Stoke post match thread

[el matador]

In fairness, he's right about everything except the getting rid of Rafa bit. Rafa needs to take some advice from Sammy at the moment, maybe that's the bit that's missing.

Sad thing is that Rafa could win the league, he just needs to learn from his mistakes. I think it's too late this season, we need to beat Utd away now to stand a chance and I don't think that'll happen. Rafa's taken his eye off the ball, sad to say

i was in spain when rafa's valencia pissed on everybody including barca and madrid.

He has pedigree but in a totally different footballing climate. They won the titles playing the best counter-attacking football I have ever seen. On the break they were relentless and defensively brilliant and he's trying to instill the same philosophy in us but the EPL is a totally different kettle of fish.

In spain the lower division sides come to play (even away from home) whereas here stoke and the like will be content to defend all night and take a point away because we look at things differently.

Spanish fans want entertainment and therefore all spanish teams are set up to attack.

Its much easier to play against teams with attacking intentions and not brilliant defensive organisation. That's why rafa won those title in spain.

He wont win the league here with that philosophy and the problem is that he doesnt seem to understand that stoke will defend deep for their lives and bully us. This is his fifth season here and he still hasnt learnt that to win this league you must go out and take teams on.

We dont do that and for that simple reason rafa wont win the league because we take a defence first approach whereas arsenal, united and chelsea take an attack first approach. It simply wont work.

[kingfunk]

Does anybody else think that Riera was prob our best player on the field??
Got taken off, WTF has dirk kuyt done to be given 90 mins? somebody please explain?
Im at a loss as to why he is ahead of keane, babel, riera?

[el matador]

QUITE LITERALLY..............SHUT THE **** UP!!!!

it's not over. its ****ing january. manure chelsea are still not playing great either. we're all gutted over this **** performance today but a draw tomorrow leaves us still in driving seat. you are not a true fan - FACT not opinion.

FACT - you're a brain dead moron who cant see the wood from the trees.

Look around - if i was so wrong why is everybody else having a go ?

[Maxiedge]

i was in spain when rafa's valencia pissed on everybody including barca and madrid.

He has pedigree but in a totally different footballing climate. They won the titles playing the best counter-attacking football I have ever seen. On the break they were relentless and defensively brilliant and he's trying to instill the same philosophy in us but the EPL is a totally different kettle of fish.

In spain the lower division sides come to play (even away from home) whereas here stoke and the like will be content to defend all night and take a point away because we look at things differently.

Spanish fans want entertainment and therefore all spanish teams are set up to attack.

Its much easier to play against teams with attacking intentions and not brilliant defensive organisation. That's why rafa won those title in spain.

He wont win the league here with that philosophy and the problem is that he doesnt seem to understand that stoke will defend deep for their lives and bully us. This is his fifth season here and he still hasnt learnt that to win this league you must go out and take teams on.

We dont do that and for that simple reason rafa wont win the league because we take a defence first approach whereas arsenal, united and chelsea take an attack first approach. It simply wont work.

It's becoming a really tough league. Stoke didn't give us room to breathe. Chelsea and Man U would have done well to beat them today.

[Marky]

I thought Riera was fantastic in the first half. Was really surprised he was taken off but that could be due to his fitness.

Aye he was good, one of few that was willing to put a bit of effort in but how the **** can a professional footballer not last 90 minutes? not as if it's his first game in the premiership, he's bound to be used to the pace of it now.

[the rev leeroy brown]

FACT - you're a brain dead moron who cant see the wood from the trees.

Look around - if i was so wrong why is everybody else having a go ?

cause they're all cunts too. it's january and after one bad result that actually put us further ahead in the league you come on here and state it's all over, we wont win the league etc....

true fans dont give up that easy. it sickens me to the bone to see so called fans come out with this pish!

[Maxiedge]

Aye he was good, one of few that was willing to put a bit of effort in but how the **** can a professional footballer not last 90 minutes? not as if it's his first game in the premiership, he's bound to be used to the pace of it now.

If it was tactical, I'm sad to say it was a mistake

[chadrtc]

Give your slant on today then

We were shocking, but i don't think you need me to tell you that. It certainly isn't over though. Have you seen how the Mancs and Chelsea are playing? We're still the best placed to win it, still top of the table and up untill today, in the best form of all the challengers. I'd certainly rather have the points on the board than be in in the scums position of having to win 3 games in hand!

Anyone who genuinely thinks it's over needs to step away from the keyboard for an hour or two and come back when they've calmed down a bit.

Now i'm off for an ale or 2 to drown my sorrows and forget about today, i'd reccomend some of you do the same.

[Vermilion]

Poor performance, from the management down, the game passed to many players by today, it happens, we go 4 points clear for tonight.

But, i'm one of the ones who doesn't believe.. if we are to win this title that we will do it by staying top till May, i feel there will be a few twists and turns along the way for all sides concerned, hopefully when all the those twists straighten out we'll be left sitting TOP when the final whistle of the season sounds.

[MrsB]

FACT - you're a brain dead moron who cant see the wood from the trees.

Look around - if i was so wrong why is everybody else having a go ?

cause they're all cunts too. it's january and after one bad result that actually put us further ahead in the league you come on here and state it's all over, we wont win the league etc....

true fans dont give up that easy. it sickens me to the bone to see so called fans come out with this pish!

Stop the insults or I'll ban you both.

[el matador]

cause they're all cunts too. it's january and after one bad result that actually put us further ahead in the league you come on here and state it's all over, we wont win the league etc....

true fans dont give up that easy. it sickens me to the bone to see so called fans come out with this pish!

its not just one bad result though is it ?

Its not this result that has cost us the league but its rafa's rant yesterday with no result today. If he was going to say what he did we had to win to make him look like a sane person but our draw had the opposite effect of making him look like Keegan.

And i said that we dont have enough savvy in the side to pull ourselves above this and get the seige mentality that fergie and mourinho cultivate.

Now it will look like rafa and us bottled it.

As for being a real fan - why would i post nearly 800 times on a subject that i wasnt passionate about.

[joyno]

i am a rafa fan,but how come when ever we have a chance to go for it because the other challengers have slipped up i always find myself saying what the fuk have you picked that team for,lucas and kuyt will not hurt any team they lack vision and create nothing they just frustrate,it was obvious stoke were going to defend so ****ing attack them,i know its easier to pick a team when you are a fan and obviously lack the brilliance of the manager and dont take the flak but cmon we had to win this game and caution to the wind would have made all us fans a lot happier that we had at least tried to win the game,not buying the papers tomorrow can see keegans face on rafas uncalled for i know but know that the biased **** bag press are going to do it.

[lickedlollipop]

u ever heard about this lyric/song?

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark.

Walk on, through the wind,
Walk on, through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone

Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never walk alone

[Joe King]

Rafa is a younger version of Houllier - deluded and living off past memories. Bring in Mourinho - he will win us the title.

[Rigadon]

I thought Riera was fantastic in the first half. Was really surprised he was taken off but that could be due to his fitness.

Replacing our most creative player (on the day) with our best striker was bizarre and counterproductive. We needed both Riera and Torres to unlock Stoke.