Stoke game build up

[Maxiedge]

I'd give Insua and Lucas a 'rest'.

Go with

Reina
Carra (RB)
Agger
Skrtel
Aurelio
Riera
Masch
Aquilani
Kuyt
Pacheco
Ngog


Bench: Maxi,...,....

I think Kuyt on the right in this instance against this opposition will work and he will be very important for us tomorrow. I would stop playing him there normally though from now on.

[Bender]

Reina,Riera both still injured i think

[Maxiedge]

I think Riera's in the squad. To be honest if he's not fit to play then that really throws a spanner in the works as we don't have a suitable replacement.

Swap Cavalieri for Reina then.

[Guest]

Reina has got a knock and is doubtful.

[Matt]

Is tomorrow going to be one of those games where we wear a proper random mis-matched kit?

We never win those

[Marky]

I'm not surprised after that ****house performance the other night, but we're so short up front you wonder WTF we're going to do.

Ah man wise up with that ****e, Babel actually looked to be the only one trying.

What about Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres, Aqua and Yossi...they have to shoulder a hell of a lot of the responsibility for us not creating and scoring chances. I know a few of them went off injured but even when they were on the pitch they let us down badly.

Because of Babel's lifestyle and laid back approach, he's an easy target and it's not really fair when there's other players equally as bad, if not worse in terms of their performances.

[Shaggy]

Ah man wise up with that ****e, Babel actually looked to be the only one trying.

What about Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres, Aqua and Yossi...they have to shoulder a hell of a lot of the responsibility for us not creating and scoring chances. I know a few of them went off injured but even when they were on the pitch they let us down badly.

Because of Babel's lifestyle and laid back approach, he's an easy target and it's not really fair when there's other players equally as bad, if not worse in terms of their performances.

You're ****ing clueless pal, you're in a minority of two.

[Craig_H]

For some of them, the old adage of 'trying too hard' and 'less speed, more haste' came to mind.

A few of them didnt give me the impression that they didnt want to give it their all - but just that their minds were all over the place and as such, whilst going hell for leather to fix it would be admirable, there was no composure to go with it, which naturally causes mistakes.

[Marky]

Like your explaination.

****ing have a go at Kuyt or Aquilani, they were ****ing atrocious the other night but not one remark about them.

[The_weatherman]

Ah man wise up with that ****e, Babel actually looked to be the only one trying.

What about Kuyt, Gerrard, Torres, Aqua and Yossi...they have to shoulder a hell of a lot of the responsibility for us not creating and scoring chances. I know a few of them went off injured but even when they were on the pitch they let us down badly.

Because of Babel's lifestyle and laid back approach, he's an easy target and it's not really fair when there's other players equally as bad, if not worse in terms of their performances.

To be fair I too thought he was trying more than usual, but I'll admit I only saw parts of the game. But regarding his lifestyle and laidback approach - well he is unproffessional IMO, and comes across as lazy, unambitious and thick which may make him an easy target.

[The_weatherman]

For some of them, the old adage of 'trying too hard' and 'less speed, more haste' came to mind.

A few of them didnt give me the impression that they didnt want to give it their all - but just that their minds were all over the place and as such, whilst going hell for leather to fix it would be admirable, there was no composure to go with it, which naturally causes mistakes.

I think the whole team is nervous and has been for a while, if something happens that suggests this could be difficult they play like schoolboys/girls.

[Craig_H]

Like you're explaination.

****ing have a go at Kuyt or Aquilani, they were ****ing atrocious the other night but not one remark about them.

The issue seems to be about effort and putting in a shift - in which case, Kuyt's about the least guilty. Aquilani doesnt strike me as lacking effort, more that he's trying to get his head together and find his bearings. Which is understandable.

Babel's notorious, rightly or wrongly, for slacking off and looking like he's not bothered.

To me, his was a middle of the road type of impact (by his own standards). He didnt look like he wasnt remotely bothered, but there were moments where he seemed to want to LOOK like he was putting in effort, rather than actually just doing it. Shaggy's example of Babel's 'attempts' to win headers certainly gives a good indication of this, as i instantly knew what Shaggy was talking about when i read it.

The problem to my mind, is that even if Babel does actually want to pull up his socks and give 100% effort, he has the 'headless chicken' thing about him and i think he lacks the intelligence and composure to actually make any such effort produce something really purposeful.

[Craig_H]

I think the whole team is nervous and has been for a while, if something happens that suggests this could be difficult they play like schoolboys/girls.

Totally agree with that. It was never more obvious than with Benayoun's missed chance. 90% of the time, he'd round the keeper and roll it into the net full of composure, and it'd be second nature to him.

Obviously though, such is the tension and pressure at the moment, that even someone who's usually a cool customer like Benayoun, wasnt able to just do what comes naturally and get the task done in a simple and efficient manner. He did what people always do when they're tense and nervous - he probably ran the scenario through his head several times, wondered what to do and eventually just did nothing worthwhile.

Somehow, Rafa and the staff need to get that kind of panic out of the players heads and just remind them of what they're capable of.

Confidence and mentality is an absolutely enormous issue for us right now.

[Chris]

Just found this on another forum, it completely sums up Babel's attitude :

Someone wrote to him "you never played that great against reading could be the reason. show some passion and get you foot in!"

And he replied "to get injured again? Ur crazy"

[Craig_H]

Just found this on another forum, it completely sums up Babel's attitude :

Someone wrote to him "you never played that great against reading could be the reason. show some passion and get you foot in!"

And he replied "to get injured again? Ur crazy"

If that's really Babel, then not only is he lazy and work-shy, but he's not too bright either, to be posting that on a publicly accessible medium.