The Stoketshirts.co.uk blog

Heading into Saturday’s match against West Ham, the visitors away form was dreadful. They had lost 7 out of their previous 8  away games.  They were also missing Kevin Nolan and Mark Noble, in the early stages of the match they had to replace Matt Taylor and Joe Cole.  It certainly wasn’t the West Ham Sam Allardyce wanted to send out to face us, this was a great chance to blow some cobwebs away,  lift the clouds and register three points.  Unfortunately, our players  inability to fulfill even the most rudimentary expectations of professional football led to another defeat.  A litany of  or under hit passes combined with miscontrolled balls and a discordant series of vague disjointed attempts to perhaps create a chance of scoring a goal.  After the game Tony Pulis referred to a possible foul by Andy Carroll on Ryan Shawcross in the build up to Jack Collison’s winning goal, Pulis may or may not have a case but to place to much emphasis on a refereeing error is to hide some stark realities.  Foul or not, they cut through our defence far too easily.  Perhaps the presence of Robert Huth may have plugged the gap but we paid a heavy price for his inexcusable indiscipline.  In the second half we improved slightly but continued to suffer from our lack of craft.  when Cameron Jerome wasn’t tripped for the penalty the ref rightly didn’t award, our plan fleetingly worked. A ball to Crouch who nodded to Jerome. Instead of swivelling to get onto it and risking the whole move breaking down (which it did) why couldn’t  Jerome have stepped towards the ball controlled it and shot?  This moment was emblematic of our chaotic shapeless ad hoc forward play.  Substitute Charlie Adam’s late long range effort hit the upright but apart from that Jaaskelainen goal was untroubled.  At times West Ham broke with pace and precision and may have added a second but for some smart keeping from Begovic. Given their troubled circumstances approaching, and in the early stages of the game, West Ham must be delighted with the victory.  They stifled us, took their chance and contained Stoke in comfort. While they were worthy winners we can only reflect on how hopeless we actually were.  An utterly depressing day for everyone associated with Stoke City.

Before the Manchester United v Real Madrid second leg at Old Trafford Jose Mourinho was in a characteristically bombastic mood.  He informed the assembled media it was a game that will ‘stop the world’, adding that the big question was ‘what will make the difference?’  The turning point in the game came with Nani’s controversial red card for a challenge on Arbeloa.  Man Utd had edged ahead and looked  relatively comfortable and in a position to seal the game and go through to the quarter final.  When Nani saw red the game changed entirely.  Luca Modric levelled the tie and Ronaldo quickly added a second and from that point the tie was over.  The rapid turnaround in the tie was so absolute it was almost done with mercy, as if they didn’t want to prolong the home teams agony.  The after match responses were filled with intrigue.  Predictably Alex Ferguson, still seething, chose not to attend the press conference and sent Mike Phelan to do the talking.  Mourinho’s summing up was remarkably humble.  His main response was to point out that the best team had lost!  It was a strange reaction for a man usually so brash.  Could he have a private agenda?

Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, stepped down from the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation last year amid allegations of corruption. Thailand’s Worawi Makudi has announced his intention to bid. Makudi himself has been the subject of several allegations of corruption. While Makudi himself insists he has been cleared of wrongdoing, it’s seriously unhealthy for the game to have an elected administrator with a questionable background. Trust in football’s governors is at an all time low and we need leaders who can be trusted. With this in mind it’d be appreciated if the Football Federation of Australia explained to the nation why they have seen fit to support Makudi.

The debate has re-surfaced over which time of year the Qatar World Cup in 2022 will take place. FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke has stated that playing the tournament during the winter is a possibility. More mysteriously, Michel Platini announced he favours Qatar World Cup on two conditions. 1 It should be played in winter and 2 it should be shared with neighbouring countries. He clarified his position but the point has to be made, these conditions weren’t part of the bid when he voted for it in 2010. Qatar in 2022 has already proved to be the most controversial, confused mess in FIFA’s history.  It could be a long time coming but we do have a precedent. Tenacious investigative journalism and the public’s clamour for truth and justice saw Lance Armstrong exposed as the cheat he has been. It’d be easy to see the Armstrong case in isolation but the clamour for truth over football’s administrators is just as strong, if not stronger. Resilient journalism and public pressure can yet shake the complaceny of those who hide away in Swiss ivory towers. It may be a long drawn out struggle but the Lance Armstrong story proves it can be done.

