[WBA-Josh]

Good result which we can look to build upon after the International break when we will hopefully have some more new signings to play.

The performance was much better than last week's and we can take plenty of positives away such as regaining our ability to counter-attack properly and our defensive solidity and shape for most of the match.

My gripes with today are the substitution of Yacob for Morrison which did more damage than good and the goal we conceded with Foster and Hegazi taking equal blame for it. Hegazi should have been more assured and put his foot through the ball and Foster should have stayed in his position on his six yard line instead of trying to come for the ball which he was always going to struggle to get.

[Slick_Footwork]

Typical Premier League game, 2 teams with different styles, but a real dearth in creativity across the board.

Disappointed not to win considering Stoke didn't really create anything clear cut, despite the fact we seemed slow and leggy.

Great goal from Rodriguez, showing his striking instincts at the back post.

Can't help feeling we looked a much better side in the first game, with Rodriguez holding the ball up, bringing midfielders into play. Although Rondon works hard and runs the channels, he couldn't trap a bag of sand and fails to see the simple pass into the midfield time and time again. Inviting pressure on us.

Hopefully Hegazi's mistake doesn't destroy his confidence. That said, it does give you the feeling that he might not be the finished article that we expected after the first two games. Showed the type of dexterity (or lack of it) that you'd expect from a 6'4 defender. Hopefully that's something he can work on.

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Good result.

My gripes with today are the substitution of Yacob for Morrison which did more damage than good and the goal we conceded. I think both Foster and Hegazi should be taking equal blame for it. Hegazi should have been more assured and put his foot through the ball and Foster should have stayed in his position on his six yard line instead of trying to come for the ball which he was never going to get.

Apart from the above issues, the performance was much better than last week's shit show and we can take plenty of positives away such as regaining our ability to counter-attack properly and our defensive solidity.

As much as I respect Yacob for his 110% effort, hard work and defensive reading of the game - I do feel he's a player who needs replacing with someone who has the legs. As you say, bringing him on and pushing Barry slightly forward didn't do anything for our ability to retain the ball and counter.

[BaggieMan]

Just back from the game which I thought was dire other than the great fast build-up goal from Jay Rod who seemed to run out of steam second half. I agree, Rondon couldn't trap a bag of sand and now seems to be doing half the running we used to see. Mozza didn't impress and seemed to lack match fitness and needed to be subbed.

Good point I suppose though and other than his booboo, Hegazi didn't put a foot wrong and it took a good save by Butland to stop him scoring.

[Borders Baggie]

I've seen some shit defending in my time, but that is right up there with the worst.   Please please please do not sell Evans.

Don't think anyone wants Evans to leave but that was virtually Hegazi's only error (albeit a big one that cost 2pts) in 270 plus mins of premiership football and think the guy should be cut some slack.

[4evaabaggie]

Just back from the game which I thought was dire other than the great fast build-up goal from Jay Rod who seemed to run out of steal second half. I agree, Rondon couldn't trap a bag of sand and now seems to be doing half the running we used to see. Mozza didn't impress and seemed to lack match fitness and needed to be subbed.

Good point I suppose though and other than his booboo, Hegazi didn't put a foot wrong and it took a good save by Butland to stop him scoring.

Baggieman, I can give Morrison and Jay Rod some slack 're fitness, James has been injured and Jay didn't have our tough preseason .......
Hegazi, New country, New team, New league, New style of football ....... even with all that he has put in two MoM performances and apart from his error which could be a communication error with ben, slight misjudgement on whether he could reach it or not, May have distracted Hegazi ..... has settled in well.

Happy with points total so far .... in middle of house move so not been to a game yet ...so can't comment on performances, entertainment value ......

[drewks]

I see Mark Hughes is now saying that we kept the grass long for this game to (somehow) limit Stokes game.
What a moaning, complaining turd of a bloke he is

[Zinman]

I'm happy with 7 points out of 9 but every time I watch us I'm reminded of why I gave up my season ticket.

[Slick_Footwork]

I'm happy with 7 points out of 9 but every time I watch us I'm reminded of why I gave up my season ticket.

It's poor stuff we're serving up, that's for sure.

However, I'm not sure there's much else we can do with this squad. Serious lack of legs in midfield and the only real quality footballer we have in this area - Nacer Chadli- pretty much lost his chance when he refused to go to Austria.

With the addition of a decent midfielder and Burke coming to fitness, hopefully we can play some more attacking, incisive football. We'll have to see after the window.

On the topic of exciting football, did anyone think Stoke were any better? I didn't.

I noticed their fans were berating our style but their fans clearly can't see the wood from the trees. For all their possession, there was little more than lots of tippy tap, sideways passing. The reality is, if it wasn't for our mix up at the back, all the had to show for so much of the ball was one half chance for Choupo-Moting. They had no creative thrust whatsoever. It's no surprise that Berahino can't score there, Bony couldn't score there and Diouf has been converted from a centre forward to right back. For all their 'great football' and 'passing game' they don't create a thing.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Not much more to add to the above, save that getting rid of Fletcher and bringing in Barry may well have been a master stroke from the club. He's twice the presence in midfield that Fletch was in his last 12-18 months here.

Disappointing to concede the way we did, but a draw was probably the fair result.

[valpayne]

Anyone see Arsenal Liverpool game and hear the comments made several times abouthow dire Arsenal were defensively? More than one pundit mentioned wba as an example of how to defend both Neville and souness said the one thing a team must do when you lose the ball is bust a gut to get back behind the ball and in your positions and that's what you get from wba and TP. That's why we're hard to beat and that's the first thing you need to survive in the prem then you can look at going forward creative attacking football. There in lies the conundrum TP has. Wba don't attract the big and best players sadly. We aren't a team challenging for cups and euro glory so we have to do what we can with less talent than most prem teams and that's down to canny scouting and grabbing the odd elder statesman here and tghere or a loan from the bigger teams. Hence hegazi Barry j Rod two of which have scored for us already. TP knows we do not have the ability to play attacking football like Liverpool Man U et al so he's made defence a priority and but for one defensive balls up yesterday we could have been 2nd on max points . Hegazi is only just settling in he's looking very capable and already earned praise from footballing pundits. Personally I think we need a left back and a goal scoring midfielder a la gerrard lampard etc then I think we will have a reasonably strong team. I'd rather have been a wba fan than an Arsenal fan yesterday with all their attacking talent they were a horror show and rightly all the pundits were gobsmacked Neville souness caragher were all great players and they were disgusted by arsenals performance and condemned it with venom whilst Henry said he wanted to leave the set and go home so my point is as always let's be thankful where we are and careful what we wish for 3 games 7 points early days yes but best start for eons