Stoke City at home match thread

[redkev]

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Yeah I get that. Even that notwithstanding we certainly didn't deserve the loss today, was infuriating really. Stoke's first goal was a great strike tbh but we threw that game away somewhat.

Don’t get me wrong , I’m a Nige man and we have made big steps in the right direction . I can remember with Holden in charge and the first part of Nige tenure here we could barely get out of our half never mind get a goal or even shot on target , that has all changed thankfully HOWEVER we are in a results business there will come a point where we need to get some consistency in our results we really should not have even drawn that game today never mind lost .

[redkev]

3 minutes ago, tin said:

Totally fair points, Kev.

Please don’t agree tin that’s not how it works on Otib , surely you know that 

[1960maaan]

33 minutes ago, tin said:

I don’t think the Gate will ever be a fortress. The board wanted a watered down, prawn sandwich atmosphere and that’s what they’ve got IMO.

Well that is quite a ridiculous statement. 
Do you seriously think they went to architects and asked for a " prawn sandwich atmosphere " please ? They upgraded the Dolman ( too expensive to replace ), made a much bigger version of the Williams and built a new "bank" on the East End. It was done like that because they were stitched up with Long Ashton, we weren't supposed to be here remember.
If they fill in the corners it may help, but many new stadiums  struggle. I remember many didn't want a bowl, they wanted 4 stands, we have that and sadly the acoustics aren't perfect. We are where we are due mainly to circumstance, not some cunning Lansdown plot to make the Gate some sort of Library selling aquatic crustaceans.

[firstdivision]

57 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Think that’s it, they had two good chances, a worldie strike (their first)…and that’s about it.

One of those days….effing annoying.

This is from sofascore showing balance of play.  It’s not perfect but a good guide to our dominance.

City (green)

Stoke (blue)

Yes, one of those days, Dave. Imagine if we’d played like Stoke, and Stoke had played like us. We’d all being saying ‘great win but not quite sure how we got away with that.’

Even so, desperately frustrating. I couldn’t help feeling that a good Championship side would have put Stoke away no trouble at all (especially from where we were after 15 minutes). 

[tin]

25 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

Well that is quite a ridiculous statement. 
Do you seriously think they went to architects and asked for a " prawn sandwich atmosphere " please ? They upgraded the Dolman ( too expensive to replace ), made a much bigger version of the Williams and built a new "bank" on the East End. It was done like that because they were stitched up with Long Ashton, we weren't supposed to be here remember.
If they fill in the corners it may help, but many new stadiums  struggle. I remember many didn't want a bowl, they wanted 4 stands, we have that and sadly the acoustics aren't perfect. We are where we are due mainly to circumstance, not some cunning Lansdown plot to make the Gate some sort of Library selling aquatic crustaceans.

It’s an opinion, one I’ve held for a while; I might’ve exaggerated it a bit but it’s not a ridiculous statement at all.

Put it this way, I don’t think acoustics were even on the list when they went to the architects and I know they’re not bothered at all about situating ‘singers’ near away fans to generate vocal support. They clearly wanted a different demographic of fan with the redevelopment IMO and I don’t think that would’ve been any different if we were at Ashton Vale. 

Sat in the Dolman again today, I heard sod all for most of the game, tried to change it, and found it disappointing again. 

Edited September 30, 2023 by tin

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, tin said:

and I know they’re not bothered at all about situating ‘singers’ near away fans to generate vocal support.

In fairness, is that entirely on them or would it lead to the risk of an excessive stewarding and policing bill.

We all know what our local authority Safety Advisory Group are like..well I say we know, part of the issue is that we don't, 9 years since they released something resembling minutes.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Super]

4 hours ago, bemmyredjeff said:

He may be a decent player in time, but it is a pointless bring Yeboah on in games at the moment.

Have to agree he was dreadful.

[Guest]

This club has been a large part of my life for over 55yrs now, will always follow, but ffs I wish the boss would grow a pair and kick on, just a bit.

 

 

[milo1111]

17 minutes ago, Super said:

Have to agree he was dreadful.

It’s hard isn’t it as we want to be positive about our younger players but he does look very  raw at the moment to be getting this much game time.

His time will come though.

[Mr Popodopolous]

He was possibly getting more game time than planned due to the injuries to Conway and Weimann.

[Bristol Oil Services]

1 hour ago, exAtyeoMax said:

The card terminals were down, weren’t working, in the concourse, so caused hold ups

Yeah, bloody disgrace. Had to go back and watch the game .....

[pillred]

4 hours ago, luke_bristol said:

19 games without a home win. I’ve spent nearly a grand ffs 

A grand day out? :laugh:.

