nonameface

Gutted for you guys - Pearson is a top manager and as an outsider, I felt he brought stability with steady consistent progress whilst also bringing through youth players and doing that whilst having to sell some key players. At Stoke we did similar sacking Michael O' Neil and appointing Alex Neil. Not sure who you will go for now, but you must be one of the most attractive clubs in the league to manage outside the relegated premier League teams. Seen mentions of Rowett (could get you to the play offs but be prepared for lots of draws and seriously dull football) and Nathan Jones (High octane football but he should be sectioned). Eustace would be a good manager to go for, but other than him are there many out there right now?

Just trying to provide balance to your views. Personally thought there could have been penalties in the game, but they'd have been cheap. PGMOL stated your potential penalties weren't, despite whats stated on here. Prior to our game against Southampton in 9 league games we have had 5 penalty appeals not given that that body have confirmed we should have had. The chances you've mentioned weren't chances, they were near chances. A shot hit to the moon from 20 yards out doesn't count, neither does one where a player hasn't even connected with it. Equally the comments from your fans about Yeboah looks unfair, he caused us more concern in the period of time he was on the pitch than sykes did when he was up against the same full back.(We started the game with a right winger at left back) Cant speak about how Neils teams have done against you previously, but must admit we suffered the same when we played his teams so it doesn't surprise me. But Saturday really wasn't against the run of play. Agree possession stats mean nothing, at this level it tends to create as many problems as it fixes, that said it is a measure of control, which the comments on here suggested was one way traffic. Long balls/direct passing, you are quick back to front, which alot of the best teams do. We did it alot under Pulis with Pennant and Etherington. Anyway, it gave us a rare glimmer of hope in a season where we will end up lower in the league and no doubt will lose to you guys at the Bet365. We really don't get where your dislike for us as a club comes from? Is it from when we got promoted to the premier league keeping you down or the Mickey mouse cup win at wembley or something else? Look forward to hitting the 10 post count admin!

By the way, why does each message need to be approved by a moderator? Is this ran by a chinese state?

Anti football side? Youll probably see more footballing technique from Bristol Bears than what you put out at the weekend. Apart from Huddersfield you've been the most old school direct football team we've played this year. Although you hit the channels well and you should because that's what your team is set up to do and easily where you are most dangerous. I'd imagine Bell will be your next real asset sold. Seriously, you are a very well organised, defensive first team set up. You have next to no creativity in the team (especially centrally), it's what makes you hard to beat. It was the same when Pearson was our assistant manager under Gary Megson. Its why you tend to do better away from home where teams attack and then you break on them.... Yet you struggle at home when teams reciprocate and defend a bit more than if they were at home. Noticed how you created nothing other than the two gifts in the game? One where the shot went less than a metre either side of 4 defenders and another where our full back passed the ball to Wells on the edge of the box? We were heavily disorganised at the weekend and weirdly it was our second worst performance of the season. Even with that, we created few chances but they were better quality ones, bar the goal from Lleris who I didn't think would score all season. You could have had a penalty, we could have, you could have had a player sent off when pulling the shirt of Lleris when clear through too. I'm surprised you didn't get one as the ref was the most biased ref I've seen. Fortunately he didn't make any poor decisions that impacted the result. I read on here about how you dominated the game. How?? 54% possession for a team in the lead for as long as you were is very low. It's because you kept lifting the ball in the air at every attempt making it so we couldn't play through you. Also your XG was marginally better by less than .4, which again take out the gifts probably shows it level or with us being slightly more creative. Most likely youll end up mid table because you are a well organised team which are used to each other and understands whats expected. You really miss Scott in that way. We will continue to be a mess as we integrate too many players, nationalities and cultures and will most likely finish bottom 3rd, I'd be alot more worried about relegation if not for Huddersfield, QPR, Rotherham and Wednesday.

Stoke fan here and i must say im not sure whether im more surprised by the views on here or the fact we won. * The ref without giving any match defining decisions was the worst and most home biased ref I've ever seen. There were three big decisions that could have gone differently though, one where leris shirt was pulled back whilst past the back line (could have been red with VAR or if it was a stoke player doing the pulling) and a penalty appeal for both sides (both could have been given). * Apart from the two gifts we gave you, I dont remember any shot of threat. To be fair the reason weve lost so many games is because of very similar mistakes weve made rather than any other reason. * Despite winning today, it was possibly our poorest performance of the season. Partly because of missing key players but more likely down to your football style of giving up midfield press high with the front three, whilst sitting in deep and waiting to counter attack. * With that lead I was surprised you didnt want to dominate the ball and control the tempo of the game. You only created chances when hitting the ball long quickly into the channels. That said If we had Bell i'd hit the left channel all the time too. * Until today we've been the weakest biggest diving team in our games, but your boys dived all over the place today, which to be fair i would if the ref bought every single one of them. * Sykes mugged off Gooch who as an injured right winger was to be expected. Bringing on Junior (an actual defender) made it so you weren't as effective on your right. That said I thought Yeboah looked bright, but in key moments lacked composure. * You lifted the ball in the air alot to just press the team high rather than try and beat a team on the floor. Something we used to do alot when Pearson was an assistant manager here. * You are well organised, our goals apart from the last one would have been low xg chances, so you will probably keep a decent amount of clean sheets. * You are a good championship team that with a good few results could be at the top of the table again, but might need someone with a little less graft and more craft. * Youll end up higher than us in the league, as we have had too much change this summer and the teams too inexperienced. * But today, cant believe you gave that lead up today and you rightly lost.

Stoke fan here. The referee wasn't that bad by championship standards, if you want to see bad you should see our highlights versus Cardiff. Its unfortunate, we went ahead and then used football dark arts to destroy a pretty dull game into a nothing match. Its the first time we've done it all season, so from our point it was good to see we could do it. Semenyo could have had a penalty if he'd stayed down, but I've seen much worse not given. Surprised he didn't start, especially with us playing a striker at right wing back. Thought one of your centre backs could have been sent off at the end for a foul on Powell. Dull game, showing how poor we both are, could easily have been 2-1 either way or 2-2.