Match Reaction vs Stoke (away).

[Power n Glory]

Yes, I remember that discussion. I don't think I was talking as if we had more chance this season but anyway, that's not quite the same as what I'm talking about now. I'm not talking about whether we can win the league this year, that was always going to be difficult but that's not even the issue right now, the issue is can we stay in the top 4 (Answer: probably, but only because most of the other rivals for the top 4 are pretty hopeless too)

But whether we do or not, the point is this year we seem to have taken a major step backwards. We've had 4 or 5 years of being fairly static in terms of our performance. I think a final points total is a pretty good measure and year on year we've actually improved, marginally. And last year we won the FA Cup, finally getting that monkey off our back. We seemed to be making good signings in the summer and yet...we're hopeless. I don't believe anyone who says they foresaw us being this bad this year. The mood in the season prediction thread was pretty upbeat.

http://www.goonersweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3016

And I notice that none of the people now saying "see? told you so!" posted in that thread.

And I notice that none of the people now saying "see? told you so!" posted in that thread.

What’s the point of starting that discussion before the window has closed? Depending on who we sign or sell, opinions will change. With our wafer thin backline, it wasn’t hard to see that we’d be in trouble with a couple of injuries. Also, nobody likes a killjoy and I can’t imagine any negative opinions being taken too seriously when everyone else is so optimistic. What’s the point in sparking a debate of how we’ll do before a ball has been kicked? You’ll just accuse the poster of being overly negative as usual.

[Power n Glory]

I'd agree with the fact that we haven't been progressing, but we haven't been regressing either. We've been stagnating.
But I hoped, as I think many of us did, that the FA Cup could be a springboard to better things. The new financial deals are in place which gives us a new muscle in the transfer window - the Ozil and Sanchez signings are evidence of that. And yet...

I'm struggling to believe that anyone saw this coming - by 'this' I mean us being quite this hopeless.

Nobody is shocked by the results. That’s the feeling I get when I talk to other fans. They’re not surprised by how crap we’re doing because they know we have it in us. We’ve had 9 years of this.

[Niall_Quinn]

I doubt anyone would be surprised this season to see us go 3 goals down to the chavs or gypos or utd, we don't learn lessons after all. Going 3 down to Stoke, that's quite surprising. It shows we not only refuse to learn lessons but are intent to fine tune the mismanagement so the outcomes are even worse. We're like a boxer that hangs his chin out. Each knock out makes us reflect on how efficiently we're hanging our chin out, as if perfecting how we expose ourselves will somehow overcome the knock out blows. Other managers must shit and piss themselves laughing when they play us.

[Power n Glory]

I doubt anyone would be surprised this season to see us go 3 goals down to the chavs or gypos or utd, we don't learn lessons after all. Going 3 down to Stoke, that's quite surprising. It shows we not only refuse to learn lessons but are intent to fine tune the mismanagement so the outcomes are even worse. We're like a boxer that hangs his chin out. Each knock out makes us reflect on how efficiently we're hanging our chin out, as if perfecting how we expose ourselves will somehow overcome the knock out blows. Other managers must shit and piss themselves laughing when they play us.

When we’ve thrown away a 4 goal lead to Newcastle, lost 5-1 to Spurs, been smashed 8-2 by United, been kicked out of the Carling Cup by Burnley, lost a Carling Cup final 2-1 to a relegated Birmingham. We went 3 goals down to West Brom and lost 3-2. Why is this one result a shock?

[Letters]

Nobody is shocked by the results. That’s the feeling I get when I talk to other fans. They’re not surprised by how crap we’re doing because they know we have it in us. We’ve had 9 years of this.

You must make an absolute fortune on all the bets you win, I'm surprised the local bookie hasn't barred you.

[Power n Glory]

You must make an absolute fortune on all the bets you win, I'm surprised the local bookie hasn't barred you.

Yes, because I predicted we’d lose over the weekend. Also, isn’t gambling a sin according to the bible?

[Letters]

Yes, because I predicted we’d lose over the weekend.

Not in the match thread so we'll just take your word for it

Although, to be fair, most people thought we'd lose. But I'm sure with your laser-like prescience you knew we'd be 3-0 down at half time so were able to bet more specific in your bet and really clean up. Do you still work or are you just on the tropical island these days?

[Power n Glory]

Not in the match thread so we'll just take your word for it

Although, to be fair, most people thought we'd lose. But I'm sure with your laser-like prescience you knew we'd be 3-0 down at half time so were able to bet more specific in your bet and really clean up. Do you still work or are you just on the tropical island these days?

Why are you encouraging gambling when you know it's not right? Fraud!

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I don't think we've taken a step back I think this season is another clear example of stagnation, if you look at the results and the points accumulation compared to the same point two seasons ago its very similar

After fifteen league games in 12/13 we were on 21 points, this time it's 23

We were on ten points in the champions league after five matches, we have ten points now

We haven't gone backwards at all, it's the same shit stick it always was the difference is we know that having more money to spend won't make a fucking bit of difference

[Letters]

Why are you encouraging gambling when you know it's not right? Fraud!

I'm not encouraging it, but with your gift you must be cleaning up.