Stoke (H) Pre match thread

[merlin]

This is a MUST WIN game if the club are to avoid being rooted in the bottom 3 or 4 ; having said that, it will not be easy to win.

Stoke are a physical and difficult side to play against ; they are a bit like Wimbledon in the 80s, but not quite as good at their game. NUFC have ALWAYS struggled against this type of team and we need at least a 2 goal lead by the 80th minute if we are to win ; being 1-0 in front with 10 minutes to play would be tempting fate in the extreme because the defence are always likely to give goals away at set-pieces - Stoke's speciality.

 

Whilst ANYTHING can happen in football, I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that if this game is lost at SJP, NUFC WILL be relegated.

[relámpago blanco]

This is a MUST WIN game if the club are to avoid being rooted in the bottom 3 or 4 ; having said that, it will not be easy to win.

Stoke are a physical and difficult side to play against ; they are a bit like Wimbledon in the 80s, but not quite as good at their game. NUFC have ALWAYS struggled against this type of team and we need at least a 2 goal lead by the 80th minute if we are to win ; being 1-0 in front with 10 minutes to play would be tempting fate in the extreme because the defence are always likely to give goals away at set-pieces - Stoke's speciality.

 

Whilst ANYTHING can happen in football, I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that if this game is lost at SJP, NUFC WILL be relegated.

Thats bollocks Stoke aren't a bad side, yes we need to win but it doesn't mean we'll go down if we don't.  Will Spurs go down if they lose their next game?

[Colos Short and Curlies]

This is a MUST WIN game if the club are to avoid being rooted in the bottom 3 or 4 ; having said that, it will not be easy to win.

Stoke are a physical and difficult side to play against ; they are a bit like Wimbledon in the 80s, but not quite as good at their game. NUFC have ALWAYS struggled against this type of team and we need at least a 2 goal lead by the 80th minute if we are to win ; being 1-0 in front with 10 minutes to play would be tempting fate in the extreme because the defence are always likely to give goals away at set-pieces - Stoke's speciality.

 

Whilst ANYTHING can happen in football, I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that if this game is lost at SJP, NUFC WILL be relegated.

Thats bollocks Stoke aren't a bad side, yes we need to win but it doesn't mean we'll go down if we don't.  Will Spurs go down if they lose their next game?

 

Hopefully

[themanupstairs]

 

We'll get to see the best CB in the league in Faye, and how our attack will cope with his defensive threat

[TRon]

As a team we have to play to our strengths. We have 3 very good strikers and a weak midfield, so surely we should be focusing on a 4-3-3 with a solid base in midfield and 3 strikers who as we all know thanks to Kevin Keegan compliment each other very well.

The thing is though Barton was very infuential in that 3 man midfield, Guthrie may do it but Barton was one of the best players towards the end of the season.

 

Barton played left side in the 3 man midfield. N'Zogbia should be able to play that role as he supposedly prefers playing centre midfield, and Jonas should also be capable. Both have the capability to play defensively as well with Zog having played left back, and Jonas usually tracking back very well. What we will miss is Barton's clever use of the ball from that position, but it's still worth a go in my book.

[buzza]

Aye, I would like to see the 433 with the following players>

..........................Given............................

Beye.......Colo......Bassong..........Enrique

..........Geremi.......Butt............Jonas

.....Owen..........Viduka.....................Martins

 

Added geremi in the midfield to make it a bit more robust. Jonas would be given a free role tBH

[Guest neesy111]

we beat these 4-1 with 10 men last season in the cup

 

should beat them 2-0 tbh, but got a feeling we will draw for the 4th successive game 

[madras]

given

 

beye  bassong  coloccini  enrique

 

wormy  butt  guthrie  jonas

 

  owen  martins

 

 

 

3-1 (1-0 owen, 2-0 wormy, 2-1 fuller, 3-1 viduka.  MOTM martins)

[Pilko]

wormy

[Gash]

Kitson and Shawcross are out for this match, but imo a better player in Sonko could be the one to replace shawcross.

Kitson wasnt scoring anyway so now Sidibe and Fuller up top who have and can score!

[Pilko]

Abdoulaye Faye is a doubt as well.

