Jon Walters

[geysir]

Stokes is about the only one and you rate him behind Connolly :)

[theworm2345]

Whelan slips the ball to Walter in the box, Walters touches it away from McAuley who swings wildly at him, taking him down...penalty. Walters drives the penalty low to Foster's right, but pretty central in the goal...Foster saves.

[TerryPhelan]

Another impressive performance from Walters tonight - the apparent ease with which he can control difficult aerial balls and bring the other attackers into the game, not to mention the power and pace he showed when turning his marker (and wrongly being called back for a foul) make him a seriously strong candidate for a starting place at Euro 2012. For as long as we are going to play long ball, we may as well start deploying a guy with the attributes to make it work. Doyle has slipped out of form and, like Long tonight, generally looks agonised and frustrated by the thankless job they have been entrusted with. Walters seems to make it work for himself. I have had this opinion brewing for some time now and decided to stay up after getting home from the game tonight to put (cyber) pen to (cyber) paper and write an article about it. All thoughts are more than welcome lads - have a read and see what you think: http://lysaghtb.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/walters-claim-for-starting-role-hard-to-ignore/

[drummerboy]

Walters has impressed me every time he has played. He is probably more familiar with the long ball game because of the system Pulis employes at Stoke. I was surprised Long was played ahead of him tonight. However much as I like Trap I really thing we missed a chance to experiment last night.

[Fixer82]

Another impressive performance from Walters tonight - the apparent ease with which he can control difficult aerial balls and bring the other attackers into the game, not to mention the power and pace he showed when turning his marker (and wrongly being called back for a foul) make him a seriously strong candidate for a starting place at Euro 2012. For as long as we are going to play long ball, we may as well start deploying a guy with the attributes to make it work. Doyle has slipped out of form and, like Long tonight, generally looks agonised and frustrated by the thankless job they have been entrusted with. Walters seems to make it work for himself. I have had this opinion brewing for some time now and decided to stay up after getting home from the game tonight to put (cyber) pen to (cyber) paper and write an article about it. All thoughts are more than welcome lads - have a read and see what you think: http://lysaghtb.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/walters-claim-for-starting-role-hard-to-ignore/

I agree. I think he's the most comfortable under the long ball since Quinn. And Quinn and Keane were a great partnership. He can control the ball well under the high ball and hold it up and bring others into the play really really well

[seanfhear]

With Doyle not up to his previous standard the question has to be asked could a Walters/Keane partnership work.

Is Walters your classic big man (how good is he in the air)

Can Walters do it consistently and can he do it from the start of games ?

[SwanVsDalton]

I think Walters could be close to starting. I also think he's going to be our 'impact' player of the tournament, whether he starts or not. Don't think the opposition will be overly familiar with him, but he unsettles defences everywhere. Potential to link up with Keane for maximum impact.

[elroy]

I think Walters should start. Considering how deep our defence and midfield play, no often than not when we get the ball its sent long to the strikers. Long and Keane as good as they are, arent the greatest at taking those balls down. Who is? But Walters is certainly more proficient at it. Again impressed by him the other night, has had a solid season in the EPL as well. Personally I would have long as an impact player in the last 20 mins.

Will Trap bring 5 strikers to the Euros? Keane, Doyle, Long, Cox and Walters. Suppose Long could be used as a winger if needed. Hard to leave any of the above 5 out. On Ireland form, the lowest down the list imo would be Doyle.

[Drumcondra 69er]

I think Walters should start. Considering how deep our defence and midfield play, no often than not when we get the ball its sent long to the strikers. Long and Keane as good as they are, arent the greatest at taking those balls down. Who is? But Walters is certainly more proficient at it. Again impressed by him the other night, has had a solid season in the EPL as well. Personally I would have long as an impact player in the last 20 mins.

Will Trap bring 5 strikers to the Euros? Keane, Doyle, Long, Cox and Walters. Suppose Long could be used as a winger if needed. Hard to leave any of the above 5 out. On Ireland form, the lowest down the list imo would be Doyle.

Think he will and sacrafice a midfielder to bring all 5. Walters can play deeper as well and tends to for Stoke. Still listed as a midfielder on Fantasy Football for some reason!

I'd personally start him ahead of Doyle at the moment as well.....

[Stuttgart88]

I'll be amazed if he doesn't take 5 forwards. Barring injury it'll be Keane, Doyle, Long, Cox and Walters. I'd start Walters too.

[dr_peepee]

Trap will sacrifice a defender as back up to Ward.. O'Dea and Kelly have played LB for him and O'Shea has plenty of experience there.

[DannyInvincible]

Walters puts Stoke 1-0 against Bolton.

