The worst football side I've ever seen

[Rushies tash]

They can play how they like, but this shithouse tactic of shortening the pitch depending on the opposition needs to be looked at.

[Sut]

Just saw Pulis's comments from after the game on Sky Sports News. He's funny.

[ChrisM]

They can play how they like, but this shithouse tactic of shortening the pitch depending on the opposition needs to be looked at.

 

Why? The PL rules state that pitches have to be of a certain size within parameters. They can do what they want with their pitch.

 

Europa rules are different, so different pitch.

[milky]

They can play how they like, but this shithouse tactic of shortening the pitch depending on the opposition needs to be looked at.

 

Far be it from me to want to defend the alehouse pricks, but I think they keep the pitch the same size for everyone in the league, but are forced to make it bigger to meet requirements to play in Europe.

[ChrisM]

Stoke are a small provincial club, who did well to get promoted, did even better to stay up, did even better to establish themselves as a PL team, who got to a cup final and are now playing in Europe, and are without doubt one of the toughest away fixtures in the country. Fair fucking play to them.

 

But because they play a brand of football that doesn't appeal to 'the purists' they get slated. People who complain about other teams style of play do my head in. Who's to say pass and move is the 'correct' way of playing? Or 'tiki-taka'? Or hoofball? Or playing percentages? It's a sanctimonious holier-than-thou attitude that deserves a place at the fucking Emirates.

 

People complain about Man City and Chelsea spending vast amounts of cash and making the league uncompetitve, yet then complain when Stoke find a formula that works for them and makes them as successful as they are likely to be.

 

It's bollocks.

[silverlining]

Stoke are a small provincial club, who did well to get promoted, did even better to stay up, did even better to establish themselves as a PL team, who got to a cup final and are now playing in Europe, and are without doubt one of the toughest away fixtures in the country. Fair fucking play to them.

 

But because they play a brand of football that doesn't appeal to 'the purists' they get slated. People who complain about other teams style of play do my head in. Who's to say pass and move is the 'correct' way of playing? Or 'tiki-taka'? Or hoofball? Or playing percentages? It's a sanctimonious holier-than-thou attitude that deserves a place at the fucking Emirates.

People complain about Man City and Chelsea spending vast amounts of cash and making the league uncompetitve, yet then complain when Stoke find a formula that works for them and makes them as successful as they are likely to be.

 

It's bollocks.

 

I certainly agree with your overall point about Stoke's resources and how a fairly unlikely club are a fixture in the Premiership and playing in Europe.

 

Pulis and his club deserve some credit for that, certainly (even if he is a Ferguson-worshipping, tracky-bottomed, baseball-hatted scruffy weapon).

 

But while there is no "correct" way of playing football (I didn't give much ofa fuck about the negativity aimed at some of our football under Houllier and Benitez when we were winning trophies), there is no doubt that Stoke do play fairly agricultural football, and it isn't often that great to watch.

[ChrisM]

...there is no doubt that Stoke do play fairly agricultural football, and it isn't often that great to watch.

 

I agree, and I wouldn't want to watch it on a regular basis. And I don't have to, except for twice a year (excluding cups, obv). What they do the rest of the time is in the main irrelevant to me.

 

I wonder if the people who are slating them for their style of football tune in when they are on against the Mancs, Chelsea, Arsenal etc, desperately hoping to see some fairly hefty challenges flying in on Rooney, Torres, etc, and laughing their tits off as their defences come under a siege of aerial bombardment.

 

Is Stoke's style of play acceptable then?

[silverlining]

I agree, and I wouldn't want to watch it on a regular basis. And I don't have to, except for twice a year (excluding cups, obv). What they do the rest of the time is in the main irrelevant to me.

 

I wonder if the people who are slating them for their style of football tune in when they are on against the Mancs, Chelsea, Arsenal etc, desperately hoping to see some fairly hefty challenges flying in on Rooney, Torres, etc, and laughing their tits off as their defences come under a siege of aerial bombardment.

 

Is Stoke's style of play acceptable then?

 

It's mandatory then!

 

I'm similar to you, I don't eulogise about fucking Barca or tika-taka football, but then I don't usually watch that much football if the game doesn't involve Liverpool, so I don't much care what "type" of football is played.

 

I'm into football for the tribalism and trophies.

[Jairzinho]

Surely its good for us the more teams that play like Stoke?

 

We, and a lot of the rest of the league, have just made a meal of passing round these stone age cloggers.

[silverlining]

Surely its good for us the more teams that play like Stoke?

 

We, and a lot of the rest of the league, have just made a meal of passing round these stone age cloggers.

 

Apart from all the times that they beat us in the league at their ground.

[VladimirIlyich]

Jesus Christ.

 

What would you suggest? An "attractive football" index that has to be maiatained otherwise you get relegated?

 

Well if I'm expected to pay £40+ a fortnight and £40 quid a month to watch this type of footy then I think its fair game to complain when the 'product' is shite.

 

They of course are entitled to play how they like but when they are in part funded by tv viewers of other clubs then the flack is,in part at least,deserved.

 

When we are being pounded with 'the greatest league in the world' bollocks then surely we're allowed to expect the best football?

