Stoke 2-1 City Post Match

[Thracian]

Around 4,500 travelling fans and we couldn't give it our best shot.

Says it all for the cynicism that prevails in football nowadays although, I do stress again, that Pearson openly admitted beforehand that the Cup was not our priority and, as a direct consequence, I was never interested in buying at ticket.

In fact I've not bought a Cup ticket since the piss-take against Burton Albion and sincerely doubt that I ever will again.

That many fans will agree with City's priorities only makes the club's position more defensible and yet, at the same time, more of an insult to those fans who do expect "our best effort".        

[Guest Col city fan]

Why are people saying that we'd struggle in the prem? Of course we would, that's why we are currently a championship side! Pretty simple really. Makes me laugh that now we are doing well in the league people have to look forr a negative, so the new one is we're nit good enough for the prem.

As if we'd play the same 11 players we played yesterday week in week out in the prem.

Really struggle to understand what some of you get out of being Leicester fans

My post is in response to quite a few posts and comments that our current unit 'isn't far off being a Premiership side'. I think we are quite some way off being a team that could compete CONSISTENTLY well at the higher level. Of course we are currently a Championship side. And I believe Pearson would (and would need to) really strengthen in the summer. Others feel he wouldnt need to, at least not much.

Try to differentiate between 'being critical' and 'critically discussing'

[reynard]

For those guys and girls thinking that we aren't far off being a Prem quality side, take a raincheck.

Yes, we beat a very very poor Fulham side, who were in disarray at the time but this really is not indicative of the quality of team we would have to play week in, week out.

Man City gave us a masterclass and we never really looked like doing much against Stoke.

The Prem sides are typically physically bigger and stronger, have quality players who can hurt you, given half a chance and have resources to build and strengthen each season.

For me, the likes of King, Knocky, Konch and RDL would really struggle with the pace and physicality of the Premiership.

I think Pearson would need to recruit some tougher players, just physically and mentally tougher, for us to have a good chance of competing. Sure, we would win some games, but on average, week-in, week out I think we would struggle how we are at present.

 

Completely agree with all of this. The disappointing thing for me yesterday was not that we lost but that we never looked likely to win. Until the last 15 minutes we were simply outclassed all over the pitch by a side we would need to be more competitive against to have even the faintest hope of staying up.

I appreciate we would strengthen and bring some players in but the gap between the top of the Championship and the lower reaches of the Premier league is growing wider each season and will continue to grow. I struggle to see how many of our side would be more than squad players at best.

[MC Prussian]

Completely agree with all of this. The disappointing thing for me yesterday was not that we lost but that we never looked likely to win. Until the last 15 minutes we were simply outclassed all over the pitch by a side we would need to be more competitive against to have even the faintest hope of staying up.

I appreciate we would strengthen and bring some players in but the gap between the top of the Championship and the lower reaches of the Premier league is growing wider each season and will continue to grow. I struggle to see how many of our side would be more than squad players at best.

You do realize we fielded a much weaker side against Stoke than we did against Millwall, for instance?

 

How on earth are people still comparing a Championship side with a Premier League team in terms of depth in squad and player quality?

 

With the right additions, we would be competitive enough. Or what were Hull fans thinking when they got promoted? "Shit, we're going to lose each game 6-0"?

[cjslcfc]

The much talked about squad change again....We will add some new faces and lose a few, it will not change that much!

We are not going to be paying 60k a week wages, lots of players wont be interested in coming because we aren't established in the Premier league.

So where are the notions that we will be a totally different outfit coming from?

We will add a few youngsters with ambition and talent rather than experienced money grabbers out of contract to the squad.

In essence, yesterday was a very valid pointer as to what to expect.

Anyone saying any different is deluded.

 

Why do you have to say stuff like that? Can people on here not make an argument or add to the debate without using insults or completely putting down anyone else's point of view. Get off your high horse. I'm not saying you're wrong or right but can you not just put it in a way that isn't so condescending. 