[theworm2345]

Well two goals fly in at the same time, ball up to Crouch, Etherington whips in a cross, bounces off Walters' chest Bogdan basically has it in his arms but Walters doesnt gives up, runs in to Bogdan and it ends up in the net.

EDIT: Another chance there for Walters, ball comes in to him in the box about 15 yards out. Turning, controls with the right and tries to curl it in with the left...just wide.

[BonnieShels]

Another goal for Walters

[theworm2345]

Another one for Walters, this time a penalty. Missed the infraction that led to it, but Walters ripped it low to the keeper's right to score against his old club and possibly send them down.

[Olé Olé]

It looked like Bolton were staying up at the moment when Joey Barton decided to put on an exhibition of thuggery and QPR seemed destined for meltdown. Would have been nice to see Owen Coyle remain in the Premiership but he has a big rebuilding job to do there anyway, may as well do it in the Championship.

Fair play to Walters though. Some confidence has surely been gained from that brace.

[jbyrne]

It looked like Bolton were staying up at the moment when Joey Barton decided to put on an exhibition of thuggery and QPR seemed destined for meltdown. Would have been nice to see Owen Coyle remain in the Premiership but he has a big rebuilding job to do there anyway, may as well do it in the Championship.

Fair play to Walters though. Some confidence has surely been gained from that brace.

the first walters goal was a foul to be fair to Bolton. keeper had the ball in both hands but good to see walters getting in there in the first place.

on a side note i have sympathy with barton on this one. Tevez hits out first and then falls like a complete panzy with the slightest touch from Barton. He shouldnt have kicked out at aguero but my blood would be boiling too if i had been sent off for the first incident.

[paul_oshea]

I was thinking fair play to barton, if you are going to get sent off then you might as well make it worth it.

[jbyrne]

I was thinking fair play to barton, if you are going to get sent off then you might as well make it worth it.

i think bartons intention was to get one of the city players sent off with him by continuing the agro. i saw him quoted today as saying that one of his teammates said it to him just after his red was shown

[Charlie Darwin]

on a side note i have sympathy with barton on this one. Tevez hits out first and then falls like a complete panzy with the slightest touch from Barton. He shouldnt have kicked out at aguero but my blood would be boiling too if i had been sent off for the first incident.
Tevez should have been sent off too but Barton swung an elbow at his throat. That can really hurt. Barton should have done what he did on the first day of the season when Gervinho breathed in his general direction and dived to the ground feigning injury.

[Stuttgart88]

It's hard to argue with Barton's comments about Shearer though. Cr@p manager, cr@p pundit and wears cra@p shirts. The FA should award him suspension credits for those remarks, reducuing the likely ban.

[Murfinator]

Tevez should have been sent off too but Barton swung an elbow at his throat. That can really hurt. Barton should have done what he did on the first day of the season when Gervinho breathed in his general direction and dived to the ground feigning injury.

And this in a nutshell is why my interest has been waning in soccer the last few years. Idiot referees, idiot players playacting and unfair decisions galore.

[tricky_colour]

I was thinking fair play to barton, if you are going to get sent off then you might as well make it worth it.


Gave me a good laugh anyway!!

[tricky_colour]

And this in a nutshell is why my interest has been waning in soccer the last few years. Idiot referees, idiot players playacting and unfair decisions galore.

It may not be good football, it's a bit like American Wrestling, WWF or whatever it is called it has a certain entertainment value!!

[jbyrne]

It's hard to argue with Barton's comments about Shearer though. Cr@p manager, cr@p pundit and wears cra@p shirts. The FA should award him suspension credits for those remarks, reducuing the likely ban.

and shearer was hardly an angel on the pitch. some of his off the ball stuff was borderline thuggery but it always appeared a blind eye was turned given his importance to england

[nigel-harps1954]

So, Jon Walters..

[SolitudeRed]

So, Jon Walters..

Finished up with eleven goals in all comps this season think that makes him our top goal scorer in the top flight although Long did get more league goals than him! its a dilemma for Trap having so many decent strikers in the mix, I would prefer to see Walters start up front with Keane as the two linked up well in the match in Tallinn and Doyle has been off the boil of late.

[nigel-harps1954]

Finished up with eleven goals in all comps this season think that makes him our top goal scorer in the top flight although Long did get more league goals than him! its a dilemma for Trap having so many decent strikers in the mix, I would prefer to see Walters start up front with Keane as the two linked up well in the match in Tallinn and Doyle has been off the boil of late.


Exactly my thoughts. The man has to be first choice striker now.

[SolitudeRed]

Exactly my thoughts. The man has to be first choice striker now.

My only worry would be that he is probably a bit knackered having played pretty much every Stoke game this season and it was a busy one for them!

