Quote Originally Posted by MadAmster View Post
Just for once, let's play the blame game. For me, there's only one candidate. The gaffer. He's the one who chose the system. He's the one who chose the pegs for the various holes and gave instructions as to where those holes should be.

When I saw what I took to be 1-3-4-3 I thought it was probably the way to go. Lots of speed and mobility and players with the passing skills to go round, through and past Stoke. I still think we could have as well, however........ the chosen tactics put paid to that.

Exaggerating a little to make the point...... Stoke put out their usual stature of player, averaging 6 foot 7. We countered that with our 5 foot 8. Not a problem when you plan to keep the ball on the floor and run rings round the less mobile oppositon's giants. However, when you choose to have the lines way too far apart and play the aerial game against the cast of Land of the Giants you are going to struggle and we did.

Not that Stoke really took advantage in terms of creating danger but they did do it a little better than us. They had 61% possession, 11 shots and, according to the stats, 3 on target but IMO 1 of those was their one 1st half shot that went off Roos for a corner which was heading for the side netting so, just the 2. The goal plus the 2nd half Roos save from a header. We managed 5 shots, none on target.

We started, as described above, with the wrong setup, yet again. When we got the ball we were immediately put under pressure. When they got it they always had at least 5 yards of space, we got 5 inches.

2nd half we got tighter to them and were a bit more in the game. The we rang the changes and played better. This getting it wrong and then changing it, too late, is becoming a theme in our play. If we could only get it right from the off.

Their goal? It all started with a free kick that shouldn't have been given IMO. I'm not going to slate the ref though as it was one of very few mistakes he made and he made less than any player out there.

We need to get back to a) keeping clean sheets and b) remembering that goals win matches and we need to shoot more often. Roberts should have let loose on 2 occasions in the first half but chose to beat 5 more players in going absolutely nowhere.
Excellent summary. I can't see any difference in talent between the two sides, yet they, as do every opposition, seem to have better instructions.