how is Geoff in the ranking for the captaincy? I know it's Shawcross, but who's the vice-skipper or 3rd in line. He's been there for 5 years so I'd imagine he's up there in seniority.
NBC Sports has a side hustle for their "extra" games now. They started a streaming service called "NBC Sports Gold" where they will be offered exclusively. That means no more content on the alt channels and they may be reduced on the other networks within the NBC family (i.e.: CNBC) they'd branch out too and show games at the crack of dawn. Therefore most of the matches for Geoffrey, now DeAndre and D-Will, won't be available to dvr and watch for "free" or at your leisure. ESPN needs to start stepping up to the plate and make a major international and professional tv deal already. They have more channels, including niche ones, to carry enough games to satisfy the public properly. They also have good production. I'm at least hopeful about the Turner Champion's League deal now for a lot of the same reasons. It's not surprising they'd try to squeeze even more money out of the deal and serious fans at the same time. I want to introduce them to my Asian friend - F. Yu.
📝 #SCFC Starting XI v @Everton: Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Cameron; Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Pieters; Shaqiri, Bojan; Berahino. pic.twitter.com/Zftt8XJ02e— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 12, 2017 Starting.
Comments about his performance are quite positive. There are a number of MOTM shouts in there. His WS rating is decent but not great at 6.8 (4th on the squad). Still, I see some comments that he should be on the bench as soon as BMI is ready. He definitely should be on the field somewhere, either at outside cb or back up in mf. Those are the spots that best fit his attributes and have produced the highest quality performances. I expect Hughes to share my view. He's proven Geoff's value to him on and off the field. There's a honeymoon effect w/ Fletcher, who reportedly had a good game. But over the last few years he's been a much lower rated player in the EPL than Cameron. And the gap only projects to widen throughout the course of the season with Fletcher being 1+ years older and having more mileage on those tires. If he starts next week over him because the grass is greener/honeymoon effect, over the course of the season expect Geoff to beat out another competition again to be a regular starter.
Fletcher's past it. Cameron is a guaranteed starter. I thought Stoke were good for a point, but not enough attacking quality. Geoff was good today.
I watched the game missing a 10 minute window. He was very good couple of great last man tackles on a free Rooney running at him, all of the best opportunities came when he stepped forward into space, something that seems outside the skill set of Shawcross and Zuoma. Could be argued that he didn't close down the cross for the go ahead goal quick enough maybe 20% at fault ok that one. Very smooth polished performance from a player that has become indispensable in the usmnt.
Geoff was really solid today on both sides of the ball. 1st half: Left side of the back 3, brought the ball foward a bit, and put almost every ball on someone's foot. One wayward pass forward was all I saw. He played a beauty outside of the foot through ball to Pieters but was barely offsides. Solid defending and tough in his tackles. Was a great first half for him. 2nd half: went thru a bad tired phase from 70-80 min mark, really bad giveaway and backed away from 50/50 plays. Moved to RB in a back 4 for the last 20 minutes, had a nice run down the ride side and nice cross. Overall: He has to be a must starter, even when BMI returns. In a 3 man back, he should slot into Joe Allens or Fletcher's role. Bojan is dissapointing for me and not sure how long he holds onto that spot without producing something better. If that happens it will open the midfield spots. But I digress, very solid game from Geoff, playing the best soccer of his life.
Here's a legit question: Wtf is the difference between Lovren and Cameron, as far as what they bring to a team? To me, Cameron is miles better at exactly the things a team like Liverpool need. Is it simply age and he's American? Because I can't imagine he makes a lot more than say, Klavan. And I know he's way better than him , and as good or better than Lovren.
yeah. he played DM. erased their attack. Also I think the only club he's ever scored against. Happens to be the only club Dempsey never scored againt. Well, any club of merit.
