alexf

Another of those fixtures we normally struggle in over the last few years. Think it was 2-1 to them last year? So hopefully we continue our good run of beating teams we often struggle against at home

did fear a smith-like capitulation when he came on but thank god we didnt

Agreed, getting more and more impressed with him. Wins almost every header and holds the ball up well, needs to find a way to do something individually when he has the ball though gets to predictable that he'll pass it to Cabaye or Simpson or whoever, needs to try and turn the defender away and get a shot in at times. I think he is quite good at that normally, working a yard and then hitting it with either foot. But he didn't really have much opportunity to do that last night apart from maybe when he miss-hit it and set up Ba's 2nd. Was quite pleased he took on that long range effort, wasn't the worst hit and good to see he had the confidence to take it on. And yeah like i and alot of others have said for awhile his hold up play and bringing others into play is excellent and perhaps one of the best parts of his game.

He needs to be subbed on for obertan on the wing until he gets up to speed and given the more free one of the wingers with jonas being the more defensive of the two just like last night. If Obertan had taken people on last night and lost it on the wing no one would have cared because that was he role. Stoke isnt an ideal game for HBA, but that sort of match where we leave him best and ba upfront to counter attack i think he can be just as useful as obertan and once he gains fitness/confidence may then go on to replace him in the starting 11

Ray "my word" wilkins

Nailed on to be next England manager then

Love the way he is learning from his mistakes. In the build up to the game he said he got it wrong away at stoke last year and that it was his fault. Well he went and put that right tonight. Brilliant!

Dashing in there to get his kit off so he can headbutt James Beattie again probably. always sprints out last aswell after all the teams are on the pitch so he can get his own applause from the fans

who would have thought that 12 months ago

"best smile in football" according to some cunt like clive tyldesley or something

Id take that. I just want us to turn up and actually put a decent performance in because im sick of getting beat by that bunch

as much as i want west brom to win, i do like seeing an angry roy hodgson

agree with this. WBA look shocking

think carroll will score today

man he really does say "PEL-ANTY" what an idiot

I think losing enrique on the cheap still hurts more than carroll. Possibly because carroll is still playing crap so far i don't know, plus that whole "liverpool have found a gem in enrique" Fuck off!

Seems like he wanted to be newcastle manager again not liverpools the way he's collecting our players. Would be fucking ridiculous if it happened but i don't believe it will personally

thought jonas deflected it in?

Why? He's a right back and Right back is our weakest position in the team currently. Im worried that as soon as we get comfortable with having R.Taylor at left back he will revert back to being absolutely woeful

How was his attacking? sounded like he had a few runs going by the radio?

Please tell me he didnt really say that? god i hate that man, He probably spent most of the time looking over his neighbours shoulder wanking over the liverpool game and then cutting back to us when the camera was on him. Not to say ben arfa didnt have a bad game just i very much dislike big nose. Wasn't at the game but from the radio yeah they kept saying he was anonymous but there were times in the 2nd half where they would say ben arfa had beaten a few players or linked up well with marveaux so can't be the "worse performance eva!!!" or i hope not as he might start getting down and doubting himself that he can be the same player pre-broken leg.

Yep thats what ive been saying, plus it changes the whole formation and balance of the team having a "No.10" role and it's way more pressure on him than is needed right now.

He needs to be eased in from the wing. That's what we did when he joined last season and he was excellent there before the injury.