MATCHWATCH : Stoke City (h) sponsored by Dylan Kerr

[Hound]

Yep not sure on the formation - Semedo out left?

But otherwise happy enough - considering the missing players

[Sutekh]

Really not too sure formation wise but presumably something along the lines of

Rafael
Esteves Morrison Gibson Richards
Rinomhota Laurent
Semedo
Yiadom Puscas
Joao

[notloyalenuffroyal]

4-4-2 with Esteves on the wing?

5 at the back?

So confused...... Hopefully Stoke will be too.

[Simon's Church]

On paper that looks awful, no creativity, very little pace. Hopefully there is a plan behind it though

[South Coast Royal]

Is that a more defensive lineup? Olise dropped guess to firm up the midfield. Trying to figure out formation.

Both Aluko and Olise dropped so expecting a physical game.
Bring Olise on when Stoke get somebody sent off, preferably that cnut McLean.

[Hound]

Really not too sure formation wise but presumably something along the lines of

Rafael
Esteves Morrison Gibson Richards
Rinomhota Laurent
Semedo
Yiadom Puscas
Joao

Possibly

Rafael
Esteves Yiadom Morrison Gibson Richards
Rino laurent
Semedo
Puscas Joao

[TiagoIlori]

Bad team to set out, desperately lacking some pace. Injuries taking its toll

[Snowflake Royal]

Think dropping McIntyre is a poor call personally. Not good man management imo.

Hard to call our shape there.


Where's Meite, he was originally supposed to be back for Preston and Ejaria Stoke I though, but neither of them anywhere. I mean Ejarka was "muscle fatigue" ffs wasn't he?

[Sutekh]

Think dropping McIntyre is a poor call personally. Not good man management imo.

Hard to call our shape there.


Where's Meite, he was originally supposed to be back for Preston and Ejaria Stoke I though, but neither of them anywhere. I mean Ejarka was "muscle fatigue" ffs wasn't he?

Possibly both would play if it was an end of season must get something out of it game but given it’s still early days and we have a stupidly condensed fixture list why risk them unnecessarily?

[Jagermesiter1871]

Yeh getting worried about ejaria now. When did he last feature in a squad?

[Snowflake Royal]

Think dropping McIntyre is a poor call personally. Not good man management imo.

Hard to call our shape there.


Where's Meite, he was originally supposed to be back for Preston and Ejaria Stoke I though, but neither of them anywhere. I mean Ejarka was "muscle fatigue" ffs wasn't he?

Possibly both would play if it was an end of season must get something out of it game but given it’s still early days and we have a stupidly condensed fixture list why risk them unnecessarily?

In the case of Meite, because he offers us something no one else does, and can be a match winner. Ejaria similar but less effective. We've just gone from winning 7 in 8 to losing 2 in 2 and have some substantial depth issues.

[Sutekh]

Anyone take a point out of this one if it was offered? Think I would.

[Notts Royal]

I’ll reserve judgment until the game but I don’t have much confidence with that starting line up/formation. Puscas on the wing? Or 4-4-2? No idea who would play out wide out of Laurent, Rino or Semedo

Wouldn’t have dropped McIntyre yet - can understand why we did but don’t think that’ll do his confidence any good

[Barney]

Anyone take a point out of this one if it was offered? Think I would.

Yep. Bookies have Stoke as favourites. Take a point, stop the defeats, get injured players back after the International break, move on.

[windermereROYAL]

Anyone take a point out of this one if it was offered? Think I would.

Yep. Bookies have Stoke as favourites. Take a point, stop the defeats, get injured players back after the International break, move on.

Top of the table at home to a mid table side and the away side are favourites, are you kidding me?

[Sutekh]

Stoke XI

[Barney]

Anyone take a point out of this one if it was offered? Think I would.

Yep. Bookies have Stoke as favourites. Take a point, stop the defeats, get injured players back after the International break, move on.

Top of the table at home to a mid table side and the away side are favourites, are you kidding me?

Reading 21/10. Stoke 8/5. So...no..I am not kidding you.

[Zip]

So all three of Meite, Moore and Ejaria are still missing. We keep on being told Ejaria should be fit for this and that game but never appears. We need to avoid defeat today otherwise we go to Bournemouth and Millwall away on the back of three straight defeats.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Think dropping McIntyre is a poor call personally. Not good man management imo.

Hard to call our shape there.


Where's Meite, he was originally supposed to be back for Preston and Ejaria Stoke I though, but neither of them anywhere. I mean Ejarka was "muscle fatigue" ffs wasn't he?

Possibly both would play if it was an end of season must get something out of it game but given it’s still early days and we have a stupidly condensed fixture list why risk them unnecessarily?

In the case of Meite, because he offers us something no one else does, and can be a match winner. Ejaria similar but less effective. We've just gone from winning 7 in 8 to losing 2 in 2 and have some substantial depth issues.

The point is though why risk them if they are not fully fit with 2 games a week until January coming up?

[Snowflake Royal]

Possibly both would play if it was an end of season must get something out of it game but given it’s still early days and we have a stupidly condensed fixture list why risk them unnecessarily?

In the case of Meite, because he offers us something no one else does, and can be a match winner. Ejaria similar but less effective. We've just gone from winning 7 in 8 to losing 2 in 2 and have some substantial depth issues.

The point is though why risk them if they are not fully fit with 2 games a week until January coming up?

The point being we were told their issues weren't serious and they were expected back prior to this and we've had no real update.

Plus if we lose this, and then go into two very tough games we could be on 5 defeats in a row and plummeting. I don't think that will happen, but we do need to put a stop to this before it becomes an extended bad run.