Games against Stoke rarely make it into the ‘mouth-watering’ category. A nasty, non-descript team with ugly, unpleasant fans, matches against The Potters are rarely memorable. However, 19,642 crammed themselves into the KC in slavish anticipation, to see Jay-Jay Okocha make his first-team bow, to discover if Caleb Folan could live up to the rich promise shown on debut in Blackpool until that sickening head injury forced his premature withdrawal, to antagonise the insufferably arrogant Tony Pulis (a man who has received so many virtual kicks in the cock that he must have a cyber-inny by now), to marvel at the medical wonder that is Richard Cresswell’s knee, and, of course, to heap abuse on villain turned hero turned villain Jon Parkin.

While many of those making their first visit to the season to the KC will have been doing so in the hope of being mesmerised by the footwork of Okacha, the majority of the seasoned 15,000 or so that had also attended the Plymouth and Norwich games will have been anticipating the opportunity to berate Parkin with equal relish. And with good reason. While many of the culprits of last season’s struggle can be excused to a degree by their inabilities or being out of their depth, Parkin is the one whose attitude stank, from his lack of fitness to his lack of passion to his unsettling presence in the changing room. He can blame Phil Brown for his departure from the KC all he wants, but Brown wasn’t even at the club when Parkin turned up for pre-season training several stone overweight, and a lack of effort on the pitch is something that cannot be excused, regardless of the circumstances.

Speaking of Phil Brown, our manager had erred badly in sticking with two full-backs that are just about of League One standard for the Blackpool game. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and Sam Ricketts was restored to right-back, with Damien Delaney resuming left-back duties. Always play your best team, Phil. Always. Whoever said ‘never change a winning team’ had never won a game with Andy Dawson at right-back. Those that had come to see Jay-Jay’s step-overs and nutmegs would have to wait, as City lined up:

Myhill
Ricketts, Turner, Brown, Delaney
Garcia, Ashbee, Marney, Hughes
Folan, Windass
Subs: Aspden, Dawson, Livermore, Okocha, Bridges.

Stoke’s substitutes attracted many City fans’ attention too, as Pulis opted to partner the usually dangerous Ricardo Fuller with Manamy Sidibe, meaning that the Potters’ subs’ bench was straining under the considerable weight of Parkin’s fat arse.

Stoke kicked off and immediately both teams seemed to be content with a more direct approach. Turner and Brown were having real trouble with Fuller and Sidibe, taking a good 20 minutes before either won anything in the air, and looking unconvincing when the ball was at the feet of Stoke’s impressive forwards. However, the first real chance of the game fell to Garcia in the fourth minute, after some excellent work from Hughes saw the winger beat his full-back with ease and force a good save from Simonsen. Ashbee snatched a shot over the bar from the resultant corner.

Stoke continued to use the long ball effectively but the home defence managed to keep the damage caused by Sidibe’s many flick-ons minimal. Indeed, City had the next good chance. On 13, Ash surged forward and chips a delightful ball towards Windass on the edge of the box, only for alert goalkeeping from Simonsen to snuff out the trouble. Stoke immediately counter attack, with Fuller shooting narrowly wide.

On 15, Deano tumbles theatrically just inside the Stoke box, but his appeals were rightly waved away by referee Webster. Falling to the ground for no reason and screaming at the ref afterwards was to be a feature of Windass’s afternoon, an afternoon where he looked every one of his 39 years of age.

The game was largely formless, with few players showing any sort of desire to get the ball on the ground and demonstrate a little composure. For City, the exception to this was Bryan Hughes, who looked as good as City fans hoped he would when he signed in the summer. Indeed, it is Hughes who, on 25 minutes, manoeuvres his way through the Stoke defence to shoot low to Simonsen’s right. The Stoke keeper can only parry the ball back out towards Windass, but as the City striker looks poised to score, he is crowded out by Stoke’s alert centre-backs.

Hughes aside, Ash is also looking effective, winning a series of challenges and bullying Stoke’s weak-looking midfield. Could it last? Could City’s forlorn skipper at last be showing that he’s got what is needed at this level? A well-worked 1-2 with Marney on 27, which sees Marney shoot well over suggests he might. Alas, this is another false dawn, and a couple of stray passes soon after see Ash’s afternoon reverting to type, as Stoke cotton on to the fact that if they give him as much time on the ball as possible, there is a better than even chance that they will regain possession without having to make a challenge.

