Jon Walters

[geysir]

Stutts missed a sitter there.

[tricky_colour]

that link is broke

[tricky_colour]

Pulis and Whelan compliment Walters in today's Examiner

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/pulis-sees-walters-growing-into-role-of-top-flight-striker-150270.html

FYP.

[tricky_colour]

Stutts missed a sitter there.


ha ha took a while for me to get that one.


"ballooned into row Z"

[Stuttgart88]

Happens to the best of us

[peadar1987]

really did wilson play well in the DM role, did they line up with a 3-5-2?

Wilson's been playing at right back for Stoke recently, in our rigid 4-4-2 formation. Whelan/Whitehead and Delap have been starting in centre midfield. Higginbotham's injured now though, so I'm not sure how Pulis will juggle the back line. Probably keep Shawcross and Huth in the centre, and either bring in Danny Collins as a direct replacement, or bring in Wilkinson on the right, and switch Wilson to the left.

Wherever he plays, it's good to see him starting.

[paul_oshea]

I never thought wilson was that fast the few times ive seen him, as a full back how has he been performing?

[peadar1987]

I never thought wilson was that fast the few times ive seen him, as a full back how has he been performing?


He's been doing okay. He's solid enough at the back (although he had one suicidal moment against Newcastle, where he gave the ball away when trying to skin their left winger). He makes good tackles, and plays simple passes very well. The way Stoke play, we don't rely on overlapping full backs, so he's not really called upon to use his pace that much. It's either a punt up to Carew, Walters or Jones, or try and get it to Pennant, either directly, or through the centre of midfield.

[TrapAPony]

Great goal from Walters. Strike from outside the box after a run from midfield.

[republicofwhite]

Got to be pushing hard for first choice, he's having an incredible season by now and looks like he has a lot more to his game than Best, more goals by now too? Would love to see him play alongside Long...

[TrapAPony]

Walters gets his second. Fair play. What a man!

''A goal is scored by Jonathan Walters from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Bolton 0-5 Stoke.''

[peadar1987]

Great finish for the second. It was a very tight angle, and he fired it above the keeper into the far side of the net. The first one was a cracker. Whelan and Delap both had great games as well. And seeing as he's now apparently Irish, Pennant was brilliant too. Wilson didn't have too much to do, but seeing as I didn't notice Bolton's right winger once, he must have been doing a fairly good job keeping him in his pocket.

[tricky_colour]

First goal was a great individual effort, started in his own half, just ran at the defence, checked and fired in a great shot from distance.
Probably not Bolton's best performance.

[TrapAPony]

Scored the 3rd goal for Stoke v Arsenal. Good player. Wilson, Whelan, Delap all played very well and if Pennant can prove that he has an Irish grandfather he would be a very useful option to have.

[tetsujin1979]

Hit the crossbar in the first half too

[elroy]

Whelan, Delap, Walters and Wilson should all start the FA cup final next week. Long time since we'll have had that many starters in a cup final.

[Stuttgart88]

Hopefully we'll have 11 in 2012.

Walters is a proper player these days. Well done that man, and well done to Pulis. Not only is he building a good, well-balanced side that belittles their physical tag, I think he's good at getting the best out of players and building characters. Both Walters & Pennant, for example, have had their trials & tribulations in the past but Pulis seems to know how to get them to cop on & play to potential. Stoke is a good place for Wilson to be establishing himself, and Whelan seems to have secured his spot in the last few weeks. FA Cup finals don't mean as much to me these days, but I won't miss this one.

[BonnieShels]

Hopefully we'll have 11 in 2012.

Walters is a proper player these days. Well done that man, and well done to Pulis. Not only is he building a good, well-balanced side that belittles their physical tag, I think he's good at getting the best out of players and building characters. Both Walters & Pennant, for example, have had their trials & tribulations in the past but Pulis seems to know how to get them to cop on & play to potential. Stoke is a good place for Wilson to be establishing himself, and Whelan seems to have secured his spot in the last few weeks. FA Cup finals don't mean as much to me these days, but I won't miss this one.


The gradual progression of this Stoke team over the last 3 years is quite something and the improvements to some of the players that have been made is nothing short of astounding. Walters is the biggest and most obvious beneficiary of what's going on there. He was absolutely brilliant today. Stoke will be really a team to watch next season.

[shakermaker1982]

Come on Irish Stoke! I hope they batter Man City in the final. Walters is bang in form which is great news for us with the Macedonia game coming up.

