Stoke - the tipping point

[ruts66]

We don't want to let Stoke come anywhere near our penalty area , that's for sure .......

they got enough penalties on Saturday to last them for a month!

A month? That's our quota for the season, mate... :-)

Do you reckon RM will risk Balotelli's temperament at The Brit? I can see him being a major factor in the game one way or the other. As likely to score a hat-trick as he is to 'do a Cantona' on someone in Row A? Prodigious talent no doubt, but definitely one for Huth to wind up...

 

[NQblue]

It all depend if it is a full moon or not , if it is a full moon then we will have a chance as most of the fans will not be there to support the team as they will be throwing sticks and stones at said moon and praying to the god "UMAMBA"

Very amusing. Unfortunatley Full Moon last night!!!

 

[mcrpogue]

Credit to Stoke, they are not just spoilers and we can learn alot from their never say die attitude. It will be a good test and one we must meet to prove yesterday was no flash in the pan.

 

[Skibum]

Another feather in our cap if we beat Stoke as they are a team in form. Always gives your confidence a boost if you beat a team on a roll.

 

[yerwot?]

Alright lads, Stoke fan in peace...

Terrific performance from your lot yesterday, especially first half. Probably some of the best quality high-tempo, passing football seen in The Prem this season matched to a potent goal scoring threat.

Not taking anything away from you guys but Fulham didn't close the space or battle with any great conviction so you had total freedom of SW6 but you did what you did very comfortably. Fair play.

I think you're right to feel confident about your chances against us on Saturday provided Mr Mancini approaches the game in the same confident, positive manner. However, if he tinkers in an attempt to negate Stoke he'll be playing into our hands, unneccessarily in my opinion.

Stoke are a team in transition at the moment between the ultra long ball (which has served its purpose) and a more mixed style with two wingers and two holding CM's. We can look good (Liverpool) and we can look poor but the one thing we always manage is to make life awkward for passing sides. So, who knows...

On a bitterly cold Britannia afternoon in front of 25,000 slavering Stokies we do have the 12th man effect - any one of you who was there our 1st season will remember the response to Delap's dismissal.

So, here's to a cracking blood and thunder game of proper English football, should be a good 'un.

All the best,

ruts

good post.Fireworks if Balo plays,first goal and red cards will be a factor.Fulham will seem like a holiday camp,britannia no place for faint hearts(fans as well) Game on,me duck.

 

[Balti]

the perfect test of our title credentials and much stiffer than Fulham

if we win there then I will no longer be satisfied with 4th place at the end of the season

same attacking intent again please Bobby

 

[MysticalDescent]

If you don't mind me saying so, this is quite a big game for you. After our game against you two seasons ago, in short a display of your team not really fancying it and being all too happy to sit on the halfway-line play tippy-tappy before giving the ball to Robinho to smack over the bar from 40 yards in case somebody went near him, there wasn't really any fear factor last year. It felt like you would just be another Arsenal who would just be pushovers, so long as the game was played in the freezing cold and we played good, direct, hard-but-fair football. Another team of tippy-tappy mercenaries who wouldn't have the stomach for a hostile crowd, a team played football like a contact sport or the cold weather. Sorry if that offends, but it's just the way it was. Of course, we never really had much hope against you at your place, never really expected much more than a defeat there, but at the Brit we really fancied our chances. We outplayed you in the cup and got an easy win, while we outbattled you in the league and were only denied a win by some bizarre refereeing at the end.

For those reasons, a win for you would mark a big turning point. It would show that you'd from being also-rans like Arsenal to being real title contenders like Chelsea, a team with real steel and grit, capable of playing through teams but also more than capable of roughing it. I'm really quite apprehensive this year, you'll be no pushovers and we'll have a tough time no matter what. Interestingly, Manchester United beat us by soaking up pressure and smacking long balls at us (along with the run-of-the-mill referee remote controlled by Gary Neville). How are you likely to set up? Are we going to be treated to an Italian Football Special or are you going to unleash your attacking potential on us? I fear the worst.

 

[rogdogblue]

I know we should try and get away from the "typical; City" tag, but after the Fulham display I fear the worse.

Can the Doctor prescribe anything to take away these irrational fears or after 40 years of support am I destined for the nut house?

We are a team now. We will take them apart. Thanks to the media we have now got a siege mentality.

 

[leighton]

Stokes set pieces are key to there game. So for that reason we need players who attack the ball for there throw ins and corners. I wouldnt go with the zonal marking in this game need to go man for man so it is a case of win your own battle and dont let them get any soft goals.

As for who we pick I would be happy to go same again I dont see why any player should be dropped after that Fulham preformance on Sunday. We need workrate in the middle and we need to be strong in the back. Stokes forwards be it Jones , Walters or Fuller will give a more phiscal side to the game so our defence will have to man up a old fashioned game me thinks on Saturday.

 

[uwe282828]

Whilst a win would definetly send a message to our contenders,it will shift all the pressure to the next match and so on!With each win expectation momentum and pressure will increase.The question is are we ready to take on the title race,for instance say were 3 points clear at the top im not sure i could concentrate at work.
i hope we can play the same football at stoke as we did at Fulham.I think with the power of our midfield 3 we can control much of the game.Its a big test for Joe Hart and the back 4 i feel he needs his best performance of the season for us to take all 3 points.