Goarrn ye Potters get stuck in. A Stoke win today and they pull closer to the top of the table. The line-up says Stoke are going for all three. I would have thought we might see a target striker with the Pulis' tactics. This may be an ugly game, but really can't let the WBA's of the world get six points off of you, if you want to push on to Europe. Let's hope Geoff is up for it and is brilliant today. If the fantastic four can get something early it might open the game up, and we can watch Stoke-alona as the fantastic four do their thing.
0-0 at halftime. Boring and even game so far. -Geoff has moved better than his last game but way too loose with the ball. 4-5 turnovers that he can't continue to make. - Has gotten forward more and even has two nice rips on goal. - Couple times on the break he has either just been to slow and got the ball knocked away from behind, or has played a bad ball forward. Another one was a ball right to the LB as he tried to play it easy out to Glen Johnson. Needs to do better there. - Commentator mentions Cameron has been the last comfortable of the stoke players on the ball. - Noticed Whelan urging him to move forward several times, that helps open space for GJ, but also fills huge gap up in the final 3rd. He plays much more of a holding mid but with Whelan there I'd like to see him push forward and move off the ball alot more.
One of the worst played stoke games all year, every player was below average, with Affaley maybe the only exception. And just a terrible game to watch. Geoff does a little open hand bitch slap to the back of the head, no way is that even a foul. But he should never have raised his hand. Horrible decision by the ref, and ever poor sportsmanship by Yacob. Should be ashamed but unfortunately that's just how players play the game these days. But Geoff has to keep his head, it cost his team a point.
Hughes hasn't rested players at all this festive period - no coincidence this was Stoke's worst performance, then.
It was very soft, but we know from the last game that they will throw themselves to the ground at any opportunity, and Geoff knows he shouldnt raise his hands. Now he's banned for a very important set of games.
ouch! Stupid from Geoff. Unfortunately in today's soccer he should have fallen from the challenge and rolled around holding his ankle and crying. But that was some piece of reffing too. it really makes the pro leagues a joke to have that kind of stuff. Saw something very similar last week with Zelalem's Rangers and the faking player got a 2 game simulation ban - need to have more of that stuff. (but that case was more obvious than this.)
Its hard because you cant quantify pain. Geoff does touch Yacob, and Yacob can just claim he has a pathetically low pain threshold. Its not a dive by Yacob as there is contact, its just a disgusting attempt to get another player sent off. I know now why teams hated playing us under Pulis.
Yeah, Fyvie's was clear since he was hit in the shoulder, grabbed his face. Yacob would never go down from that level push in real life, but it's hard to prove. It's too bad - they should really hammer on guys that clearly simulate (like Fyvie - he got a 2 match ban. I think should have gotten way more) in order to try and at least put a damper on that crap. But Chandler is also old enough to know better. Refs always see that stuff and if a player decides to make a meal of it... RC.
Clearly embellishment...which isn't illegal. Simulation is faking a foul, embellishment is dramatic exaggeration. The goal of embellishment is solely to get the player a yellow/red. This stuff makes me hate this game.
Both should receive a yellow card. I think the football associations should review all possible incidents retroactively and dispense yellow cards freely. I believe this would decrease the frequency of simulation and embellishment as well as their undue influence on the game.