 

Here's a few thoughts on it:

 

Hull City

• 34 Stockdale
• 02 Rosenior
• 05 Chester
• 15 McShane
• 23 Faye
• 27 Elmohamady Booked
• 29 Quinn
• 31 Meyler
• 11 Simpson (Proschwitz - 45' Booked )
• 30 Brady (Fathi - 88' )
• 37 Boyd

Substitutes

• 01 Jakupovic
• 06 Hobbs
• 17 Fathi
• 28 Bruce
• 08 Evans
• 12 Fryatt
• 33 Proschwitz

Cardiff City

• 01 Marshall
• 02 McNaughton
• 03 Taylor Dismissed after an earlier booking
• 06 Turner
• 31 Nugent Booked
• 11 Conway
• 13 Kim Bo-Kyung (Gestede - 64' )
• 16 Noone (Maynard - 84' )
• 17 Gunnarsson Booked
• 18 Mutch
• 09 Velikonja (Campbell - 46' )

Substitutes

• 32 Lewis
• 07 Whittingham
• 24 Lappin
• 14 Smith
• 15 Gestede
• 23 Maynard
• 27 Campbell

Crystal Palace

• 01 Speroni
• 02 Ward
• 21 Moxey
• 27 Delaney Booked
• 33 Gabbidon
• 07 Bolasie (Williams - 67' )
• 08 Dikgacoi (Dobbie - 75' )
• 10 Garvan (K Phillips - 67' )
• 15 Jedinak Booked
• 16 Zaha
• 17 Murray Booked

Substitutes

• 34 Price
• 28 Ramage
• 20 Williams
• 30 Moritz
• 09 K Phillips
• 11 Dobbie
• 18 Wilbraham

 

These are the three teams the three promoted sides lined up with at the end of the season. I know they may have made some changes but in essence the 18s are their main 18s

 

This is how they lined up the game after the transfer window ended:

 

 

Hull City

• 01 McGregor
• 03 Figueroa
• 05 Chester
• 06 Davies Booked
• 27 Elmohamady
• 08 Huddlestone
• 10 Koren
• 11 Brady (Quinn - 67' )
• 14 Livermore
• 09 Graham
• 24 Aluko

Substitutes

• 16 Jakupovic
• 02 Rosenior
• 04 Bruce
• 15 McShane
• 07 Meyler
• 17 Boyd
• 29 Quinn

Cardiff City

• 32 Lewis
• 03 Taylor
• 04 Caulker
• 06 Turner Booked
• 28 Theophile-Catherine
• 07 Whittingham
• 08 Medel
• 13 Kim Bo-Kyung (Maynard - 46' )
• 17 Gunnarsson
• 19 Cowie (Mutch - 90' )
• 10 Campbell Booked (Gestede - 65' )

Substitutes

• 33 Moore
• 05 Hudson
• 16 Noone
• 18 Mutch
• 11 Odemwingie
• 15 Gestede
• 23 Maynard

Crystal Palace

• 01 Speroni
• 03 Mariappa
• 19 Gabbidon
• 21 Moxey Booked
• 27 Delaney
• 06 Campana (Guedioura - 59' )
• 08 Dikgacoi Dismissed
• 15 Jedinak
• 13 Puncheon
• 16 Gayle (Jerome - 64' )
• 29 Chamakh Booked (Kebe - 75' )

Substitutes

• 25 Alexander
• 12 O'Keefe
• 28 Kebe
• 31 Guedioura
• 46 Bannan
• 09 Phillips
• 30 Jerome

 

 

Not exactly the ideal indicator but looking at that each team has a few similar names and a few changes to the first 11. Looking at each squad Hull have 6 new players (all in the first team), Cardiff have 4 in the first team and 2 on the bench (6 overall) and palace have 4 on the pitch and 4 on the bench (8).

