I think Gus got it spot on this weekend

[Digweeds Trousers]

Not a great performance from us to be frank in the first half but despite my initial disappointment I have been thinking - and the more I do the more I think Poyet got is absolutely spot on.

We are never going to win the FA Cup - we were hardly likely to beat Stoke - bearing in ind what they have done to Arsenal and many other sides up there over the last couple of years.

I would rather be waking up this morning with no injuries, no exhauseted players and no prospect of a replay.

Frankly I think its done us a favour - for both players and supporters alike. Reality check - just a bit of a sanity check thats all.

We are a talented league one side with some realatively skillful players - when put up against a technically better side - and just becuase some may not like the way Stoke play - we cannot suggest realistically for one second that they are not technically better - we came up well short.

So before some of the players have ideas above tyheir station and before some of the supporters start genuinely behaving like they follow a mini Barcelona - lets just get back to focusing on what we are here for this season.

Getting into The Championship for the grand opening. Larger revenue streams, larger away crowds, a chairman willing to back the manager and a prospect of playing in a far superior league.

I have to say that for once, I am rather relieved the whole FA Cup thing is over for this season.

 

[Icy Gull]

Being out of the cup doesn't really hurt at all for me. If Poyet had masterminded a win over Stoke he would have flagged himself up as possibly ready to make a step up to the Premier League. As it is he got found out as being a bit naive imo and that is good for us as I am happy for him to make his mistakes with us as he takes us up the league.

Concentrate on the league is a nice fallback after the weekend

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I think people possibly look at our dislpay/result and make comparisons with other lower league opposition who did relatively well against higher league opponents. I think this is to miss the fundamental point that we were playing with a weakened team against a near full strength opposition who are well practised at spoiler tactics against the style of football we play. Yes well done to the Crawleys and Orients of this world but our task was a completely different proposition and I think we would have faired better given the type of opposition they played against.

I agree we need to put this behind us as part of a learning curve and get back to what we do best.....winning in league 1.

 

[Silverhatch]

All week Pulis was saying he respected us and thought we were dangerous opponents and, true to his word, he put out Stoke's first team. After all the shite about the EPL disrespecting the cup - Pulis actually respected our club and the competition by naming a side that would be feared by any prem big boy at the Brittania. Of course Stoke know that if they go full throttle for the cup, they've got a great chance to win it - whereas we really do need to keep focussed on getting out of L1 (the absolutely nailed on priority for our club) especially with a new stadium needing to be filled after we've lost a whole generation of fans. So Gus played our Cup side and we got murdered in the first half by a motivated top half perm outfit with a particular way of Smashing any team on their patch. We were paid a big compliment by Stoke. Now we can get back to playing our particular way of (hopefully) Smashing teams in our league.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

he got found out as being a bit naive imo

This must be one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read. Gus has been telling us for months that there are better teams and better players out there.

 

[essbee]

Nice adventure - now bring on the League!

 

[skipper734]

Gus didn't care. When he is involved he lives in the technical area, haranguing the forth official appealing to the crowd shouting instructions to the players or holding his head in his hands. I only saw one shot of him talking to Elf and handing him a drink, on the internet feed, maybe there was more?
Tanno was sitting in the dugout looking like the kid who doesn't get picked for a team in a kick around, and there were no shots of Charlie trying to intimidate any one in range.
Watch the difference tomorrow.

 

[Brovion]

From reading this and the other threads I think I'm the only person to be REALLY gutted and pissed off today. Most people, as expected, are saying "ah well, mustn't grumble, worse things happen at sea, every cloud has a silver lining, Cup wasn't a priority" etc etc etc. But I think we've blown a real and genuine opportunity to make a bit of history, something this club has never really done before. Bollocks. Bollocks. Bollocks.

Ah well, I'm sure if I try I'll enjoy yet another 'vital' third division game against Plymouth f***ing Argyle where it will be 'really important' that we get three points.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Cannot wait for tomorrow - even thinking of skipping early out of work so I can get to Brighton earlier for no particular reason.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Gus is cutting his managerial teeth with us and will make plenty of mistakes. He will also display ' managerial naivety ' at times....it is all part of his learning curve.
Icy Gull's statement is not ridiculous, just stating a personal opinion, which happens to be similar to mine.
The naivety shown was publicly stating that we were not going to change our style of play and suggesting that we were going to try and pass Stoke off the pitch. Also to play his ' cup side ' when over 3000 travelling fans deserved a full strength team.
No fan will be weeping buckets over going out of the competition. Just the manner......going out with a wimper, not playing your best team and not giving it your best shot. We had battled through four previous rounds...to roll over like this was unfair to those that had gone to the time and expense to travel to Stoke.

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

I have to say I will take Gus' 'naivety' over some of the usual shite that's peddled out by many Football managers. He is emotional, he is driven, he cares about what he is doing and he cares about the way in which he does it.

