Did Hughes get out of jail today

[Romford Hoop]

Just thinking what the board would have been like if Cisse had not secured all 3 points,got to say my heart sank when I was given the team sheet, Buzz and Derry is not the midfield I was hoping for.

I thought over the 90 minutes only Tarrabbt looked capable of unlocking their tough defence,at times we had at best 2 forward and very few options.

Not to play Cisse baffled me and I think it nearly backfired,in a 4-5-1 I would sooner see Cisse instead of Zamora who does not look interested at times and is slow to react.

Thankfully it turned out well but it was a very fine line starting with a defence minded team.

[Billericay*icky]

I couldn't understand why he didn't put Traore on, with his overlapping runs and crosses into the box. He does like SWP, who for me has been our most disappointing player of the season.

[W4 R]

It is possible Hughes started with a line up that gave Stoke a false sense of security and the game was numb. The killer blow came by bringing on Cisse late, so the tactics paid off imo. And also Crouch gave us a bit of help.

[kron-1664]

u r right, but he sent him on , he scored , 3 points .

[Droghoop]

It is possible Hughes started with a line up that gave Stoke a false sense of security and the game was numb. The killer blow came by bringing on Cisse late, so the tactics paid off imo. And also Crouch gave us a bit of help.

Delighted that we won of course, but that was a massive gamble..... thankfully it paid off.

[Shania]

I guess the plan was to let the others run the Stoke defence ragged and then introduce a fresh and hungry Cisse to score the winner.
If a somewhat rusty(?) Cisse would have been played from the start we would off had used our main threat already!
Rocketscience, I know!!

[Dale]

I felt exactly the same seeing Buz and Derry starting when you got Cisse and Traore on the bench

Hughes messed up and it took all of us in the stadium singing his name to force Hughes to bring him on

I hope he learns from these mistakes

[Bluehoop]

I couldn't understand why he didn't put Traore on, with his overlapping runs and crosses into the box. He does like SWP, who for me has been our most disappointing player of the season.

Ok, he's been poor this season but not only did he win the corner he also linked up through midfield in the build up to the corner. If he hadn't been on, we may not have got that chance. Slate the guy for a poor season, but today he did all he could to help get the points.

[Shania]

I felt exactly the same seeing Buz and Derry starting when you got Cisse and Traore on the bench

Hughes messed up and it took all of us in the stadium singing his name to force Hughes to bring him on

I hope he learns from these mistakes

I think you are wrong! Must be according to the gameplan.
Just my take at it.

[ollyhoops]

Totally! It could had back fired and if Cisse had not got the goal this Board tonight would be very bleak. We were lucky to get the goal and his tactics paid off even though it was cutting it a bit fine!

Still we did our job, we have 1 week to be safe

[MattyRangers]

If me aunty had bo11ocks she'd be me uncle.

Hughes brought Cisse on, he scored, we won. Happy fooooking days Rs

[MattyRangers]

Ok, he's been poor this season but not only did he win the corner he also linked up through midfield in the build up to the corner. If he hadn't been on, we may not have got that chance. Slate the guy for a poor season, but today he did all he could to help get the points.

Done well in the short (sorry Shaun) time he was on.

[EYR]

Cisse needed ti have started as he does next week. Bobby no goals will offer shat all

[QPRDave]

If me aunty had bo11ocks she'd be me uncle.

Hughes brought Cisse on, he scored, we won. Happy fooooking days Rs

This

[Bigears]

IMO Cisse dod not start because stoke are a physical side and would have kicked him all over the park, an with his temperment MH did not want to risk another sending off.

Bring him on when he did, he change the way we played, Cisse was running at a tired defence and minimised the risk of him losing his head.

When i saw the team i feared the worse especialy when i saw they started with 4 strikers. 1 min to go i thought his game plan had failed as we werent creating chances. But we all need to take our hats off, because a brave man makes brave descions and sticks with them and he did, because in the 89th min Cisse scored and we won 1 nil.

What anyone says, he got his tactics and team selection spot on, as part from one chance in the 1st 10 mins we contained them, kept us in the game and scored and won the game.

A min in football and be an lifetime in heartbeats