Stoke City Post Match Thoughts

[caytonmiller]

It works both ways cayton. What about all those who were saying that I had no clue what I was talking about when I was asking Warny to play 352? Vertually everyone who was against me kept saying that we did not have the players to play that formation but now those same people are saying that it's our best formation and not a single one has come back to me to say you were right BigLad. Humble pie time for a lot of people but they cannot bring themselves to eat it.

Also it's funny how we have improved as a team when wo go out and play football instead of hoofball when most of the same people who were having a go at me about the 352 were also telling me to shut up because I did not know what I was talking about when I was saying that Warny should stop with the negative stuff and let them play. I was told we do not have the players who can play football on the floor in the Championship because we do not have Championship quality players. More humble pie not eaten.

I could go on but what is the point because those same people will only berate me again and when I am proved right yet again they will again fail to eat a slice of humble pie.

I'm confused biglad. Didn't you say we shouldn't play 352 every game we should mix it up. I could be mistake for someone else though.
Tbh I think we should play 442 when our keeper has the ball. Slip into a 451 when when there keeper has the ball. 352 when we attack 4411 when we counter attack and maybe a 721 when we play Coventry. But only for the 1sy half

[BigLadonOS]

I'm confused biglad. Didn't you say we shouldn't play 352 every game we should mix it up. I could be mistake for someone else though.
Tbh I think we should play 442 when our keeper has the ball. Slip into a 451 when when there keeper has the ball. 352 when we attack 4411 when we counter attack and maybe a 721 when we play Coventry. But only for the 1sy half

Yes you are correct. I was saying that with the players we had at our disposal that 352 was the best formation for us and not 451 as we played most of the games early on. Once we changed to 352 it suited us but you cannot play 352 against all the teams in this league and that is where you have to change it up a little. Last night was the perfect example. If we had played 352 the way we have been playing it we would have got a royal hammering but we didnt play a standard 352 we mixed it up at the back where at least 1 of the wingbacks fell back to make it a 4 at the back and 1 or 2 players just in front of the back 4, if both wingbacks came back and we had a 5 man defense it left the 1 just in front of them. That change always gave us a spare man up top which stopped them raiding in packs and gave us a chance on the counter which is why we got so many shots on goal at a team that does not usualy have to defend on the back foot.

It's just a simple game at the end of the day and giving your players the best chance at getting something from a game has to be the way you set your team up. Warny and his staff got it right last night and apart from a freak own goal we would have won the game which says a lot about the players we have in the squad.