A headache inducingly bad game

Reminiscent of an NCFC 05/06 away day, really joyless stuff, thankfully we don't have to play Stoke again this season. Credit to Pulis for building a team that's hard to beat, but I feel that Lambert could produce far better results having spent ?60 million. Then again, if that's what it takes (building severe debt) just to amble around in mid table obscurity while playing such dire football, maybe Pulis isn't as great a manager as he's made out to be.

This season is starting to catch up with some of our players, Johnson and Martin both look well off the pace at the moment. It was also a big gamble starting Howson in such a physical game, he wasn't really afforded the time on the ball that he needed today, his first game in the premier league. I really feel that it was a case of the fitter team edging by with superior stamina, we dealt with Stoke's tactics well enough, Ruddy was dominant in his area while our defence won a good percentage of aerial duels. It was just one disorganised moment (stemming from an incorrect decision giving Stoke a free kick) that let us down, coming from Martin unfortunately being out of positon and Ward's weak and rash charge towards Eherington who left Ward behind and scored with a strong finish. By that point we looked sluggish and unlikely to get back into the game.

I believe that Lambert may need to consider recalling Morison, yes he's lazy at times but at least he makes good runs into the box which we are severely lacking right now. If Holt is playing the lone role and pulls out wide or comes short then we don't really have any runners going beyond him, Howson has been brought in to do this job but he looks quite a way off being match sharp. I think Jackson has done well when starting but doesn't look like scoring many while it's doubtful that Wilbraham will be a serious regular starting option, therefore I feel as if we need to reinstate Morison back into the starting eleven, especially for games like today where we need all the strength and pace that we can get. Hopefully all of the rumours about his attitude are a load of nonsense, we need an in form one R playing the way he did from September 2011 to January 2012.

Posted By: Common Sense Police, Mar 3, 17:24:57