[The Prophet]

The best way to approach this game is to go at them hard. There's no point in sitting back and worrying about their long ball game or we'll just fall deeper and deeper and play into their hands.

 

Joe needs to tell back line to stay a bit higher than usual. They've got no body that's going to do Coloccini or Bassong for pace if they do happen to get through. The deeper we go the more pressure we'll invite. The reason they've been successful this season is because they've pushed teams back so deep that they're pretty much sitting on the keeper when a throw in comes in. Not to mention Coloccini hasn't covered himself in glory in the air up to now.

 

Another reason the centre backs are so important to this game is if they keep punting long balls up the field all day long then we'll have all kinds of trouble scoring. The personnel in their defence are generally large but not very mobile. If we keep it on the deck Jonas and Martins could well have a field day, if just pump the ball over the midfield in the hope the strikers will get some joy then we're going to make seriously hard work of this game.

[plenum]

Oba and Martins are capable of playing together

 

Yeah, I'd be interested to see how that one works too.

 

 

Well, you should ask Greg, he saw them both last Saturday at Boro 

[afar]

This is a MUST WIN game if the club are to avoid being rooted in the bottom 3 or 4 ; having said that, it will not be easy to win.

Stoke are a physical and difficult side to play against ; they are a bit like Wimbledon in the 80s, but not quite as good at their game. NUFC have ALWAYS struggled against this type of team and we need at least a 2 goal lead by the 80th minute if we are to win ; being 1-0 in front with 10 minutes to play would be tempting fate in the extreme because the defence are always likely to give goals away at set-pieces - Stoke's speciality.

 

Whilst ANYTHING can happen in football, I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that if this game is lost at SJP, NUFC WILL be relegated.

 

That's actually not even true, we have a very good record against Wimbledon at SJP, including a few pastings for them. Where we struggled was when we had to travel to their place.

[Yorkie]

Oba and Martins are capable of playing together

 

Yeah, I'd be interested to see how that one works too.

 

 

Well, you should ask Greg, he saw them both last Saturday at Boro 

 

Greg knows bugger all about judging the talent of Newcastle players.

[Guest suck-my-socks]

 

Morning fella's,Stokie here, i come in peace.

As always looking forward to my trip on Saturday to the north east always had a cracking time up here.

To start with WHAT the hell where you thinking when you let Mr Faye go, the guy is immense,possibly the best signing we have made for years our gain your loss.

Saturday.......Don't know what you are expecting from us,but there is more to us than Rory,and the physical approach, what ever the press say, we can play a bit too,Fuller will be a threat,don't get fooled by his 'Jamaican' attitude temperamental yes, but brilliant at times too.

I have no doubt that Pulis will see this as a point game and set his stall out accordingly 8-1-1 is my guess, may upset a few but we need all the points we can muster.

Our problem will be if we go a goal down early,we sometimes struggle to chase the game away from home.I don't see that happening though, i see us under pressure for the first twenty or so minutes,you getting frustrated and we can nick one on the break. we will concead one we always do so.....................................

 

1-1 as i see it, well i hope so,it will make that walk up them bloody stairs worth while.

 

Hope saturday is a great game, trouble free, and a lot of smiley happy Stokies,and misserable faced Geordie's.

 

PS Hope you do get out of this mess,the top flight needs the Newcastles of this world,so good luck but not on Saturday

[Mowen]

Faye is indeed a cracking player, we shouldn't have let him go. Luckily we have the worlds best centre back playing alongside the worlds greatest sideshow bob impersonater now, and with wormy on the wing we'll be fine.

[TRon]

 

Morning fella's,Stokie here, i come in peace.

As always looking forward to my trip on Saturday to the north east always had a cracking time up here.

To start with WHAT the hell where you thinking when you let Mr Faye go, the guy is immense,possibly the best signing we have made for years our gain your loss.

Saturday.......Don't know what you are expecting from us,but there is more to us than Rory,and the physical approach, what ever the press say, we can play a bit too,Fuller will be a threat,don't get fooled by his 'Jamaican' attitude temperamental yes, but brilliant at times too.

I have no doubt that Pulis will see this as a point game and set his stall out accordingly 8-1-1 is my guess, may upset a few but we need all the points we can muster.

