View From The Opposition - Stoke City
Vinny 1:02 Thu Oct 30
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View From The Opposition - Stoke City
You always go into games hoping the side you support can perform well and put in a five-star performance but even the most optimistic Hammers fans could not have hoped for such a display as we put in against Manchester City
The performance was as good as any I have seen from a West Ham side in recent years and the applause the team were given just at the half-time break made me realise I was not alone in this opinion.
West Ham had everything. Strength, determination, and quality in front of goal. The two goals scored were not that of luck, but of accurate passing and great positioning.
Next for West Ham a visit to Stoke City, which is never an easy trip. The away form this season has been very encouraging but this will be no walk in the park. There are no easy games in the Premiership and the levels of intensity will need to be just as high as they were against Manchester City.
What West Ham have this season is goals. We can talk about football and tactics until we are blue in the face but ultimately the teams who do well score goals and the teams who do badly do not.
Those negative emotions that clouded West Ham during last season have all but disappeared and everyone from the manager, the owners and the fans are moving forward to ensure the club reach the heights we are so desperate for.
For the first time this season I have found it extremely difficult to find a supporter who would take part in "View from the opposition" and this week we have just the one fan for Stoke.
Many thanks to Peter Morris for agreeing to help out.
Do you think the club outgrew Tony Pulis after he'd achieved so much for you, and were the club/fans a little ungrateful to him when he left? Was he a victim of his own success, and would you ever have him back?
Peter: I think the club grew with Tony Pulis initially with promotion to the Premier League, before becoming an established Premier League club and reaching the last 32 of the Europa Cup after an FA Cup Final appearance. All Stoke fans will be eternally grateful to Pulis for getting us to the Premier League something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. He left after a very poor end to a season both results wise and also some very poor performances which were difficult to watch. He has since admitted that he took his eye off the ball for personal reasons, There are a minority of Stoke fans who would have him back tomorrow but I think two spells with the club are enough.
Most people think of Stoke as a boring mid table team - what would you say is needed to push on to the next level?
Peter: I don't think there is a boring mid table in the Premier League. Having witnessed League One and Championship football I think a reality check is sometimes required. Top Ten is as good as it gets for some clubs. In this day and age it takes luck with signings and a great deal of cash to move on to the next level.
Watching Stoke under Pulis and Hughes, what do you think Sir Stanley Matthews would make of it?
Peter: Stanley Matthews would have enjoyed playing under both Pulis and Hughes as both like to play with wingers. Hughes it has to be said with more attacking wingers.
What do you miss about the Victoria Ground, 17 years on and has it proved to be a good decision to move?
Peter: The Victoria Ground was a great ground with a wonderful atmosphere and I was sad to leave. The Britannia Stadium is also a superb Stadium, obviously more modern but still has a superb atmosphere and to be honest I would not wish to go back to the Victoria Ground.
Why do your fans boo Aaron Ramsay for being the victim of a violent assault?
Peter: Stoke fans continue to boo Aaron Ramsey for his failure to accept an apology from Ryan Shawcross over the tackle which broke his leg but was not intentional. Myself and many Stoke fans would also argue that it was not a violent assault but a 50/50 challenge.
How would Messi cope on a wet Wednesday night at your place?
Peter: I`m sure Messi would cope very well on a wet Wednesday night in Stoke. After all he is a class act.
What player, in recent memory has exceeded all expectations at Stoke.
Peter: I think Abdoulaye Faye exceeded expectations at Stoke and played a large part in our Premier League survival in our first season after promotion, He was phenomenal.
4th place finish or win the FA Cup?
Peter: It would have to be a 4th place finish, Champions League football at the Britannia really would be a dream come true.
Which West Ham player would you have in the Stoke side?
Peter: Sakho a goalscorer, enough said.
Your favourite crisp
Peter: Smokey Bacon
Prediction
Peter: 2-1 to Stoke
Thanks again to Peter for his answers.
Next up is Aston Villa. If you know a Villa fan you'd like to put forward then get in contact.
Email: vinnywhufc@hotmail.com
Twitter: @vinnywhufc
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
Scraper
6:33 Fri Oct 31
Re: View From The Opposition - Stoke City
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Bump
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Honest Hammer
5:48 Thu Oct 30
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Well done as usual Vin.
This boring cunt has absolutely no sense of humour.
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alfs barnet
5:32 Thu Oct 30
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Shit questions= boring response. "How would messi do...". Fucking waste of time.
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Alwaysaniron
4:57 Thu Oct 30
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He was boring Young Woody, saying that though can you imagine how dull it would be if we continually asked him what he was wearing??
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Alvin
4:01 Thu Oct 30
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Well done Vinny for finding anyone who would admit to supporting Stoke.
Stan Matthews still turning in his grave though.
Thought Lou Macari came out well in the prog about Neil Baldwin. Should have thought of him earlier - something Stoke and West Ham have in common, and maybe the only thing - oh, Matty Etherington. .
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young woody
3:53 Thu Oct 30
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He was boring.
Cheers any way Vinny.
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Son of Anarchy
3:36 Thu Oct 30
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This feature is a must read for all whoers
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Jasnik
3:32 Thu Oct 30
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Well done Vinny keep it up
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worm
3:32 Thu Oct 30
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Jim C = Vinny's dad
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Jim C
3:31 Thu Oct 30
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There are lots on here who are quick with the criticism but they are not so quick to try and do it better.
Strange that.
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Lily Hammer
3:31 Thu Oct 30
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PDC ON THE VOLLEY 3:08 Thu Oct 30
Let's just say that's like soneone asking....
"Is YELL PC. NOTH DOVE PDC ON THE VOLLEY?"
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PDC ON THE VOLLEY
3:08 Thu Oct 30
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Is rodfarts fordstar?
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Kearley
3:05 Thu Oct 30
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Vinny does a good job here and some of you want to be a bit more grateful.
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Lily Hammer
3:02 Thu Oct 30
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ironsofcanada 2:58 Thu Oct 30
rodfarts hates that question.
No need to explain why to regular users.
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Eddie B
3:02 Thu Oct 30
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Is this Stoke fan related to norwaytips by any chance?
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ironsofcanada
2:58 Thu Oct 30
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Not the most exciting and I would have like him pressed their view of Stoke's rough play (basically not possible in this format.)
But for thank you very much Vinny for doing this again. Very welcome even on its off days.
Would not mind if the "who would you have from our side" question became a regular. Provides a bit of an antidote to my c&b specs when looking at our players.
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Lily Hammer
2:55 Thu Oct 30
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Pete Morris works on the Samaritans youth-suicide hotline in manchester, which might go some way to explaining why 3000 youngsters have gone missing.
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WHU(Exeter)
2:54 Thu Oct 30
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Stoke
Is broke
Poor bloke
(Japanese)
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alfie romeo
2:52 Thu Oct 30
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Wow. Peter's personality really shines through.
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Leonard Hatred
2:38 Thu Oct 30
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To be fair to the bloke, he didn't have much to work with innit?
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Vinny
2:32 Thu Oct 30
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Oddly in March 2013 the Stoke view from the opposition saw criticisms of the questions.
This was the day it was decided that it would be the forum that would ask the questions.
https://web.archive.org/web/20130430175932/http://westhamonline.net/article.php?6682273||5||
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