Native Aztexan
31 Aug 2008, 03:45 PM
Here are my thoughts about the match.
For the first 35 minutes of the match, Stoke were dominating on the attack and time of possession. Ricardo Fuller was busy on the attack as Boro's Huth was all over him during the match. We couldn't be able to finish our chances for those minutes.
Then when Boro finally was able to attack on Stoke's defensive third, Amdy Faye put a two-footed tackle on O'Neil. Straight red card for Faye. And on the upcoming free kick, Afonso Alves hit a brilliant free kick goal. 1-nil Boro. For that point on until the 2nd half, Boro had the possession & momentum.
In the second half, Boro keep on pressing on the attack, but just like Stoke in the 1st 35 minutes could not be able to finish off. Tuncay had tow clear chances and he kept putting his shots wide. Then Boro were award a PK on a foul on Alves in the box. However Downing's PK hit the cross bar.
Minutes later, Stoke finally had one good chance on the attack as the ball was crossed towards Dave Kitson. However Justin Hoyte was able to get in front of Kitson only to see the ball bounce off of Hoyte and into the back of the net for an own goal. 1-1. :)
During the final 10 minutes of the match, Stoke were trying to hold on until the final whistle for the result. However with 5 minutes remaining, Tuncay (who wasn't having a good game at this point) was open in the box behind the two central defenders and beat the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 Boro. He was close to an offsides position but the Stoke player (Griffin IIRC) made him onside.
Game over. That really made my stomach sick after that.
As for watching the game at Cuatros, there were only two of us (including myself) and twometers and his family. It's a nice sports eatery. Emphasis on sports eatery and not a pub. But it didn't seem like a good atmosphere at the time because (1) the game was shown at 3 pm instead of the usually live or tape delay game in the mornings. (2) Bunch of college pointyball games was shown at all except for one TV screens and (3) a bunch of burnt oranges fans showing up hours before the Texas Longhorns played a Third Division Football team. :D
At least Texas wasn't playing Arkansas State. ;)
Perhaps if Stoke was shown on Setanta during the mornings at Cuatros, then I were give out my second opinion on them. I'll still remain a lover of ME's due to a soccer/football atmosphere setting.
Let's hope that Stoke sign another defender perhaps a flank & speedy defender despite Stoke already signed Sonko from Reading whom I'm not a big fan of him at all.
Any thoughts?
For the first 35 minutes of the match, Stoke were dominating on the attack and time of possession. Ricardo Fuller was busy on the attack as Boro's Huth was all over him during the match. We couldn't be able to finish our chances for those minutes.
Then when Boro finally was able to attack on Stoke's defensive third, Amdy Faye put a two-footed tackle on O'Neil. Straight red card for Faye. And on the upcoming free kick, Afonso Alves hit a brilliant free kick goal. 1-nil Boro. For that point on until the 2nd half, Boro had the possession & momentum.
In the second half, Boro keep on pressing on the attack, but just like Stoke in the 1st 35 minutes could not be able to finish off. Tuncay had tow clear chances and he kept putting his shots wide. Then Boro were award a PK on a foul on Alves in the box. However Downing's PK hit the cross bar.
Minutes later, Stoke finally had one good chance on the attack as the ball was crossed towards Dave Kitson. However Justin Hoyte was able to get in front of Kitson only to see the ball bounce off of Hoyte and into the back of the net for an own goal. 1-1. :)
During the final 10 minutes of the match, Stoke were trying to hold on until the final whistle for the result. However with 5 minutes remaining, Tuncay (who wasn't having a good game at this point) was open in the box behind the two central defenders and beat the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 Boro. He was close to an offsides position but the Stoke player (Griffin IIRC) made him onside.
Game over. That really made my stomach sick after that.
As for watching the game at Cuatros, there were only two of us (including myself) and twometers and his family. It's a nice sports eatery. Emphasis on sports eatery and not a pub. But it didn't seem like a good atmosphere at the time because (1) the game was shown at 3 pm instead of the usually live or tape delay game in the mornings. (2) Bunch of college pointyball games was shown at all except for one TV screens and (3) a bunch of burnt oranges fans showing up hours before the Texas Longhorns played a Third Division Football team. :D
At least Texas wasn't playing Arkansas State. ;)
Perhaps if Stoke was shown on Setanta during the mornings at Cuatros, then I were give out my second opinion on them. I'll still remain a lover of ME's due to a soccer/football atmosphere setting.
Let's hope that Stoke sign another defender perhaps a flank & speedy defender despite Stoke already signed Sonko from Reading whom I'm not a big fan of him at all.
Any thoughts?