Crawley Town Vs Stoke City (F.A Cup) - Match Day Thread.

[Shawn]

We travel down to Crawley this weekend to take on the red devils in the F.A cup.

A game we shouldn't take lightly given there recent giant killing success in the cup !

The game has fallen at a rubbish time for most Stoke fans with travelling out to Spain for the second leg vs Valencia, I know it's a game we would all have gone to had we not been flying a couple of days later ! It's also not ideal that it's smack bang in the middle of the Valencia games for the players either, but our squad should be strong enough to cope ! (He says)

The game will be live on ESPN and has a 12pm kick off time, I know Gary and Kieth are going so I will be tapping them up for a match report :O

Team

Bego

Shotton Upson Woodgate Wilson

Ethers Diao Whitehead Pennant

Jones Fuller

A narrow 1-0 win will do for me

[Shawn]

No opposition view for this game I'm afraid the moderators of the crawly forum haven't activated my account.

Sorry !

[mattwm]

Confirmed team.

Begovic
Shotton, Shawcross (c), Upson, Collins
Delap, Whelan, Whitehead, Walters
Jerome, Crouch

SUBS
Nash, Jones, Fuller, Wilson, Diao, Etherington, Wilkinson

[mattwm]

Have to say, for me that is an EXTREMELY disappointing line up.

1. Why won't Pulis give Nash a game? I'm presuming there's something in Begovic's contract (and Tommy's?)
2. Why Collins at left back? He hasn't done much during his loan spells by all accounts, and we're apparently desperate to off load him in the summer!
3. Why play Walters again? He's knackered, and needs a proper rest. A week between the two Valencia games would have been ideal, and then give him a break next weekend too - but instead, he's playing him out of position.
4. No Etherington (benched) - and no Pennant at all. So no creative outlets (the two positives from the Valencia game). Clearly whatever has happened behind the scenes with Pulis and Pennant has continued and not been put to bed yet.
5. Crouch up front... I'd have rather he played Ricci and Jerome together. A couple of pacy quick-footed players against a League 2 defence.

I fear with that line up, we'll only have the Europa League to worry about after today's game.

[Shawn]

I fully understand that selection.

Bego needs games, 3 in a week won't do him any harm, it may be his last games this season.

Wilsons injured and higgys out on loan, Colin's is the only left back we have.

Ethers and pennant are very much needed on Thursday if we have any chance.

The only one I would say I agree with is fuller and Jerome up top.

Let's not forget these are league two opposition. If we are professional that team should have more than enough to get us through.

[mattwm]

If Wilson is injured, then why have him sitting on the bench..? I'm sure there are some younger players we could play or have on the bench as back up. Same as Diao. Seems to me like he's named them as substitutes just to provide cover in the event we go 1-0 down to hold it at that score

Just seems a somewhat negative team list. Maybe I'm just over expecting.

[mattwm]

Well, not the best game for the Potters, but a good result nonetheless.
Referee Mike Jones made a name for himself (again), with a shocking display. A red card that shouldn't have been, a penalty that shouldn't have been, and in the last minute missed a blatant handball on the Stoke goal line by Danny Collins.

Nice to see us not losing despite the early setback. Pulis did exceptionally well to calm the likes of Jon Walters down, and to maintain the professionalism we dramatically lost in the final ten minutes against Valencia on Thursday.
Seven wins out of the last eight in the FA Cup is nothing to be ashamed of, considering our previous form in cup competitions! Hopefully we'll get a decent Quarter Final draw - just 90 minutes away from Wembley again!

[Julia]

Omg Matt reality check!!! 90 mins away from Wembley. If there is a god please let him be red and white and draw us at home. Shawn I can feel a Delilah campaign 2012 coming on!!! Tom soddin Jones better acknowledge us this time cause Julia Milton won't give up, respite or no respite lol

[mattwm]

If we get drawn away, it has to be a better campaign than last season - purely based on the number of away games we've played compared to last season! We were lucky with our draws last year, hopefully we will be this year in the QF

[Drayman]

If we get drawn away, it has to be a better campaign than last season - purely based on the number of away games we've played compared to last season! We were lucky with our draws last year, hopefully we will be this year in the QF

Not a good draw... I think Liverpool is going for the trophy this year. If Carroll maintains his good form and Suarez is his usual self we might be in a pretty bad situation. Still, I believe in SFs