What Did We Learn About Tel Aviv

Is it just me or is this Europe lark easier than we thought?

If you couldn’t believe how easy we beat Split, thought Thun would be a tough proposition, were worried about Kiev, concerned about Beskitas, then to paraphrase the Bachmann Turner Overdrive, baby you hadn’t seen anything yet.

It always appeared that Maccabi Tel Aviv were going to be the weakest team in the group but if we are honest, I wonder if Stoke City themselves expected a tougher test than what we got.

After the incident which saw Cameron Jerome hit the bar, my brother turned to me and said: “I’ll be disappointed if we don’t win this five.”  Of course around 20 seconds later the ball was in the back of the net as Kenwyne Jones waltzed in almost unopposed to head home – although watching the key incidents again when I got home, Robert Huth’s part in the goal was very clever, have a look at what he does as the ball comes over – it did look on the cards.

Of course after that it was all about Cameron Jerome. We at Long Ball Football have a lot of time for our new striker, always have. I was pleased when we signed him and thought he would be perfect for us

And he didn’t disappoint. As one of our correspondents on Twitter said earlier “how fast was Jerome last night?” He took his goal well, he kept calm to make the third for the ever-impressive Ryan Shotton.

And then he did disappoint. It was a soft sending off of course it was, but for my money he can have no complaints. The first booking probably wouldn’t happen in the Premier League, but this ref was clearly not going to stand any dissent and Cameron had no business arguing about such an innocuous decision in a game we were strolling – then just minutes later to elbow a lad, however little contact there was, just gives the ref a decision to make, and he was always going to just that.

It was never really going to negatively affect the result – we probably would have beaten Tel Aviv with a 5 a side team (ok I am biased, that’s how I make my living!) so bad were the opposition – but it did affect the game.

After the break we treated the game as a training session and had to take our fun where we could. That comedy sending off being highly chucklesome) and I thought Wilson Palacios looked good when he came on, but ultimately the whole thing was a little unfulfilling.

So to answer the question that the headline posed: We learnt that we should qualify from this group. We learnt that we should win away in Israel, and with the results going the way they have elsewhere 10 points will probably be enough to see us through and we learnt not to backchat referees.

Stoke City in the last 32 of the Europa League…seriously, it’s going to happen. And, even back in July, who would have thought that?!

What We Know About Maccabi Tel Aviv

Tomorrow sees us fulfil he next engagement in our European adventure (as Tony Pulis has decided to christen it so I thought we’d do the same) and we face Maccabi Tell Aviv at home.

Long Ball Football will, of course, be there and we are looking forward to the match.

It is arguable that these two games might decide our fate. Two wins, or a win and a draw and we are there, surely? Lose a couple and it’ll be an uphill task with Kiev and a trip to Turkey left.

If this preview is a little sketchy and not too thorough then there is a reason. We don’t – and I suspect this goes for most Stoke supporters - know much about the team we are facing.

So far, I have been able to glean that Tel Aviv are second in the Israeli Premier League, they are seen as one of the “Big Four” of Israeli football and last won the league in 2003 (I wonder if they were glued to their TV’s in Tel Aviv on the day that season when Ade Akinbyi scored to keep us up – and I wonder where we’d be now if he hadn’t?)

I also know that they were the first Jewish club in Ottoman Palestine to their Official Website and perhaps more importantly to us in the present they appointed a new manager in the summer, the extremely experienced Motti Ivanir, who had previously been manager of the Israel under 17 and under 21 sides.

They also have a new owner, in the Canadian born Mitchell Goldhar, who has made his money in Shopping Centre’s it seems. And he’s made a lot of it.

Consequently Maccabi have invested heavily in younger players and have made a strong start in the league. They also disposed of two lesser teams in Zeleznica and Xazar Lankaran before meeting Panathanikos in the Play Offs to get to the Europa League Group Stages. Since then they have had a mixed time – being thumped by Beskitas, but drawing with Kiev.

All of which means it’s hard to predict. I am inclined to think we should win, however. We have shown time and time again we are not afraid of anyone at home, and if rumours of Kenwyne Jones’ return to the team are true then we will have a hungry striker – hopefully with a point to prove – back in harness.

Also on the injury front there are thoughts that Wison Palacios will be on the bench along with Danny Higgnbottom, so slowly we are getting back to full strength too.