[Philly]

Interesting that Walters and Best are both the top scoring Irish players in the Premier League with 6 goals each. Good to see them both do well enough, but bad in terms of Irish goalscoring.

[geysir]

The morale would be good around Stoke now, with them having a cup final to look forward to, probably accounts for their end of season committed performances.
Walters looked the part when he played for us, in that friendly against Wales.

[mark12345]

The gradual progression of this Stoke team over the last 3 years is quite something and the improvements to some of the players that have been made is nothing short of astounding. Walters is the biggest and most obvious beneficiary of what's going on there. He was absolutely brilliant today. Stoke will be really a team to watch next season.

I agree with BonnieShels. I like Walters a lot. He's just what we need up front and I for one will be very disappointed if Trap doesn't start him against Macedonia. I can see him now taking the ball from halfway and running at their defence like there's no tomorrow. Shane Long playing beside Walters and Robbie just behind the front two, supplying the ammunition - Trap should start with that trio and build his team from there.

[tetsujin1979]

I agree with BonnieShels. I like Walters a lot. He's just what we need up front and I for one will be very disappointed if Trap doesn't start him against Macedonia. I can see him now taking the ball from halfway and running at their defence like there's no tomorrow. Shane Long playing beside Walters and Robbie just behind the front two, supplying the ammunition - Trap should start with that trio and build his team from there.
no way he's going to play an untried formation away from home

[mark12345]

no way he's going to play an untried formation away from home


Yeah, but he's running out of options Tets. He's gong to have to go with either Robbie and Walters up front or Long and Walters? With Doyle out of the picture presumably, he's got no choice wouldn't you say?

[tricky_colour]

I would not say he is running out of option more spoilt for choice, probably a case of picking two to start
with and then making a substitution depending on how things are going.

[tetsujin1979]

There's a difference between giving someone else a chance up front, and changing the formation, which was more my point

[DannyInvincible]

Walters' absence put down to having aggravated a shoulder injury and the lack of original explanation an "innocent miscommunication" (http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/fai-should-have-been-more-understanding--martinez-155792.html#ixzz1NQxm6Zoj):


The injured Walters is understood to have contacted the FAI yesterday, as it became apparent that his particular case was an innocent miscommunication.

The Stoke forward fractured a bone in his shoulder eight weeks ago, but played through the problem as the club reached the FA Cup final. Walters had another scan after his team’s defeat to Wigan on Sunday, when it was revealed the injury had been aggravated. He reportedly explained that to the FAI yesterday.

[Stuttgart88]

It seems that Walters was crocked by Gary Caldwell on Sunday. I am really beginning to hate Caldwell, Wigan and Martinez!

McDonnell quotes Walters as being gutted to be missing out.

[elroy]

In fairness to Walters, he doesnt appear to be the type to mess around. Has been a part of the Irish set up (U21s etc) for a number of years now. Still this whole communication issue with both sides at fault needs to be addressed. Happening too often.

[mark12345]

So I take it then that Walters is out of the Macedonia game? Bloody great, because we badly needed him there.

[SwanVsDalton]

Seems that way. At the moment our striking options are simply Keane, Long, Cox and Keogh. Although there are rumours Best is fit and might join up. So much for all those strikers we had floating around. It also make Stokes' self-exile even more ludicrous.

[shakermaker1982]

If Cox plays another blinder against the Scots then he has a chance of making the starting 11.

[Kingdom]

So I take it then that Walters is out of the Macedonia game? Bloody great, because we badly needed him there.

I would agree with that. He's had a good 2nd half of the season, and he is definitely an adequate replacement for Doyle. Also, it means the hoof ball that has been prevalent, has to stop, and we'll have to have a more composed, possession retained game to utilise what we have.

While the Cox effect of the other night was arousing, lets see if he can come up with something as pulsating against the Scots, he then could be regarded as top shelf. Doesn't disguise the fact that in the absence of a target man ala Doyle or Walters for balls to jizzed up to, this Cox just isn't wooden enough.

Oh mother of.....;)

[SwanVsDalton]

If Cox plays another blinder against the Scots then he has a chance of making the starting 11.

I'd say Long and Keane have to sown up if they stay fit, but Cox must be first option off the bench - bet he didn't think he'd already be third choice for a big game.