 

Are you saying that a minimum of 4 new players to the first 11 and a few more to the overall squad aren't going to significantly affect the performance of our team?

 

If we bought 5 or 6 players in to our first team I'm sure we would be a much different side! Say we bought a left winger, a striker, a couple of centre mids, a centre back and a left back. 

 

Let's even add a few of their signings in:

Kasper, De Laet, Morgan, Caulker, Figueroa, Knockaert, Huddlestone, Drinkwater, Ince (a realistic lower prem signing as they hadn't signed a left winger), Rhodes (again a possible striker target), Nugent

 

Isn't that significantly different?? I think it would be an extremely different proposition to what we had yesterday. All hypothetical of course

[Thracian]

My post is in response to quite a few posts and comments that our current unit 'isn't far off being a Premiership side'. I think we are quite some way off being a team that could compete CONSISTENTLY well at the higher level. Of course we are currently a Championship side. And I believe Pearson would (and would need to) really strengthen in the summer. Others feel he wouldnt need to, at least not much.

 

 

Yesterday's game - and previous matches against Premiership opposition - offer little evidence about our likely survival in the Premiership in the still uncertain event that we get there.

 

Premiership survival depends on sustained effort for a start - not our performances in one-off games. And certainly not when first teams are so decimated.

 

Even people's assessment of who from our squad might survive into the Premiership is debateable because it depends how many we'd bring in to strengthen our squad and who of our current personnel adapts best.

 

Would Drinkwater get the same time to adjust to the Premiership as he needed to settle here as a Championship player? I doubt it. Would Vardy adjust in the way he's adjusted thus far over time and would he even get the chance? 

 

Would King find that pass and move was actually more suited to his style than the cut and thrust of Championship football and would Wes cope with the pace and quick feet of Premiership attackers? Who knows?

 

And right now it's all idle speculation because we've effectively opted out of the Cup and we've not yet even qualified for a place in the Premiership nor do we have many players in place should we ever get there.

 

And the more the latter situation prevails the more our momentum towards the Premiership might suffer because many of our existing players might well realise they're not going to be a part of it anyway, especially on their performances yesterday from what's been said and written. 

[cjslcfc]

And to add to that. Drinkwater and Morgan didn't play yesterday. Nugent played about 20 mins. And, we played a formation that didn't work and that we haven't really played before. 

[Out Foxed]

our defence will get ripped apart in the Prem. go to sleep far too often.

[reynard]

You do realize we fielded a much weaker side against Stoke than we did against Millwall, for instance?

 

How on earth are people still comparing a Championship side with a Premier League team in terms of depth in squad and player quality?

 

With the right additions, we would be competitive enough. Or what were Hull fans thinking when they got promoted? "Shit, we're going to lose each game 6-0"?

Of course and I understand your point.  However, it wasn't as if we turned up with a bunch of no-hopers or youth team prospects. I think it safe to say that all those who played for us yesterday could be considered as 1st team players or squad members at the least regularly on the bench. The gap between us and an average (at best) premier league side was pretty wide. Considering several of these players would be hoping to be part of our plans should we get promoted I think the comparison is at least of some interest.

Maybe we weren't really trying too hard.

[MC Prussian]

Of course and I understand your point.  However, it wasn't as if we turned up with a bunch of no-hopers or youth team prospects. I think it safe to say that all those who played for us yesterday could be considered as 1st team players or squad members at the least regularly on the bench. The gap between us and an average (at best) premier league side was pretty wide. Considering several of these players would be hoping to be part of our plans should we get promoted I think the comparison is at least of some interest.

Maybe we weren't really trying too hard.

Considering we just lost 2-1 against a mid-table Premier League team who's been in the top tier for five years, we didn't do too shabbily (judging by the scoreline and the starting eleven).

Pearson himself said that the cup is more or less a waste of time and that he wants the team to focus on the league.

Yesterday was merely an opportunity for some of the fringe players to shine and get valuable exercise during 90+ minutes.

