Jon Walters

**Stuttgart88** · 14/05/2012, 3:16 PM

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** · 14/05/2012, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

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** · 14/05/2012, 4:06 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

Gave me a good laugh anyway!!

**tricky_colour** · 14/05/2012, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by Murfinator

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** · 14/05/2012, 4:19 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 14/05/2012, 4:32 PM

So, Jon Walters..

**SolitudeRed** · 14/05/2012, 4:54 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

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** · 14/05/2012, 6:10 PM

Originally Posted by SolitudeRed

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** · 15/05/2012, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

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** · 15/05/2012, 12:28 AM

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** · 15/05/2012, 9:26 AM

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

**Stuttgart88** · 15/05/2012, 10:50 AM

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** · 15/05/2012, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 15/05/2012, 5:30 PM

Originally Posted by John83

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** · 15/05/2012, 6:21 PM

Originally Posted by Irish_Praha

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** · 29/07/2012, 5:10 PM

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