[Stuttgart88]

Cox in the box

[mark12345]

Seems that way. At the moment our striking options are simply Keane, Long, Cox and Keogh. Although there are rumours Best is fit and might join up. So much for all those strikers we had floating around. It also make Stokes' self-exile even more ludicrous.

Couldn't agree more about Stokes. Never met him but I'm told he's related to me - distant second cousin. Even so, I say good effing riddance to him? If you want to know tiredness Anthony, try steppin into some of the Irish or Celtic fans shoes for a while.

[DannyInvincible]

Could Ward be a serious option up front, or back-up at least? He's played there for Wolves although I can't say I've any idea of how effective he is there.

[AlaskaFox]

Gary Doherty Mk.II?

[SwanVsDalton]

Could Ward be a serious option up front, or back-up at least? He's played there for Wolves although I can't say I've any idea of how effective he is there.

Absolutely. He started out as a striker/left wing for Bohs, scoring goals and playing as an attacker is how he made his reputation and what engineered a move to Wolves in the first place. Also I haven't watched him enough this season to be sure, but his most impressive appearances this season appear to have come up front or behind the striker. Plus he scored the winner when playing up front against Liverpool. He would definitely be a serious option.


Gary Doherty Mk.II?

Harsh!

[Stuttgart88]

Further exoneration for Walters apparently (http://www.examiner.ie/sport/soccer/pulis-defends-walters-for-irish-absence-156115.html)

Pulis claims he offered to fly over to have his shoulder checked but that the FAI said it was OK not to.

No clarification on Wilson though.

Whelan came over, went back, and is coming over again on Monday.

Who was it that said Stoke laid on a bus to take the 3 of them to the airport? Stoke themselves?

[DannyInvincible]

Who was it that said Stoke laid on a bus to take the 3 of them to the airport? Stoke themselves?

Something about a bus was mentioned in an article by Miguel Delaney (http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/fai-should-have-been-more-understanding--martinez-155792.html#ixzz1Ne3BuYvP) in the Irish Examiner on Thursday. It spoke about the three having been given permission by the FAI to attend Stoke's end-of-season awards ceremony on the Sunday night and then mentioned a club bus upon which the three had departed at 11:15 that night, but it was unclear as to whether it was a bus to take them to the airport or just one to take them to their homes in Stoke or wherever. I suspect Delaney meant the latter as he'd earlier mentioned that, as far as Stoke were concerned, Marc Wilson was to travel to Dublin on the Tuesday morning.


Wilson’s situation is less clear. Tardelli yesterday said he is "out. He has a problem, injured." But a source within Stoke City said that wasn’t the case. As far as the club hierarchy were concerned, Wilson was set to travel to Dublin on Tuesday morning. All three players had been given special dispensation to attend Stoke’s player-of-the-year awards on Sunday and come to Dublin later. In the event all three left on a club-arranged coach at 11.15pm.

Efforts to contact Wilson’s camp yesterday proved unsuccessful. Stoke also declined to make an official comment.

[Sullivinho]

Scored the only goal (http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,,11065_3427718,00.html) in Stoke's win over Hajduk Split in a Europa League third round qualifier tonight.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncnGOLNCGY8

[DannyInvincible]

Walters missed a penalty for Stoke against Norwich a few minutes ago. He'd been brought down to win it.

[elroy]

Crouch and Jerome joining Stoke last night. Not great news for Walters.

[loscherland]

Walters is better than Crouch. Hopefully he'll end up showing him up for what he is... an over rated failed circus freak

[SkStu]

having a very effective game against United today and forced a world class save from DeGea with a shot out of nothing. Delap also playing well and good to see Whelan getting stuck in. Nani's goal was sublime.

[IsMiseSean]

having a very effective game against United today and forced a world class save from DeGea with a shot out of nothing. Delap also playing well and good to see Whelan getting stuck in. Nani's goal was sublime.

Best player for Stoke today I reckon, looked a threat all game.
Whelan's tackle on Evra was crunching, no broken bones though... Shame!

[CraftyToePoke]

I thought Walters was suberb today, and the ESPN commentators were picking him out as well, he didnt waste much and turned some very hopefull deliveries in his general direction into decent posession, carried a goal threat and ran all day.

[the bear]

excellant cameo from walters tonight. i'd start him in the playoff with cox

[fionnsci]

He held the ball up superbly. He had to adapt very quickly to Doyle's sending off as he had only just come on and probably didn't anticipate playing as a lone striker. Very impressed.