On 28, Cresswell, who looked nothing special all afternoon, shot wide on Stoke’s most threatening moment so far. Miraculously, his knee managed to withstand the strain of the shot. Soon after, Hughes and Garcia linked well for the latter to put in a good cross to Folan, who headed tamely at Simonsen. Folan had a decent afternoon, but seemed to lack confidence when in with a chance of shooting.
 

On 33, Fuller skins Wayne Brown, who had his most uncomfortable 90 minutes in a City shirt so far, and the Stoke forward finds Sidibe in a great position. Under pressure from Myhill, Sidibe shoots wastefully over. Stoke have nothing apart from Fuller and Sidibe, but in such a tight division you get the feeling that if those two stay fit and the rest of the team stays as well organised, they well be a decent bet for the play-offs.
 

After City had shaded the first half-hour, Stoke were now coming into the game as the half drew to a close. On 38 Sidibe shot narrowly wide, and on 42 Delap headed tamely at Myhill when he should have done better. Alas, he was to do better a minute later when Brown was again skinned by Fuller, who sent in a low cross. Myhill parried the ball, but it eventually fell to Delap who slid the ball home. Poor defending from City, who failed to cope with Fuller’s run, and then struggled to clear their lines.

A minute later and Garcia is fouled near the corner flag, giving City an opportunity to hit straight back. Sadly Marney takes both the free-kick and the following corner, and wastes both. Why is he still allowed anywhere near set-pieces? What will it take for someone at the club to watch any one of his performances, note how he rarely beats his first man, and give dead-ball responsibilities to someone, anyone else?

Half-time comes, and we’re left reflecting on a half in which we’ve dominated on chances, but never looked like a team in the ascendancy. While Hughes, and to a lesser extent Garcia and Folan, have put in good shifts, Fuller and Sidibe have looked the biggest goal threats on the pitch. Okocha had better be good…

No changes are made at half-time, and City start in a lacklustre fashion. Ash sets the tone immediately, lazily lumping a ball over Windass’s head when he had bags of time. With Marney playing way too deep for an attacking midfielder, any early promise that was shown in central midfield is now a distant memory. Marney and Ash are winning little on the ground, failing to support the forwards, and wasting possession on an alarmingly regular basis.

It is more by luck than judgement that City then carve out their best chance of the game so far. Delaney sends a long, aimless hoof vaguely in the direction of Garcia who brings the ball down superbly and races into the Stoke box. He looks certain to score, but shoots well over. Garcia looked much better than he has done of late. He isn’t going to be the thrill-a-minute, pacy winger that we’d hoped we were getting, but his running off the ball and intelligent use of possession caused Stoke a few problems.

On 52, Marney wastes yet another corner, and then is mercifully replaced by Okocha, who receives a standing ovation.

It would be sad if, amid all the plaudits Okocha is going to receive, the contribution Hughes made will go ignored. He may lack the fancy tricks and mesmerising footwork of Okocha, but his all-round game will prove to be just as effective for City this season, should he stay fit. It is Hughes who, on 57, sends in another excellent cross towards Folan, that Stoke scramble away for a corner. Okocha takes the corner, which eventually falls to Ashbee, who forces Simonsen into a decent save.

Two minutes later we get our first glimpse of Jay-Jay, who spends almost a minute playing keep ball on the left of Stoke’s box. While the end result is a Stoke throw-in, the terror in the opposition’s eyes is there for all to see.

Despite Jay-Jay’s introduction, Stoke are coping with our attacks with relative ease, and you get the impression that it’s going to take something special to penetrate their backline. Something special almost happens on 66 when Okocha tries an audacious shot from an impossible angle that flies narrowly wide.

Two minutes later, Brown makes his second substitution, bringing on Bridges (yay) for Bryan Hughes (WHAT!?). Windass is visibly tiring, and Hughes has looked our classiest and most composed player. His withdrawal made little sense. It can only be assumed that he’s still carrying an injury, but judging by Brown’s decision-making on Saturday, I wouldn’t bet on that.

City huff and puff, but don’t look any nearer finding an equaliser. However, on 74 City have what looks like a very, very good shout for a penalty turned down by referee Webster after a Stoke defender handles a deflected Bridges shot. The denial of the claim seems to confirm that we’re going to have what, in the past 18 months, has become a typical KC afternoon. We’re not playing well, our shape has gone as Brown seems to be trying a new formation every two minutes, and we are leaving four players up for corners when a second goal for Stoke would kill the game. Our tactics now seem to be to pass the ball to Okocha and stay rooted to the spot, hoping he’ll do something special.

