ExiledGeordie

He's a natural finisher, will get goals. He hasn't been bang on but I don't think our play recently has had enough for him to feed off really. A lot of the goals he scored last season came with him running onto balls across/through. Love to see him smash a couple in on thursday!!!!

As good as MYM is, we're in the shit again if Taylor gets injured and his problem is he doesn't do niggles for 2-3 weeks. He does months out with injury and this applies to next season. If as it seems Colo will be gone in the summer then we'll have to get a really solid centre half in as cover/competition. Williamson should be the absolute last resort but even Perch showed composure playing with MYM so maybe even him before Williamson.

He's not my type but I suppose he's attractive enough. Simon Bird on total sport quoted Hiddink as saying he thought a hamstring injury would keep him out

Agree with you, his style wasn't ideal for Stoke but in general he'll be a great weapon for us. Well said and especially as Stoke were hardly coming to have a go at us. Negative, spoiling tactics to go with most of our players being slightly off contributed to a frustrating day. I noted a few runs where Sissoko got into full stride but there options weren't there with runners and there were too often simply too many Stoke players to cut things out. I've always though HBA's return will really help the likes of Sissoko because you can tell they'll be on a similar wavelength when they break into attack. They'll create space for each other. To be honest I think some people over anaylse performances too much.

Pretty much this. He had an off game like most of the team v Stoke and taking into consideration how good he's been since he's arrived you make it sound like there are gaping holes in his play. He had some storming runs on Sunday and sure some f the passes went array but howay man put it in context, he's been a revelation since he arrived

Ashley must know he has a prize asset in HBA so why he'd sell to Liverpool is beyond me. I suppose every player has their price but it would take a massive bid to get him and after recent financial reports about Liverpool are they going to have money to throw around. It's not even a priority position for them. Anyway any updated news on HBA yet regarding thursday or the weekend?

I think he looks really commanding at the minute but his problem is whenever he gets on a good run he gets injured and they're always really bad injuries that keep him out for months. I just hope he can stay fit for a while this time.

I get the impression him and Sissoko are being boxed in a bit because teams have shag all to worry about in terms of threat from Jonas irrespective of the effort he puts in. That means they can concentrate on trying to nullify Gouffran and Sissoko. And Cisse for all his natural ability doesn't have the pace to test a back line. A fully fit HBA totally opens things up because immediately he draws so much attention. That should also create space for players to run into and onto balls from Cabaye - Debuchy, Sissoko, Cisse, Gouffran etc

I did actually ask him what the plan was mate and he said only the lower half. I guess that might change though if there's the demand surely?

Just been down and picked up a couple of tickets, selling out fast. North west corner is the only place you can get two seats together.

I did laugh at the thought of those who left early missing the winning goal

Definitely and like Sissoko he'll benefit from the potential more space created if we ever see HBA back on the pitch again. We paid less than 1m for him too

What do you mean trying to do too much? Holding on to the ball too long silly attempts on dribbling, all that twisting and turning bullshit and trying to pick out cutting edge passes. His role is to get the ball and then get rid of it, preferably a simple short ball to his nearest team mate. As above pretty much, that's what I mean. From what I've seen watching him live this season he seems to get caught out of position too much and caught in posession by being in the wrong position. When he first arrived and when he's at his best he patrols that space in front of the back four laterally, mopping up balls and breaking things up. When he starts heading too far down field with the ball that's when things go wrong. That's when he's move likely to lose the ball by being tackled or giving up possession by putting in aimless balls. Sure have the occasional blast from outside the area if the chance presents itself but I hope they coach him back into what he does best.

It's almost by doing less on the pitch and sticking to the simple stuff before he had far greater impacts on games for the better yet now by trying to do too much he's having an impact alright but it's detrimental to the side. Still think he was alright yesterday apart from that challenge. But Cabaye really got him out of jail with that goal because I thought Stoke would frustrate and hold on for an annoying win. The equaliser then changed the game again.

He doesn't do anything badly wrong at the moment but the lack of an attacking threat down whichever side he's on is clear as the day to see. Desperately need more attacking impetus to stretch the field a lot more with someone like HBA.

And yet he was succeeding when he first arrived. Alright teams have realised that if they hassle him he's often hurried into mistakes on the ball but I think it's more of a case of just sloppy play and decision making. He needs to go back and watch videos of what he was doing when he first arrived.

Again Yeah unfortunately its just asking for a red card at the moment and they'll know that too.

You'll just get more annoyed when you see it, utterly ridiculous challenge. That was my reaction anyway

Hahaha quality

Played really well I thought but god knows what he was doing for that challenge. Really thought it was ping to be one of those days when that pen went in

Ridiculous wasn't it

That's a good point Ian and I had a similar thought leaving the ground We weren't at our best today but Stoke are past masters at making life difficult for teams by any means necessary, literally. It'll keep them in the league but magine coaching that ffs

Just got back from the match. Pretty awful match all things considered, Christ Cisse was awful bar the goal but then he's there to d that I suppose He'll get,goals with the right service but Christ some of his link of play and today he pretty had 2 left feet. Thought he was lucky to stay on the pitch to be honest from where I was sitting but will have to see highlights again. We desperately need HBA back to give us more attacking balance and its so noticeable when Sissoko picks the ball up and runs. He's often on is own. Absolute steam train of a player though What an absolute shower Stoke are, and people pay to watch that week in week out, fuck me. Truly the anti football Christ. S glad we put this shower away even if it wasn't pretty.

Glad he got the winning goal. Looked like he was lucky to stay on the pitch from where I was sitting, but will have to see the highlights.

I definitely wouldn't have moaned if he hadn't played on thursday. Let's just hope it's a small knock though.