Roy's View From... Pre-Match View From Stoke

[bigblade]

As always thank Roy....

 

[Speedracer]

Thanks Roy.

Somehow missed this yesterday but good to read after knowing the result, this time at least.

 

[INTAKE BLADE]

Cheers Roy

 

[Charlieblade]

From what I understand about Stoke: they're quick, physical, play decent football and can defend. When the team sheet comes out and Norwood and Fleck are on it we may as well go home.

In hindsight, your prediction seems to have been quite prescient. I was thinking exactly the same!
Did Hourihane make that much difference?
Will we have capable replacements for Norwood and Fleck one the squad Is injury free?

 

[alcoblade]

In hindsight, your prediction seems to have been quite prescient. I was thinking exactly the same!
Did Hourihane make that much difference?
Will we have capable replacements for Norwood and Fleck one the squad Is injury free?

Go and look at the results with Berge in the team - then you can conclude “no”.

 

[Houston_Blade]

In hindsight, your prediction seems to have been quite prescient. I was thinking exactly the same!
Did Hourihane make that much difference?
Will we have capable replacements for Norwood and Fleck one the squad Is injury free?

Norwood did a lot of Norwoody things like drop into the back and pass the ball 5 and 10 yards then play Hollywood pings that didn’t really achieve much. Fleck had about 25 mins where he just waddled around and got nowhere near their midfield. Both were 5.5/10 for me, maybe 6 for Fleck as he did at least drive forward a few times.

I don’t think Berge improves us as he’s powderpuff, Guedioura is a cameo player to see a game out and Hourihane isn’t much different to Norwood, perhaps just gets stuck in a bit more-and it slightly more mobile and better on corners.

 

[Charlieblade]

Norwood did a lot of Norwoody things like drop into the back and pass the ball 5 and 10 yards then play Hollywood pings that didn’t really achieve much. Fleck had about 25 mins where he just waddled around and got nowhere near their midfield. Both were 5.5/10 for me, maybe 6 for Fleck as he did at least drive forward a few times.

I don’t think Berge improves us as he’s powderpuff, Guedioura is a cameo player to see a game out and Hourihane isn’t much different to Norwood, perhaps just gets stuck in a bit more-and it slightly more mobile and better on corners.

Thanks for your view on Hourihane. I haven’t even watched the highlights yet. Agree on Guedioura, but surprised that Slav added Mousett and Didzy from the bench late in the game. He obviously believes in the players more than they do!

I’m no longer convinced by Berge. Maybe it’s a genuine injury, or something not right in his attitude? It’s been going on too long for a coincidence. I hope I’m wrong to doubt his application, as I always thought he could do well for us.
There are other options in midfield if Norwood and Fleck don’t get a grip of themselves.

 

[Nade]

"
“To me many of these so called ‘big’ clubs are quite similar in terms of how their fans seem to behave.
Walking up to the ground yesterday was a pretty awesome sight I thought. A real traditional looking ground with fans swarming around and then you step inside…
The stands pretty full (much like forest)… They have their opening ‘introductory’ sing along (Mull of Kintyre at Forest, Annie’s Song yesterday) and then it’s mainly “oooooooh” “aaaaargh” “ohhhhhhh” from the home support and little more.
It’s kind of flat and spectator-like and it all feels a bit like the fans (much like the players) are just kind of going through the motions.
Their side wasn’t terrible yesterday, they got in behind us, moved well and created chances. They simply couldn’t finish their chances … Of course we should take some credit defensively, but you do wonder at times whether these big, expectant and often fairly unforgiving crowds have a negative impact on the players and sap their confidence…
I think too many clubs seem to think that having large home attendances should come with an automatic right to success and yet the nature of their crowd along with the expectancy within the club is actually playing a big part in their lack of success.”

That. That is good.

I remember us laughing at the sense of entitlement we heard from a lot of the fans of other Championship clubs when we first got promoted from league one. We've become the same.