Stoke City Post Match Thoughts

[the_idiotb_stardson]

I will eat another slice of humble pie here....that was an outstanding effort.

Everyone ran their blood to water.

Stoke footballed us to death the first half but with no goals to show for it.

However we outfought them for the majority of the second half and at 2-2 we finished stronger.


I lost count of how many lost causes, Smithy, Williams, Manning, Towell, Ajayi, Mattock (outstanding today) and Taylor won.

Never seen a team harry and chase like that. To be honest that is all we could do because of the huge gulf in class....but we did it superbly well.


MANNING IS SUCH AN INTELLIGENT FOOTBALLER. HE HAS THE BRAINS OF JOHN SEASMAN AND KARI ARNASON COMBINED.[/B]

He reads play so well. How many times does he intercept the ball after reading the play before anyone has even blinked. What the hell were QPR thinking?

I am going to change my mind.

WE WILL NOT GO DOWN THIS SEASON

[welovebooth]

Never a pen and handball. Some go for you, some go against you.

that was ball to hand how many players at any level goes I will just head this ball into my hand.

give over that's no were near any thought

it was a penalty

[welovebooth]

Every club could use more money would I trade Taylor for ince, no I wouldn’t would I trade smith for afobe no I wouldn’t a club can spend 13 mill per player but crap will still be crap no matter how much cash you spend on it.
You got clubs like derby who spend millions and a little club like us come alone with a low squad value and beat them. I keep hearing we can’t compete but we can compete and from the looks of the youth coming through our shiny new academy we have at least 4 young lads with talent to make up for the lack of dosh.

No one match don’t make a season but you’ve passed judgement well before seasons even half way.

If someone had told me we would be beating derby county at home and be 18th after September baring mind we have just played villa derby forest and stoke. I’d have smiled and said thank you.

you wouldn't trace Smith or Taylor for once or afobe that is your opion and I respect that but Jesus every day of the week for me they are not even in the same league.

totally agree and like I said they are punching above there weight but the chances of it happening through out the season??

you know and I know no matter how well we are doing know we are out of our depth in the long run and we need investment the stewarts for whatever reason can't provide.

[mikemiller]

Been to the game. We played well in spells, especially at the start of the second half, and even late on in the game too. When we set about the opposition, their defence looked shaky - especially when Williams had the ball, and also Taylor, later on. First half there was the usual gap of about fifty yards between Smithy and our midfield, which meant that we were unlikely to score. Can't go on doing that.

I think that if Wood had not got injured, we would have held out and got the three points. Warney has just been on Radio DeeDah. He said Wood's groin injury might not be as bad as first thought (not sure yet), Proctor is going to be out for five weeks, Vassell will miss about three weeks. Smith played today after taking painkillers, and didn't play too bad considering , although he had at least a couple of chances (not easy ones) that he could have put away.

Rodak did punch one cross that he should have caught easily, but a couple of other punches were the correct decisions and good clearances. Good performance from Ajayi again today and great penalty from Manning, which gave keeper Butland no chance of saving it.

Disappointing to lose a 2-0 lead, but probably a fair result overall. Need to play like we did just after half-time for the full 90 minutes - if we do that we won't go down.

By the way, I was sitting near to where Williams was tripped and got a clear view, so did the ref who was standing close to the incident - looked like a rash challenge and definite penalty

[welovebooth]

edit the apwllibg mistake is horrendous I know bloody phone

[welovebooth]

Been to the game. We played well in spells, especially at the start of the second half, and even late on in the game too. When we set about the opposition, their defence looked shaky - especially when Williams had the ball, and also Taylor, later on. First half there was the usual gap of about fifty yards between Smithy and the midfield, which meant that we were unlikely to score. Can't go on doing that.

I think that if Wood had not got injured, we would have held out and got the three points. Warney has just been on Radio DeeDah. He said Wood's groin injury might not be as bad as first thought (not sure yet), Proctor is going to be out for five weeks, Vassell will miss about three weeks. Smith played today after taking painkillers, and didn't play too bad considering , although he had at least a couple of chances (not easy ones) that he could have put away.

