Stoke away - please read the OP

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Thelonious

Thelonious

The Fighting Cock
Thelonious World Peace
The VdV & Defoe conundrum will rear it's head again, personally I think Rafa has to start with Defoe coming on later.

Hopefully King's knock isn't too serious. These are the only 2 changes I envisage barring injuries.

Also, anyone going to this game and wants to record stuff, please submit your recordings to [email protected]
 
Nervous about this one. I'd play Adebayor on his own with Sandro coming in for Defoe to flood the midfield. Get a shitey 1-0 from a deflected freekick or something similar.
 
I completely understand the vdV must play stance but I've always thought you shouldn't change a winning team and never, EVER take a player in form, scoring goals out of the starting line up. Personally I'd play the same team with the possible exception of King returning if fit.

I really don't think we should be looking to change our set up at the moment. I don't see Barcelona doing it because they believe they'll keep the ball well enough and create enough chances to beat teams who might like to stick the boot in a little more than others. I'm not saying we're Barcelona although we are playing a lot like them with our closing down high up the pitch and quick, incisive passing.

Simply put, we should have enough to beat Stoke, especially as we have done in the last 2 seasons at their place with an inferior team to the one we've got now. 17-3 to the mighty spurs. 17-0 if King plays.
 
Shames it's not a Europa league week as that would make Stoke a lot easier to beat. You have to fear Crouch coming back to bite us in the arse. Also every game feels like it might be the one to end the run.

But then again, come on, it's an off form stoke team who we should beat but we will need to be really strong at set pieces.

As for VDV vs Defoe I would play VDV if he is 100% (which he isn't, has he ever been?), if not then it isn't worth the risk injury against a heavy handed stoke team when Defoe is in form.
 
Don't think they offer anything we need to fear, any team that can be beaten 5-nil by Bolton should be viewed as having some major weaknesses. Only thing is the ex-player scenario which always worries me, football fate etc etc.

Stoke home form is Played 7, won 3 - drawn 2 - lost 2. GD +2.

Type of side we need to beat if we are serious about finishing 2nd or 3rd. Away games so far, apart from Man U, whoever has played up front we have created and finished chances, so a tough choice for Harry.

As JD has done nothing wrong since coming into the team and we have been winning I think he may stick to 4-4-2.
 
Away from home would have to start with Vaart just behind. At home we dicked over Bolton with our movement and passing but Ade and Defoe weren't exactly in sync together. We need to use one direct outlet away and Ade is the best idea.

We will win but Crouch will fall over.
 
Agree that van der Vaart should come back in if fit, with Defoe being an ideal late sub against tired legs.

Some people have been talking about bringing Gomes back in to deal with the aerial bombardment, but I'd stick with Friedel for the sake of continuity.
 
eggsoakley said:
Away from home would have to start with Vaart just behind. At home we dicked over Bolton with our movement and passing but Ade and Defoe weren't exactly in sync together. We need to use one direct outlet away and Ade is the best idea.

We will win but Crouch will fall over.
Click to expand...

One other thing I'd say is that in an away game, we may get less chances, and so may need to be more clinical - van der Vaart is easily our most clinical striker IMO.
 
Personally I think sometimes JD goes missing if he isnt scoring,

I would be tempted to start with VDV or Sandro instead and bring Defoe off the bench if need be
 
Ha, bring Gomes back? Yeah right.

More chance of Giovanni becoming a regular that that happening for a one off game....
 
He seemed to do alright there in the CC match. One or two dodgy moments but then they happen against everyone.

Same line-up except VDV for Defoe I would expect. King would be a massive bonus for this one but we've got Kaboul to just dominate Crouch in the air.

I hope for 3 points of course, we have won our last two league games there just about, but we know we're in for a hell of a battle. If the boys are up for it from the start then we will win this.
 
I'd rather VdV play against Stoke but that's not to say it's mandatory for me he does so. You can't help but think he'd have got a brace last Saturday if he'd started (and was fully fit) though. None of the saves Jaaskaleinen made were that difficult to be honest, our finishing was poor at times.
 
I'd stick with Defoe for now, it would be extremely harsh to bring off a player in form, scoring goals for one that is returning from injury and is not 100% fit. That applies to this one match. In the long run, I'm seeing Defoe more and more as an impact sub. He can't cut it at the level we are now playing football over 90 minutes. His decision making is shocking, against West Brom and Bolton he had chances to square up passes to team-mates in better positions. We were 1 in 5 scored against Bolton, we won't get as many chances against some teams. If you look at the best teams, their players instinctively make the right decision, they are clinical. United win 1-0, 2-0 a lot because of it. They take tight situations and make the right call.
 
Dru said:
Personally I think sometimes JD goes missing if he isnt scoring,
Click to expand...

agree with this except in recent games he's actually been very good. His movement off the ball was brilliant on Saturday.

Dropping players in form sends out the wrong message in my opinion. Just look at what happened when we played guys who had just sat on the bench all season even if they'd done well when playing. It's all well and good having a happy first 11 but Defoe's taken his chance when vdV is injured and as such should NOT be dropped. That's football, has been the same since it started and always will be.

1. Never change a winning team.
2. Never drop a striker who's scoring.
 
I don't think it's an exact science though, ideally the team will be unchanged but there are times when you need to make the odd change. If VdV returns to full fitness then he has to play imo.
 
drwinston001 said:
Dru said:
Personally I think sometimes JD goes missing if he isnt scoring,
Click to expand...

agree with this except in recent games he's actually been very good. His movement off the ball was brilliant on Saturday.

Dropping players in form sends out the wrong message in my opinion. Just look at what happened when we played guys who had just sat on the bench all season even if they'd done well when playing. It's all well and good having a happy first 11 but Defoe's taken his chance when vdV is injured and as such should NOT be dropped. That's football, has been the same since it started and always will be.

1. Never change a winning team.
2. Never drop a striker who's scoring.
Click to expand...

Agreed, its OK when we have plenty of the ball (like the last few games) but if we are struggling VDV is the better bet IMO.
I would be wary of putting Sandro in just from the point of view that Stoke would rather a battle than have to deal with the skill/pace/movement of Bale/Modric/Lennon/VDV or Defoe
 
I don't see why we would have less of the ball at Stoke than at home to Bolton to be honest. We've got to realise we're now a team that others fear. Stoke will be trying to work out ways to stop us scoring and them getting past us will be of secondary concern at the moment. Other than a few teams above and around us in the league this will be the case. Therefore, they're likely to play with Crouch up top on his own, pack the midfield and hope Walters and the Crim can join him or they can get things going from set pieces (which considering our defending at times is likely).

If we go into the game like we would a home fixture I see no reason to believe we shouldn't be looking at 55-60& possession and most of the chances.

With regards to dropping JD, it's more a long term thing than anything else. He's our only back up striker (I haven't forgotten about Pav, I just think he's shit) so while he's playing well he must continue to play or it sends out the message that it doesn't really matter what he does when he comes on for the unfit vdV because he'll be dropped immediately. The reason he's playing well, spent the summer getting his fitness and strength up was so when he got his chance he could show he's added to his game which he has. Maybe if vdV had done the same he wouldn't have lost his place anyway?

I should add I rate vdV a lot. He adds a different dimension to our game but I firmly believe no-one should walk straight back into the team when their replacement is playing well.
 
I think the reason Defoe is playing well is that he isnt playing wih Pav. Seriously.

Re possession - we always have more possession at home and Stoke is the classic 'hard place to go' agreed on the part of them fearing us though - if you are Stoke would you rather see VDV in the Spurs team or Sandro?
 
We've won there the last 2 seasons, we should be winning there.

Sunderland with MON and Chelsea coming back into form are harder games imo.
 
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