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Post by The Turtle on Aug 16, 2014 9:30:54 GMT
One of the BBC's stats for today's game Seven teams took more long throws than Stoke City last season - evidence of their evolution under Mark Hughes. Get with it, Auntie ffs.
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Post by RickyFullerBeer on Aug 16, 2014 10:26:15 GMT
WAHAYYYYY
It's fucking back lads.
3-1
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Post by SamTheLost on Aug 16, 2014 11:29:35 GMT
A few rumours went around this morning saying that Crouch may start. Another than Bojan might not start as well.
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Post by One-Two on Aug 16, 2014 11:50:26 GMT
Wouldn't be surprised if Bojan started on the bench. Would be very surprised if Crouch started!
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Post by Uncle Heinrich on Aug 16, 2014 14:25:55 GMT
Great first 15 minutes, we've looked vulnerable at the back since though.
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Post by Campervan Von Bigglesworth on Aug 16, 2014 15:10:09 GMT
5 prediction league points on the cards here!
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Post by The Turtle on Aug 16, 2014 15:23:51 GMT
I have to say our defence worried me in the pre-season friendlies.
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Post by The Funkasaurus on Aug 16, 2014 16:03:08 GMT
That'll teach us to be optimistic! Don't read too much into it, they beat Arsenal first game up last year!
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Post by The Turtle on Aug 16, 2014 16:09:54 GMT
Yes, if nowt else, it'll bring the expectations nicely back down!
You know after winning there 4-1 last year and doing the double combined with all the preseason optimism, 40 years of following Stoke should really have prepared me for this entirely predictable result!
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Post by The Funkasaurus on Aug 16, 2014 16:22:55 GMT
Exactly. We've got a brand new forward line it will take a little while to gel. A lot of rustiness there today as well, get it out of the way early!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2014 16:28:22 GMT
Thought we were very heavy handed and looked like we were in pre season still, they had our number from start to finish. Oh well.
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Post by One-Two on Aug 16, 2014 17:15:37 GMT
We were pretty crap but in fairness to Villa they pulled off the perfect away performance. Had ten men behind the ball and hassled us at the back then looked to break quickly, which they did well.
Our new forward line clearly hasn't gelled yet and Villa gave them no space at all, we just couldn't break them down. In a few matches when they've clicked we should be able to deal with that kind of approach but today we couldn't.
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Post by One-Two on Aug 16, 2014 17:20:23 GMT
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Post by The Turtle on Aug 16, 2014 18:12:30 GMT
Haha tremendous shot, Mr Pigeon. Shame we don't see his reaction.
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Post by The Turtle on Aug 16, 2014 18:16:19 GMT
Any booing at the end?
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Post by RickyFullerBeer on Aug 16, 2014 18:21:31 GMT
Yes a bit... You expect nothing else!
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Post by The Funkasaurus on Aug 17, 2014 8:28:34 GMT
The MOTD highlights made it look like we battered them!
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Post by Dharma Bum on Aug 17, 2014 9:08:26 GMT
Fair to say pride comes before a fall! Villa played with far more intensity and punished us.
I think yesterday proved that there's still a bit of tinkering to be done with that front four. The Bojan/Diouf wing thing looks clunky- we already know Bojan doesn't really do playing wide and I don't think it suits Diouf either. We basically had no threat down the right apart from Bardsley occasionally. Odemwingie or Moses there for me and Diouf has to be given a proper go up front before we get too carried away with playing Bojan as a false 9.
I thought Ireland was disappointing, after looking really good in pre-season, and didn't really merit staying on.
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Post by Revolver Ocelot on Aug 17, 2014 10:27:42 GMT
As much as I didn't want to jinx it, I felt this coming. Too much hype and positivity around us, rightly so the way we've gone about this window. But we're Stoke, we love the fight and the underdog status. Every man and his dog expected us to win yesterday.
Will do us the world of good though I reckon, we're not a top team. 17th is always our first goal and you don't finish 17th without the fight.
Lessons learnt I feel.
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Post by Mr_Sausage on Aug 17, 2014 11:20:37 GMT
Our defence is what worries me the most
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