[silverlining]

Well if I'm expected to pay £40+ a fortnight and £40 quid a month to watch this type of footy then I think its fair game to complain when the 'product' is shite.

 

They of course are entitled to play how they like but when they are in part funded by tv viewers of other clubs then the flack is,in part at least,deserved.

 

When we are being pounded with 'the greatest league in the world' bollocks then surely we're allowed to expect the best football?

 

So, talk us through how you would go about achieving this?

[El Rojo]

Surely it's up to the other team to find away around the agricultural tactics of teams like Stoke?

 

We've been outfought there in the past despite having better players; we were up for it last night and we deservedly won.

 

Thought we did really well on under their aerial bombardment - Carroll was a useful addition as an auxiliary defender.

[VladimirIlyich]

So, talk us through how you would go about achieving this?

 

Achieve it?

 

Better quality players being produced and not throwing shed loads of money at clubs who achieve fuck all.

 

In the past clubs like Wimbledon met their natural end as the 'quality' of football put off players and the better players went to clubs that played better football.

 

The thing is now that as long as Stoke stay in the prem then they can throw big money at better players and continue to play the way they play.

At around a million pound per place in the prem then half decent players would go to Stoke in the prem for bigger money than say an attractive playing championship side.

[silverlining]

Yeah, that'll work.

[VladimirIlyich]

Yeah, that'll work.

 

Of course it wont but its a forum and an exchange of ideas on how the ideal situation would come about.

 

I also want world peace and to win the lottery jackpot but none of them will happen either.

[ChrisM]

Well if I'm expected to pay £40+ a fortnight and £40 quid a month to watch this type of footy then I think its fair game to complain when the 'product' is shite.

 

Who says it's 'shite'? You? I thought football was a results based 'business'? No offence, but I don't reckon the Stoke fans give a fuck what you think, given their now established Premier League status, trips to Wembley and run in Europe.

 

Are you saying that we should all find value in exactly the same thing?

[Guest SpiderLucas]

There’s only one way to play football and that’s to your strengths.

 

Stoke play to theirs, just like we play to ours. You do what you have to do to win, it’s the reason why Stoke will stay up this season and a team with better footballers say Swansea will go down.

[VladimirIlyich]

Who says it's 'shite'? You? I thought football was a results based 'business'? No offence, but I don't reckon the Stoke fans give a fuck what you think, given their now established Premier League status, trips to Wembley and run in Europe.

 

Are you saying that we should all find value in exactly the same thing?

 

Do you honestly believe we are seeing 'the best league in the world' and getting value for money for watching it?

 

The premier league era is the poorest quality football that I've seen in my 5 decades of watching football so I object to turds being sprayed and polished and telling me its gold.

 

Stoke arent the worst side I've ever seen but in an era where we're all paying through the nose to watch it then I expect better.

[silverlining]

Do you honestly believe we are seeing 'the best league in the world' and getting value for money for watching it?

 

The premier league era is the poorest quality football that I've seen in my 5 decades of watching football so I object to turds being sprayed and polished and telling me its gold.

 

Stoke arent the worst side I've ever seen but in an era where we're all paying through the nose to watch it then I expect better.

 

Nobody is saying the turds are gold, but what you're quacking on about is totally mental. Much of the joy of football is seeing the gilded high and mighty teams getting well and truly humbled by "plucky" underdogs.

 

It's why so many people really loved watching Wimbledon beating us at Wembley.

 

That isn't going to be possible if every single team tried to play like Barcelona, with only the Top 6 teams being able to afford players who can even get close to that level, and the rest of the league simply playing like rubbish versions of Barca, and getting fucking hammered every week.

 

It'd be shit. Your idea is shit.

 

Contrasting styles and potential upsets are vital to the long-term success of the sport

[VladimirIlyich]

Nobody is saying the turds are gold, but what you're quacking on about is totally mental. Much of the joy of football is seeing the gilded high and mighty teams getting well and truly humbled by "plucky" underdogs.

 

It's why so many people really loved watching Wimbledon beating us at Wembley.

 

That isn't going to be possible if every single team tried to play like Barcelona, with only the Top 6 teams being able to afford players who can even get close to that level, and the rest of the league simply playing like rubbish versions of Barca, and getting fucking hammered every week.

 

It'd be shit. Your idea is shit.

 

Contrasting styles and potential upsets are vital to the long-term success of the sport

 

As opposed to now of course?

 

Highly objective view as usual!

[silverlining]

As opposed to now of course?

 

Highly objective view as usual!

 

But at least there is a chance of an upset.

Stoke have bloodied more than a few noses - including ours - over the years.

 

It's about playing to your strengths and resources.

[ChrisM]

Do you honestly believe we are seeing 'the best league in the world' and getting value for money for watching it?

 

I pay to watch Liverpool, the overall quality of the league as a whole doesn't really bother me at all.

[silverlining]

I pay to watch Liverpool, the overall quality of the league as a whole doesn't really bother me at all.

 

I'd prefer it to be a lot worse

[VladimirIlyich]

But at least there is a chance of an upset.

Stoke have bloodied more than a few noses - including ours - over the years.

 

It's about playing to your strengths and resources.

 

Only 4 teams winning the premier league in 19 seasons hardly seems much of an upset to me.