MATCHWATCH : Stoke City (a)

[Zip]

At 2-2 you just knew how this was going to finish.
It’s going to be a very long, hard season. Anything above 22nd will be a result.

[CountryRoyal]

3-2 down, 5 minutes to go, take off a striker and bring on a defender

Classic Pauno sub

Good to see he’s learnt from his mistakes.

Couldn’t go as had a family memorial but no surprise we lost, our season won’t be defined on stoke away but we really need to improve our home form to give us a chance. Sad we couldn’t pick up what would have been a really useful point but still a long way to go in the season.

[NathStPaul]

We did pretty well going forward. Defensively awful, experienced defenders letting us down.

[Snowflake Royal]

It's the EFL's fault for creating ridiculous rules and then sitting on the fence and not giving us any proper form of definitive decision/ruling. It's the EFL's fault that the application of the rules and consequential sanctions appears to be so inconsistent.

And our current situation very certainly isn't the manager's fault which was the main point being made.

It's our fault for overspending for nigh on a decade and doing the bare minimum to get wages down.

It's our fault for giving cup and league debuts to players we didn't want as part of our senior squad knowing the financial position we were in and the rules around them.

It's our fault for handing out long contracts to punts we decide we don't want, can't get rid of and refuse to use.

Maybe, but as has been pointed out by others, effectively forcing clubs to release their most valuable assets for pretty much bugger all, thus significantly worsening their financial situation, demonstrates the stupidity of the current EFL approach to FFP. And can the EFL really be excused for sitting on the fence, not reaching/communicating decisions/punishments and leaving clubs in a dangerous damaging limbo?

The rules are clear. We're not in limbo. We're trying to get round the rules.

You can sign players on 1 year deals up to 23. We have 24. Our problem.

You overspend its your problem you can't extend contracts.

The FL didn't make us refuse to sell high earners for millions.
It didn't make us pay 211% of our income in wages.

Would you prefer the FL required us to sell Moore, Cabral, Swift and Joao? At cut price because clubs can take advantage? Assuming the players will accept moving to lower deals.

[genome]

3-2 down, 5 minutes to go, take off a striker and bring on a defender

Classic Pauno sub

Good to see he’s learnt from his mistakes.

Either that or, he was making a point about squad depth with the sub

[Zip]

Preston lost 4-1 at home to Hull today. A good game for us next up.

[Snowflake Royal]

3-2 down, 5 minutes to go, take off a striker and bring on a defender

Classic Pauno sub

Good to see he’s learnt from his mistakes.

Either that or, he was making a point about squad depth with the sub

Pretty shit point given you can just say to him "you loaned out a striker and didn't bother including a second in the squad".

I doubt the FL would give a shit anyway.

[windermereROYAL]

Well Preston got well stuffed at home to Hull today, if we get beat then worry,

[Snowflake Royal]

So. Some decent performances and play, but a horde of negatives.

1) defensive unit poor - this is particularly worrying as this is the least effected by the squad depth and fitness issues.

2) defensive set piece set up shambolic. Our idea of defending a set piece appears to be to stand still on the edge of the 6 yard box and watch passively.

3) defensive midfield gets run through too easily. We commit too much forward, defensive mid and fullback, and are wide open on the break. With Rino and Laurent we should be rock solid. But Pauno has them pushing on way too much

4) Joao doesn't look the same player at all

5) The team is absolutely clueless when it comes to game management

There seems to be a lack of intelligence and organisation in this side. They just do stupid things all the time.

Azeez looks promising... Swift had a pretty good game. We do have a number of quality players.

[CountryRoyal]

3-2 down, 5 minutes to go, take off a striker and bring on a defender

Classic Pauno sub

Good to see he’s learnt from his mistakes.

Either that or, he was making a point about squad depth with the sub

Tbf think that was done with how many subs he named lol

[CountryRoyal]

4) Joao doesn't look the same player at all.

Does he look good?

Or does he look like the same Joao for the second half of last season? Guessing the latter.

[Hound]

At 2-2 we’d have walked away happy and said we played well. Controlled the second half until swift went off (arguably kicked off)

Once he went seemed to either tire or lose shape and suddenly Stoke did look like scoring, which they did

Promising signs but some poor stuff at the back. Need a LB, didn’t think either of the 3 CBs played well enough

Couple of solid signings and think we’ll be comfortable enough though

[Zip]

At 2-2 we’d have walked away happy and said we played well. Controlled the second half until swift went off (arguably kicked off)

Once he went seemed to either tire or lose shape and suddenly Stoke did look like scoring, which they did

Promising signs but some poor stuff at the back. Need a LB, didn’t think either of the 3 CBs played well enough

Couple of solid signings and think we’ll be comfortable enough though

Didn’t see the game but no yellow cards for Stoke? Seems odd given all the fouls.
We are mentally weak though. We rarely win games from behind. Late winners are a rarity too.
It’s all part of the game management Ian referred to. We have to be more streetwise.

[Getthebeerens]

Wasn’t able to watch or listen to the game today but having looked at the score line it’s safe to say we will be getting relegated. Frustrating to score 2 goals away from home and not come away with points. Defensive side needs to be sorted out but hardly surprising with the lack of pre season it had as a unit.

No need to panic , onto the next one.

[CountryRoyal]

Wasn’t able to watch or listen to the game today but having looked at the score line it’s safe to say we will be getting relegated. Frustrating to score 2 goals away from home and not come away with points. Defensive side needs to be sorted out but hardly surprising with the lack of pre season it had as a unit.

No need to panic , onto the next one.

Lolwut

[Hound]

At 2-2 we’d have walked away happy and said we played well. Controlled the second half until swift went off (arguably kicked off)

Once he went seemed to either tire or lose shape and suddenly Stoke did look like scoring, which they did

Promising signs but some poor stuff at the back. Need a LB, didn’t think either of the 3 CBs played well enough

Couple of solid signings and think we’ll be comfortable enough though

Didn’t see the game but no yellow cards for Stoke? Seems odd given all the fouls.
We are mentally weak though. We rarely win games from behind. Late winners are a rarity too.
It’s all part of the game management Ian referred to. We have to be more streetwise.

Tbh we ‘managed’ the second half pretty well. There was still nearly 15m remaining when they scored, not like we should have been keeping it in the corner.

Was just a bit of poor defending - weak on our left again and a bit unlucky with the deflection

And we did come from behind twice in the game

[NewCorkSeth]

Just some silly errors which is comme enough for us. Decent game. Lots of positives. Few negatives. Stoke were decent remind me of us with the sloppy defensive errors.

[genome]

Wasn’t able to watch or listen to the game today but having looked at the score line it’s safe to say we will be getting relegated. Frustrating to score 2 goals away from home and not come away with points. Defensive side needs to be sorted out but hardly surprising with the lack of pre season it had as a unit.

No need to panic , onto the next one.

Lolwut

Classic Team board material

[Notts Royal]

4) Joao doesn't look the same player at all.

Does he look good?

Or does he look like the same Joao for the second half of last season? Guessing the latter.

Was he back to being Lazy Joao again?

[NewCorkSeth]

4) Joao doesn't look the same player at all.

Does he look good?

Or does he look like the same Joao for the second half of last season? Guessing the latter.

Was he back to being Lazy Joao again?

Not quite, telling moment in build up to Rinomhotas shot, ball bounced off him and back to Rinomhota but Joao took 2 seconds to notice as he stopped moving and rolled his eyes.