[ExiledAjax]

I watched only the first 20 minutes or so and then gave up on RobinsTV and went to audio and Ryder Cup.

So I saw the bit when we were really good.

This just feels, and from the stats looks, like one of those games where a decent mid-table team lose a game they could have won. That happens all the time, and it's probably going to happen to us again a few times this season. 

There will always be a reason for it - momentary lapse in form/concentration/ability - but the reason that happens is because we're a team that's going to win one, lose one, draw one all the way through.

It feels like a shock at the micro level of this particular game, but the big picture viewer isn't shocked at all, because a team that's always destined for 7th-12th place currently sits 11th.

Edited September 30, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[Mr Popodopolous]

Genuinely dislike Stoke too.

Their fans are chippy, one eyed, Neil too is a great fit.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Mr Popodopolous]

I have to say watching the EFL highlights, if Sunderland penalty at Sheffield Wednesday was the bar then we should have had one of those minimum today.

Likewise if the Swansea one was the threshold.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[collier]

2 hours ago, Dan Robin said:

Stats (not all reliable I'd say) are one thing, watching how the teams play is another one.

How many times/minutes did Stoke really caused us trouble? I can think at last minutes of the first half, beginning of the second half, last minutes of the second half (and this "low amount of attacking threat" was partly our merit). All the rest, was Bristol City possession and chances/half chances created...so hardly an even game.

Did we play far better than them in the first half? Surely yes, and their out-of-nowhere eurogoal doesnt change it. In the second half, did the subs brought us back on top or were uneffective? Yes, the changes had a positive effect and we started dominating the game again.  We couldn't capitalize the superiority so you could say we were "wasteful" (a bit of a habit, I'd say) but I think "weak" is quite unfair and doesn't really reflect our performance, except - like I said - our defending for their two second-half goals.

Unfortunately sometimes the opposition team play quite badly/produces almost nothing but somehow find the net, whereas your team play far better but can't score enough: that's what happened today.

Clearly we could have done better...but personally despite the disappointment for the result, I see more positive than negatives today. It can sound weird, BUT...

Their first goal may have been a great strike if you just look at the hit from the guy who scored but surely you have to take into consideration that it was a basic long ball that was touched by 2 of our own defenders, first Naismith can just head it safely out for a throw but opts to head it up and back towards the edge of the box, second we have Pring who gets bullied away from the ball and ends up turning his back away from the ball allowing the shot.

All about opinions at the end of the day. Nige used the word weak himself in the after match interview. I get what your saying and like I said it's IMO but losing 3 goals to a side that supposedly caused us no trouble is hardly what I would call strong.

[Sheltons Army]

4 hours ago, BS3_RED said:

It's not about who I want or don't want. That's down to SL who most f you are slagging off after spending over 100m on us. 

 

 

Completely clueless whiner - one of the very worst on here

No perception of context 

Dear oh dear 

[Andy082005]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Is the conclusion that it’s down to being weak / having weak mentality?

It’s not like we crumbled, far from it.  We defended their winner poorly.

 

How can you say we didn’t crumble? We were 2-0 up and lost 3-2 

[Kid in the Riot]

2 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

I watched only the first 20 minutes or so and then gave up on RobinsTV and went to audio and Ryder Cup.

So I saw the bit when we were really good.

This just feels, and from the stats looks, like one of those games where a decent mid-table team lose a game they could have won. That happens all the time, and it's probably going to happen to us again a few times this season. 

There will always be a reason for it - momentary lapse in form/concentration/ability - but the reason that happens is because we're a team that's going to win one, lose one, draw one all the way through.

It feels like a shock at the micro level of this particular game, but the big picture viewer isn't shocked at all, because a team that's always destined for 7th-12th place currently sits 11th.

Isn't the bigger problem over several years now our home form? What are our stats like for a team that wants to be winning 14+ games at home in a season?

[Kingswood Robin]

26 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Isn't the bigger problem over several years now our home form? What are our stats like for a team that wants to be winning 14+ games at home in a season?

I usually make it to about half the home games and I'm not sure I've seen 14 wins in the last 5 seasons. Mind you, I can't half pick em !

[formerly known as ivan]

After a few hours and many pints later, this one is still hard to take.

Was at a party tonight and there was a Stoke fan who wasn’t at the game today. Obviously he was pleased with the win and ask my thoughts on it. I struggled to put into words what I had seen. Summed it up by saying City were dominate start to finish, Stoke were as poor a team as I have seen in a long time, they carried little to no threat and yet they have won a game from being 2-0 away from home and I don’t know how it happened!

