From Stoke to Stoke

Susan's lad first game as a manager in the 'Barclays Premier League' was against Stoke at the Britannia.

We lost 2-0

I still have a feeling that you'll win, so that may be a useless fact.

The good news is Wigan had to win at Stoke on the last game of last season to stay up and succeeded.

The bad news is we're not Wigan.

Mark Hughes will be after some sort of revenge against his old club.

His team aren't capable of getting it for him though.

Consider the way QPR "turned up" against Chelsea.

absolutely diabolical.

i expect them to get absolutely hammered.

sods law will probably dicate that we beat stoke and they stun City. But hey ho!

We won't beat Stoke. A final day win like this requires bottle. We don't have any.

We will get thrashed.

I think it requires a competent defence.

Stoke thrashed us in the worst game I've ever been to at Wembley, old or new. We got our own back at the Reebok but we haven't been the same since that Wembley experience. We have been shit, but even then there was a possiblity we could get through the season in one piece, but throwing away a two goal lead and QPR scoring in the 89th minute kind of suggest that it's not our year. Given the horrendous luck we've had this season compounded by our awful form it would seem an inevitable irony if Stoke were to put the final nail in our coffin.

I think it requires building a brick wall on the goal line and just letting our defence have a day away at the Potteries shopping centre, and then spend the night at Valentino's Night Club (or whatever its called nowadays).

As much as I don't think we will win next week I really hope we do just to see the QPR fans look when they realise there celebrations on the pitch yesterday were in vein.

Arrogant bastards were on the pitch with we are staying up banners when they could still go down!

we will beat stoke.

I think it is important that for Stoke we get the team drilled perfectly and the tactics, formation and line up spot on. I hope Coyle doesn't put out the same 11 as the last two games as we've been awful.


I want to see the players defending like Chelsea did against Barcelona - so focused, working together and defending for their lives. I want to see our midfield helping with defending, closing down players all the time, giving Stoke very little room to play with. I want to see good runs from our attacking players and creating chances and I want to see Klasnic start so he can take some of our chances.


What I don't want to see is the usual crap - giving the opposition loads of space in midfield, seeing their players run at us and finding it easy to pick out players to create chances. Just stop them playing and get our attacking players making runs and finding space and create chances.

This is our last chance to stay up, we are capable of it if we play the perfect game that we're capable of if all the tactics, line up and players all play to their best.

In the cold light of day I've just realised that if Blackburn beat Wigan tonight and Wigan lose at home to Wolves, a win at Stoke would keep us up even if QPR get a result at the Etihad.

Not very likely that Wigan will lose both those games, but it's a funny old game.

Wolves aint playing that badly at the moment, the swansea game a perfect example.

If rovers could win today the nerves will be back at wigan next week against a team with nothing to play for which could be tricky.

Wigan only need a point to be safe but as you say football is a funny old game.

I am convinced that even if we get a win next Sunday - and that is a massive if - QPR and Wigan will both get a point and we will be down on goal difference.

I cannot see QPR getting anything but a whipping from City. Our fate is in our own hands.
I am not confident.
Coyle out.

They won't win, but all they need is a draw. Such are the results this season, anything can happen