Tottenham thoroughly deserved their derby victory over Arsenal. The game was played at a frenetic pace early on and it was Gylfi Sigurdsson’s perfectly time ball for Gareth Bale to put Spurs ahead was the game changing moment. Caught out by two diagonal passes in as many minutes saw Spurs 2-0 up at the break. Mertesacker got a goal back early in the second half and this was where Spurs were most impressive. Under pressure they played with focus resilience and discipline and still broke with precision to threaten the visitors goal. This was the phase of the game where Spurs really earned the points. Few would argue that Gareth Bale is the star player but the second half on Sunday demonstrated that this season’s success isn’t the result of a one man team. After a difficult start to his White Hart Lane career Andre Villa Boas has imposed himself on his players and his team are handily placed in 3rd. There is a certain irony that in a week when Chelsea’s continual managerial traumas continue to make headlines one of their ex managers is thriving across London.

The international break arrives at the right time for Stoke City.  Two weeks to take stock and for the new players to train together and prepare  for the challenges ahead.  The performance at Chelsea had some positive points.  We got some much needed luck when Lampard wasted his penalty.  After going behind we stayed strong together and the floodgate remained locked.  Whelan’s long shot was nearly one of the goals of the season.  It’s disappointing that after grafting so hard to stay in the game we clumsily gifted them the decisive penalty, it’s hard enough going to Stamford Bridge without helping them out.  Jonesy and Walters looks as if they could become  real stars for us.  Walters has shown quick feet in the box and can give our attacking play an extra dimension.  Only three games played but an encouraging start for him.  Overall on Saturday we showed resilience and if we continue as we have in the last game and a half we will soon get some points on the board.  But with two home games to come we really do have the chance to get points on the board…. and that chance mustn’t be wasted.  

It occured to me the other day that Tony Pulis has spent more time managing Stoke than anyone since the great Tony Waddington.  In November it’ll be eight years since his first dugout appearance at Walsall.  We are a much different club than we were then. I, like many thousands of Stokies, love being in the Premier League. Long may we stay at football’s top table. 

It’s amusing that after Manchester City’s masterful dismantling of Liverpool, they came down to earth with a reality induced bang against Sunderland. Wasting first half dominance and succumbing to a late late penalty is the kind of thing the Man Citeh of old would have done. The Tevez open goal miss was astounding! The ruthless winning mentality Mancini needs to instill is a quality money can’t buy…. however much you might have.  Overturning a culture of hard luck stories and glorious failure is his biggest challenge.  If he could spend a few million on some resilience and the knowledge his side could turn an even game into a winning one he’d do it in a shot. 

Talking of big money takeovers, are QPR finally starting to justify the vast sums of money the club has at it’s disposal?  For a while the only difference the high profile gold encrusted owners had made was Naomi Campbell in the directors boxes and extortionately high ticket prices.  Elsewhere at Loftus Road, their late comeback at Derby suggests Neil Warnock may have instilled some of that resilience into his players. He might have to lend some to Mancini!

Barcelona have carried on where they left off last season.  The effortless win over Racing Santander was as every bit as easy as the 3-0 scoreline suggests.  Racing Santander held out for three lengthy minutes until Messi put his side ahead.  It was game over from that stage.  At 0-2 down they missed a penalty but they rarely looked capable of troubling Barcelona for sustained periods.  The self proclaimed ‘Special one’ will be only too aware that the season has barely started and already his new team are two points behind their  nemesis.  Barcelona only lost once all last season so Mourinho won’t be allowed many more mishaps.

On Friday Brisbane Roar beat Wellington in a patient measured performance.  Three games seven points and no goals conceded.  Things are looking good.  Another pleasing thing about the game here is that two players who dived at the weekend have been suspended by the FFA.  (Football Federation of Australia)   It’s a common sense measure that appropriately punishes cheats.  It would be good to think other administrative bodies in the game could adopt the same rule for diving and implement it as swiftly and effectively as it has been here.  Is that really such a pipe dream?

As a football fanatic and shameless football propogandist I can only look on with feint amused detachment at the Pakistan cricket match fixing scandal.  I take no great pleasure in seeing a sport facing this scale of corruption (even a sport that isn’t football) but the pompous sanctimonious way in which the media swoon with mock horror at any level of inappropriate behaviour when it’s football related….and often refer to nurses wages in the process, is as melodramatic as it is empty.   The way rugby is seen as a beacon of righteousness is especially nauseating.  There have been times when a footballer has shown dissent on the pitch and some have shook their head and mentioned that it wouldn’t happen in rugby.  This overlooks the ‘bloodgate’ scandal of last year.  Or Lawrence Dallaglio’s drug scandal of 1999.  Or the accusations of inappropriate behaviour made towards England’s team in New Zealand.  I can’t and wouldn’t ever pretend football is a game of moral purity.  But in the future it would be pleasing if we are spared the head shaking and the pretending to be shocked to the core from the press the next time a footballer’s ethical mishap is exposed.