I am not stupid enough to think he will be here for years - but while he is I am absolutely loving the honesty and candid approach to the game and some of the elements in the game that he has to deal with.

Compared to the predictable shite that sills out of harry Redknapp's mouth about how its been a miracle to cope with half a team missing, how he cant spend over the odds ebcuase players are just overpriced even though he is a fraud of the lowest degree - I would take Gus' approach any day of the week.

He stood up to Forster, he played Calderon at his own game and he and Bloom together are a pretty potent force for good at our club.

All of us make mistakes - I believe Gus has the character and the foresight to learn from them - but I certainly hope he does not lose his verve for management, his refreshing and open approach - as well as the fact that already he has shown potential to become a managerial great.

That wont be with us - but its not about comparing us to Stoke - this is a journey we are on, and in the early stages. Nothing I have seen or heard makes me feel that we are not going in the right direction.

 

[8ace]

Gus didn't care. When he is involved he lives in the technical area, haranguing the forth official appealing to the crowd shouting instructions to the players or holding his head in his hands. I only saw one shot of him talking to Elf and handing him a drink, on the internet feed, maybe there was more?
Tanno was sitting in the dugout looking like the kid who doesn't get picked for a team in a kick around, and there were no shots of Charlie trying to intimidate any one in range.
Watch the difference tomorrow.

Yep, it was exactly the same when we lost to Orient in the JPT - Poyet sat on the bench the whole time.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

From reading this and the other threads I think I'm the only person to be REALLY gutted and pissed off today. Most people, as expected, are saying "ah well, mustn't grumble, worse things happen at sea, every cloud has a silver lining, Cup wasn't a priority" etc etc etc. But I think we've blown a real and genuine opportunity to make a bit of history, something this club has never really done before. Bollocks. Bollocks. Bollocks.

Ah well, I'm sure if I try I'll enjoy yet another 'vital' third division game against Plymouth f***ing Argyle where it will be 'really important' that we get three points.

I apologise, there are people out there weeping buckets. Good to see a bit of passion about the FACup.
I am ' old-school '...I think you should try and win every competition you enter. This season, we have stuck two fingers up to the 3 cup competitions and however well we are doing in the league, the sour taste still lingers.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Also to play his ' cup side ' when over 3000 travelling fans deserved a full strength team.
No fan will be weeping buckets over going out of the competition. Just the manner......going out with a wimper, not playing your best team and not giving it your best shot.

Nothing really wrong with the side we played given our injuries and non-availability. Letting in two soft goals within 20 minuters did pretty much shoot our legs out from under us though didn't it. Very hard for a Div 3 side to come back from that.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I still don't get this 'playing his cup side' If I was selecting a team to play Stoke then I would pick the keeper who is 2 metres tall. When did you last see Ankergren come out and catch a cross or a corner? A defender who is better at heading away balls. El Abd is great with the ball at his feet now but he doesn't head the ball so often. He is also on 8 yellows and we need him for the League campaign. Yes, most agree that Battipiedi didn't do so well but with injuries, cup ties and other factors affecting the team selection, there weren't that many options open.

 

[Notters]

I still don't get this 'playing his cup side' If I was selecting a team to play Stoke then I would pick the keeper who is 2 metres tall. When did you last see Ankergren come out and catch a cross or a corner? A defender who is better at heading away balls. El Abd is great with the ball at his feet now but he doesn't head the ball so often. He is also on 8 yellows and we need him for the League campaign. Yes, most agree that Battipiedi didn't do so well but with injuries, cup ties and other factors affecting the team selection, there weren't that many options open.

One of the most ridculous things I've read on NSC.

Whenever the ball is in the air in our half it seems destined for his shiney bonce.

 

[algie]

One of the most ridculous things I've read on NSC.

x2

For a short guy he has a good leap.

 

[Rookie]

I still don't get this 'playing his cup side' If I was selecting a team to play Stoke then I would pick the keeper who is 2 metres tall. When did you last see Ankergren come out and catch a cross or a corner? A defender who is better at heading away balls. El Abd is great with the ball at his feet now but he doesn't head the ball so often. He is also on 8 yellows and we need him for the League campaign. Yes, most agree that Battipiedi didn't do so well but with injuries, cup ties and other factors affecting the team selection, there weren't that many options open.

Bar the El-Abd heading thing, very good post.
Really don't get the problem, Poyet made no secret of the team he would play and the way we would play. It came undone against a team of giants who give Man Utd et al a good game on their patch. If we had got a injury or suspension to a key player then Poyet would be in for even more stick

 

[Bwian]

So Gus played our Cup side and we got murdered in the first half by a motivated top half perm outfit

Sorry, it had to be done

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

If Poyet had masterminded a win over Stoke he would have flagged himself up as possibly ready to make a step up to the Premier League. As it is he got found out as being a bit naive imo and that is good for us

At the risk of sounding rude. Are you mental?