v Stoke City (A) Match thread

[Jase116]

I think most of us would have taken a point before the match, so all in all a decent result, performance by all accounts not great, but we have dug in and found a way to get a decent point. 

  As the season goes on I’m sure the starting eleven will be different, the only thing that worries me at the moment is a lack of creativity, but it’s early days and four unbeaten including the cup match, I would have taken that before the first game, if we get 3 points on Tuesday then it will be a good start to the season.

[thelovebelow]

14 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

For all the "Why isn't Marriott starting"; he'd offered very little in his performances before today.

That was proper Marriott when he came on today. Finally made a real case to displace someone in the XI, I hope to see him start on Tuesday. 

Marriott seems to be the panacea to all our tactical woes. Yes he's a good player but it's more based on systems. We play with one striker, which makes it difficult. I wish people would stop making out he's the second coming or some conspiracy. ?

[Sparkle]

I have been watching the cricket - so this is a very good result !

let me guess roos scares people lowe did ok Keogh was steadfast Clarke had his moments but he is now playing against better players malone was wasteful Huddlestone was too slow Evans was surprised to be picked Dowell was wasteful joeflow was non existent Lawrence gave up and waghorn should have scored a hat trick  - and we are trying to chuck away the cricket 

[Rev]

2 minutes ago, bigbadbob said:

I thought the ref had a decent game today

Don't agree.

It took him ages to pick up on Stokes tactical fouls, and still he insisted on playing on when the man who'd just moved possession on got crunched after the ball had gone, leaving any forward move a man down.

I also don't think it was a penalty either.

[Ghost of Clough]

22 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

For all the "Why isn't Marriott starting"; he'd offered very little in his performances before today.

That was proper Marriott when he came on today. Finally made a real case to displace someone in the XI, I hope to see him start on Tuesday. 

Unfortunately for Jack, the man he’s directly competing with scored a brace today. I wouldn’t bet against two up top against Bristol though

[bigbadbob]

1 minute ago, reverendo de duivel said:

Don't agree.

It took him ages to pick up on Stokes tactical fouls, and still he insisted on playing on when the man who'd just moved possession on got crunched after the ball had gone, leaving any forward move a man down.

I also don't think it was a penalty either.

Yea, he was poo wasn't he ?!

[DcFc Dyycheee]

Take the point in the end, probably didn't deserve it. Some really odd decisions from Cocu today. Needs to get his team sorted for Tuesday. Bielik in midfield and Marriott from the start, please. 

[TuffLuff]

23 minutes ago, DavesaRam said:

I see that as a point gained rather than two dropped. Stoke should have won that, because we let their equaliser get to our heads.

We were also hampered by Dowell’s wastefulness with the ball - so many attacking moves broke down through him. 

The team is playing better than last season, because we are capable of finding our team mates, we don’t trap the ball then decide what to do with it as we seem much more aware of what is happening around us, so the passing is more decisive.

We still have quite a way to go, but we can get there.

Lowe played really well, Beilik showed what he can bring to the team, and Marriott was excellent when he came on. He isn’t just an instinctive goal scorer, he can play a bit as well.

I’ve not seen today’s game so i won’t comment on his performance today, but my fear with him so far is that he looks impressive but not effective

[Mafiabob]

3 minutes ago, bigbadbob said:

Yea, he was poo wasn't he ?!

I thought he controlled it well myself too..... I see the usuals are on the attack ?

[chelloram]

But surely the team needs setting up to take advantage of our best players strengths rather than sticking to a rigid 4 3 3. I would love to see Marriott and Waghorn up front together and am convinced they'd score a hatful if the team was set up to meet there strengths. We lack natural width because our so called so wingers are poor so maybe play our best wide men who happen to be our fullbacks (Bogle when fit and Lowe) as wing backs, thus suiting our best players strengths. Just an idea ?

[Papahet]

Jozefzoon is absolute dog poo considering he’s from the Ajax academy, his positioning is horrendous 

[Nyderby]

21 minutes ago, enachops said:

People banging on about Marriott starting are doing my head in. He missed nearly the whole of pre season, and yet people expect him to start our 4th game of the season. These armchair managers are hilarious. He’ll start when he’s ready. 

