Anthony Stokes

Was dreadful today but never needed to be anything better. Easy.

 

According to some he is.

He didn't perform today, and hasn't exactly done much in the Europa League either.

He has been a lot better this season though.

 

aye was quiet, no link up way izaguirre

dont think he was suited to playing on that * heap as his games mostly pass and move and balls were bouncing about all our the place was actually really few bits a good passing and moving at all yet we usually are good at it most of our play was passing basic passes and waiting for spaces to pass into which wasnt many cause they were all back

 

To be perfectly honest I think he shat himself a bit today because of the occasion. However, the pitch didn't help him whatsoever. If there's anyone in our team who that pitch would affect badly, it'd be Stokes because of he way he plays (cutting back etc.)

I'd be a million miles away from writing him off for the 'big occasions' though.

 

Really?

Lennon never trusted him in the big occasions, his European record isn't that great and he didn't exactly do much today.

 

today wasnt even a big occasion, he's produced against better teams than them many a time

big games are european games and finals, not semis against lower league opposition we learned heehaw about anycunt today

 

* sake a few weeks ago most on this site wanted Commons out and he was *, we won today Stokes didn't go well today he will again play well

 

Anthony Stokes has been asked to play as a lone striker far too often in Europe and he has been awful - because he's not a lone striker. A lot of people's opinionsof Stokes in Europe are clouded because of this.

 

Now I know why Neil Lennon kept dropping Stokes for games against 'them'. Stokes was absolutely anonymous today. * poor performance. He wasn't alone though.

 

Do you think that is down to him not being good enough to perform against Sevco, * himself or the pitch?

If that game was played on a pitch like the Parkhead or the Emirates he and Izzy would have had a much better time.

 

He should still be doing better though mate. A lot of the opposition he's been against in Europe have been very poor and he's still been average at best.

He has been good this season but he was very poor today. The pitch is only partly to blame, guys like Bitton managed to cope with the pitch. It seemed he just wasn't up to the big occasion for whatever reason.

I think he's put his place against Inter in a bit of doubt now. We can't have any passengers in that game.

 

Mate, I don't know. It's not that he's not good enough, because he's plenty good enough to get the better of their defence. I don't think he bottled it, why would he? It's not AC Milan we were playing, it was Sevco.

Maybe he just had a bad game. But you would think after all the times Stokes got dropped when we played them that he would have went out on that park the day and tried to prove a point. He proved * all. In fact, the only thing he proved was that Neil Lennon was probably right to drop him for games against them.

The only thing I would say in Stokesy's defence is that he was played out of position. Stokes isn't a wide man in a 4-2-3-1. He's a forward. He's not a lone striker though. Basically he doesn't really fit into the formation Deila is playing just now. So I'm no sure what's going to happen with Stokes.

 

Maybe having a point to prove ultimately worked against him. I'd say the guy knows the fans aren't happy with how he has played in Europe and against Oldco (more not being given a chance against Oldco) and was maybe trying too hard, who knows.

At the end of the day, this was one of Stokesys first 'big games' (if you can call it that) under Deila. I think, after how well he has adapted to Deila's system, we owe him the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.

Maybe some people are beyond giving him the benefit of the doubt at this stage. But in my opinion, the slate should be wiped clean (ish) when a new manager comes in, especially when that new manager is playing the guy in an alien position.

I wouldn't actually consider it as him playing out of position any more to be honest, which is a credit to how well he has adapted.

 

It's hardly an alien position, he drifted out left all the time under Lennon.

 

Drifting out left is not the same as playing as an attacking left midfielder. That's like saying playing Hooper in an advanced midfield role wouldn't be an alien position because he always liked to come deep anyway.

 

I think that's fair. I'd say before today he was a definite starter against Inter but now it's a bit more in doubt. I wouldn't mind if he started.

I agree I don't consider him out of position anymore but I think if we're pinned back further against Inter it will be like a different position.

 

An alien position would be centre back. He regularly was in positions, and had the ball in positions, that a left winger would be in when playing as a striker under Lennon.

 

The only game I remember him grasping like an inside forward/second striker should do is the 3-3 that saved Lenny his job at Kilmarnock. Even this season he's done * all in the Europa. I'd say he's one of the most talented forwards we have but has a serious mentality issue where he goes into his shell when we need him most. Griffiths rose to the occasion today, as did Commons, Brown and Bitton.

 

You're nit picking. He is playing in a new position this year, that's undeniable.

 

Obviously he is, when did I say he wasn't? All I'm arguing is that it isn't an "alien position". No offence, but that's just ridiculous to claim that.