I have to say, that was really, really disappointing. Even before the first mistake, I did not feel we were playing well. In fact both teams looked as though they were concentrating on defending first and foremost and hoping for the best. Even before Clucas intercepted Collins' pass, I knew he was in trouble. From that position on the pitch, the risk of a pass to feet is just too high. There was never any doubts what Clucas would do, the only issue was whether his shot would be accurate. It was, and it threw all of our planning away, in a moment. It was the factor that affected the rest of the game adversely. It meant that we had to throw all our players further forward in the search for an equaliser, and it was the biggest influence on what happened during the rest of the game. To be honest, I did not think that Stoke were very good. They were in a safety first 4-5-1 against our 3-5-2, but they looked what they are. A team struggling for confidence and in need of a break. Well we gave them two. Probably the most difficult issue for a team playing 3-5-2 is handing over the marking of the opposition wide players from Centre Back to Wing Back. I praised the team for the way that they did it when we played Swansea, but today we got it wrong, and the price that we paid was the penalty. When Cavare gets back into place, Diaby has to immediately come inside to resume his position, but he delayed and we had 2 players marking one, whilst their second player was free inside. Mowatt failed to rescue a situation that was not of his making. Diaby is going to make a very good player, but currently, he makes at least 1 bad mistake per week, and whilst he might get away with that at a lower level, he will not do so in the Championship. The big problem with using 3-5-2 as I see it is that we do not have any left sided defenders. Neither Sibbick nor Brown look happy on that left side and for some reason, Murray refuses to pick Ben Williams, the only left full back at the club (I am ignoring Pinillos who is far too slow). Having players with their better foot to the inside unbalances us. In his post-match interview, he asked players to take responsibility, but that also applies to the Coach. When the Coach has got things wrong and he tries to pass all of the blame on to the players, it must hurt. After the second goal, there was no point persevering with any pre-match plan, and for a while Murray was winging it. We went to 4 at the back by moving Sibbick to Left Full Back. Brown moved across to be the Wide Right player in a front 3 with Chaplin on the other side and Woodrow down the middle. It did not work and half time did not come a minute too soon. Our half-time discussion revolved around whether we could get back into the game. I felt that lightening could not possibly strike again. Stoke were happy to defend deep and play on the break. The tactic of just throwing everyone forward and hoping for the best is one that either works, or it doesn’t, and I felt it wouldn’t work again. Nevertheless, that is what the Coach went for. Sibbick was unlucky to be the one to make way for Thomas, and I could not follow at all why Jacob Brown started the second half at Right Back with Cavare at Left Back. Brown looked fairly happy, but Cavare is clearly disadvantaged by playing on the left. It’s easy!!! Play a left footer there. It was an even bigger surprise when substitute Thomas went to play in the hole behind the front two (4-3-1-2). With giants in the opposition defense, the tactic was keep it down, play in triangles, and play straight down the centre. It paid off almost immediately as McGeehan scored after being put through by Thomas. The next incident was the second big incident of the game. Thomas cut into the Stoke area from the right. He was clearly fouled inside the box, he stumbled, but did not go down preferring to try to use what remained of his balance to try and set up a colleague. If he had gone down, the ref would have pointed to the spot, but because he stayed on his feet momentarily, it put the ref in a quandary. Last week, Watkins did not hesitate to hit the ground as if hit by a sniper’s bullet after a minimal tug on his shirt, the ref being only too happy to comply with his request. This week, he ignored our appeals because he had an excuse. In my humble opinion, football is being ruined because players are being encouraged by the match officials to throw themselves down. The players see it as fair game because it is the only way to guarantee the ref will play along with them. Honest professionals are being punished by the system, and what that says is throw yourself down after you feel a touch, no matter whether you could have kept your feet, or not. We had been denied an equaliser early in the half, and once again, it affected everything that happened after that. Stoke score again from a goal mouth scramble and then again from a 25 yard blast by Clucas again. We were beaten, and the only issue was by how many. Stoke still got a chance to show us how badly they can defend given the opportunity. With 3 defenders playing offside whilst the left back was knitting mittens, Schmidt was allowed to run through unhindered and score easily. It would have been funny if the rest of the game had not been so tragic. I feel that Murray had had his chance. He has offered us 3-5-2, and it has brought us more shape and a better chance in games, but we are still making mistakes, and some of those have been coaching mistakes. Rookie Watch Brad Collins I’m afraid Collins is culpable for the first and his bravery and saves thereafter do not put that right. Bambo Diaby made a big error today, and it is becoming a habit. If he is to become the player I think he can, he must cut out the errors Aapo Halme after being very good for a few weeks, he came up against a player who did not want to give him what he is good at, and he struggled in unfamiliar territory. Toby Sibbick I said last week that we are in danger of ruining a very good player by playing him where he is weak – on the left side. This week did nothing to change my opinion. Conor Chaplin With less room and surrounded by giants, Chapln found the going much tougher this week. Mallik Wilks not on long enough for me to judge. Luke Thomas made our first and should have had a penalty. What little spark there was, was probably down to him. Patrick Schmidt took his goal very well, but was otherwise anonymous. Player of the Match Luke Thomas for his second half.