Comments on: In Defence of Stoke

By: frenchpress review

frenchpress review — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:58:55 +0000

frenchpress review…

[...]In Defence of Stoke « Back Page Football[...]…

By: Saxxon Domela

Saxxon Domela — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:07:52 +0000

I was amused today when Alan Curbishley said that Crouch was a typical TP signing. This of course said with a knowing smile. The fact is, when you don’t have a sheik, oligarch, or American billionaire as your teams owners, you have to find a way to win within the clubs financial resources. Pulis has done exactly that. They are now in their fourth season in the EPL. They play the type of game which will net them enough points to stay up. Along with their fans amazing support, the “Pulis Plan” seems to be what keeps them in the EPL.

By: Rory Hanna

Rory Hanna — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 21:45:57 +0000

@ Kevyn Doran: I disagree. Perhaps he is more clued up about the international game than Hansen, but he is also much more boring!

By: Chris Glover

Chris Glover — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:37:25 +0000

Well said. As a Bolton fan I totally agree with this piece. The stereotypes were unfair and overstated under Big Sam but were at least grounded in some sense of truth (we did play some long balls). Under Coyle we are one of the better passing sides in the division but are still subject to the standard “like to make it tough, physical” nonsense. As you say, the pundits are just too lazy to actually watch the games to update their outdated (if ever true) knowledge.
It blows my mind how pundits in other sports seem to have watched every game a team has played to prepare for a game while some of the football ‘experts’ seem to have never seen the team play before.

By: Matthew Kenny

Matthew Kenny — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:35:50 +0000

I remember the BBC covering a Slovakia game during the World Cup and Shearer admitted he didn’t know any of their players but someone told him that Hamsik was quite good. It’s just lazy, they don’t care about supposedly lesser clubs or countries. All he had to do was google Slovakia national team and do 10 minutes of research, but he didn’t.

By: Thomas Levin

Thomas Levin — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:47:17 +0000

It’s not a new thing, pundit haven’t changed.

If don’t play the way people think you should play you are deemed to be rubbish, no worth talking about.

It used to be like this when English football was full of hacking and head down driving runs with the ball back in the early days.

Stoke do play to their strengths but also Pulis has bought in those strengths. He has a very British mentality in using the wings, crossing the ball into a big man. His signings are often those who fit that mould, he doesnt want to change that style of play and why should he, your right!

It’s a game that we are playing here, as long as it’s played within the rules and played to win, then you should be able to do that how you wish. If supporters don’t like this, then the use of consumer power should come into consideration. Liverpool started to do this with Hodgson and now the team has reverted to a more attractive style of football.

Pundits in this country at least are very lazy on the mainstream TV. Too many examples of research not being bothered to be done. Even if these are going to show all the games, etc… least give us a good insight and well research expert view. With the money we pay for these services it would be the least to expect

By: Varun

Varun — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:46:43 +0000

Stoke?
But can they cut it at a pleasant Mediterranean night in the Camp Nou?

By: Robbie

Robbie — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:39:48 +0000

TBH, anyone who refers to the Premier League as the “EPL” deserves to have their opinion invalidated

By: Kevyn Doran

Kevyn Doran — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 02:48:50 +0000

For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t lump Shearer in with Gray and Hansen. In an ocean of terrible domestic punditry, at least Shearer is able to swim!

By: Dave Zoot

Dave Zoot — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:44:05 +0000

Matty ETherington had the most assists in the league earlier this season and they weren’t all from free kicks.