Stoke's "pushing and shoving"

[Rabbit]

I'm not usually attuned to Chelsea news, but when I stumbled across this article...well I think we can all agree with Andre Villas-Boas here.
I'm happy to see that Chelsea suffered because of this, but it pains me just as much (if not more so) to see Pulis' tactics continuing to succeed in this league.


Villas-Boas vexed after draw

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas described the pushing and shoving by Stoke's players as "out of this world" after beginning his managerial career in the Premier League with a goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium.

It was a frustrating debut for the 33-year-old Portuguese, who saw his side take control of the game in the second half without managing to break the deadlock.

Referee Mark Halsey turned down three concerted penalty appeals by Chelsea but it was the degree of physical contact in both boxes that vexed Villas-Boas.

He said: "A point I want to make when you are playing difficult games like this one is the amount of pushing and grabbing in the box, because it's out of this world.

"We are okay to deal with Stoke's set plays and we were competent enough to avoid the dangers they cause. We know the amount of goals they score with these set plays. But I think there's a limit to the pushing and grabbing, it makes it impossible."
Villas-Boas believes extra attention should be paid by referees to the issue and thinks the idea of additional officials is one that should be looked at.

He said: "Referees say these are the sort of details they are going to be aware of. It's difficult because they have to be aware of a number of situations but in this case maybe the referee needs some extra help.

"But there are no excuses because we were competent enough to defend those set plays, but it's a pity that it was happening."


Rest of the article: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/quotes?id=318050&cc=5901

[AlFayedsChequebook]

I have had a recent problem with Chelsea - I like their last two managers in Boas and Ancelotti.

I hope they miss out on the champions league, but at least Villas Boas knows the difference between football and rugby

[The Doctor]

Well, Villas-Boas has just set himself up as the hate figure for the Stoke fans this season.  I'm sure he'll cope though.

But it echoes perfectly what one of my housemates said yesterday after watching the first half.  He's German, and only moved over here at the end of last season.  But, like AVB, he knows a dirty side when he sees one.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Well, Villas-Boas has just set himself up as the hate figure for the Stoke fans this season.  I'm sure he'll cope though.

But it echoes perfectly what one of my housemates said yesterday after watching the first half.  He's German, and only moved over here at the end of last season.  But, like AVB, he knows a dirty side when he sees one.

I think the thing that annoys me most about them is they consistently say that other teams get more yellow cards than them - but they are missing the point:

1) It is the nature of their fouls that are the problem
2) They get away with so much because they play in the UK. Hopefully they get their comeuppance in Europe

[Logicalman]

Unfortunately looks like VB failed to checkout the details of the Pullis School of Fighting Football. As you mentioned Doc, setting himself up as the initial hate-figure for Stokies isn't something that'll worry him, as he'll be joined  by - at least - 15 other managers in the next 6 months.

Watching the match yesterday was painful, but Stoke did what they always set out to do, either away or at home to a side better than they are, and that is to break up play, push, shove, punch and grab hold of oppo players to stop them scoring.

I guess I shouldn't have thought they'd change for this season, though there was always hope, I guess.

[Jack Fulham]

The pushing and shoving was the most amusing part of the match for me. Zzzzzzz game, nearly as bad as our one vs Villa. I see nothing has changed about Stoke this season.

[HatterDon]

the other side of the coin is, of course, that the physical nature of the game is THE ENGLISH nature of the game. England has always played the game faster and more physical. Granted, anyone who complains about Pubis is going to make me want to buy him a pint, but I think what Villas-Boas had to say post match says as much about his naivete as it does about how Stoke play.

[MJG]

The pushing and shoving was the most amusing part of the match for me. Zzzzzzz game, nearly as bad as our one vs Villa. I see nothing has changed about Stoke this season.

I watched the game looking at the same thing, yes they play with two wingers but is still crash bang wallop, leopard and all that.