Stoke post match

[Credo]

Delighted with the win.
When I watch a replay there are too many occasions when we look as if the players have never met each other before. Yet, the improvement on last season is immense.
I don't know how many games we will need until we 'click' as a team. Pep is still feeling his way with us and the Premiership. We have won two, but still play passes that go astray, balls at chest level when to feet was possible and appear disjointed. But when Nolito and Nacho got together with Sterling we upped the pace.
So, I do not know whether it's time, change of 1 or 2 players, or formation to get it right. But I have every confidence in Pep and know he will sort it. Please, before the Utd game.

 

[jimharri]

And, that 4th goal was a work of art - the dummy by Iheanacho was sublime, yet - typically - not deemed worthy of comment in the media.

Ref blunders? Yes, your thug of a right full back should have been sent off for an over the ball tackle in the first half, and you maybe should have had a penalty if the ref hadn't been unsighted for the Kolarov 'foul.' Then again, if the ref had spotted that Shawcross pushed Sterling first on the penalty incident, maybe you shouldn't have had that penalty at all. So, all in all, if the ref had spotted everything, we would have had double figures instead of just the 4.

Spot on. It made the goal possible, by letting Raheem have a clear run in on goal before squaring for Nol to tap in. The "victim" of the dummy (think it was Shawcross) nearly ended up out in the car park, so utterly was he done by it. It reminded me of Negredo's dummy for Kun at Upton Park in the 13/14 season.

 

[the blue panther]

Things of beauty which only blues can appreciate - apparently. Has the search party returned with Shawcross yet?

 

[Bluekiwi]

And, that 4th goal was a work of art - the dummy by Iheanacho was sublime, yet - typically - not deemed worthy of comment in the media.

And the 4th goal in Bucharest was also a work of art.

 

[The perfect fumble]

Spot on. It made the goal possible, by letting Raheem have a clear run in on goal before squaring for Nol to tap in. The "victim" of the dummy (think it was Shawcross) nearly ended up out in the car park, so utterly was he done by it. It reminded me of Negredo's dummy for Kun at Upton Park in the 13/14 season.

He saw the spin on the ball and made the decision to dummy knowing that when it hit the ground it would veer to the left, having clocked Sterling he knew it would fall in to his path and give him a clear run on goal, that kind of split second decision making from such a young player is a thing of beauty.

Take a look at our third goal, as Kelechi starts his run, look what happens to Sterling with the linesman just a few feet away!

 

[shroom]

Stoke City vs Man City Tunnel cam - sorry if already posted -

 

[Bozzie]

He saw the spin on the ball and made the decision to dummy knowing that when it hit the ground it would veer to the left, having clocked Sterling he knew it would fall in to his path and give him a clear run on goal, that kind of split second decision making from such a young player is a thing of beauty.

Take a look at our third goal, as Kelechi starts his run, look what happens to Sterling with the linesman just a few feet away!

Can't remember which Stoke player it was who deliberately took Sterling out during the build up to the goal but when you consider the level of contact in the incident which lead to the penalty Stoke were awarded, and the booking Sterling got, it doesn't make much sense does it.

 

[City_Sean]

It was Pieters, he actually throws Raheem to the ground to stop him bursting free. Stoke are a horrible football side.

 

[Terra Passenger]

Can't remember which Stoke player it was who deliberately took Sterling out during the build up to the goal but when you consider the level of contact in the incident which lead to the penalty Stoke were awarded, and the booking Sterling got, it doesn't make much sense does it.

I thought that the Sterling foul was more of a "make up" call than an actual penalty.

Nevertheless, BPL referees have been instructed to clamp down on holding in the box this season. If contact similar to Sterling's is consistently carded for a penalty, I've no problem with it. In fact, I think it would improve the game. But, I don't think that this will be whistled as a foul on a consistent basis.

And then there's the impact on international competitions - if BPL players "learn" to abide by the new rules, how will they fare in international competitions - whether playing for England - or in the Europa/UCL where contact similar to Sterling's is allowed?

If the BPL wants to clamp down on holding in the box, I think it's a good idea. But to go it alone, without the cooperation of other leagues world wide - seems likely to put our sides at a disadvantage in international competition. So for me, this is something that FIFA needs to enforce, world-wide.

 

[Bozzie]

As ungracious as I find Mark Hughes, both in victory or defeat, I think he was probably accurate with his post match comments. This, like the new dissent guidelines, is likely to be a flash in the pan. There will be some high profile inconsistencies, no doubt involving Rooney, a foul mouth tirade and Mark Clattenburg and, instead of dealing with it retrospectively it will be quietly shelved until we're back to the way we were.