[Murfinator]

Hasn't he only ever started one game? He's in the mix sure enough but the notion that he "must start" is laughable when he has next to zero international track record of any sort. You could make a case for any of 3 to partner Keane.

[geysir]

If Walters for some reason has to start a game, we won't be too worried about how he will perform.

[Stuttgart88]

In his short time on the pitch for us he has really impressed me. I think he's got every chance of starting.

In the same way that a good racehorse trainer can tell if one of his steeds is performing well in training, if I was Trap I'd be looking at Doyle and Walters over the next few weeks to see who's looking sharper.

Either way, I think both will be doing a lot of thankless chasing in Poland and I reckon all of our forwards (at least 4 anyway) will see some decent game time. 6 games in 2 countries takes a lot out of you!

PS: did anyone see the interview with JW over the weekend where he described his role at Stoke, which was basically anything but an orthodox forward? I'll see if I can dig it up if it wasn't already posted here.

[John83]

In his short time on the pitch for us he has really impressed me. I think he's got every chance of starting.

In the same way that a good racehorse trainer can tell if one of his steeds is performing well in training, if I was Trap I'd be looking at Doyle and Walters over the next few weeks to see who's looking sharper.

Either way, I think both will be doing a lot of thankless chasing in Poland and I reckon all of our forwards (at least 4 anyway) will see some decent game time. 6 games in 2 countries takes a lot out of you!

PS: did anyone see the interview with JW over the weekend where he described his role at Stoke, which was basically anything but an orthodox forward? I'll see if I can dig it up if it wasn't already posted here.
Long's competing for that place too, and he's had a good season. I've liked what I've seen of Walters, and I think he'll have a role to play, if only as a big lump of an impact sub to punt the ball to, but sure we'll have to see how Trapattoni rates the strikers relative to one another in the tournament.

[Irish_Praha]

Long's competing for that place too, and he's had a good season. I've liked what I've seen of Walters, and I think he'll have a role to play, if only as a big lump of an impact sub to punt the ball to, but sure we'll have to see how Trapattoni rates the strikers relative to one another in the tournament.

In fairness I think Walters has a bit more to his game; that description would be more fitting of Caleb Folan.
However I think we are so uncomfortable in CMF that that tactic will be applied whoever we have up front.
Even though he is capable of other things he is IMO our best striker for playing like that and should be a starter.

[John83]

In fairness I think Walters has a bit more to his game...
I agree. I meant only that he'll be treated as the emergency target man. I'm really looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

[tetsujin1979]

tidy volleyed finish from Walters to score the winner against Orlando City last night.
highlights here: http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/orlando-city-0-stoke-1/
goal is on the 1 minute mark, apologies for the terrible, terrible music.

[tricky_colour]

Nice finish, great music :p

[pineapple stu]

Missed this one in the rake of Irish goals scored last night - Walters was on target for Stoke against Swindon. Slightly outdone by Collins, though.,

[theworm2345]

Goal Walters, Wigan defender handled in the box, Walters took the penalty low to Al-Habsi's left, and it beat him despite not being in the corner.

[DannyInvincible]

Walters' goal and assist featured in this video:
http://rutube.ru/video/6cc829d574f8ae7fece92f5ead81340e/

[Yard of Pace]

Lucky not to have had his leg/ankle broken today by David Luiz. I was hoping he might clock John Terry in the aftermath of it but there was just pushing and shoving...

[Charlie Darwin]

Ruled out of the Greece game - no replacement called. You'd have to think Shane Long will be very disappointed when he's given a spot on the bench.

​http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2012/1112/1224326496649.html

[theworm2345]

Goal Walters. Corner from the right taken low, Walters making a run across the 18 yard box, roughly 12 yards out, meets it and smashes it in at the near post.

[Cuyahoga]

scored for Stoke tonight, great goal Stoke 1 up.

[nigel-harps1954]

Assisted by Whelan.

[tetsujin1979]

excellent analysis of the goal by Neville at half time, went through each Stoke player in the box, how they were set up, their responsibilities and actions that led to the goal

[theworm2345]

Goal Walters. Long throw from near the half line, Walters flicks it over his head in to the corner for Jerome. Jerome cuts it back on to his left foot and crosses it in the box. Walters, following up after his flick on, meets it about seven yards out at the near post and flicks it in at the far post with a glancing header.

[SkStu]

Good description! I feel like ive seen it.

[tricky_colour]

I did see it, although his 'following up' was more a leisurely stroll into the box,
the lack of urgency my explain why nobody picked him up

[DannyInvincible]

excellent analysis of the goal by Neville at half time, went through each Stoke player in the box, how they were set up, their responsibilities and actions that led to the goal

Bit belated, but a video of the goal and analysis here:


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv8itu_nevilleanalysisfinished_creation

Worth a watch.