FA Cup 1/4 Final. Stoke at Home.

[Paco]

hard enough going at the end even though we dominated from about midway through the first half. I had a really bad feeling after they made us play into the kop first half but I have to say it was a lot easier than 2-1 suggests.

 

Suarez goal was pure class. lovely one two with maxi (who should keep his place for QPR) and a better finish you will not see. Their goal was about what you'd expect from them and when we kept conceding corners (even though the corner they scored from shouldn't have been one) I feared the worst. That was all they offered though and it was just a matter or us finding a bit of quality and we'd win it. I'm surprised it came from downing as he was largely disappointing again but he took it well coming in from the right, lay off (!) from Gerrard, downing took the ball to the middle of the goal and fired it in. It was all we deserved because there was only one team in it second half.

 

overall I thought we were very untidy first half but much better second. Enrique gave the ball away a few times but was generally good, suarez kept slipping or looking for another wonder goal, Carroll wasn't really in it but had some decent moments, Gerrard and spearing continue to play well together in the centre, kelly was in and out of it but did well to contain etherington especially after an early yellow although that foul on etherington knackered the left winger. Kelly got a sore one lat on also. Carra and Skrtel looked solid and dealt well with crouch and walters.

 

decent performance and a great result. more of the same against QPR and all the other league games we have between now and the semis. Oh and I want to see a lot more of Maxi between now and the end of the season. he has more quality than henderson, kuyt or downing.

[kalasoma]

Don't care who we play in the semis. It's the semis. Lastly, we don't have to face those yarddog alehouse gimps again until next season, or their players.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

hard enough going at the end even though we dominated from about midway through the first half. I had a really bad feeling after they made us play into the kop first half but I have to say it was a lot easier than 2-1 suggests.

 

Suarez goal was pure class. lovely one two with maxi (who should keep his place for QPR) and a better finish you will not see. Their goal was about what you'd expect from them and when we kept conceding corners (even though the corner they scored from shouldn't have been one) I feared the worst. That was all they offered though and it was just a matter or us finding a bit of quality and we'd win it. I'm surprised it came from downing as he was largely disappointing again but he took it well coming in from the right, lay off (!) from Gerrard, downing took the ball to the middle of the goal and fired it in. It was all we deserved because there was only one team in it second half.

 

overall I thought we were very untidy first half but much better second. Enrique gave the ball away a few times but was generally good, suarez kept slipping or looking for another wonder goal, Carroll wasn't really in it but had some decent moments, Gerrard and spearing continue to play well together in the centre, kelly was in and out of it but did well to contain etherington especially after an early yellow although that foul on etherington knackered the left winger. Kelly got a sore one lat on also. Carra and Skrtel looked solid and dealt well with crouch and walters.

 

decent performance and a great result. more of the same against QPR and all the other league games we have between now and the semis. Oh and I want to see a lot more of Maxi between now and the end of the season. he has more quality than henderson, kuyt or downing.

 

he had a decent enough game today but when picked earlier in the season he was shite....so i don't agree with your last sentence at all.

[magicrat]

Suarez had his foot stood on. I'd say he is slightly bruised but should be fine. That's my opinion only.

Deliberately by that cheating square head in my opinion.

[Gav]

I agree, but I've been saying the same thing about our support for years... I'm just learning to accept that it is what it is.

 

Yes, it would be great and inspiring if we had a great atmosphere every game, but it ain't going to happen.

 

We live in the age of the 'modern' football fan, and the media play a massive part in peoples thoughts... Infact they control most of their thoughts.

 

As for the Stoke fans.... They only sing about our players!!!

 

Probably helped that all the mics were set up in the Anny road end

[MLB]

Stoke are a fucking horrible team in every way. I'm made up we knocked them out.

[G Richards]

That was a hard game to play and I am really glad we won. Great goal by Suarez, and nice to see Stanley Devastating get on the scoresheet.

 

Stoke play to their strengths. They are set up in a certain way that makes it so hard to play against them, so all the more credit goes to us, as at least we tried to play football. That's me being nice about Stoke. In reality they foul persistently and get away with most of it. Their defenders were doing all sorts throughout the game, and it was only really late on when Shawcross started to get pulled up for it. They practice the dark arts at both ends of the pitch, as when they have a set piece they crowd the opposition goalie and do all sorts of pulling and pushing in there. Pepe Reina was furious with the goal. I honestly don't know what can be done with this sort of thing. Perhaps Pepe could stand behind his line and then run out to punch it as the ball is coming in, rather than standing on the line and getting blocked. Anyhow, the refs have a big blind spot to this, and Stoke have perfected it better than anyone else.

 

Tony Pulis is a nice enough guy (unless he said something after the match that I don't like, in which case I reserve the right to change my opinion!) The sad thing is that Stoke still approach the game like this when they are so well established in the top flight. They really should try to play some football. I can understand a promoted team approaching it like this, as they are fighting to stay at the top table. Then again, look at how well the promoted teams are doing from last year, and to their credit they are trying to play football too.

 

Anyway, glad we won. That was a huge potential banana skin. Onwards and upwards.

[Newport]

That Wilkinson fella isn't any better than those centre back cunts either. First thing he did today was barge into Suarez for no apparent reason. Probably still angry about the comical own goal he scored on Luis' debut.

[KopOut]

Great result today. Stoke would have had a lot of support there with the ticket split, and perhaps would have fancied their chances to get us back to Brittania, so well done lads.

 

I knew Downing would settle, and he's on his way. Suarez must be getting extra shooting practice as well.

 

It's all coming together.

[kalasoma]

Kevin Friend. I don't like his refereeing decisions at all. I hope he finds some other profession too, as he's clearly not cut out for this.

[bouncebrigade]

Didn't think this warranted a thread of its own so said I'd stick it in here.

 

Tony Pulis has escaped a driving ban essentially because it would cause distress to the people of Stoke and would prohibit him from exercising dicretion when wanting to sign players in the future (or something to that effect) because he wouldn't be able to drive to and from another venue to conduct negotiations.

 

Fucking ridiculous. The clogger was doing 155kph in a 100 zone too.