[talkSAFT]

Brunt was missing, but there are enough captains in the team to put some fight into a team:
Fletcher, Olssen, GaryMac, Lescott, etc.
It's as if they just don't care. Didn't think a Pulis team would show such lack of fight. They just show lack of desire. Both red cards were justified, so why didn't we take them apart? When will we ever get a better chance of winning 3 or 4 nil?

Manamana and (maybe) Rondon looked as if they wanted to play, but no one else. I'd rather have got no points, than put in such a turgid display. Pathetic! What pathetic team will he put out next? When's Bighead Berahino going to bother playing? When's Lambert going to FIGHT for 1st choice? When's Pulis going to drop McLean?

Desperate!

[betterthanbaird]

Let's be glad we won. I'm delighted for rondon and gamboa.

I couldn't watch the game but it seems like we played badly which is pathetic against nine men.

I've seen a fair bit of criticism for pulis but his comments after the game suggest that he didn't want us to slow the game down so much. His changes show some attacking intent as we would all expect in the situation. We may not have fully taken advantage but we will become more creative than that.

Mcmanaman only played half, brunt should improve our distribution from the back when he returns and it seems berahino will stay and return to the team. Add at least a couple of new signings in and others settling in and we're stronger.

I'm realistic I know that we'll lack creativity at times in an attempt to be solid and I know that it isn't good enough.

Congratulations rondon on his first goal and gamboa on playing.

First win of the season and against Stoke, let's hope our business over the next few days mean we'll see a lot more wins.

[BaggieMan]

Just back from game. Our second half performance was embarrassing.
Stoke with their nine men were the better team.
Absolutely no creativity anywhere on the pitch.
Time wasting against nine men for goodness sake.
If this is what we produce against an average nine man Sjoke, we will be relegated and that's far more certain than this time last year.



PS: Throughout the entire second half we created just one chance - a close range header over the bar by Rondon ! Disgraceful against nine men.

[aries22]

I've seen a fair bit of criticism for pulis but his comments after the game suggest that he didn't want us to slow the game down so much. His changes show some attacking intent as we would all expect in the situation.

I agree with both comments. After Afellay was sent off, TP took off Claudio Yacob and brought on Rickie Lambert, and he did say we didn't move the ball quickly enough in the second half.
I hope he gets that point across on Monday morning.
We've got some good players. They need to play to their strengths and do their utmost.

[BaggieMan]

Squirrel....

Sorry we didn't get to meet and have a pint in the bar which would have been far more exciting than watching the garbage we served up today. My Stokie mates reckon we are as good as relegated after witnessing that dreadful display and you can't argue against their assessment. Them and those Stokies I met to a man said it was exactly what they suffered under Pulis for several years.

As you know, I have always been anti-Pulis for exactly the reason we saw today and for his dreadful signings history - McClean and Chester for example.

Was your take on the game the same as mine?

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

...if the match proves to be a turgid 1-0 Albion win with Stoke fans leaving early and grumbling that they're glad they don't have to watch this stuff every week, it's possible that the universe may just collapse on itself.

Well, on the bright side, the universe hasn't actually collapsed yet.  Though with The X Factor back on tonight, I sort of wish it'd get a move on.

[HarryJAllstarWBA]

On a side note, I thought Gamboa was bloody awful when he came on, I hope people start realising he's just not good enough

[Beefy 1965]

Squirrel....

Sorry we didn't get to meet and have a pint in the bar which would have been far more exciting than watching the garbage we served up today. My Stokie mates reckon we are as good as relegated after witnessing that dreadful display and you can't argue against their assessment. Them and those Stokies I met to a man said it was exactly what they suffered under Pulis for several years.

As you know, I have always been anti-Pulis for exactly the reason we saw today and for his dreadful signings history - McClean and Chester for example.

Was your take on the game the same as mine?

TBM how do you work out Chester is a dreadful signing ?
Played against the champions elect and out of position
And not only out of position for the league cup but on the left hand side,
Please describe you dreadful signing theory,
Shouldn't we judge him after more game time not just two,And if he actually plays in the correct position ?  

[BaggieMan]

Squirrel....

Sorry we didn't get to meet and have a pint in the bar which would have been far more exciting than watching the garbage we served up today. My Stokie mates reckon we are as good as relegated after witnessing that dreadful display and you can't argue against their assessment. Them and those Stokies I met to a man said it was exactly what they suffered under Pulis for several years.

As you know, I have always been anti-Pulis for exactly the reason we saw today and for his dreadful signings history - McClean and Chester for example.

Was your take on the game the same as mine?

TBM how do you work out Chester is a dreadful signing ?
Played against the champions elect and out of position
And not only out of position for the league cup but on the left hand side,
Please describe you dreadful signing theory,
Shouldn't we judge him after more game time not just two,And if he actually plays in the correct position ?  

Beefy, point taken on Chester and I suppose he should be given more game time but not sure Pulis will do that. If you talk to Stokies, Pulis had a very poor transfer record - buying expensive players and not playing them, Winston Palacios a £6m Pulis buy from Spurs a classic example rather like our Sicknote.

The main point is the future. Three points are very welcome but playing in the slow, uncreative manner we did today we certainly won't be getting maximum points with that sort of performance. The trouble is, I can't see it improving unless we have some new pacey talent lined up before the window closed.


 

[Slick_Footwork]

First away game of the season.

Hard to be critical after a win against Stoke away, but our performance was garbage.

The lack of invention and quality in our midfield is criminal.

When you play with McLean and Gardner on the wings in a 5, you know you're not going to create much.

I was gutted when we signed McLean, not because of religious beliefs, but simply because I watched him plenty of times for Sunderland and thought he was complete gash. I was hoping that somehow at Wigan he would've devleoped but in actual fact, he looks like he's gone backwards. The guy has absolutely nothing. No composure, no touch, can't beat a man, can't cross and can't even pass accurately under no pressure.

What's the point having a bunch of big blokes when this guy can't even beat the first man with a corner?

What would make my day is if Pulis realises his mistake and releases this numty from his contract. Players like McLean are the reason why British football is so shi*e. There's no way a winger would be accepted just because he's a 'runner' in Germany or Spain. I detest watching players like this in attacking positions.

Lescott at left back does a job when you're going for 0-0, but under these circumstances, when our full backs were often the 'spare men', you could see how much of a square peg in a round hole he was. Completely immobile.

Was happy to see Gamboa until he got involved and was equally useless. He had his chance but was just as bad as McLean and that takes some going.

I swear I've seen Lambert play for us before under the pseudonym 'Nicolas Anekla'. To give the guy his credit, he can hold the ball up and pass it better than the rest of the side, but did we really buy him to play 'in the hole'? At his pedestrian pace?

Mozza and Fletcher about as creative as a 5 year old colouring in his paint by numbers book...

Job done and 3 points on the board is the only positive.

But the fact Stoke had us under the cosh for the last 10-15 minutes and could've snatched an equalizer is embarrassing under the circumstances. The manager and players should be embarrassed they couldn't kill that game off. A lot of work needs to be done...