STOKE CITY UP TO 10 FIRST TEAM PLAYERS OUT TONIGHT V CARDIFF

Stoke hit badly with injuries for the Cardiff City game.




MICHAEL O'NEIL STOKE CITY MANAGER:

"We are playing with six players who are under 21 and we could be missing up to ten first team players against Cardiff."


Stoke face Cardiff with a glut of injury problems after a bruising contest against Boro at the weekend.

"We are playing youngsters who have not played first team football before."



Stoke live

07/12/2020




Harry Souter back tomorrow?

“No, he’s not available until the weekend, nor many of the other first team players.”


Cardiff will not be a pushover. They had a very good win at Watford. So you must be expecting another tough game?



“Yes, a very tough game. Again, we’ll expect something like the game on Saturday. They are in a good little run of form.

“They’ve had three wins after maybe a little bit of a difficult period. It’s a good response.

“They’ve had three clean sheets. So they are in a good place. It’s not easy to get three wins in this in this league. We expect a very difficult game."





Stoke had a different type of forward line with Jacob Brown playing through the middle. Do you think that’s his best position?


“It’s important for the younger players with pace, in particular, to realise that they can play either through the middle of they can play in the wide areas.

Tyrese is probably the best example of that. When I came to the club, he was seen as a central striker.

"I thought what he (Brown) did for us on Saturday was excellent. His work rate, he got us up the pitch when we needed him to and he works defenders.

“I thought he was always a threat. He will grow into that position and there will be times he plays wide as well.

“We’ve also played him as a wing-back, in some of the Carabao Cup games as well.

“So, one of the things that attracted us in bringing Jacob to the club, was his versatility as well.

“But you know you will always get a shift out of him. With that type of pace, he’s got that those attributes that defenders naturally fear."




Given all the problems you’ve had with injuries, you must be pleased with how you are getting results?


“We’re very stretched at the minute. I think we ended up with maybe as many as six players who are 21 and under to finish the game on Saturday because of the injuries and the substitutions that we had to make.

“Those young players are making a big contribution. I thought Josh Taman played very well when he come on in midfield. Obviously, Nathan scored and played as he did.

“Tashan (Oakley-Boothe) came in, Joe Bursik is in the team, Tyrese, Jacob -they are all young players and that’s a positive that they’ve stepped up.


“We want the squad as strong as possible. Getting one or two of the more experienced senior players back will be a bonus as well.

“But certainly I thought we reacted well to the players that we lost in the game because obviously Clucas, Batth, and Powell are all very influential players for us. It was very important that we coped with their loss through the game which showed the spirit in the team.”





You said that could be up to 10 players out but could we have an update on the likes of Jordan Thompson and Steven Fletcher?



“We’ll assess them in the morning (Tuesday). It may be too soon for them, but if it is then we’re probably more optimistic for the weekend.

“But we’ll see how they progress in the next 24 hours. Jordan’s probably the one that is closest to being involved. John Obi is in the same boat. Clucas and Batth are fresh injuries from Saturday.

“Gregory and the likes of Souttar are recent injuries or illness that we’ve had to deal with as well. And the two goalkeepers we knew were long term in terms of when they’ll be ready to play again.”








Judging from what you said, we may have some younger players who we haven’t seen in the first-team squad before on the bench then?

“There’s always a possibility. We’ve had one or two younger players - Adam Porter and Will Forester - in particular, have trained with the first team on a number of occasions.

“We’ll see how the bodies are. As I say, it’s necessary when you’re stretched to give young players an opportunity.

“They’ll play tonight (Monday) in the under-23s for a period of that game as well. I think when you have many players either coming back from injury or carrying or suffering an injury at the weekend as we may have, then you have to dip into your younger players."

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We must take advantage if this is the case, we wont get an easier chance to make it 4 wins in a row.

Not that I am saying it will be an easy game, but any team with up to 10 absentees are going to struggle!

Moore's confidence should be up banging these goals in
Smithies confidence should be up 3 clean sheets in a row
Morrison, Bacuna, Wilson, Ojo etc all playing very well at the moment

C'mon boys lets go out and get the win! Bluebirds!

We must take advantage if this is the case, we wont get an easier chance to make it 4 wins in a row.

Not that I am saying it will be an easy game, but any team with up to 10 absentees are going to struggle!

Moore's confidence should be up banging these goals in
Smithies confidence should be up 3 clean sheets in a row
Morrison, Bacuna, Wilson, Ojo etc all playing very well at the moment

C'mon boys lets go out and get the win! Bluebirds!

With you all the way

@CardiffCityFC players are WAY too good to be 40-1 shots in what's not a great division this year, whatever the poor start to the season

Up here its predicted snow before the KO.

Up here its predicted snow before the KO.

Ian, hopefully to late to settle.

Its all kidology , I would be very surprised if what he said was true . I would expect a very strong Stoke team ! He's hoping to make us over confident .

Its all kidology , I would be very surprised if what he said was true . I would expect a very strong Stoke team ! He's hoping to make us over confident .

My thoughts too,a bit of mind games imo.cmon city lets keep it going.

Its all kidology , I would be very surprised if what he said was true . I would expect a very strong Stoke team ! He's hoping to make us over confident .

Agreed I rather suspect it's like us announcing will have terrible injury problems as both centre backs Bamba and Benkovic are struggling with injury and striker Issac Vassell is definately out injured and Greg Cunningham is going to have a late fitness test etc.. Rather think half the ten injured players will play three would have been on the subsistutes bench anyway and the other two have Ben injured long term and would not have been available.

Its all kidology , I would be very surprised if what he said was true . I would expect a very strong Stoke team ! He's hoping to make us over confident .

Agreed I rather suspect it's like us announcing will have terrible injury problems as both centre backs Bamba and Benkovic are struggling with injury and striker Issac Vassell is definately out injured and Greg Cunningham is going to have a late fitness test etc.. Rather think half the ten injured players will play three would have been on the subsistutes bench anyway and the other two have Ben injured long term and would not have been available.

Benkovic was ill,not injured.

Its all kidology , I would be very surprised if what he said was true . I would expect a very strong Stoke team ! He's hoping to make us over confident .

Agreed I rather suspect it's like us announcing will have terrible injury problems as both centre backs Bamba and Benkovic are struggling with injury and striker Issac Vassell is definately out injured and Greg Cunningham is going to have a late fitness test etc.. Rather think half the ten injured players will play three would have been on the subsistutes bench anyway and the other two have Ben injured long term and would not have been available.

Stoke City

Meanwhile, more injuries as Stoke have made two changes to the side that beat Wycombe. Tommy Smith and Josh Tymon start in place of Danny Batth and Sam Clucas.
Stoke are down to their bare bones from their squad.

Stoke manager :


"With Danny Batth, Sam Clucas. Steven Fletcher and John Obi Mikel and Jordan Thompson and Joe Allen we’re nearly in double figures for players that are absent.

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