On 75, Livermore replaces Garcia. Not Ashbee, who is playing horribly by now, but the fairly threatening Garcia. Still, Livermore’s entrance gives us more shape, and his running off the ball and possession retention are as excellent as ever.

On 78 minutes, Jon Parkin makes it on to the pitch. His arse follows in about the 80th. The reception for Parkin isn’t as severe as it might have been, with the tepid performance by the team seemingly taking its toll on the fans, who struggle to muster a couple of chants of ‘you fat bastard’. He deserved worse.

With this, the game seems to be fizzling out. Stoke are reverting to their usual time-wasting tactics, and a Jay-Jay free-kick in a decent position is blasted wastefully at the wall. Bridges is looking lively, and Ricketts’ surges down the right have, worryingly, been one of our most threatening attacking tools in the second half.

Then, in the 86th minute, it is Bridges who releases Ricketts down the right with an ace ball. Ricketts then sends an even acer cross towards Folan in the box. Folan wins an acer still header, which Livermore nods home. The ace-est thing about the entire move was Livermore’s run. It shouldn’t be a surprise, he did it several times last season, and it is something that Marney and Ashbee can only fantasise about doing. Livermore offers a greater goal threat than Marney and does as good a defensive job as Ashbee. He also keeps possession effectively. He is probably our fourth-choice central midfielder now that we’ve signed Okocha. He would be one of the first names on my team sheet. How must he feel sitting on the bench seeing Ashbee send pass after pass into touch or straight to the opposition? Probably that he was back at Millwall or Leeds. Which isn’t a good thing, you understand.

City’s tails are up now, but it’s Stoke who are threatening on the break. It was written in the stars that Parkin would score against us, and he gets a chance on 87 minutes, but hits a tame backpass towards Myhill. Two minutes later, hesitant defending sees Parkin afforded another chance, which this time Myhill does well to hold. Soon after, Folan elects to backheel the ball to no-one in particular when he’s got a decent chance to shoot. Million pound players should at least work the keeper in such situations.

In the two minutes of injury time, which was then extended to four minutes on appeal, Okocha tricks two-thirds of the ground into thinking he’s scored, when in actual fact he’s hit the side netting, and a draw is called by the ref. Overall, a fair result.

For City, Myhill didn’t really get the chance to answer any questions as most of Stoke’s better chances were hit wide. Ricketts had an excellent second half, but Brown and Turner were found out a little against Fuller and Sidebe. The good news is that they will trouble much better centre-backs than City’s pairing. Delaney confirmed that he isn’t a left-back. He defended well enough, but his use of the ball was a source of frustration for much of the afternoon. He and Ashbee stand out like sore thumbs at this level when the ball is at their feet. I’ve already waxed lyrically enough about Hughes; and Garcia and Folan had good enough games, which, of the starters, leaves Windass, Ashbee and Marney. Deano should have been taken off after an hour or so. It was a bad-tempered, ineffective game from Windass. And as for Marney and Ashbee, it is probably too much to hope that our central midfield will be made up of Livermore and Okocha on Tuesday evening. Marney has been given enough chances to show what he can do, and fails way too often. Ash needs to be dropped, even if it is just to remind him that he has to fight for his place. His second-half performance well was short of what is required.

Of the subs, Bridges did well, and Livermore’s impact was obvious. Which leaves a certain Jay-Jay Okocha. I probably had more reservations than most on his signing. I was unsure that his one-man-show brand of football was what we needed. But in a season where we’re not going to go up, and we’re hopefully investing enough to stave off relegation, having a player who causes genuine excitement every time he gets within five yards of the ball will brighten up the next nine months no end. His first touch and dribbling skills are way beyond anything that’s been seen in a City shirt for decades, possibly ever, it is to be hoped that we don’t adopt the ‘give the ball to Jay-Jay, let him do something special’ brand of tactics that seemed to be the case for spells yesterday. Brown’s post-match praise of Okocha was typically overblown, but if nothing else his presence gives opposition defenders a headache and will free up space for the likes of Hughes, Folan and, on this showing, Garcia to do some damage. Now sign a left-back, Phil. And quick. (RG)