Jones ‘angry’ as wasteful Stoke are held at home by Derby

Posted Sunday, August 18, 2019 by PA

Angry Stoke boss Nathan Jones blasted his players for chucking more points away following their 2-2 draw with Derby.

The Potters fell behind after just two minutes when Martyn Waghorn turned home a Kieran Dowell cross with a first time finish.

But Stoke responded superbly and drew level on 32 minutes when Liam Lindsay headed home from a corner.

Stoke twice hit the woodwork but took the lead when debutant Scott Hogan emphatically smashed home on 56 minutes.

But Waghorn pegged Stoke back with 20 minutes to play from the penalty spot after George Evans was fouled.

After the game a fuming Jones demanded his side stop wasting their chances.

“I am devastated with the result to be honest. I work so hard. I do 12 hours a day, seven days a week to plan and put structures in place,” Jones said.

“I am distraught that we couldn’t get one more goal than the opposition, because we created twice as many chances.

“We had four clear-cut chances in the first half and the game should have been done and dusted.

“We had chances in the second half and should have won it. I am sick and tired of us missing chances because this has cost us today.

“We should have six points and instead we have one. We are a good side, a really good side. We are an outstanding side outside both boxes, but in the boxes we are an average side.

“I am used to winning games and we have got to be better than that. We have had enough chances to win two football matches and it leaves me very angry.

“The players need confidence, they need technique and we need to work hard. They are giving me their all but we have got to be better.”

Derby boss Phillip Cocu felt his side had got a deserved point.

“It is a good draw for us and the right result, when you look at the game,” he said.

“Stoke had chances and hit the bar a couple of times so it is a result we can live with.

“The first goal was a great goal. We started well and it is just a pity we couldn’t keep the initiative and get the second goal.

“Maybe then the home crowd and team might have got nervous and stop believing.

“Stoke kept going in the game and they did well, they had passion and direct play and it was a tough game for us.

“We switched our formation at half-time so we could dominate from the back with our build up play.

“I didn’t like the way we played in the first half, we lost the ball too easily and we got pushed back.

“If you dominate and have the initiative in the game then you can play very well with our system. If you lose the ball too often you struggle. We were better in the second half.”