Resolute performance from the Stoke back 3. Some weakness on the wings with Pieters and Diouf but the back 3 of Zouma, Shawcross and Cameron have looked like a top 5 prem pairing at CB. Cameron is seemingly designated to carry the call forward from the LCB spot. good problem to have but all are fantastic and Indi is on the bench.
It wasn't a particularly good or bad performance by Geoff. Somewhere in the middle range, which is worse than he usually is. It was a number of little things where you feel like he could have done a little better, and if he did the danger for Stoke wouldn't have been quite that high. On what should have been a goal, Lacazette was a little in front of him, with Pieters on his hip, but Pieters holding him offside was the bigger issue. He got shucked by Giroud late for a good chance on a header but Olivier might have gotten away with a foul. He got in the way of a cross to knock it away from its intended path but didn't clear it. It was stuff like that. CB has never been Geoff's best role, and this was a left-sided cb in a back 3, so a lb/cb hybrid position. He's rarely played lb in his career and it's not natural. However, as far as positives, he was in the vicinity to deter attacks a lot, got pieces of balls/blocks on them, won some, and was smooth on the ball when he actually had those opportunities. Nearly went coast to coast for an assist on a ball he originally stole but Berahino was narrowly offsides and the ball was just behind him. And he started the counter on the goal by dribbling to draw two defenders and then splitting them with a pass to space. Arsenal was bossing the game pretty much, so Stoke were fortunate to come out with 3 points. Butland was the star of the game, but the d and Cameron held their own. I think it's funny some think he's going to go to the bench every time Stoke sign or return somebody. That's called being stuck in the past or confirming biases. He's been a starter when healthy enough for 3 seasons now and Hughes has publicly commented on how much he values with him often. Realistic worst case is another valued player comes in, he changes to another position. But if anything that adds to his value that he can play so many positions effectively. Some want to ironically use that to dismiss him as a "utility"/bench player. Highest rated outfield player at Stoke last season in spite of moving around the park. Fletcher may see the bench because his immobility hurts their pressing and counter ability theoretically, plus in this game I thought he made a number of suspect decisions on the ball which is even supposed to be his strength.
LCB in a 3-man back line is not a position he's played often, if ever. I always remember him as the RCB when Stoke played the occasional 3-at-the-back formation.
Not a terrible spot for him given how he uses the outside of his right foot. 3 man backline is probably a good position for him as he seems a tweener to me between outside back and CB.
They were calling in on Sirius XM FC and railing at Wenger and the "American Ownership." I thought a few of them were going to cry... But here a few for your viewing pleasure... Retweet if you're laughing at #Arsenal 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Z2pWUtSH7Y— ㅤManLikeMatic (@ManLikeMatic_) August 19, 2017 We have one of the most experienced CB's sitting on the fucking bench while Monreal plays in the middle and gets bullied, FUCK YOU! #Arsenal— Joshua Gooner Cullen (@cullen8794) August 19, 2017 Cech is passed it. Cannot save anything near his bottom corners. Jese had no right to score from there— Prince 🇮🇪🇵🇰🇦🇫 (@AzzyShahzzy) August 19, 2017 898973948746051584 is not a valid tweet id 898970703206072320 is not a valid tweet id https://twitter.com/AdzCampbell91/status/898972979605889025 https://twitter.com/RickSpur/status/898973669774376960 https://twitter.com/lordgooner8/status/898777818313613312 https://twitter.com/aniebietu/status/899044331226615808 https://twitter.com/wengerknowsbest/status/899020180193505281 And from the arsenal mania forum: "We're going to get obliterated next week. Don't even kid yourselves. Pool are going to swarm around us and we're going to fold like a deckchair."
Quiet game for him, a bit shaky in his 1st 2 possessions and then really didn't get on the ball much the rest of the game. Quiet but solid. Great back 3 for Stoke, big destroyers and they seem really tight in communication, holding lines, and overall shape. With fletch and Allen in front this team will be tough to break down this season. Geoff was solid in his marking. Can't ask for much more.