Michael O'Neill Disappointed Following Cardiff City Defeat

Cardiff City 1 Stoke City 0

Not much to shout about here,I’m afraid. Average to poor showings from both sides,with Cardiff managing the one decisive moment with Bacuna’s close range shot into the net at around 10 minutes, to top off some smart interpassing.

There was no lack of effort ,with some creativity, from The Potters, but for the most part little penetration into real danger areas.

No change in table position.Start again Saturday against Blackburn Rovers at the Bet365.

Managers Delight......And Ours Too.

Stoke City's Mame Diouf On Cloud 19

Longest goal celebration in recorded history,culminating in a quick individual prayer session on the pitch.

Stoke City 2 Wigan Athletic 1......Good Times Returning To Stoke?!

That felt something like the old Stoke,of the Huth's. Walters',Whelan's.Very much trying to be on the front foot,A lively start,which should have been marked with goals.No heads down when yet another mix up,this time between Butland and Edwards,giftedWigan a simple opening goal.

Instead we responded bravely with character,and,dare I say more confidently,than in the recent past.With the crowd very much onside we pressured our visitors,equalising early in the second half when Batth, in the six yard box,turned Woods' wicked free kick into the net.

Despite prompting from  left wing McClean,we spent the next 40 minutes huffing and puffing but not scoring.Man of the Match McClean, with surging runs, provided at least five brilliant  crosses into the goalmouth,all of them looking easy to convert, but the other forwards contrived in various ways to miss the chances created.

As the game drifted toward a draw we were not sure what to expect when Mame Biram Diouf came on as sub.A last throw of the dice,or an inspired move by our new manager?Deep into added on time we had the answer.

Inspired!Forgotten man Diouf was on hand in a goalmouth scramble to cooly place the ball into the net for the winner.His first goal since April 2018,and the trigger for a massive celebration.

So Michael O'Neill two games,two wins, six points....on goal difference not quite out of the bottom three in the table....but moving in the right direction at last.

More of the same at Cardiff on Tuesday night would be special

First Match I've Really Looked Forward To For A While.

This Is Michael O'Neills Stoke City ....Soon

Watched the Northern Ireland v Holland match yesterday to see if it perhaps provided pointers  for Stoke City's immediate future.In my view the N.Irish did very well indeed,against a talented Dutch side.

A creditable draw,and, who knows, with firmer refereeing of the Dutch antics around the penalty incident, it could have been 1-0 to NI.

What pointers for Stokies though?

1. The whole  NI team showed great energy and commitment to the cause.

2. Great commitment and support to each other.

3. High pressing verging on harassment to win the ball back.

4. Not allowing their opposition to settle.

5.Very little sideways or backward passing.

6.Looking to go forward in numbers at every opportunity.

We can do it too.

What have I missed out? Why not let us all know what you think we can look forward to at STOKE CITY with this manager at the helm.

Stoke Ever Present Sam Clucas' Barnsley After Match.......

Two brilliant goals from Clucas but unfortunately picked up a foot injury and had to come off early.

Stokies Would Really Like Much More Of This !! Barnsley 2-4 Stoke City

That's Better......Barnsley 2 Stoke city 4!

New manager bounce, leaving the diamond behind, playing a system the players we have can deliver with, and, well, scoring 4 goals in a single match ! Barnsley may not be very good, but we've said  that about a few sides this season, and got beaten by them.

Hopefully this is a sign of things to come as we said after the Swansea and Fulham results. An occasional defensive frailty is still evident,  but O'Neill's reputation has been in part down to solid organised defences. Expect big improvements there.

Brilliant start to a new chapter in Stoke's history. A Saturday night to look forward to for a change....enjoy it!

New Manager Pitches Straight In

Developments on the Managerial Front

Michael O'Neill, Northern Ireland team manager, could well be Nathan Jones successor as manager at Stoke City.

Rory Delap takes Barnsley pre-match conference.

Rory Delap looks to be in caretaker charge of the Barnsley match. The gist of it was that Stoke are indeed in a relegation struggle, the players mental fragility needs to be replaced with greater confidence and fight :that 14 matches will have to be won. 

He reserved praise for the fans,always supportive,and travelling in numbers despite our current state.

I wish him luck,and the 2,400 travelling Stokies.A win would be such a tonic.

Stumble And Fall?

Apart from a brief period of brighter play just after the break ( and at the very end after the introduction of McClean), Stoke never looked likely to upset their  visitors West Bromwich Albion,whose 2-0 victory took them to the top of the Championship table.

Stoke are now 6 points adrift of safety at the bottom.

The Bet 365 substantially emptied before the final whistle.

The sub standard performance deflated the crowd and caretaker manager Rory Delap.

  


If things carry on as they are relegation looks more and more likely.

Stoke City Struggling / Staggering Toward The Future

Long time no write...guess its been something to do with apathy or disappointment.Had misgivings at the start of last season but crossed my fingers and hoped.

Since then we've seen Gary Rowett burdened with excessive expectation ( and inherited difficulties behind the scenes) anchor us in mid table,but within reach of the top six, before being shown the door, unfairly in my opinion.

He was replaced in the managerial hotseat by a very earnest well meaning fellow, Nathan Jones, seriously successful at Luton Town.Good fortune has not followed him to Stoke. Few wins have been recorded in his nine months at Stoke.There are Stokies who would dub him the world's unluckiest football manager. Much has already been spoken and written as to why that might be, I have no new insights to offer.

Suffice it to say, he leaves us currently hopelessly anchored at the bottom of the Championship table.

Our new manager has a difficult job ahead.Who will it be after the Alex Neil fiasco this weekend?

Here's wishing Rory Delap and the team success against WBA  tomorrow night.