Pulis's Team Talk

[Dr Mick]

"Give it to the freak to throw it"

C'mon blues are we really that bothered about this? If this is the best they can come up with and Kenwyn Jones is their Plan B then we have to be confident don't we?

I'm not arrogantly saying we are going to piss this and we can't become complacent but we must go into this with the mindset that we have nothing to fear and this is ours for the taking.

After 35 long long years I for one aint going to lose any sleep over a team who's best atribute is their ability to chuck the ball.

 

[johnmc]

Or...

"look at their forum, they all think all they have to do is turn up and they will lift the cup"

 

[Longsight-memories]

Agree 100%..they are a pub team..

yes they have effort..but skill will always come out on top

 

[adrianr]

"Give it to the freak to throw it"

C'mon blues are we really that bothered about this? If this is the best they can come up with and Kenwyn Jones is their Plan B then we have to be confident don't we?

I'm not arrogantly saying we are going to piss this and we can't become complacent but we must go into this with the mindset that we have nothing to fear and this is ours for the taking.

After 35 long long years I for one aint going to lose any sleep over a team who's best atribute is their ability to chuck the ball.

I think most of us are loosing sleep over the fact that despite Delap seeming like a small insignificant problem, along with Stoke on the whole, we've not exactly proved the theory recently. They will battle for 90 minutes, it won't be easy, and we don't deserve to win that trophy any more than they do. They're not going to turn up and give it to us because we're the great Man City.

 

[Dr Mick]

I'm not the most articulate of blokes but my point is that doesn't the game have to be won in the mind before its won on the pitch?

Look at the great golfers, tennis players etc its all about mindset and the refusal to get beat.

If we start shitting ourselves because they can throw the ball a bit then we're on the back foot before we even start.

If it was that fucking important then every team would be doing it wouldn't they. I'm sure that with a bit of practice and weight training we could train anyone of our stronger players to do the same if we really wanted to go down the pub football path.

C'mon blues some positive thinking for once.

 

[adrianr]

I'm not the most articulate of blokes but my point is that doesn't the game have to be won in the mind before its won on the pitch?

Look at the great golfers, tennis players etc its all about mindset and the refusal to get beat.

If we start shitting ourselves because they can throw the ball a bit then we're on the back foot before we even start.

If it was that fucking important then every team would be doing it wouldn't they. I'm sure that with a bit of practice and weight training we could train anyone of our stronger players to do the same if we really wanted to go down the pub football path.

C'mon blues some positive thinking for once.

Reality is it probably is just us shitting ourselves over long throws. The team won't be. They'll acknowledge the threat and hopefully have a good way of nullifying it, but they'll all be stepping on that pitch with the intention of winning.

 

[TFC]

Its this simple for me, turn up and concentrate for 90+ minutes and we can win the game. Do the typical sleep through the first 20 minutes bullshit that we always seem to do and gift them a goal? Uphill struggle.

I want to be confident, but this is Manchester fucking City we are on about.

 

[Straightouttahampton]

I am a Stokey (digitally challenged in both the literal and technological sense), so feel free to dismiss this, but I think you are doing Mr Pulis something of a disservice. I have never met him, so this is only guesswork - but he strikes me as a relatively thoughtful chap, and I think his team talk may amount to a bit more than that. (I am tempted to suggest that he is not a crockery thrower, altho the fracas with Beattie (for example) suggests that he has that side to his character too).

By the way, I heard it suggested at the time that the story must have been fabricated - on the basis that the chances of Peter Reid (who wd plausibly have been in the dressing room at the time) standing idly by as fisticuffs broke out, and not steaming in, were just too improbable to imagine.

But on the wider point, I must agree. I cannot think of a single member of our squad who would get into your starting XI - and probably your second XI either.

And this isn't some sort of sledgehammer reverse psychology - that is what I genuinely reckon. But then I always assume we will lose. I only really relaxed after the fifth goal on Sunday. And in spite of the euphoria I do not think we played that well. Barcelona we are not.

Mind you, it's a little known fact that on his weekends off designing the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Gaudi did a lot of stuff in Hanley, Longton (and indeed Leek). Well worth a visit next time you are passing junction 15/16...

 

[Hello from Stoke]

"Give it to the freak to throw it"

C'mon blues are we really that bothered about this? If this is the best they can come up with and Kenwyn Jones is their Plan B then we have to be confident don't we?

I'm not arrogantly saying we are going to piss this and we can't become complacent but we must go into this with the mindset that we have nothing to fear and this is ours for the taking.

After 35 long long years I for one aint going to lose any sleep over a team who's best atribute is their ability to chuck the ball.

Sleep tight then pal. You are extremely naive and not watched us recently. You have far far better individual players than us, granted but we have a team who are really gonna go for this one. I watched you guys against Liverpool and was amazed at how poor you were - play like that against us and we'll turn you over.
Seen you posting loads of crap on our website about our fans etc..and you have obviously never been to a Stoke game. Our supporters give absolutely everything to the team and you will witness this at Wembley.
Always seen City as a well grounded club, who have been through loads of crap over the years, just like us. You obviously supported Man City when the money came in. Have a couple of Man City fans who are very good friends and been to watch us twice this season - they are not so confident. I also went to the last game at Maine Rd when Pearce missed the penalty. Good luck for the rest of the season and hope you get into the Champions League.