God I hate football sometimes!

[Rocking Red Cyril]

7 hours ago, hertsexile said:

Just fed up of and frustrated by the standard and inconsistent officials in championship to be honest 

At least they consistently clueless

[Mr Popodopolous]

20 minutes ago, Rocking Red Cyril said:

At least they consistently clueless

By a lot of metrics yes although one home penalty in 35 months is a truly remarkable stat..in the League I mean.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[1960maaan]

Just looking at the goals, feels like small errors causing bigger problems. They score 3 goals from an XG of 0.96 , I don't think we played badly, maybe a little untidy at times.

Not in too much trouble from the long ball, but maybe Naismith trying to be too precise . Looks like he's trying to get the ball to Pring but gets under it a bit.

Pring trying to get in front of the striker but the forwards stronger and he out muscles Pring. 
I would have liked Naismith to get back to support Pring, he seems to want to cover LB position where there is no threat.

Then it's all down to a top strike.

The annoying thing was letting them back in before HT. I think if we hold out, we go on to win, ifs and buts though.

The 2nd , I really think it's just one of those. The lucks with you or with the opposition .
2 players trying to block the cross , ball beats them both. I'd say Bell could do better, he has help so get closer & hit man & ball. 

Still a lot to do and there is cover.
But Naismith and Dickie both cover the same space, Tanner left to challenge the shooter.

If we score that, I'm praising the passing. But again small errors cost us.

3rd goal.
Late on in a game we've dominated, felt like we were pressing and without going gung ho ! We did not have the shape and control of earlier. We actually win the first header, but they get onto the knock down and we are on the back foot.

 

 

Gardner Hickman has come across and RB position is free, no one has filled in.
Tired legs and minds late in a game

It is one of the most depressing defeats for me, for some time. It felt like we relaxed a bit and let them back in, without doing too much too wrong we gave away 3 points. 
I thought the timing of the Subs was right, but didn't agree with all of them, and 4 seemed like a panic move. But it did seem to reenergise the team for a while. Cornick was good again but why take Sykes off ? Injury or if he was done, ok. But otherwise it seemed strange.  
One thing though, if the site was right and they did only have 0.96 XG, what does the last goal count as ? 5 yards out, pretty much in front of goal & keeper out of position ???

The main thing to come out of yesterday was a few minutes for TC.
The sooner we can get McCrorie back as proper competition for Tanner and get TGH into MF contention the better. 
Rotherham feels like a bigger game now, we need to get some momentum and a shaky home form isn't helping. 

 

 

[pillred]

8 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

By a lot of metrics yes although one home penalty in 35 months is a truly remarkable stat..in the League I mean.

That has to be some sort of record I didn't realise it had been that bad.

[Mr Popodopolous]

11 minutes ago, pillred said:

That has to be some sort of record I didn't realise it had been that bad.

I could be wrong, I can could check, but to my recollection one vs Norwich at home 31st October 2020 and then subsequently the only one was vs Hull in February this year. 

If anyone can remember any others in the League at home in the League in that period.. but I can't..

Just checked and someone has edited Wikipedia wrongly..claimed that James goal v Plymouth was a penalty which it certainly was not.

 

Edited October 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Rob k]

Woken up today still wondering how on earth we lost that game yesterday 

[formerly known as ivan]

Not nice pointing fingers but Pring needed to be stronger for their first goal. How he’s let the attacker get the ball so easy and, in fairness to to guy, smash one top bins like that I do not know. Pring was great going forward yesterday but was definitely caught out for their first.

If we hung on to that 2-0 lead for longer we more likely would have seen the game out.

[Topper 123]

15 hours ago, OddBallJim said:

As a ST holder, who struggles to make it to away games, the biggest frustration is that under NP we have still not been able to make AG a fortress. 
 

To those who get the pleasure of watching us win on the road I salute you. But FFS I am pissed off that we can’t make more of our games at AG.

 

Can’t remember last time we won back to back at Ashton gate

[Davefevs]

11 hours ago, Andy082005 said:

How can you say we didn’t crumble? We were 2-0 up and lost 3-2 

I’m talking about the way we played, not the way the result / scoreline changed!

It wasn’t as if their first goal went in and you saw the players shrink into themselves, hide from the ball, etc.  not like Reading a few season ago, 2-0 up at home, they score, and you see the players basically accept they are gonna lose…which we did 3-2.  Every pass goes astray, can’t get out if our half, etc.

Yesterday only one side looked like getting the winner yesterday…us.

The fact we didn’t and they did was a travesty really, and isolated errors cost us.