Hard To Be Unhappy

In terms of goals scored and conceded, that was our best ever Premier League win and it was certainly one of the best to watch too. Aside from the first 25 minutes, which were scrappy, I thought we were excellent. We looked like creating a chance to score every time we went forward with the ball, while Blackburn’s lack of shots on target demonstrates how comfortable we were at the end of the pitch. It was Tony Pulis’s 300th game as Potters manager and his players certainly did him proud and gave him all the more reason to celebrate last night.

A Precarious Lead?

They say that 2-0 at half time is a precarious lead and so often for Stoke in recent years it has been. Think back to the game at home to Wolves in October when we drew 2-2 from such a position, or the numerous times back in the Championship when we blew away a team in the first half only to sit back in the second and end up giving ourselves a nervous finish. I’m glad to say that yesterday that wasn’t the case at all. I know the sending off of Samba helped, but we looked comfortable on the ball throughout the second half and far from being nervous, we produced some of the best possession football I have seen from Stoke from a long time. Perhaps we’re seeing a change in the tide of sitting back on leads. I hope so for sure.

Well In Wilko

Every football fan wants to see the same level of passion for and commitment to their football club that they feel from the players. Unfortunately, this very rarely happens. Thankfully at Stoke we have a player that undoubtedly fulfills this. That player is right back Andy Wilkinson. Yesterday he showed he is more than prepared to but his body very much on the line for the good of the club, sustaining a deep gash to his head after he stuck it into a forrest of studs to make a key clearance in the first half. Later in the game, his commitment to making up the ground to make a thundering tackle even at 3-0 up was a joy to watch. He fully deserved his standing ovation from the fans and if he isn’t selected to start at Wigan on Tuesday night he will only wonder what more he can do. The brilliant thing is, however, if that’s the case, he’ll get his head down, work hard to play well when he does get his chances and get on with it, that’s just the sort of player he is.

Are You Watcing Fabio?

That’s what the Stoke fans chorused after Matthew Etherington tucked home our well-worked third goal yesterday and with good reason. The left winger has without doubt been our best player this season and was excellent again yesterday. So far this campaign he’s scored five goals and provided the assists for eight, those are hugely impressive statistics in a mid-table side. At 28, he’s would be old to be given his first England call-up, but that’s no reason why he shouldn’t be given a chance by England manager Fabio Capello. I can’t think of any English left winger who has performed consistently as well as Etherington has this year and for that reason, I believe he wouldn’t be at all out of place on the plane to South Africa this summer.

Begging For A Start

On Monday, transfer deadline day, Pulis completed the signing for 22 year-old Portsmouth goalkeeper Asmir Begović for £3.25 million. The Bosnian was left on the bench recently though, with veteran Dane Thomas Sorensen preferred. I’ve always liked Sorensen but I think he was probably had the worst game of any Stoke player yesterday as he flapped at a lot of crosses and was lucky that his doing so didn’t cost us more dearly. Indeed, he relied on interventions like Wilkinson’s excellent headed clearance to spare his blushes. Begović comes very highly recommended and showed at Pompey early this season that he is capable of holding his own at Premier League level so for me he should be given a chance to prove himself in a Stoke shirt very soon.

The Opposition

Blackburn were outplayed by Stoke yesterday and there were very few times that I was worried that they would pose us any significant threat. The exception to that was from set pieces, when with the dangerous deliveries of Morten Gamst Pedersen they alwasy looked like they had a chance of scoring. They clearly lacked creativity in midfield, which should be adressed to a degree when David Dunn returns from injury and while I thought Croatian striker Nikola Kalinić was a handful, I feel that they lack a truly potent “fox in the box” type striker, the acquisition of which would improve their side no end. I think they’re in a solid enough mid-table position not to go down, but if they have any aspirations of pushing on into the top half, they will have to improve their away form; this was their ninth defeat from their thirteen games away from Ewood Park this season.

Some Things Mean So Much More Than Football

My enjoyment of the victory was marred by the upsetting news that broke after the game that a Blackburn fan was found unconcious in the Seat Stand concourse shortly after the start of the second half. Sadly, it was announced this morning that he has died of head injuries coupled with cardiac arrest. Incidents like this make you realise that in reality, football is just a game and other things in life are much more important. The thoughts of all Stoke fans are with the man’s family and after another Blackburn fan was arrested in connection with the incident I hope it turns out to have been a tragic accident, rather than something more unsavoury.

Player Ratings

Thomas Sorensen (gk): Sorensen kept a clean sheet and as a goalkeeper will be delighted to have done so. He was unassured at times though and with Begović breathing down his neck, he will have to step up his level of performance if he is to retain his first choice role. 6

Andy Wilkinson (rb): I don’t think he put a foot, or head, wrong all match. His performance, as I have said above, was simply magnificent. 9

Ryan Shawcross (cb): Shawcross was as solid as ever. He kept good tabs on the Blackburn strikers without ever looking troubled, while he was unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet when he had a header well saved by Paul Robinson. 8

Robert Huth (cb): Much like Shawcross, Huth gave a very impressive account of his defensive abilities. 8

Danny Higginbotham (lb): Higginbotham has now truly made the left back spot his own and had another fine defensive game yesterday. It was also great to see him score, particularly with such a fine finish. 8

Liam Lawrence (rm): This was Lawrence’s first start for a while and he has given Pulis a selection headache after an effective showing on the right wing. He was particularly good in the second half when he seemed to be a calming influence, helping Stoke keep the ball and stroll over the finish line. 7

Dean Whitehead (cm): Our most improved player had another fine, battling performance. His work rate is phenomenal. 8

Rory Delap (cm): Delap worked well in his strongest central role. 7

Matthew Etherington (lm): What can I say? His game had everything, pace, skill, a goal, an assist and had the Blackburn players thorougly miserable. What a great buy he’s proved to be for us. 9

Mamady Sidibe (cf): Sidibe, like many of his teammates, has his best game for a while. He won more headers than he has been doing generally this season and will be pleased to mark starting his new contract with a goal. 7

Ricardo Fuller (cf): Fuller was lively throughout, though nothing really clicked for him on the day. 7

Tuncay (sub cf): Tuncay looked sharp during a fifteen minute cameo. 7

James Beattie (sub cf): Beattie wasn’t involved in the game enough to make a significant impression in his ten minutes on the pitch. 6

Glenn Whelan (sub cm): Whelan only came on at the death and made little impact either way. 6

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