He's clearly fit. He's doing well in the system. So why wouldn't he start?

[ram1964]

8 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

I have been watching the cricket - so this is a very good result !

let me guess roos scares people lowe did ok Keogh was steadfast Clarke had his moments but he is now playing against better players malone was wasteful Huddlestone was too slow Evans was surprised to be picked Dowell was wasteful joeflow was non existent Lawrence gave up and waghorn should have scored a hat trick  - and we are trying to chuck away the cricket 

You were at the bloody match wernt  you?

[Abu Dhabi Ram]

Good result in the end.

Roos - 7 good handling, didnt do much wrong.

Lowe - 8 solid at the back, including some great last ditch tackles. Going forward looks good, showed good skills on several occasions to beat his man.

Keogh - 8 another strong display from the captain. Won his battles.

Clarke - 6 lost his man for the first goal, caught out for the ball over the top for the second, lost his man at several other times, a difficult afternoon for him.

Malone - 6 ok defensively, offered little going forward.

Huddlestone - 5, gave the ball away frequently, lacked the usual composure. Didnt get a grip of midfield.

Evans- 6 battled well, some nice passes, needs to start to take more control in the midfield if this is his position.

Dowell - 5, some nice touches, but at times very sloppy with retaining possession. Play often broke down when it got to him.

Lawrence - 3, really disappointing and not involved. Very careless in possession.

Josefzoon - 5, lack of end product, but busy, involved and showing for the ball.

Waghorn - 7, good goals and involved in our better moments. Should have scored the winner.

Subs

Bielik -6 solid when he came on, could he have done better for the second goal? Needs to be starting in midfield. Nice passing and more mobile than huddlestone.

Marriott - 7 looked dangerous when he came on, had a real positive impact. Linked well with Waghorn.

Knight - 6, difficult game to come on in, did well, but not much time to influence.

We cant play away from home with both Lawrence and Zoon, front three of Waghorn, Marriott and another for our next game. Paterson maybe...

Midfield needs looking at as the balance is wrong, no control today. I think Cocu will make changes for the next game.

[B4ev6is]

I think lads battled well and I think Mason Bennett may have helped today I would perhaps replaced zoon with Bennett in my opapion but still a good point.

[RamNut]

We need to get Marriott in the team asap.

 

 

 

 

[Gone]

18 minutes ago, thelovebelow said:

Marriott seems to be the panacea to all our tactical woes. Yes he's a good player but it's more based on systems. We play with one striker, which makes it difficult. I wish people would stop making out he's the second coming or some conspiracy. ?

I don’t think playing with 1 striker works when the wingers are so poor. Time for a change maybe ? 

[Tyler Durden]

9 minutes ago, Papahet said:

Jozefzoon is absolute dog poo considering he’s from the Ajax academy, his positioning is horrendous 

If he's that poo why is Cocu continually selecting him then.

And if the retort is that there's no one better than that's a failing of our summer transfer activity and not the guys fault 

[Sith Happens]

31 minutes ago, Danelaw Rams said:

No mate zoon was the worst player I've seen in yeeeeeeeears! No idea what he was doing, no effort! Did you notice in  2nd half when the natural ball was zoon , we switched play rather than play it to him? The fans knew and so did the players! Useless! 

I know its all about opinions, but for me he wasn't even the worst player today never mind in years.

[SuperDerbySuperRams]

Fair result in the end (if anything, they edged it). 

The system change was totally out the blue and bizarre. Bielik looks the real deal but tried to do too much today and did get caught out. Their second was bizarre considering we had 3 central defenders. 

Cocu needs to learn his best team (and fast). Marriott HAS to be in that team. He was absolutely excellent when he came on. Jozefzoon is still leaving a lot to be desired, can’t understand him staying on.

Lots if positives, i’d of certainly taken 5 points with 2 away games and tough fixtures.