Mumorn
Vic Buckingham
No fancy words, no fancy photos, just flat out official match thread greatness.
We got a good draw against a good Chelsea team at a place we've never won at in my life time. But this is different, this game is MUCH more important. We win this, we pile pressure on Arsenal a few days later. In fact, Chelsea play the night before so we can ask for a favour from Aston Villa I suppose, they still aren't technically safe so they may want to squeeze a point or three to make sure they aren't going into the last day praying.
Usually, I'd take a point at the Britannia as I don't think it's a particularly easy place to go. Surprisingly we haven't got a bad record as I first thought. We beat them three years ago when Gudjohnsen and Kranjcar scored twice, we beat them two years ago when Bale scored a cracking goal of the season contender volley in to the top corner and a second a few minutes later. Last year, we were "robbed" by Foy, but we were the better team and we definitely should have got something from the game, Stoke haven't got anything to play for, but I don't think that will change anything, Pulis will still want his men to go out there and kick the living brick out of it, mostly Gareth Bale. Based on what I think Stoke will put out and how they play, I think we should go similar:
---------------------------------Lloris----------------------------------
---------------Caulker------Dawson------Vertonghen------------
Walker----------------------------------------------------------Ekotto
-----------------------------Huddlestone------------------------------
-----------------Holtby----------------------Sigurdsson--------------
--------------------------------Bale--------------------------------------
----------------------------Adebayor------------------------------------
Now you may be wondering, WHAT THE fudge am I thinking by changing brick up this late in the season, if it's not broken don't fix it and all that flimflam, but I remember last year at the Britannia, we switched it up to three at the back at half time and we dominated. We'll have enough cover at the back to fill in, as well as three dominant headers of the ball which will no doubt help us better with our dodgy set piece defending, our natural width then comes from Ekotto and Walker down the flanks, we have Huddlestone sitting and dictating with passes out wide to either men, we have two ball players just in front with Holtby and Sigurdsson (although, if Dembele is back I'd start him a head of Holtby for extra height).
We'd then have Bale moving across the top with Adebayor hopefully putting in another superb performance like the one away at Chelsea because we are certainly going to need it, we need someone to bully Stokes defence because they're a bunch of dirty fudges and they'll no doubt have a few kicks at both Adebayor and Bale early on. I have no doubt AVB won't go with this team however so here is how I think he will line up:
---------------------------------Lloris----------------------------------
Walker-------------Dawson----------Caulker--------Vertonghen
-----------------------------Huddlestone-----------------------------
------------------Parker--------------------Holtby-------------------
-----Bale--------------------Adebayor-----------------Sigurdsson
I think it's certain he'll play with that defence, he'll know the threat Stoke possess and Caulker will get a start alongside Dawson with Vertonghen coming in at left back. I think Huddlestone will keep his place, I think this would be a good game for him. Sadly, I think Parker will keep his place, if Dembele is fit I can also see him starting a head of Holtby, although I'd much rather he partnered Holtby in this case. Bale and Adebayor will obviously start, it's between Siggy, Dempsey and Lennon for the other spot but I don't think Lennon is fully fit and based on the last game, Sigurdsson deserves to start over Dempsey in my opinion.
I reckon we can do this. I'm going to go with a hard fought 1-2 win.
Sigurdsson and Bale with our goals. Walters with theirs.
We got a good draw against a good Chelsea team at a place we've never won at in my life time. But this is different, this game is MUCH more important. We win this, we pile pressure on Arsenal a few days later. In fact, Chelsea play the night before so we can ask for a favour from Aston Villa I suppose, they still aren't technically safe so they may want to squeeze a point or three to make sure they aren't going into the last day praying.
Usually, I'd take a point at the Britannia as I don't think it's a particularly easy place to go. Surprisingly we haven't got a bad record as I first thought. We beat them three years ago when Gudjohnsen and Kranjcar scored twice, we beat them two years ago when Bale scored a cracking goal of the season contender volley in to the top corner and a second a few minutes later. Last year, we were "robbed" by Foy, but we were the better team and we definitely should have got something from the game, Stoke haven't got anything to play for, but I don't think that will change anything, Pulis will still want his men to go out there and kick the living brick out of it, mostly Gareth Bale. Based on what I think Stoke will put out and how they play, I think we should go similar:
---------------------------------Lloris----------------------------------
---------------Caulker------Dawson------Vertonghen------------
Walker----------------------------------------------------------Ekotto
-----------------------------Huddlestone------------------------------
-----------------Holtby----------------------Sigurdsson--------------
--------------------------------Bale--------------------------------------
----------------------------Adebayor------------------------------------
Now you may be wondering, WHAT THE fudge am I thinking by changing brick up this late in the season, if it's not broken don't fix it and all that flimflam, but I remember last year at the Britannia, we switched it up to three at the back at half time and we dominated. We'll have enough cover at the back to fill in, as well as three dominant headers of the ball which will no doubt help us better with our dodgy set piece defending, our natural width then comes from Ekotto and Walker down the flanks, we have Huddlestone sitting and dictating with passes out wide to either men, we have two ball players just in front with Holtby and Sigurdsson (although, if Dembele is back I'd start him a head of Holtby for extra height).
We'd then have Bale moving across the top with Adebayor hopefully putting in another superb performance like the one away at Chelsea because we are certainly going to need it, we need someone to bully Stokes defence because they're a bunch of dirty fudges and they'll no doubt have a few kicks at both Adebayor and Bale early on. I have no doubt AVB won't go with this team however so here is how I think he will line up:
---------------------------------Lloris----------------------------------
Walker-------------Dawson----------Caulker--------Vertonghen
-----------------------------Huddlestone-----------------------------
------------------Parker--------------------Holtby-------------------
-----Bale--------------------Adebayor-----------------Sigurdsson
I think it's certain he'll play with that defence, he'll know the threat Stoke possess and Caulker will get a start alongside Dawson with Vertonghen coming in at left back. I think Huddlestone will keep his place, I think this would be a good game for him. Sadly, I think Parker will keep his place, if Dembele is fit I can also see him starting a head of Holtby, although I'd much rather he partnered Holtby in this case. Bale and Adebayor will obviously start, it's between Siggy, Dempsey and Lennon for the other spot but I don't think Lennon is fully fit and based on the last game, Sigurdsson deserves to start over Dempsey in my opinion.
I reckon we can do this. I'm going to go with a hard fought 1-2 win.
Sigurdsson and Bale with our goals. Walters with theirs.