ReadingCanary 0 Posted January 30, 2014 Boring footballNegative tacticsNot much enjoymentBut....Home Ground becomes an absolute fortressPick up the points we need to survive in mid-table year after yearEvery now and then beat one of the big teamsKeep plenty of clean sheetsThe occasional cup run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feedthewolf 4,844 Posted January 30, 2014 No. Survival can be achieved without playing abysmal football – look at Southampton, Swansea, West Brom... hell, even Wigan stayed in the top flight for eight years. I don''t want Hughton 2.0, I want intelligent, imaginative football. If we do go down (and we will eventually, it''s inevitable), I want us to do so with pride, passion and quality football. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Houston Canary 0 Posted January 30, 2014 Not much enjoyment and boring? I vote no. Sooner or later people lose interest as hope for something better dissipates. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted January 30, 2014 What about if it''s part of an evolutionary process though? Say we play "boring" but slowly improving football over the next 2/3 seasons, but end up with something approaching Southampton/Everton this season? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feedthewolf 4,844 Posted January 30, 2014 Just can''t see that happening under Hughton. If it was an evolutionary process, we''d have seen more exciting football this season given the signings that he made in the summer. I''m not suggesting we need a gung-ho manager like Lambert was, but I couldn''t bear watching a dinosaur like Allardyce or Pulis in charge of our team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
It's Character Forming 1,160 Posted January 30, 2014 Comparing our style this season to Stoke of years past is wrong. Stoke had a long-ball style of football which was brutal and boring to watch, but effective, and they applied that style effectively in a way that many Prem teams (Arsenal being the classic example) found it hard to counter (and officials seemed to give them unusual leeway to get away with a physical approach to the game). City this season have simply been misfiring in many games, in other words not playing the way the manager wants them to play IMO, not gelling, grinding out the points to keep above the drop zone without being able to produce much flowing/attractive football. It''s not an unfamiliar sight, having watched City over recent decades it''s pretty familiar to me, but obviously the hope was that with the quality of players that have come in since we''ve been in the Prem, we''d get something better. The debate on that count is between those who want to change the manager to try to solve those problems and those like me that want to give him more time. Now if we changed our style of football to a genuine "Stoke" approach, that would be truly dismal and nothing like the season so far. And for me I would be very unhappy with it, and I''d actually prefer us to be relegated rather than do that. But there''s no sign of an approach like that being introduced, so I won''t be losing sleep over it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Houston Canary 0 Posted January 30, 2014 IS, there was no mention of evolution, only Stoke. Obviously if this dross was leading somewhere and we were given an honest assessment of what to expect in the meantime, fans would be far more tolerant. Did you really need to ask that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Syteanric 1 Posted January 30, 2014 i''d be more than happy emulating Stoke, cup finals, Europe, established premiership side.I can think of many worse teams to emulate! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReadingCanary 0 Posted January 30, 2014 Hughton seems to have this ability to pick up points even when the football is utterly atrocious.He seems to also win the "must win games" (well apart from Fulham I guess)Can''t see the board getting rid of him no matter how bad the football is if he keeps us in the leaguePeople can threaten to end their season tickets but I honestly can''t see a mass walkout happeningSo many people in the season ticket waiting list after all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,509 Posted January 30, 2014 Palace are the new Stoke. If they stay up at the old Stoke''s expense the reactions in the potteries will be extremely interesting... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggy 0 Posted January 30, 2014 We are already the new Stoke. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggy 0 Posted January 30, 2014 ReadingCanary.Yesterday at 5.31pm you started a thread titled ''Are we the new Stoke?''.http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/3060568/ShowPost.aspxWhy have you decided to start an almost identical one today? Do you have Alzheimer''s? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,509 Posted January 30, 2014 Thirty how old??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggy 0 Posted January 30, 2014 I''m almost young enough to be your grandson Nigel, that''s all you need to know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ReadingCanary 0 Posted January 30, 2014 [quote user="Le Juge"]ReadingCanary.Yesterday at 5.31pm you started a thread titled ''Are we the new Stoke?''.http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/3060568/ShowPost.aspxWhy have you decided to start an almost identical one today? Do you have Alzheimer''s?[/quote]That''s a bit insulting ...I didn''t think the first post was posted that''s all I can''t see it on my screen ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,509 Posted January 30, 2014 Now I wish I''d remembered Tilly''s catch phrase about master tradesmen..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggy 0 Posted January 30, 2014 "That''s a bit insulting"No offence intended. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reggie Strayshun 0 Posted January 30, 2014 When we get these type of threads from time to time, the general impression given is of polarity...ie would you prefer to be the new Barcelona or the new Stoke ? Why does it have to black or white, all or nothing etc?Surely there is a pragmatic approach where we can aim for something in the middle. I know that the praising of Southampton on this site gets on a few peoples'' t!ts, but they are a team that can score goals, but has seriously tightened its defence over the last year, and, when required ,can park the bus with the best of ''em. There are in fact a number of teams round the various European leagues who seem to tread this sort of path, and many of them have done it without flashing the chequebook oout too much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,509 Posted January 30, 2014 How many clubs in the last 10 years have achieved what Southampton are achieving having only spent what we have. Serious question. This should give us some idea just how far we are under achieving.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Juggy 0 Posted January 30, 2014 Everton don''t spend much money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites