Sunday, January 12, 2020
Bore Draw....Stoke City FC 0 Millwall 0
Something of a grand bore draw......Mr Rowett set his stall not to lose.....plan only threatened once, a goal line clearance from a close range Campbell effort keeping Stoke out.
This is a far different Stoke to that (those !) which appeared in earlier home games this season.Plenty of fight, and resilient, but sadly again not much in the way of penetration.
Allen had an outsanding game.....wonder whether it is his last for us?Any Prem scouts watching would have been impressed.Gregory's late few minutes cameo could be his last for us,with a move to Cardiff being on the cards.
Butland had little to do, two or three good saves.Will it be West Ham or Aston Villa for him? Time will tell,as it will with Campbell and Celtic / Rangers interest.
We are no longer an easy touch, as Michael O'Neill continues his rebuild.Still hovering above the drop zone though.
This is a far different Stoke to that (those !) which appeared in earlier home games this season.Plenty of fight, and resilient, but sadly again not much in the way of penetration.
Allen had an outsanding game.....wonder whether it is his last for us?Any Prem scouts watching would have been impressed.Gregory's late few minutes cameo could be his last for us,with a move to Cardiff being on the cards.
Butland had little to do, two or three good saves.Will it be West Ham or Aston Villa for him? Time will tell,as it will with Campbell and Celtic / Rangers interest.
We are no longer an easy touch, as Michael O'Neill continues his rebuild.Still hovering above the drop zone though.
Thursday, January 02, 2020
FIVE GOALS AWAY......Huddersfield Town 2 Stoke City 5
Well, in the end, that was a real pleasure.
After a short two goal wobble by The Potters, considering our 18 month form plus a massive 20 minutes left, there was no prospect of relaxing even when we reached 2 - 4!
My confidence though flooded back when we made it 2 - 5 with just added on time to go.A fine win against a Huddersfield side which had been enjoying recent success particularly at home.
Michael O'Neill's freshening up of the side was most effective.Powell made a classy difference in midfield, where Captain Allen was again at his busy best. McClean continues in the excellent form that MoN has helped him rediscover. Campbell represents a proper goal threat,from a defenders' perspective, not as predictable as Ince, quicker, more incisive and able to finish. Vokes with company up front looked much happier.
Have we moved closer to fielding our best side and system?
After a short two goal wobble by The Potters, considering our 18 month form plus a massive 20 minutes left, there was no prospect of relaxing even when we reached 2 - 4!
My confidence though flooded back when we made it 2 - 5 with just added on time to go.A fine win against a Huddersfield side which had been enjoying recent success particularly at home.
Michael O'Neill's freshening up of the side was most effective.Powell made a classy difference in midfield, where Captain Allen was again at his busy best. McClean continues in the excellent form that MoN has helped him rediscover. Campbell represents a proper goal threat,from a defenders' perspective, not as predictable as Ince, quicker, more incisive and able to finish. Vokes with company up front looked much happier.
Have we moved closer to fielding our best side and system?
Monday, December 30, 2019
Narrow Defeat ...Fulham 1 Stoke City FC 0
Not much difference between the bottom and the top of the Championship.Poorish first half from The Potters,much improved second half toward the end of which we might have salvaged a point.
But it was not to be....London is still a poor hunting ground for us.Shawcross effectively shackled their leading scorer Mitrovic, but Fulham went in front on 26 minutes through Decordova-Reid who tapped home when Jack Butland could only parry a Knockaert ball across the face of his goal.
The home side had further excellent chances but Butland was equal to all challenges making some fine saves.
Toward the end of the second half Stoke came more into the game and could have snatched a deserved point,Baath heading wide and keeper Rodak coping with a strong McClean volley.The impression that Fulham were hanging on in the end was confirmed when Rodak was booked for time wasting.
Apart from losing the worst element of this game was the sight at the end of Ryan Shawcross hobbling around with a calf injury,which looks pretty certain to keep him out of the Huddersfield game.
But it was not to be....London is still a poor hunting ground for us.Shawcross effectively shackled their leading scorer Mitrovic, but Fulham went in front on 26 minutes through Decordova-Reid who tapped home when Jack Butland could only parry a Knockaert ball across the face of his goal.
