Stoke (A): Post Match

[TheElephantMan]

I don't think we'll be as poor as we were last season, we've improved the first 11 and have quality on the bench. Today wasn't the greatest performance ever, but I'm sure most of us would have taken that before the game. It's important to get some points before our difficult run of games, we achieved exactly what we need to today. Stoke are a decent side, other top teams will come away with nothing from the Britannia this season.

[Fredo]

Same as last season - ponderous going forward, created little and rarely troubled the keeper, but a moment of genius from Phil won us the game. At the beginning of last season we kept saying that all we needed was a few games and then everything would click. It never clicked. I didn't see anything in pre season or in today's game to suggest this time round will be any different.

Having Milner and Henderson in central midfield is plodding. And I really hope we don't have a season of Mig punting the ball forward to Bentekkers because it's painful to watch.

You realise it's the first game of the season right?

We started similarly 2 years ago, but we were solid and grinded out games, which allowed us to keep in touch in the league and obviously our form improved the more games we played.

There's absolutely no reason to be negative as such after a win on the first day of the season, unless your hatred of Rogers is negating your ability to think.

[captainfog]

You realise it's the first game of the season right?

We started similarly 2 years ago, but we were solid and grinded out games, which allowed us to keep in touch in the league and obviously our form improved the more games we played.

There's absolutely no reason to be negative as such after a win on the first day of the season, unless your hatred of Rogers is negating your ability to think.

Stoke were the better side for 80 minutes and we didn't play very well. 3 points are very welcome though.

[DannyMan2006]

I think the point was made after the game by Rodgers. You can't tell nothing about a team until about 8 games in. By then everyone is settled and you know what you're going to get.

Arsenal were excellent pre season and then were poor all over the pitch today, whilst Chelsea were also poor and looked off the boil. Will those sides be finishing bottom half? Course not.

Last season people said West Ham were top 4 contenders and look how they finished.

[DannyMan2006]

Stoke were the better side for 80 minutes and we didn't play very well. 3 points are very welcome though.

They really weren't. Both sides were poor and a draw would've been the fair result, as admitted even by Hughes.

[Fredo]

I don't think they were the better side. They were playing at home and we dealt with them well. We weren't fluent today but we showed what we can do at our best with the best move of the game, involving a period of possession and quick fire one touch football around Stoke's penalty area which resulted in a corner.

Also, we're not finding Benteke well yet, though there are glimpses. And I'm not talking about long balls to him. With more games, our passing will be sharper and we'll be able to thread passes to him when he makes those runs in behind, rather than him having to come all the time to pick up the ball. He's cleverer than Balotelli, so I can't see any issue 10 games down the line.

[captainfog]

I don't think they were the better side. They were playing at home and we dealt with them well. We weren't fluent today but we showed what we can do at our best with the best move of the game, involving a period of possession and quick fire one touch football around Stoke's penalty area which resulted in a corner.

Also, we're not finding Benteke well yet, though there are glimpses. And I'm not talking about long balls to him. With more games, our passing will be sharper and we'll be able to thread passes to him when he makes those runs in behind, rather than him having to come all the time to pick up the ball. He's cleverer than Balotelli, so I can't see any issue 10 games down the line.

Well, I hope you're right.

[Fredo]

Think the idea behind playing 2 deep midfielders is not to concede as the main priority. When Can came in for the last 30 mins, we moved to a more fluid midfield, with Henderson and Milner further forward. This gives us more depth and angles to play our passes. There is a method in Rodgers' thinking, and some people should just be patient.

[Vermilion]

Yeeeeeees! 3 lovely away points!

[RichC]

Think the idea behind playing 2 deep midfielders is not to concede as the main priority. When Can came in for the last 30 mins, we moved to a more fluid midfield, with Henderson and Milner further forward. This gives us more depth and angles to play our passes. There is a method in Rodgers' thinking, and some people should just be patient.

[Fredo]

And he's clearly juggling his squad early on, with so many players not fit enough yet, so the formation will change to a more fluid one as the season progresses.

[captainfog]

We looked much better when Can came on. He should start most games. I really don't think there is space in our midfield for Henderson and Milner but that's the way Rodgers is going to go and so I'm just going to have to get used to it.

[TheElephantMan]

Weren't Henderson and Milner still on the pitch when Can came on?

[Vermilion]

Lovely strike by Cout, but the keeper got over to it easily, should have got a strong hand on it too as it didn't come of his finger tips, in fact it came off the area around the base of his thumb and the heel of his hand combined, his hand went past the ball too far really, could easily have got a full palm on it, the curl on the ball did him there. Which is nice.

http://www.okgoals.com/match-highlights-1439047850---40

[McDermotX]

Just another small point of concern -

3 yellows across the back line. Normally I'd say that because its the first weekend the refs might be a bit card happy, but in isolation, they were probably worth the cards as first fouls - as was Milner steaming in.
Need to watch that against superior attacking opposition.