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Newcastle United vs. Stoke City - 21/04/2012 @ 3PM (Today)


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Shawcross is the only player there who I would take out of their squad. Even then I don't think he would get into our first team if S.Taylor was fully fit.

 

He's an imposing figure. 6'3, solid build, and a decent athlete for his size. But the 'hatchet-man'  tag is warranted, and he epitomises Stoke's aura. It's understandable why Pulis and the supporters love him. His challenge on Ramsay, as disgusting as it was, could've been written-off as an unfortunate & isolated incident. But when you throw in the challenge on Adebayor, as a collective set, the distraught & sorry enforcer  display (as genuine as it was, when Ramsay went down) just doesn't sit well. It's understandable, and human nature dictates, that Adebeyor executed a bit of pay-back.

 

Coming through United's academy system one would have to think that one stage there was a more rounded footballer inside. This relates to his time in United's reserves. I'd like to know if overly robust physical style was an ingrained part of his repertoire. Did Pulis really do his research, and forked out a couple of mill on this basis?  Was this lad a carrier of this dangerous tag or reputation during his U19 and Reserves days? Or did Pulis purchase a physical package (and the attributes are impressive as a standalone or raw set), before subsequently being moulded into  a 6ft 3 (and pretty athletic) wrecking machine ie. the ideal hatchet-man?

'United'. Nice.

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I know where the theory that Pardew changed back to 4-4-2 to keep Ba happy came from. Its the only explanation that comes anywhere near making sense considering we'd just hit our best form of the season (results and performances) playing 4-3-3.

 

He got it wrong by going to 4-4-2 and had Ben Arfa not pulled a wonder goal out of nowhere we would've dropped points. He changed a winning formula for no reason by trying to be too clever, which is a major fault of his imo.

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Perhaps the only banana skin game left this season. I hope we are up for it and win. As long as it is a win I don't care.

 

Really? You don't think Wigan and Everton away are banana skin games?

 

Probably means the last game we're expected to win - the others are all pretty tricky looking (even Wigan with their ridiculous upturn in form!)

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I hope the ref feels the pressure of extra scrutiny on him after recent ref fails. Might make him actually do something about stoke's non-stop penalty box cheating

 

Andre Marriner is the ref for this one and he is one of the worst refs out there imo.

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Perhaps the only banana skin game left this season. I hope we are up for it and win. As long as it is a win I don't care.

 

Really? You don't think Wigan and Everton away are banana skin games?

 

Probably means the last game we're expected to win - the others are all pretty tricky looking (even Wigan with their ridiculous upturn in form!)

 

Exactly what I meant to say Vardie. If lose points after tomorrow it is not for lack of trying it is possible to lose away against the inform Wigan, Chelsea or Everton. Even against Man City at home I don't think we are favorite to beat them.

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