Stoke: Is This A Match To Be More Attacking?

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Note the BBC site head to head facts:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20107693

 

I expect CH to set his side out with the now usual strict pattern and hope the likes of Turner will bolster us in what is usually an aerial battle to nullify the main source of threat with Stoke.

But, we are facing a side with a poor recent away record and two goals should be enough to guarantee three points. That said, our three clean sheets in our last five home league games is now standing out more than the matches where we let in too many goals so one might be enough. However, can we take that chance?

I expect the same line up as faced Villa if Russ is fit but I hope CH will be prepared to make the kind of changes he made against Spurs should the situation demand.

Sides often go out to play Stoke with a ''keep it tight and battle'' mentality and this could be why so many of Stoke''s games are low quality.

Once we establish ourselves in the match, as we did against Arsenal and Spurs, let''s take a bit of football to Stoke and beat them on the deck.

The Cat A grade might be a mystery to everyone not named David McNally but each game is very different and this one might surprise.

 

 

 

[Dubai Mark 0]

No.......we should play in the same way as we have been doing recently particularly as its clear we are getting settled into CH''s tactics, which I find to be a good mix of defensive organisation and building considered fluent attacks, but also with the ability to hit a team on the break. It''s simply the quality of our final ball and finishing when we get the opportunities that need to improve a bit, plus a turn of luck as we havnt had that much to date this season, other than perhaps the deflection midweek. I also have to mention, that from what I have seen this season, we are certainly not a defensive team in the way we play and feel that some on here have over played this. The one thing no one should do, is under estimate this Stoke City side, it''s full of top class players and they now mix it in terms of style more than they used to, watched them at Man U and they were very impressive for large parts of that match and in the first half should have been out of sight, the score line highly flattered the home side that day. They have taken a point away at Liverpool, held Man City and Arsenal already this season, they are no mugs...and definately not a team to go all out attack against....others I am sure will feel differently..... 

[Mister Chops 7]

I would be quite happy if we swapped Johnson for Howson, or at least allowed one of the DMs to get forward more and support the lone striker while Wes is here, there and everywhere.Something like

                                  Ruddy   Whittaker     Bassong     Turner      Garrido                                 Tettey  Snodgrass                Howson                       Pilkington                                             Hoolahan                                     Holt

May be harsh on BJ though, who hasn''t done a lot wrong other than he doesn''t often pass the ball to a yellow shirt.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Snodgrass''s crosses from set pieces was top drawer vs Spurs. CH might be swayed.

[step 0]

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]Snodgrass''s crosses from set pieces was top drawer vs Spurs. CH might be swayed.[/quote]

I agree which was unlike when he came on against Vile.Not just Snoddy but others did seems to be over hitting (more than normal)

Just curious as I havent seen it mentioned but I noticed a few minutes before the game last week they were talking about the ball. I couldnt hear as I had it on my phone with volume down (something to do with being at work). Was this comments on how the ball could fly different or something ?

[kellybrook 0]

What do you mean by more attacking?  More attacking than when?  Against Arsenal we had to be tough at the back and defend.  Against Villa we threw the kitchen sink at them.So what are you talking about?

[ZLF 335]

[quote user="step"] Just curious as I havent seen it mentioned but I noticed a few minutes before the game last week they were talking about the ball. I couldnt hear as I had it on my phone with volume down (something to do with being at work). Was this comments on how the ball could fly different or something ?[/quote]

I think the ball is now the "winter" version; from last weekend the ball is now the luminous yellow version which will stay the ball of choice until march.

Other than the colour i dont think there is any other difference!

[lake district canary 0]

[quote user="kellybrook"]What do you mean by more attacking?  More attacking than when?  Against Arsenal we had to be tough at the back and defend.  Against Villa we threw the kitchen sink at them.So what are you talking about?[/quote]

Threw the kitchen sink at Villa?   Not in my books. We failed imo to throw the kitchen sink at them.  We had the opportunity to it, but didn''t.  We had possession but there was little end product.   As someone who likes to see the positives, I was disappointed with the quality of our effort - I think we should learn from the AV game and learn to keep cooler heads.   The pressure was different at AV - the pressure was expectation that we should be on top in the game because of circumstances - but we failed to deliver.  Ok we managed to scrape a draw in the end - but it was not great attacking play. 

I don''t think its a question of being more attacking - its more that we just need to improve the quality.  

[crabbycanary 2]

I would have Chop''s team as mine today. I feel that, at home against Stoke, we need to take a bit out of the 2 DM''s and place more emphasis on the attacking side. It (2 x DM''s), worked great against the Arse, but this is a game, where, a few weeks ago we would have realistically, pinpointed more out of this fixture than a fortnight ago.

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

[quote user="Dubai Mark"]No.......we should play in the same way as we have been doing recently particularly as its clear we are getting settled into CH''s tactics, which I find to be a good mix of defensive organisation and building considered fluent attacks, but also with the ability to hit a team on the break. It''s simply the quality of our final ball and finishing when we get the opportunities that need to improve a bit, plus a turn of luck as we havnt had that much to date this season, other than perhaps the deflection midweek. I also have to mention, that from what I have seen this season, we are certainly not a defensive team in the way we play and feel that some on here have over played this. The one thing no one should do, is under estimate this Stoke City side, it''s full of top class players and they now mix it in terms of style more than they used to, watched them at Man U and they were very impressive for large parts of that match and in the first half should have been out of sight, the score line highly flattered the home side that day. They have taken a point away at Liverpool, held Man City and Arsenal already this season, they are no mugs...and definately not a team to go all out attack against....others I am sure will feel differently..... [/quote]

Good point. There area lot of people on this MB underestimating Stoke.

When they have the ball you''ve got to expect a lot of high balls but they are less one- dimensional than they were.

When we have the ball we should try to play it around and play to our strengths not theirs.

Anyone who thinks this is an easy 3 pointer is just unrealistic IMO

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Without risking giving away the opening goal; in answer to the question ''how to be more attacking?'' I would begin by giving Tettey a bit more licence to get forward. Tettey did this against Spurs and they couldn''t contain him. For me, it was this move which changed that match.

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

I agree Tettey looks quality going forward and you can''t argue with the goals he''s provided. As long as he and BJ cover each other more licence to go for it would defo be a good idea.

[crabbycanary 2]

Yeh - like I said, it might be a good idea to only have Tettey as our one DM today.