SoccerHQ

The NRC one wasn't that powerful, think it was going straight into Sorensen's hands. Gabby was excellent first hour, held the ball up well and two superb crosses, one for the goal and the other that Young headed wide. Can't wait to see him and Ireland linking up, that's if Ireland is allowed onto the pitch against Bolton.

When was the last time we won away from home on a monday night? We usually concede in the last minute aswell, Spurs and Liverpool away a couple of seasons ago spring to mind.

Just back and still fuming. When Whelan hopelessly whacked the ball high into the Boothen in the first minute of injury time the game should've been dead and we should've been down the M6 with a decent point. It wasn't because we can't hang onto the ball for two minutes in injury time hence giving away a stupid free kick (even though Pennant is a diving clearing in the woods). Should've killed the game off before half time aswell, 1 nil is never enough particularly away from home and you could see that in the second half which Stoke totally dominated, did we even have a shot on goal in that period? Stoke are the new Leicester/SHA in the early days for us, physical cnuts who we just struggle to cope with. cue regular injury time disasters. I would've tried to get Ireland on at some stage as Ashley Young was a waste of space in the second half imo. Still will be back for more of the same torture at the Brit next season as when we finally win there it will be worth the 30 quid.

Yep. Ancient history from the Victorian era, when the league was tiny, but when you look at the picture since as far back as WWI, this is what it shows: Villa have not won more trophies than Spurs in any decade since World War I - whilst Spurs have won more trophies than Villa in 4 out of the last 5 decades, including the decade just finished. During this 9 decade period the trophy count stands at 16 to 9 in Spurs favour: very nearly double. Yes, Villa won the European Cup during this period, but then again Spurs won three European trophies - and in fact were the first British club ever ever win a European trophy. And yes, Villa won a league title during this period, but then again so have Spurs - twice. There comes a point when Villa fans have to stop looking backwards at the remote past when teams like Spurs, Chelsea and many, many, many others weren't even in the league structure. Way I look at it. We've both won two carling cups in the past twenty years. We've both won a european trophy in the past thirty years. We've won the league in the past thirty years, you haven't. You've won the Fa cup in the past twenty years, we haven't. We've both finished 4th in the league once in the past 15 years. We've finished top 6 more consistantly than you in the past twenty years. So not too different in the modern era.

Most of the pubs in Stoke, Hanley (actual town centre), Heron Cross are strictly home fans only although castle-under-lyme has a nice selection of boozers and is a bit calmer. May be best to drink in Stafford or Stone and get the train up.

Possible Stoke team: Sorensen/Begovic (Tommy injured his elbow) Huth Shawcross © Faye Collins Walters.....Delap....Whitehead....Etherington.. Fuller.....Jones Subs Tuncay Pennant Gudjohnson Wilson Whelan Wilko Tough to call...don't think Gudjohnson is fit yet, Wilson could start but that would mean dropping Delap and his long throws. They do have some decent options off the bench now. Defence can be got at, Huth, Faye and Shawcross have all started the season pretty poorly.

1 point from the Wigan and West Brom games, very slow start to the season that. Spurs need to up their game with the champions league around the corner as the slog is only going to get harder in the run up to Xmas now.

Must say I didn't know the herucles team before kick off and so was very surprised to see Trezeguet, Royston Drenthe and Heado Valdez all playing for them. For a newly promoted team, that's a seriously good front three.

Point at the Brit and a win against Bolton I'd be cool with and should be achieveable. Would be nice to get an away win early on though.

Moyes will stay the season but I wouldn't be surprised if he felt he'd taken Everton as far as he could next summer.

Houllier won't be here in a years time....unless he wins us a cup or gets top 4 imo.

Well 2 year deal hardly suggests long term does it? I still maintain it will be GH for this season then we'll go for either Jol or Moyes next summer. Cool with that.

Basically both our fullbacks are smallish so I wouldn't drop Luke...instead would put Carlos in there so we know for the throw ins we have Carlos, Collins and Dunney all to head the ball away. Alternatively, put Carlos back in at RB, switch Luke to the left and push Warnock on to left midfield and drop Downing.

Woodgate won't be coming back imo, King can't play twice in quick succession and Bassong was shown up just as much as Dawson was in the champions league first leg. I think Gallas was a good signing.

Ireland's going to be a great player for us. Think back to Milner this time two years ago, he took a while to get into the starting 11 and his early perfomances were typically hard working but not earth shattering.

1-1. I wouldn't be adverse to playing a back 5 in this, bare with me.... Friedel Young.......Carlos......Collins....Dunney............Warnock NRC Petrov Ireland Young Carew (would be Gabby but he isn't fit enough imo plus Carew can come back for the Delap throw ins). Basically last season due to how small their pitch is our wide players were completely neglected of the ball. With that formation our wide players would be Ireland and Young and they'd come infield a bit more so hopefully influence play. I worry Albrighton might be a bit lost in the land of the giants and well this isn't the sort of opposition Downing excels against is it so have those two on the bench along with Gabby.

Yes, as a fellow Keele Almuni ( :winkold: ) Ads is right, plenty of places to park round Trentham way. You can park at Trentham gardens and then get on the 101 bus and get off just after you go under the A500 underpass, 15 minute walk to ground then past the Michellin factory. Or you can park in one of the side streets in Heron Cross, ten minute walk to the ground. I'll probably park in Trent Vale/Penkhull which you get to by getting off the A500 turning for Newcastle under Lyme and then right at the first traffic light junction. Plenty of free parking round there. The offical car parks cost 3 quid I think, would imagine it would take a while to get out of those at the end of the game.

I would very, very disappointed if that were the case. But I can't see it happening personally, barring an absolute disaster of a season, which with the players at our disposal is unlikely. Even if we finish 10th this season, I'd be surprised and upset to see the manager sacked. If you're going to give someone a big job, with big boots to fill, at least give them some time in order to mould the squad into something they are happy with. Whatever happens, if we finish in the top 6 this season, the manager will have earned my respect. I have my reservations about all the candidates, but I think it's premature to be making judgements before the next manager has been appointed. My feeling now is that Houllier will be manager, not DOF, and that's a situation that is acceptable to me.. Houllier isn't a spectacular manager in my opinion, but he's a fairly safe pair of hands. He is experienced and knows English football well. He won't get us relegated, but I doubt he'll push us on either. It would change in an instant if Jol or Moyes came onto the market.

Dawson was brilliant last season, I remember the Arsenal and Chelsea home games which they won when he was immense although he was alongside King on both occasions. Looked shaky alongside Bassong in the qualifier. That's the trouble for Spurs now with him injured as they'll now have to choose whether King plays in the champions league game on the wednesday or the league game on the saturday.

Yeah same here. The main thing I'm interested is how long GH gets a contract for/ At his age I really can't see him getting a 3-4 year deal so can see Randy paying up next summer unless he performs a miracle. I think this could be our Ramos type appointment so hopefully like Spurs we'll strike gold with the managerial appointment after this one.

Just get Moyes next summer.

Mac said after the game Ireland should be fine for Stoke.

Yep disappointing that. I'd say one of the more interesting side issues of Mac's management so far is he seemed to rate Weimann higher than the Fonz which I was a little disappointed with as the Fonz is certainly more ready for league football imo.

Klinsmann would be interesting, hopefully a bit like the Klinsmann-Low combo with McDonald. I wouldn't be totally against it tbh, after all Klinsmann was orginally Randy's first choice when the takeover was first mooted before he was advised O'runner was the choice most of the fans wanted.

Who's the JK people are referring to? I really can't see Hughes shatting on Fulham this early especially after what he's said about Schwarzer, again maybe next summer...