Rodak did punch one cross that he should have caught easily, but a couple of other punches were the correct decisions and good clearances. Good performance from Ajayi again today and great penalty from Manning, which gave keeper Butland no chance of saving it.

Disappointing to lose a 2-0 lead, but probably a fair result overall. Need to play like we did just after half-time for the full 90 minutes - if we do that we won't go down.

rodak man of the match with 1 or 2 quality saves. his punching never really put us in danger

[Nardendee]

Am i the only one who thought we were magnificent? Fabulous game. It finished with us playing fast exciting football, and them lumping up to Crouch.
Well done Millers, bet it looked good on the telly.

No I agree. Magnificent. Cast iron penalty.

For all Stokes’ quality let’s look at their two goals. Their first goal. If Wood was on the park that doesn’t go in.
2nd goal stemmed from the throw in when the ball didn’t go out.

An ex Barcelona player, Charlie Adam, Peter Crouch and the England goalkeeper to name just four. Two of our main strikers injured two days before the game, our Talisman injured, Ajayi a colossus and Smith ( also not fit) and Williams were great.

Wood very doubtful for Wednesday night and Towell took a knock so we are really down to the bare bones.

It’s all too easy to get on their backs because we lost a two goal lead which is ridiculous.

I am very confident that not only will we stay up we will do so comfortably.

5 home games just one defeat. Ok nothing away yet but we have played some quality teams up to now.

This is a very special team who put their bodies on the line for each other.

A real siege mentality back to the days of old.

Keep it up Millers. I am very proud tonight.

[jakethemiller]

We have to remember we had only one fit first team forward. Vassell gives us more options and we could have brought Newell on for last 20.
We have hung on to half time and who wouldn't have taken a point then. We never looked like scoring.
Second half we had more of the game and looked much better played a bit of football and made a team of millionaires work very hard for a point.
As last week we gave the ball away too much. This week's culprit was Vaulks and Manning, and we have to sort the issue of covering the right flank today resembled Brentford when Vyner kept getting double teamed, Jones seemed to be picking inside man and Williams had to contend with 2 coming wide.
Ref gave us sod all first half and should have at least booked full back for forearm smash on Williams and again like last week Linos a waste of time.
Rodak. Played well when he punched he pinched well but yet again parried a shot straight to one of their men, fortunately a defender got in the way of the shot.
Jones. Not as good as last week though I think that's due to the set-up of the team.
Mattock. His best game this season for me. Had to contain Ince who I thought was a big threat for them. He did that by and large also did some good attacking work.
Ajayi. Immense again, can't see him being with us after Jan. Won nearly everything, had his usual couple of blips but nothing desperate.
Wood. He's really making me eat my words, but of a faux pas in first half where he got done but again another solid performance.
Vaulks. Battled well. Won the ball well in the air covered back and harried well, but got rid of the ball too quickly some times.
Towell. Immense again, harried, used the ball well, covered. Adams came on to negate him. We need to tie this guy to a contract.
Manning. Better game, good pen and put some good balls through. Worked hard but did have some stray passes.
Newell. Battled well for him we know he has skill and needs to be used as an impact player. We benefited from his better dead ball delivery.
Williams. Last week I called him marmite man, well I have to say my mate lost this week, he was good. A real thorn in their side didn't waste the ball, won the penalty and generally had a brilliant match.
Smith. Back to his best if only the second half header had gone in, that would have been game over.
Another point 2 seasons ago even from 2-0 up we would have lost that game.

[Shark27]

I thought we played quite well. Admittedly if ours was a penalty then there was a similar incident to give them a penalty as well. Saying that, we should have had the throw in leading to their goal so I think decisions probably evened themselves out tonight.

I am happy with a point.

Ajayi to be sold for a few million?

[rodcurrie]

I thought the Millers were gunna get battered in't first half but one thing ya can say abart Warney's Millers is that they run their socks off everytime i've seen em play.I think it was a penalty and i think if Wood hadn't gone off the Millers wudda held on for a win.Injuries are mountin and that'll be a worry with centre backs and strikers bein injured but as always apart from when we play the Millers i hope ya do well this season.I thought Ajayi looked good again toneet and Smith works so hard in what is a demandin role.Manning looks a good player also. UTCB