first20 goal a season striker for a good while? Sincerely hope so.
Monday, May 07, 2012
ONE GET OUT OF JAIL CARD PROVIDED.....ANOTHER NEXT SUNDAY?
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1 STOKE CITY FC 0
Stoke continue to limp toward the finishing line,providing succour to others as they go.This was a must win game for QPR.Now whether the home side were just nervous or just dire it took them along time to overcome a jaded looking Stoke outfit.
Ricardo Fuller,sad to say,is not the player he was before his recent major injury.Two or three seasons ago he was capable of changing the course of a game with his mesmeric skills.I think we have just witnessed the swan song of a fine player,one to whom we owe a great deal.
Cameron Jerome got his wish.He started the game but was unable to deliver the goods on this occasion,before being subbed with 12 minutes to go.His best chance spurned within four minutes of the start.Crouchie and Walters continued below par.
Whilst for the most part sound at the back,restricting QPR to relatively few chances,we were undone late in the day,when Cisse finally netted with a minute of normal time to go .
So one lifeline provided.QPR on 37 points could well escape the drop,even though they face a more than tricky final day fixture at Manchester City.
On 35 points Bolton's position is now desperate,just as Wigan's was when they came to The Brit for the final game last season.
With Wigan and QPR already on 37 points anything less than a win against us and the trapdoor opens for them.
Where would you put your money?
Surely not two escape acts at the same ground,on the last day of successive seasons........
Stoke continue to limp toward the finishing line,providing succour to others as they go.This was a must win game for QPR.Now whether the home side were just nervous or just dire it took them along time to overcome a jaded looking Stoke outfit.
Ricardo Fuller,sad to say,is not the player he was before his recent major injury.Two or three seasons ago he was capable of changing the course of a game with his mesmeric skills.I think we have just witnessed the swan song of a fine player,one to whom we owe a great deal.
Cameron Jerome got his wish.He started the game but was unable to deliver the goods on this occasion,before being subbed with 12 minutes to go.His best chance spurned within four minutes of the start.Crouchie and Walters continued below par.
Whilst for the most part sound at the back,restricting QPR to relatively few chances,we were undone late in the day,when Cisse finally netted with a minute of normal time to go .
So one lifeline provided.QPR on 37 points could well escape the drop,even though they face a more than tricky final day fixture at Manchester City.
On 35 points Bolton's position is now desperate,just as Wigan's was when they came to The Brit for the final game last season.
With Wigan and QPR already on 37 points anything less than a win against us and the trapdoor opens for them.
Where would you put your money?
Surely not two escape acts at the same ground,on the last day of successive seasons........
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
EVEN STEVEN AT THE BRIT
STOKE CITY FC 1 EVERTON 1
This was a fair result.Neither side really looked likely to score,despite much hustle and bustle,until Crouch ,as the announcer put it,'unfortunately 'headed the ball into his own net just on the stroke of halftime..Everton nullified Etherington,often with three men marking when he had the ball.
Crouch teamed up with Kenwyne Jones and Walters.The latter made little impression to begin with,but once head-bandaged after a collision, even less seemed to go for him.Everton's strong central pairing got a grip on Crouch,but less so on Jones.Our only real and consistent threat came from Delap long throws.
Stoke did not look like retrieving the situation,until Tony Pulis subbed three players on 67 minutes,with Fuller,Jerome,and Whelan replacing Walters,Crouch,and Delap.The effect was more or less immediate.Jerome received a ball from Upson over the top.He hustled through the attentions of two defenders,driving powerfully down the centre of the field,before shooting over keeper Howard into the net for the equaliser.
Stoke looked a much livelier outfit over the last 20 minutes,with Fuller,Jerome,and Jones in harness.Right at the death a Huth freekick from outside the box could well have brought us the additional two points.Unfortunately from our point of view his goal bound shot was deflected into the grateful arms of keeper Howard.
This point takes up one place to 13th in the table....hopefully it will be lucky for some,as we go into our final two games.
This was a fair result.Neither side really looked likely to score,despite much hustle and bustle,until Crouch ,as the announcer put it,'unfortunately 'headed the ball into his own net just on the stroke of halftime..Everton nullified Etherington,often with three men marking when he had the ball.
Crouch teamed up with Kenwyne Jones and Walters.The latter made little impression to begin with,but once head-bandaged after a collision, even less seemed to go for him.Everton's strong central pairing got a grip on Crouch,but less so on Jones.Our only real and consistent threat came from Delap long throws.
Stoke did not look like retrieving the situation,until Tony Pulis subbed three players on 67 minutes,with Fuller,Jerome,and Whelan replacing Walters,Crouch,and Delap.The effect was more or less immediate.Jerome received a ball from Upson over the top.He hustled through the attentions of two defenders,driving powerfully down the centre of the field,before shooting over keeper Howard into the net for the equaliser.
Stoke looked a much livelier outfit over the last 20 minutes,with Fuller,Jerome,and Jones in harness.Right at the death a Huth freekick from outside the box could well have brought us the additional two points.Unfortunately from our point of view his goal bound shot was deflected into the grateful arms of keeper Howard.
This point takes up one place to 13th in the table....hopefully it will be lucky for some,as we go into our final two games.
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