Yesterday's problem

As I alluded to in the match report, the major problem yesterdat was being unable to get in behind the Stoke defence, far too often forced to play across field and attack down the flanks.

The latest chalkboard from The Guardian illustrates this perfectly as for all of our possession and territorial advantage, we simply could not get close to the penalty area to create anything like a clear cut chance once Stoke were reduced to ten men.

Stoke's defense time and time again forced us out wide, a tactic which suited them perfectly as they comfortably dealt with our balls into the box time and time again.