Our problem will be if we go a goal down early,we sometimes struggle to chase the game away from home.I don't see that happening though, i see us under pressure for the first twenty or so minutes,you getting frustrated and we can nick one on the break. we will concead one we always do so.....................................

 

1-1 as i see it, well i hope so,it will make that walk up them bloody stairs worth while.

 

Hope saturday is a great game, trouble free, and a lot of smiley happy Stokies,and misserable faced Geordie's.

 

PS Hope you do get out of this mess,the top flight needs the Newcastles of this world,so good luck but not on Saturday

 

No one knows for sure why Faye was allowed to leave, there was talk that he was homesick, and also there was rumour of a massive bust up between Keegan and Faye in the Everton dressing room. I am convinced that is the reason Faye left, because KK came out and said he was very happy with Taylor as his main centre back soon after, plus I know when Keegan falls out with someone he tends to hold grudges for a very long time.

 

In any case, you got a very solid stopper and if you were on this board when he was sold you would have seen that not many of us fans were very happy that he was sold.

 

Anyway worst of luck on Saturday 

[Baggio]

To start with WHAT the hell where you thinking when you let Mr Faye go, the guy is immense,possibly the best signing we have made for years our gain your loss.

 

What do you think of the other Faye?

[madras]

abdoulaye faye a doubt according to SSN.

[Guest suck-my-socks]

To start with WHAT the hell where you thinking when you let Mr Faye go, the guy is immense,possibly the best signing we have made for years our gain your loss.

 

What do you think of the other Faye?

 

The 'other' Faye is about as much use as a rubber beak on a woodpecker.

 

If abdoulaye faye do not play...........well we are left with either Sonko or Cort as replacements,that's a worry,they can do a job, but both can be very average. in Corts case take a look at his career stats, NEVER been booked or sent off,EVER. Seems imposable but true!

 

 

 

Might change my prediction if abdo does not play . No I'll stick with 1-1 fingers crossed though.

 

Formation might change though, 9-1 could even be 10 at the back, that will leave Griffs pace to get down the flanks

 

Having said that Pulis is the master organizer for defencive set ups, and after the last few away results, there's a few Stokies thinking he will resort to his 'Binary' tactics,that is a sight to behold 

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Dunno why but I've got a horrible feeling that Owen is going to miss this one.

 

Absolutely nothing bar a gut feeling to back this up!

 

Given

Beye

Colo

Bassong

Enrique

 

Guthrie

Butt

Zoggy

 

Jonas

Dukes

Martins

[Teasy]

To start with WHAT the hell where you thinking when you let Mr Faye go, the guy is immense,possibly the best signing we have made for years our gain your loss.

 

Nobody was happy to lose him, because he'd been our best central defender the season before.  He's a very solid no nonesense defender, better then Cacapa and better then Taylor, not immense IMO though.  He's not in Colocinni's league and I think Bassong is also better though its early days with him.  He's still a loss though because at the very least he could have been an excellent backup defender to keep Cacapa away from the first team

 

I said at the time that Stoke had just made there best signing of the summer by the way simply because he's be such a huge step up in quality for a club coming in from the Championship.

[Guest suck-my-socks]

Faye isn't THAT good, he's a very solid no nonesense defender, better then Cacapa and better then Taylor, but he's far from immense.  Still I wasn't happy to lose him since at the time he was our best central defender, but I think he's be third choice these days.

 

When you've followed Stoke for as many years that i have, and seen some players that have graced the red and white stripes......Beleive me Faye is Emmense.

[TRon]

Faye isn't THAT good, he's a very solid no nonesense defender, better then Cacapa and better then Taylor, but he's far from immense.  Still I wasn't happy to lose him since at the time he was our best central defender, but I think he's be third choice these days.

 

When you've followed Stoke for as many years that i have, and seen some players that have graced the red and white stripes......Beleive me Faye is Emmense.

 

While Bassong looks better in a lot of aspects, ironically this match is exactly the sort of game where Faye would have been invaluable. You would expect Bassong and Coloccini to be tested thoroughly in the air against Stoke, especially from set pieces. That is the one area Faye was literally head and shoulders above any of our central defenders.