individual errors and lack of luck!

[lymehoop]

We're bigger fools for continuing to travel the country watching this lot.

I live 160 miles away and am a ST holder. I share your pain

[Jimmy Floyd Rabbit]

Fair play to you Lymes.

We're sadists mate. Only explanation.

[Timmy the Doc]

Why take off Hill also for Yun using our last sub when we're chasing a goal? Has there been anything said about Hill being injured? He looked ok. If it was tactical Harry has outdone himself with that one.

I think Yun has been quite good upwards so don't blame Harry for that substitution. Should have made that earlier (before the kick-off). Hill can pass only downwards or hoof.

[nasser95]

I was there Lyme. On train back now.

As I said above, as soon as I saw starting line up & formation I knew we were gonna get a slap.

How he's started with Niko K & not brought on Zarate at a time when we were pushing on & doing well apart from the final third I'll never know.

Made no bones about how much I can't wait for Redknapp to leave but today just cemented that. Hopefully Nasser & a few other fan boys will be on soon to tell us all the positives we can take from today.

Here I am mate. As I said in the game thread, we were doing fine until an error led to a goal. Then, we were pish poor until we got that goal. Looked good closing out the half. The Zamora sub was strange but did work. Then bringing on Hoilett ended it. Zamora at least brings something to the team (although how he missed that open header is embarrassing), but hoilett is awful. Again, should have brought on Zarate on paper, HOWEVER I will point out that at this point, if it is obvious to everyone that what we need is zarate, there has to be something wrong with Zarate. We were better in the second half but no denying the disappointment of losing again and to concede at the end really hurt.

[West Acton]

First goal totally avoidable yes mistake from Henry but for the life of god why did the ball even go to him we had two opportunities to clear out lines before it got to him

[Jimmy Floyd Rabbit]

Here I am mate. As I said in the game thread, we were doing fine until an error led to a goal. Then, we were pish poor until we got that goal. Looked good closing out the half. The Zamora sub was strange but did work. Then bringing on Hoilett ended it. Zamora at least brings something to the team (although how he missed that open header is embarrassing), but hoilett is awful. Again, should have brought on Zarate on paper, HOWEVER I will point out that at this point, if it is obvious to everyone that what we need is zarate, there has to be something wrong with Zarate. We were better in the second half but no denying the disappointment of losing again and to concede at the end really hurt.

Fair doos mate I was being an ar5e (as always)

Positivity is hard to find when we make so many mistakes from Harry down to the players every single week.

[Golborne]

So bar Niko, you were happy with the line up? Putting Zarate in means going 442, unless of course we play another striker in midfield. Which of course wouldn't be a bad idea, as it brings another angle for folk to have a pop about redknapp and his formations, team choice etc. I'll just add that Stoke's weakness this year has been set pieces, believe it or not. Now I'm not saying that I would have put Niko in, but if I was looking to exploit that weakness, then Niko would get some consideration in the line up.

Not having a pop here, but it seems the 11th place in the team is/could be key for us (apart from everybody giving the ball away in all sorts of positions), and personally I'm not confident in any of them on the bench. What we are missing is a directness down the middle. We don't have a forward that can give us that and Fer did that well in places today, but doesn't have the end product in terms of finish, or pass. Maybe? we try Hoilett in a more central role, so left of the 3? Has worked wonders for West Ham (via Downing) this year. An out and out winger who now often has midfields and defences back peddling in central positions they don't want to (make a costly) challenge in. That drive down the middle also draws players central which makes space on the flanks. I only say Hoilett for that role because he's quick and his close control is quite good.

Strip out the sometimes constant giving the ball away and there were many positives today. In fact strip that out of a lot of our away games and we'd be in a much better position. We've given a goal away like that in virtually every away game.

p.s. don't think it was Henry's fault today. Isla clearly tells Dunne to go long, but instead he gives it back to him. Isla is then under unnecessary pressure and plays a bad ball to Henry. Dunne should have launched it when he had the chance..

I was there Lyme. On train back now.

As I said above, as soon as I saw starting line up & formation I knew we were gonna get a slap.

How he's started with Niko K & not brought on Zarate at a time when we were pushing on & doing well apart from the final third I'll never know.

Made no bones about how much I can't wait for Redknapp to leave but today just cemented that. Hopefully Nasser & a few other fan boys will be on soon to tell us all the positives we can take from today.