Stoke Post Match

[Dessy]

Villa 1-arse 1, wld do us a right favour if it stays like that (prays)

For real???

[Fredo]

Stand by my only negative from yesterday, FFS this is a post match discussion and if there was a negative for me it was our achilles heel (defending from set pieces).

Does not constitute an attack on the team really. I think I need to grow some thicker skin to survive on here this season or jack it all in.

Enjoy your day guys. YNWA

Did we concede though? No.

[SB]

Someone mentioned the defence looked shaky & we need either Agger or Kolo to be the Carra type organiser I'd suggest.

[Fredo]

Don't think the defence was shaky at all. Mignolet was shaky though and I think that's understandable and maybe why we didn't deal too well but those long balls at set pieces.

On the whole our defensive game was good because we controlled the game from start to finish. Stoke hardly had the ball.

[spud_gun]

Someone mentioned the defence looked shaky & we need either Agger or Kolo to be the Carra type organiser I'd suggest.

Doesn't help that we've got a new, young keeper trying to stamp his authority on things.

[SB]

Don't think the defence was shaky at all. Mignolet was shaky though and I think that's understandable and maybe why we didn't deal too well but those long balls at set pieces.

On the whole our defensive game was good because we controlled the game from start to finish. Stoke hardly had the ball.

Yeah I don't think Stoke gave us too many problems on the ground. In the air was a bit different but we need one of the 2 CB's take control & be the chief like the old warrior was. I hope their partnership grows quickly & I'm sure it will.

[Mattshark]

Stand by my only negative from yesterday, FFS this is a post match discussion and if there was a negative for me it was our achilles heel (defending from set pieces).

Does not constitute an attack on the team really. I think I need to grow some thicker skin to survive on here this season or jack it all in.

Enjoy your day guys. YNWA

Tbf, stoke are a team based entirely set piece attacks, I don't think they are a good barometer for our defence in the air.

Also, last season, only city kept more clean sheets, our defence is better than people give it credit for.

[SB]

Doesn't help that we've got a new, young keeper trying to stamp his authority on things.

Yeah we did well considering but a good side could have put us to the sword. Onward & upward.

[danperkins]

Stoke is probably the toughest test any team will face aerially. They really are a team of giants that rely of the set piece. We did look nervy and dodgy at times but new CB & new keeper wouldn't have helped. I really like Agger but just like last season he made another silly mistake... i actually don't kow what the hell he was doing

We struggled in the air last season & our CB's really seemed to struggle against a big CF. Hopefully the addition of Toure might help both of those. But i do agree it's very tough to tell if have sorted those issues out, when your playing a monster side that set pieces and crosses are their forte.

Few more games and i suppose we'l get a better idea.

[RedReet]

Tbf, stoke are a team based entirely set piece attacks, I don't think they are a good barometer for our defence in the air.

Also, last season, only city kept more clean sheets, our defence is better than people give it credit for.

[BG1973]

Stand by my only negative from yesterday, FFS this is a post match discussion and if there was a negative for me it was our achilles heel (defending from set pieces).

Does not constitute an attack on the team really. I think I need to grow some thicker skin to survive on here this season or jack it all in.

Enjoy your day guys. YNWA

Don't be daft. Say it how you see it, who cares what someone on the internet thinks..

Your point is valid, it would be nice to **** ourselves a bit less when we concede free kicks and corners..

But we are sure to improve in this area.

Overall, we played very well.

A great start.

[Charly]

I thought the shakiness stemmed from the keeper not controlling his area. When confidence in the keeper goes, so does the positional integrity of the defence, as they dont know who to cover. Hopefully it was first game nerves. I dont want to go back to a time when I used to brick it every time a cross came in.

[LFCman]

When Man Utd play bad and win it's a sign of a good team that can still win games while playing bad.

Why not the same with us?

Stoke were a decent opponent. Sturridge has barely had a pre-season, it was Aspas' first taste of EPL pace and an opponent like Stoke. A brand new defensive pairing. And we still created so many chances, with Coutinho again being fantastic.

We still have a couple signings to come and one of the best strikers in the world to return to the team.

So many positives to take out of the performance yesterday.

[Phoenix07]

With Mignolet, you have to remember that it's the first home of the season, let alone the first game of the season in a competitive situation, against a team that we've struggled against in the past, and who are known to be aggressive.

Look at David De Gea when he first arrived. He flapped more than John Terry's trouser zip, but now he's solid and accomplished. Yes, I know Mignolet has experience at Sunderland, but the pressures here are different, and so is the style. He has to understand the way we play and how his defence play too. There would've been a lot of things going on in his head.

[SB]

Let's go & bang 3 or 4 in against Villa & then we'll see confidence soar sky high.