[reynard]

Considering we just lost 2-1 against a mid-table Premier League team who's been in the top tier for five years, we didn't do too shabbily (judging by the scoreline and the starting eleven).

Pearson himself said that the cup is more or less a waste of time and that he wants the team to focus on the league.

Yesterday was merely an opportunity for some of the fringe players to shine and get valuable exercise during 90+ minutes.

 

The score doesn't really reflect the gap in ability between the two sides but I agree with the focus on the league and with the lead coming from the manager the result was probably inevitable. Shame none of the so-called "fringe" players took the opportunity. At least they got to get some match fitness though.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Shame nobody takes the cup seriously anymore

[formidable1]

Not being rude by calling others that say yesterday was a creditable performance deluded, maybe delusional would have been a better choice of word.

It wasn't a creditable performance. We were beaten and beaten easily by a team that didn't need to go up a notch to do it.

A creditable performance would have been a win or a draw.

Lets hope if we go up, we get the benefit of first season syndrome with the momentum.

[TJB-fox]

Where we watching the same game?

Stoke pressed us in midfield very quickly as that was there game plan. They know we can play so they didn't let us. Our setup was to soak up pressure and try and counter with the pace we started with ( dyer rested ) to be honest James was very poor ( out of position ) and should of been sub instead of king. We should of just started 4-4-2 and gone with our normal plan as we were much better when we switched to it in the second half. Jeff was also poor and tbh he's a better full back than striker now days. Also though waggy wasn't interested and shows nothing again from the subs bench.

Sell waggy , get Philips in , woods back to fitness , loan out Jeff.

Sign Stewart or the French wiz kid and a decent rigth back cover for Paul

If we do the above I think this maybe our year lads !!!

sorry you do realise Konchesky is a left back, not right?

[The Doctor]

I just think people are always looking for a negative. We beat a prem side and the excuse is they're sh1t. We lose 2-1 to a established prem side whilst resting a few key players and all of a sudden we're out of our depth. I would expect Stoke to ve superior to us, Fulham also but if we go up I'd expect us to strengthen significantly

 

Well said - I get the impression from this place that some posters aren't happy unless there's something to moan about.

 

Yes the Fulham side that day wasn't the strongest, but ours wasn't a first team either: Miquel, Schlupp,and Hammond are hardly regular starters, likewise Wasilewski was new in at that point. As for Saturday, we played a significantly weakened team (the spine of our team was pretty much second string) and lost by a solitary goal to a near full-strength Stoke side (Crouch in for Jones would be one of the few changes they'd make as far as I can see) - we weren't disgraced, and if that's what our second string side can do then our first team could probably hold it's own in the division.

[sdb]

our defence will get ripped apart in the Prem. go to sleep far too often.

 

I'm pretty sure that back 4 won't start Prem games if we go up! 

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

I'm sure some people on here are on a wind up mission

[Callabinho]

Does it really matter? I knew as soon as I heard the team we probably wouldn't win, however we didn't disgrace ourselves and we didn't pick up any silly injuries. It was however disappointing that we didn't really turn it on and show stoke what we can do however hopefully next season we can meet them toe to toe in the PL.

The priority is and always has been the league, we've seen the likes of man city at the KP and have generally had a good taster of premier league football, so the players should be itching to get back into the league, and luckily for us out next name couldn't be much bigger!

[GingerrrFox]

One thing that is for certain is we cannot play 442 next season. It just doesn't work in the top echelons of the game and you get very exposed in between the lines. Manchester City was an example of how 442 gets exposed badly by the best sides and in reality we are the best side (currently) in the Championship but next season (if promoted) is another kettle of fish and we are going to have to adapt to survive for at least the first season in the Premiership.

We either have to adopt the Hull way and play a 352 and be very solid defensively, look to score on the counter and when we gain possession keep it and frustrate the opposition. Or the Cardiff way and switch to a 4231 and play that way in a composed, attacking formation.

