Written by kirsikka
Pretty much dominated the first period and the atmosphere was suitably low key. Excellent away performance. Found it hilarious to see Stoke players diving and buying cheap repeated fouls given all the stick their fans throw about over it.
Ref and linos were really odd. Numerous incorrect corners/goal kicks were given to Stoke throughout the match. We could easily have been given two penalties as well. VAR would have given one of them without a doubt.
The press continues to impress. I thought we started to tire towards the end a bit and it showed. Perhaps could have freshened up the options earlier.
However, all told, pretty much the complete away performance. They barely got a look in, bar one two minute spell. Hard luck to Dom for hitting the bar in what was a move of beauty.
Notable performances:
Lerma – first half he was everywhere. So much good came from him covering immense amounts of ground.
Christie & Anthony – Excellent forward AND defensive play from the pair. This tactic relies on them being prepared to put yards in and not being afraid to get stuck into a tackle even though they’re forwards.
Things to work on:
We seem a little susceptible to the long ball into the channel. There’s space there that could be looked at as if I was an opposition scout that’s what I’d ask the manager to attempt to exploit.
Man of the match against Stoke
Solanke
Cahill
Stacey
Someone else
Your say…
AFCBade wrote…
Aside from moaning about time-wasting, the Stoke boss was also complimentary about afcb. When asked about how Stoke were unable to dominate the other unbeaten side, West Brom, last time but failed to do so against us, he replied the quality of opposition was a key factor. Stoke looked very good against the baggies so subduing them augurs well for the rest of the season.
….no doubt losing Nick Powell to injury didn’t help nor the golden chance missed when they hit the post. The montage of horrendous misses against us is building up nicely.
A big shout out to Dom for his poacher’s goal. His in-box play and awareness is definitely improving to go along with his impressive deeper play.
Matt Stevenson wrote…
1) It was a scrappy game with only four moments in the game better than about one in four: Dom’s goal; the Stoke attack that hit the post together with the rebound which couldn’t be converted; Dom’s effort that hit the bar, a lovely piece of skill to work the chance though; and the poor attempt by Campbell when through against Travers. There was a flurry of small chances, each about 1 in 12 for Stoke in added-on time.
2) Remember, these aren’t my numbers if you disagree with them! They may also get revised, but it felt the better decision to present them now rather than wait until tomorrow
3) Penalty claims don’t appear. From the replay, you could see Zemura was tripped, but I can understand why the ref didn’t give it on one real-time view.
4) Yet again, after taking the lead we had the lower xG, although having watched Brentford – Chelsea, with the same happening to a Chelsea team studded with internationals and with a Champions-league winning manager, I’m not sure it is entirely down to Parker. It may just be common when one team has nothing to lose, and one team is fearful of not securing the 3 points they have.
MB1980 wrote…
A great display again. Got the job done and were the better team at a promotion contenders place.
They didn’t seem to have the ability to get a foot hold or break us down, so resorted to percentage football. Getting the ball out wide and smashing it forwards, hoping for something to fall in their favour. Assume they don’t play like that all the time, but had to as couldn’t break us otherwise. – Join the conversation, click here.
Who is the guy on SP left…is it Richard O’Kelly a one time AFCB asst manager