St1pe

You haven't watched many of our away games, have you? As for the first line. I can kind of see your point. But even that fraud Pardew, would actually grind the occasional result out away from home. We've fluked a win against Bournemouth and beat Spurs with a last minute winner. TBF, at least we played well in the second half of that game. Apart from that, last night, was how I see us play away from home most weeks. The Everton and Chelsea games are still fresh in my mind and it's been going on far longer than that. I think we've known each other long enough across a couple of forums over the years for me not to have to answer that question. I'm not arguing the away form has been anything other than horrendous but tactically that was as bad as it has ever been for me last night. He's made dodgy decisions in the past like the 3 at the back v Watford away but a lot of those times he was hamstrung be selection. He tried something, it didn't work so you can sort of see the reasoning and move on. He had a number of better solutions last night and he completely bottled it against a side that were there to done. I watched that nonesense for seasons under Pardew and simply can't abide it now. He has to go.

I don't hate him at all and the Pardew comparison is very harsh for me. Last nights tactics and team selection was what we had almost every single game for years under Pardew yet he had the balls to re-write history and blame us for it. That said, I woke up half an hour or so before the alarm clock this morning absolutely livid about that shambles last night. That was comfortably the worst team selection, tactics and subs I've seen since Pardew was at his worst. Stoke were there for the taking and McClaren was crippled by fear. I almost felt sorry for him doubled over sat on the bench almost praying. He's lost it. He's given it his best shot but that sort of defeatest, no balls performance will comfortably see us down. Someone needs to step in because if we fail to beat Bournemouth there is absolutely no way we'll get 5 wins from those remaining games. I could get behind McClaren when we were going for games but missing chances. That's why people didn't turn on him because despite the result you could see things were better. I can't support whatever that was last night.

Needs to go.

Worst team selection, tactics and subs I've seen from us as long as I can remember.

Can see this being the end if it goes tits up today.

Just noticed no Tiote either.

Wow! I was feeling confident of a win before the game but that line-up is shocking. Townsend dropping out was a blow but leaving Perez or Aarons out in favour of Gouffran is absolutely mental. Question marks over Mitrovic's fitness plus a makeshift back four... If we fail to win this McClaren's job has to be seriously looked at.

Chronicle reporting Townsend will face a late fitness test but may not be risked. I hope this is just some sort of bullshit attempt at disrupting the oppositions tactics.

Where is reporting Townsend is injured?

This seems like the type of game a team in Stoke's position would totally mess up after getting a solid win at the weekend. Hoping we really pull this out of the bag tonight.

4th official has passed out or something in the Bournemouth game. Half time whistle blown early because of it

No way are Bournemouth going down.

Watching the Bournemouth game on BT. We really need to beat Stoke tomorrow because I think we'll struggle against Bournemouth's high energy/pressing game. Would love to see Howe given a job here.

Saylor and Lascelles at the back doesn't sound ideal.

I think we'll win depending on what the back four looks like. If Saylor and Aarons remain it'll look fairly ominous against Stoke's front three. I'm feeling weirdly positive about the next handful of games though.

Oh god it's Danny Mills. I was wondering as well.

He's been poor in some games, I'm not keen on him being the captan but with Mbemba still injured the thought of Saylor and Lascelles at the back doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence.

I've just caught up with the Benitez interview. The club must be absolute mugs if they don't do whatever it takes to get him asap if he wants to return to the Premier League. The only other clubs that could potentially be interested in him that he'd consider going to would be Everton as Martinez isn't exactly held in high regard at the minute and maybe Chelsea again if they fail to secure a top target.

Benitez did a fantastic job at Chelsea and Napoli, didn't do too badly at Real, he'll have far better options that he'll turn down that would be better than joining us.

Pretty much my feelings as well. 3-4 weeks isn't a massive layoff considering we don't play for 2 weeks and it'll give Doumbia and Perez a chance to shine. Perez losing his first team place has been pretty harsh on him. He's been fairly central to the majority of good results we've had this season. That said he didn't particularly operate well as a lone striker v Everton. He might be forced to change the system.

I wish a could enjoy this inevitable demise along side Villa going down. We're just too s*** to take any sort of satisfaction from it. That said, those Villa fans kicking off the other week did crack a smile. Where's your banners now you utter mugs.

That's a good point on the away form Vlad. Aside from a few good performances where we were unlucky like at Arsenal and the win at Spurs it's been absolute toilet and that has to come from the manager. I disagree on taking the other names mentioned though. I overheard someone talking earlier about bringing in a motivator to work a long side Cathro and the coaching staff like Sherwood or Redknapp and although I think those names are laughable to replace him with I wonder if it is simply a matter of motivation and confidence.

An unpopular opinion but voted no. There's been some serious exaggerations since that Chelsea hammering. If we'd have taken our chances - not even most of them just the glaring opportunities we've had - we'd be well clear of the bottom three. There's been some horrible decisions like the 3 at the back phase, dropping Mitrovic away to Everton and that shambles at the weekend but overall our play has been better than it's been for seasons. Unless there was a real chance of bringing someone in like Benitez - not going to happen - then the alternatives that we've been linked with are all uninspiring choices. Moyes has achieved nothing, failed miserably in his last two jobs and plays awful, turgid football. Rodgers comes across like a mini Pardew for me; he believe his own hype yet produces very little. I'm not entirely convinced by McClaren after once being happy with his appointment but If we go down the majority of blame should be levelled at the player base.

At present we're down, but a month ago I would have said Sunderlad haven't got a chance and arguably they're favourite out of us and Norwich to stay up. It seems to change on a weekly basis. While the others continue to be shit we've still got a chance.

Agree with this. The back line was woeful yesterday. Last time we went down it was with Colo and Saylor at centre back add a non-defensive rb in Janmaat and a left winger in Aarons and it's a recipe for disaster. We got away with it against a poor West Brom side but against such a strong attacking 5 it was an impossible task.