Match Reports

Nationwide League Division 1

30 Oct 2002: Stoke City 1 Watford 2 Att: 11,215

POTTERS STUNG BY DEFENSIVE LAPSES by Log of Leeds

The Potters went in to this game off the back of three defeats and I wasn’t relishing the prospect of the long drive to Stoke, or the game. I feared that Kevan’s tactics would again be found out and that I would have an even longer drive home. Sadly my fears were well founded as we once again gifted an average side a win. However, although the game was a disappointment it was almost overshadowed by the excitement surrounding the fact that George Burley would be watching from the Director’s Box with a view to filling the vacant manager’s position at Stoke.

Kevan was obviously disappointed with Saturday’s display and rang the changes for this match, opting for a 4-3-3 formation, with Goodfellow, Cooke and Mooney comprising the forward line. The defence had to be reshuffled due to the unexpected absence of Handyside, and Kevan decided to move out-of-form Wayne Thomas into the centre and bring Karl Henry in at right-back. Marteinsson again did not even make a place on the bench. In midfield, Lewis Neal earned a first start alongside O’Connor and Gunnarsson, with Gudjonsson relegated to the bench. As it turned out, our only meaningful attacks came when Bjarni was on the pitch.

The first 15 minutes saw Stoke taking hold of the ball and passing it well, showing some patient build-up play and creating a couple of chances. The first minute produced a shot on goal headed away by a Watford defender. Perhaps the players were buoyed by the presence of a prospective new manager? After 11 minutes Clarke played a ball over the top to Mooney, and the ex-Watford player did well to shoot low from an angle, but the ‘keeper was able to gather fairly comfortably. A few minutes later Goodfellow raced onto a ball from Karl Henry and the ‘keeper just beat him to the ball when it only needed a touch to take it round him.

After a good opening spell from Stoke, in the 17th minute Watford were gifted a goal from poor Stoke defending – a pattern which has become depressingly recurrent in recent games. Stoke failed to make easy clearances from two Watford corners, and given a third chance Heidar Helguson jumped to
meet the delivery and nod the ball home. The goal was well taken, but the point is that it was there third bite of the cherry in quick succession, and our inability to defend set pieces cost us again. The goal spurred Stoke and for a few minutes it looked like we might get quickly back into the game. Henry and Neal were both heavily involved, Karl having a thunderous drive tipped over and Lewis, who was doing a creditable job holding in the centre of midfield, making some good runs into the box with the ball. He and Cooke both had shots blocked. However, it was clear that Watford were happy to sit back and work us out, which didn’t take long to do. In order to give the midfield any width, our full-backs were having to push forward, and when the attacks broke down it was easy for Watford to break. Clarke especially was caught out time and again on the left, and did not seem able to track back or pick his man up when defending.

Despite our own ineffective attacking Watford didn’t threaten much either and were grateful to accept another Stoke gift on 37 minutes. Thomas gave away an unnecessary foul (sound familiar?) close to the touchline by clumsily putting his arm across a Watford attacker’s chest, the resulting free kick was chipped over our mass of defenders at the near post and Neil Cox put away an easy volley from eight yards out. The defending here really was pathetic. There was a black hole in the centre of the penalty box and for a ball to clear defenders’ heads and fall at an attacker’s feet in acresof space is unforgivable. As if to emphasise this point, minutes later we put a similar ball into the box where Goodfellow, the only Stoke player in their penalty area, was marked by two Watford defenders. By half-time the reasonable away following was making a lot of noise, grateful for Stoke City’s generosity.

The beginning of the second half saw no changes, although Stoke appeared to be more geared up and managed to produce a couple of attacks. Clarke blazed over from at least 35 yards and Goodfellow played a poor pass into the box when the crowd were crying out for him to take the player on. Watford had chances too, being caught offside in a one-on-one and almost taking advantage of Cutler’s indecisiveness a couple of times. A series of poor crosses brought chants of Bjarni’s name. Everyone could see that we were crying out for some width and Kevan seemed to heed the advice by making a double substitution on 59 minutes – Bjarni on for Goodfellow, Iwelumo for Cooke and we reverted to 4-4-2. This substitution totally changed the game as Bjarni led an attempted fightback, inspiring the crowd in the process.Big Chris made his mark but Bjarni, watched by his dad from the stands, was outstanding. From this point on I don’t think there is a single attack in my notes which doesn’t include his name. Two minutes after coming on, Bjarni crossed to Big Chris, who directed a good header into the ‘keeper’s arms. Our desperation for a decent delivery into the box was illustrated by the fact that Bjarni’s cross, while still in the air, was met by a cheer from the crowd! Suddenly Stoke were up for it and Mooney and Iwelumo both faced the Boothen and roared on the fans.

We survived a scare on 64 minutes when two Watford forwards somehow missed a cross from the touchline after they had broken down the left. 3-0 would have been a sickener at this stage, but we did not let it deter us and pressed on for goals. Bjarni was putting some great balls in, and on 71 minutes he played a deep ball to the back post and Mooney sneaked behind the defence to head home against his old club. We did deserve it and now we had 19 minutes to rescue a point. A corner was headed wide just after a rousing rendition of Delilah, a deep Bjarni free kick was glanced wide by Shtaniuk. Brynjar was booked in the 77th minute after a clash of heads and the scene looked set for him to be the Terry butcher-style hero when he had to wear a head bandage for the rest of the game! It wasn’t to be. Much as Bjarni tried, he could never quite get anyone to finish his efforts. Even the introduction of Greenacre for Lewis Neal on 82 minutes couldn’t break down the Watford backline. We did have one great chance to equalize in the 90th minute, when a cross from Bjarni was nodded down by Big Chris for Mooney on the six-yard line. With his back to goal, he turned and flicked the ball with the outside of his boot agonizingly wide of the post. The game ended after yet another Bjarni surge and cross was headed over from an angle by Iwelumo.

Team Marks:

GK Cutler (5) Looks more indecisive with each game

RB Henry (6) did quite well getting forward but left us open to the counter-attack. Better than Thomas in that position recently.

LB Clarke (4) Very poor. Ineffective going forward and nowhere near his man.

CB Shtaniuk (6) Not at his best. Perhaps missed Handyside?

CB Thomas (6) Lost his man for the second goal but thought he did OK in the centre.

RM Gunnarsson(6) Left too much to Neal in the middle.

CM O'Connor (6) Plenty of effort for little reward.

LM Neal (8) Did very well under a lot of pressure. Our best midfielder on the night.

CF Goodfellow (5) Completely isolated in the middle. He should be played on the left.

CF Mooney (8) Very good running, well taken goal. Reliable and enthusiastic against his former club..

CF Cooke (6) Industrious and nothing more.

SUBS

Gudjonsson (9) Excellent. Our only chance at pulling the game back. Must start Saturday. [STARMAN]

Iwelumo (8) Great effort from Big Chris.

Greenacre (-) Didn’t have time to get a look-in.

Conclusion

The second half performance was much improved and at least we showed some spirit, but we paid the price for naïve tactics and poor defending in the first half. The team looked a bunch of players in dire need of management, and too many of them were playing in unfamiliar positions. During the inevitable long drive back up to Leeds, my depression was lifted by the breaking news that Burley would indeed be announced as Stoke manager the next day. A great appointment, I thought. At last we have a decent, well respected manager who can take us forward, I thought. And as it all collapsed around our ears this afternoon I realised that I support Stoke City, and these things are never that simple

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