Many of our players will have to adapt physically and mentally to the Premiership game. You get so much more time on the ball than in the Championship and yesterday, players were making mistakes just from rushing their play because they weren't used to having so much time on the ball.

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

Does it really matter? I knew as soon as I heard the team we probably wouldn't win, however we didn't disgrace ourselves and we didn't pick up any silly injuries. It was however disappointing that we didn't really turn it on and show stoke what we can do however hopefully next season we can meet them toe to toe in the PL.

The priority is and always has been the league, we've seen the likes of man city at the KP and have generally had a good taster of premier league football, so the players should be itching to get back into the league, and luckily for us out next name couldn't be much bigger!

This

[Babylon]

I suppose I wasn't being clear enough. We will add four or five players to our squad. No way will NP bung 5 new faces into an outfield of 11!

Which means with the inevitable moving on of a few in close season, we will have the majority of the personnel we have already playing or in the squad on a Saturday afternoon.

Only a fool would believe that if we go up, we are going to be anything other than placesitters for a season.

And for that reason, the expenditure next year will be very restrained in anticipation of the inevitable drop back to the championship, where the wages for the new faces will still be on a par with top championship teams.

The Thais will only shell out if it looks like a second season is possible.

I can't decide if you are just being obtuse, or you are on the wind up.

 

I will repeat again, our starting line up yesterday was missing 5 of our regular starters, and what most would consider our better players. Those players being in the starting 11 alone would improve the team.

 

If we went up, we will buy players to improve the team and the squad without a doubt, the Thais would not pump £100m + into the club to get to the premier league, and then not invest when we got there. It might not be ridiculous amounts, but the team will be improved.

 

As the person above pointed out, the teams promoted all had around 6+ new players in their squads yesterday. If we followed a similar route, and only started half the new signings, the team could potentially have 8 players starting differently to yesterday.

 

And we also wouldn't be going into the game not particularly being bothered about it should it be a league game. So no, it is not an indication of anything.

One thing that is for certain is we cannot play 442 next season. It just doesn't work in the top echelons of the game and you get very exposed in between the lines.

I see someone follows Lineker on twitter.

[Kitchandro]

One thing that is for certain is we cannot play 442 next season. It just doesn't work in the top echelons of the game and you get very exposed in between the lines. Manchester City was an example of how 442 gets exposed badly by the best sides and in reality we are the best side (currently) in the Championship but next season (if promoted) is another kettle of fish and we are going to have to adapt to survive for at least the first season in the Premiership.

We either have to adopt the Hull way and play a 352 and be very solid defensively, look to score on the counter and when we gain possession keep it and frustrate the opposition. Or the Cardiff way and switch to a 4231 and play that way in a composed, attacking formation.

Many of our players will have to adapt physically and mentally to the Premiership game. You get so much more time on the ball than in the Championship and yesterday, players were making mistakes just from rushing their play because they weren't used to having so much time on the ball.

 

We got exposed against Man City because we kept giving the ball away, oh and they're miles better than us.

 

There's nothing wrong at all with 4-4-2. If that's our best formation with the players we've got, that's what we'll play. Because players win matches, not formations.

 

 

 

On another note, there were some right twats on the bus back. Just because we lost to Stoke with a second team they were whinging that we weren't going to get promoted because we were so outclassed. It's like all other games this season never happened.

[GingerrrFox]

I see someone follows Lineker on twitter.

I don't have twitter however it seems great minds think alike if he believes the same.

[Babylon]

I don't have twitter however it seems great minds think alike if he believes the same.

You must have deleted your account then, as for someone without a twitter account you have mentioned things on there quite a bit. 

[GingerrrFox]

You must have deleted your account then, as for someone without a twitter account you have mentioned things on there quite a bit.

Haha you can stalk twitter and not have an account though. No one cares what I've got to say, people are only bothered about what "celebrities" are saying.