The home side had further excellent chances but Butland was equal to all challenges making some fine saves.
Toward the end of the second half Stoke came more into the game and could have snatched a deserved point,Baath heading wide and keeper Rodak coping with a strong McClean volley.The impression that Fulham were hanging on in the end was confirmed when Rodak was booked for time wasting.
Apart from losing the worst element of this game was the sight at the end of Ryan Shawcross hobbling around with a calf injury,which looks pretty certain to keep him out of the Huddersfield game.
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Friday, December 27, 2019
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Stoke City FC Matchday............Season Ticket Holder Dedication Test....To Go or Not To Go?
STOKE propping up the Championship table........half way through the season....
Sheffield Wednesday are our visitors, playing well under Gary Monk, third in the table.
Boxing Day = Family
Stokie Weather = Cloudy, little light rain, 7 degrees (Not bad considering some of the weather we have had to contend with this season.)
Travel = 3/4 hour each way given a clearish run on the road. (Nothing compared with distances covered by heroic long distance ST holders !)
Match facts
Stoke are winless in seven league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D4 L3) since a victory back in November 2005.
Sheffield Wednesday haven't completed a league double over Stoke since the 1952-53 campaign.
This is Stoke's first home league match on Boxing Day since 2015, when they won 2-0 against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Sheffield Wednesday have won their last five league matches on Boxing Day, and haven't conceded a goal in any of their last seven matches played on that day.
Stoke have won only once in their last six Championship matches (W1 D1 L4), losing last time out, despite taking the lead vs Middlesbrough.
Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan was the match-winner for the Owls last time out, netting from the spot vs Bristol City - he hasn't scored in consecutive league games since April.
(BBC Sport)
What to do???
Sheffield Wednesday are our visitors, playing well under Gary Monk, third in the table.
Boxing Day = Family
Stokie Weather = Cloudy, little light rain, 7 degrees (Not bad considering some of the weather we have had to contend with this season.)
Travel = 3/4 hour each way given a clearish run on the road. (Nothing compared with distances covered by heroic long distance ST holders !)
Match facts
Stoke are winless in seven league games against Sheffield Wednesday (D4 L3) since a victory back in November 2005.
Sheffield Wednesday haven't completed a league double over Stoke since the 1952-53 campaign.
This is Stoke's first home league match on Boxing Day since 2015, when they won 2-0 against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Sheffield Wednesday have won their last five league matches on Boxing Day, and haven't conceded a goal in any of their last seven matches played on that day.
Stoke have won only once in their last six Championship matches (W1 D1 L4), losing last time out, despite taking the lead vs Middlesbrough.
Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan was the match-winner for the Owls last time out, netting from the spot vs Bristol City - he hasn't scored in consecutive league games since April.
(BBC Sport)
What to do???
Saturday, December 21, 2019
More of the Same....Middlesbrough 2 Stoke City 1
Again The Potters contrive to lose a game they should have won.Overall they had the best of the first half (without really threatening to score) against a makeshift home outfit.
Second half and Clucas came up with another goal, to put us ahead, following good work by Gregory having been set free by a long ball down the right.
The home team had not won any game this season where it went behind.But this is Stoke....Within 4 minutes 'Boro equalised with Stoke's back four waiting for an offside flag that never came. Shortly after Clucas was felled in the home penalty area,but no penalty awarded,just a yellow card for supposedly faking it all.Poor decision,which once again seemed to knock the stuffing out of our fragile team.
Momentum was with 'Boro. They escaped Stoke's high press,advanced on a retreating defence,with Wing scoring a fine winner from distance.No chance for Butland to save.
You knew we were not coming back from that
Second half and Clucas came up with another goal, to put us ahead, following good work by Gregory having been set free by a long ball down the right.
The home team had not won any game this season where it went behind.But this is Stoke....Within 4 minutes 'Boro equalised with Stoke's back four waiting for an offside flag that never came. Shortly after Clucas was felled in the home penalty area,but no penalty awarded,just a yellow card for supposedly faking it all.Poor decision,which once again seemed to knock the stuffing out of our fragile team.
Momentum was with 'Boro. They escaped Stoke's high press,advanced on a retreating defence,with Wing scoring a fine winner from distance.No chance for Butland to save.
You knew we were not coming back from that
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