The Stoketshirts.co.uk blog

Stoke City v Arsenal 26 August 2012 New Badge Hoarding

Intentons are that just a few of my thoughts from every game I attend this season will be published as a blog.
These will take the form of positive and negative thoughts and observations, Reasons to be cheerful, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now.

Not sure how long I’ll keep it up for but as The Ramones once said Hey Ho, Let’s Go!

Reasons To Be Cheerful

KIGHTLY very comfortable on the ball, could be the start of a fresh Pulis approach for potters football. It was great to see the ball bought down and possession retained during the midfield melees.

CAMERON again comfortable with the ball, seemed unusual for Pulis to trust a newbie in such an important game but his presence paid off. Some nice touches, not 100% certain that he was the best player on the pitch but can’t think of many more players that could have took the man of the match award.

LAME SUBSTITUTIONS
To be honest, most premier league teams would love the ability to have Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott being impact substitutions. Wenger launched all three and they were about effective as an ashtray on a motorbike.

PROGRESSION

Was Begovic playing the ball short to the back four real progression or just a tactic to draw Arsenal out from their own half while we lumped it forward? It seemed awkward at times and we nearly got caught short when there was an awkward short back pass. The jury is out on this currently!

THE WEATHER

The heat of the sun on the walk on home will be all but a distant memory in a couple of months. It’s a rare occasion when the sun shines on Ice Station Britannia so let’s hold the memory of that warmth for now.

Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
I would have involved Delap and the monster longthrow at some point. Okay I accept that he’s seen better days and is a squad player now but that the Longthrow has always been Arsenal’s weakness at the Brit and we never really had a quality low trajectory throw that tested their dodgy defence out.

Arsene wearing an invisible straight jacket. We love his histrionics as he bounces up the touchline trying to take off, flapping his duvet, but today he held back and seemed to have his hands tied back as if he’d been Christian Grey’s latest conquest (a reference for the ladies! 50 shades of grey)

Progression

I know it was a reason to be cheerful or is it? We had a year known as the binary season – Most games ended 1-0, 0-0, 0r 0-1. Is this season a return to that style? Not the most entertaining but at least the consistency meant you could make a few quid at the bookies!

Rumour Mill
Asmir off to Chelsea with Daniel Sturridge being loaned to Stoke.

Song of the Day
“Robin Van Persie – He Would Have Scored That”

Most Mentioned non Stoke City Player

Michael Owen who sat on the Goals on Sunday Settee

Michael Owen Joins Goals On Sunday

Line ups
Stoke City:

Begovic, Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson, Pennant, Cameron, Whelan, Kightly, Walters, Crouch.

Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Jones, Upson, Delap, Shotton, Jerome.

Arsenal:

Mannone, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Podolski, Diaby, Arteta, Cazorla, Gervinho, Giroud.

Subs: Martinez, Santos, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Djourou, Coquelin

Enjoy a few snaps from the day below

Stoke City v Arsenal 26 August 2012 The Stewards have delivered Arsene’s Flak Jacket

Car Park, Bike and Arsene Wenger Mask

Stoke City v Arsenal 26 August 2012 Programme Back

Stoke City v Arsenal 26 August 2012 Pitch view pre match

Litany of errors though it undoubtedly was, beating Sweden is a huge step towards the quarter finals.  It was a  strange match in which neither team actually played with cohesion or incisive power.  The second half must have been a thriller for neutrals.  Infuriating for England and Sweden fans but thrilling for neutrals!

Roy Hodgson acknowledged before the game that England needed a more attacking set up against the Swedes.  It wasn’t a major shock to see Andy Carroll start the game.  The inclusion of Carroll was due to Sweden’s inability  to defend against crosses.  This observation  proved to be  unfathomably wise when Carroll’s brilliant glancing header put us ahead.  It also silenced the doubters who have felt aggrieved by the exclusion of Peter Crouch.  The only problem with Carroll’s involvement is that it is too tempting to hit long balls to him… long balls that too often get comfortably dealt with by the opposition.  The start of the second half was calamitous for England.  For fifteen minutes we were completely overwhelmed and our players looked woefully out of their depth.  It’s difficult to give Sweden too much credit for finding their way into the game as it was almost entirely due to England’s careless avoidable errors.  The equaliser came from a free kick given because Carroll inexplicably lunged and gave a free kick away.  Defending at the free kick itself  was slapdash and clumsy.  The kick itself was poor and his straight into the wall.  The ball was hit back into the dangerzone and,  for no apparent reason, Glen Johnson didn’t push out and we were exposed.  A few minutes later we feared the worst when Milner foolishly lunged at Olsson.  Fears were justified when Mellberg gratefully headed home a free header.  From being in control of the game we’d become a shambles.

It’s to Hodgson’s credit that he had the nous to change things immediately. Theo Walcott’s introduction immediately changed things.  Fortuitous though his equaliser was it boosted his confidence immeasurably.  It was Walcott’s burst of pace and skill that led to Welbeck’s wonderfully improvised winner.  Some of the criticism Theo has received in recent years has been over the top to say the least. Making the difference in such a big game may be a pivotal point in him starting to fulfill his considerable potential.  It was disappointing to look around the internet and see suggestions that Welbeck’s goal was a fluke.  If a Spaniard or Brazilian had done that we’d look on with admiration and envy. An England player does it and we try to pick fault. Give credit where it’s due. Well done Danny Welbeck!!  Our players made it hard for themselves but we won the because we were incisive in the attacking third and the substitutions  were good decisions.  Positive changes from Roy Hodgson were decisive.  Wayne Rooney will finally make an appearance in the Ukraine game.  It presents the manager with the problem of who will be replaced.  It’ll be a tough decision but that’s his job.

To progress to the quarter final we need a draw against Ukraine in the final group game.  It may seem to be a simple task but like everything with England, don’t expect it to be straight forward.  That may seem excessively gloomy but there is a precedent to reflect on.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80hZNGOY_g8&feature=related  It’s fair to say that should we reach the knockout stage the powerhouse nations have little to fear from us.  It should be noted however that England have already had a better tournament than many dared to wish for.