Reply With QuoteUnited – Frustrating. Really good performance for the most part and we should have won easily. We played really well for 70 minutes. We dominated Stoke and had all the ball. We had chances and should have had more than one goal. Not sure we created enough chances for a team that had so much of the ball but had 22 attempts to 10 and 56% possession but only had 6 shots on target to their 4. We needed to create clearer chances and for all the lovely stuff it was still frustrating that we did not make that final ball to lead to clearer chances.
First half Stevens missed a good chance and then McGoldrick had two efforts saved but ones you would expect the keeper to save. After the break the same man miskicked and we had a few other half chances. I am not sure that Butland made any stunning saves all night and at times we were really poor in our decision making with the final ball yet again. We play some lovely stuff right up to that last third but then seem to stutter or take too long to make decisions. I thought Clarke and McGoldrick gave the Stoke defence a torrid time all game and the midfield dominated though and we really for weight of possession and pressure, should have been well out of sight. It took us 70 minutes to get one goal but then after this we panicked. It was bizarre as they were never in it and never threatened us once.
We started hoofing it away, we sliced it and were really lacking composure. They started to come at us and Henderson made a save from Ince, they started to knock balls into Crouch and won a number of free kicks. We never had proper control of the game after we scored and for some reason it was complete panic mode.
This is after a game we had in control. If we had carried on keeping the ball and playing as we had, we would have gone on and won but started to sit back; we lost the ball and stopped pressing. The subs once again did not help at all. Basham was in an odd position, Washington did not help us keep the ball and you sensed a chance would come. I thought we had seen it out but a daft foul (soft but can see why he gave it) and Henderson made a mistake with his wall and should have saved it. It was a poor mistake Like Saturday all this domination and stat domination in passing, big chances count for nothing if we do not put the ball in the net and keep it out the other end. We saw this last season when we dominated so many teams but when it mattered in the key areas; did not do enough. It us frustrating as some of the football and play is a delight to watch. Many say if we keep this performance up we will win more games than we lose but you worry as last season we did this in so many games (Bristol, Villa, Cardiff at home) and the pattern has continued again this season. I am not seeing that this will change sadly. Hope I am wrong but today was another casing point as we do not see teams off and put them away when they are wounded. I felt we put so much into the game that we looked leggy for the last stages of the game against a relatively old Stoke side too.
Still for all the disappointment, I have to say we were very good for long periods and considering the wage bills and the players they have; we showed we are a much more confident side and were the only team trying to win until the closing stages. It is just really annoying that we should have had at least 4 more points from the last two games in games where we played well for 45 mins Saturday and then 70 mins tonight but only have 1 point to show as we don’t do enough to see teams off. Still it is enjoyable to watch despite the late heartache and we have to keep a sense of perspective.
Stoke – Thought they were really poor until the last bit when with nothing to lose they chucked men forward and got long balls up to Crouch, Ince got on the ball and they won a few free kicks. They deserved nothing from the game at all and were second best most of the night but will say they kept in the game and only kept it to 1-0 and then scored a clever free kick. Another night they go home losing 3-0; so poor they were and dominated they were for much off the game. They never even tried to attack for the most part and for such an expensively assembled side that is packed full of quality; it was a startling approach. Maybe they lack confidence but good players were not even trying to go forward. They looked so lacking in possession and just seemed to be hanging on for a draw. The long punt up to Crouch was their best option. Such a shame when they have talent like Ince, Afobe, Maclean, Allen, Woods etc. On that approach and performance regardless of the point they somehow got, Rowett will not be staying there for very long as they surely need to try and win games?
Opponent man of the match – Crouch won a few free kicks and I felt Woods showed some neat bits and pieces but also gave it away a bit too and you wonder how much Norwood should be worth if he went for 6 million. Allen kept plugging away and showed some good skill at times and of course scored the ***** leveller. They had a lot of poor players on display though who surely should do much better but Allen was maybe the stand out.
Weak link – A number of ineffective players. Afobe looked overweight and Berahino was awful. I felt Maclean ran around a lot but did not do much and Ince only came to life at 1-0. The two centre backs struggled all game and Williams especially looks a player that is about done. Completely lost his pace and Clarke and McGoldrick caused them all sorts of problems with running and hold up play.
Henderson 5.5/10 – Bad mistake for the goal. He has not put enough men in the wall and then he was way too slow to get across. It was not even hit with huge power. Not sure how he did not get it and it was a big error that has cost us the three points. He also missed one cross tonight but outside of this he was untroubled. Made one good save from Ince but not much to do other than take a few crosses etc. His first big real error. Hope he can react and recover quickly. Seems a confident lad so not sure it will affect him.
Freeman 7/10 – Back to his best after a dip Saturday. Took so many difficult balls in his stride or on his chest and then got into good areas. He was a constant outlet and despite the difficulty of some of the crossfield balls showed his technique and ability. His final ball was not always the best and too often hit the first man or struggled to get it across. Thought he caused them lots of problems.
Stevens 7/10 – Thought he was really good tonight but loses marks for a bad miss when he skewed the ball over first half and then gave away a stupid free kick near the end which cost us. No need to dive in at all. Just let him win it and get the 2nd ball. Shame as other than his got up and down, showed real energy and was excellent. His crossing was better also tonight. He showed some good skill taking the ball on the run and was always in motion. They did start to overload down that side but not sure that was his fault.
Egan 7/10 – Solid game. He let Afobe get away from him once for skill first half but he headed/cleared and used it when he could. Not put under any real pressure until the final stages but then the whole team started to panic and meant the defence were under more pressure.
O’Connell 7/10 – Good again tonight. Used it well when he could and defended sensibly. Not put under that much pressure but he was able to come onto the ball and attack it. A few times him and Henderson got in a mix up but he at least took responsibility.
Basham 7/10 – Usual array of cavalier runs, nice bits of skill, control and positive attitude in everything he did. A few times things did not come off but he will keep plugging away. Showed no little skill a few times. Once again panicked a bit when in the last third and his final pass/ball never really caused Stoke many problems. This is something he needs to work at as his overall performances are very consistent outside of this.
Fleck 6.5/10 – Might get criticised for this mark but whilst I felt he did some good stuff and some decent runs and passes; he also gave it away a lot and lost his runner a few times. Still he contributed to our ball possession and domination for long spells but he had a number of wild shots nowhere near and then when we led he was guilty of punting it to nowhere in particular. He was the most guilty at the end of panicking instead of just keeping it.
