Hi all! The window closed and Stoke have spent a combined total of approximatley 24 million on 3 players! TP left it until the last minute to close the deals but it appears good business and a step in the right direction. So who is happy and who is not? For what its worth my thoughts are; WP - Good Quality combative midfielder who can hopefully take pressure of the back 4 and distribute better. 10/10 PC - Big money for a 30 year old, but showed his quality in europe last term! Would have liked someone younger based on the fee, but it appears very few strikers were on the move. Good first touch and holds the ball well with good distribution - something we lack at present! 8/10 CJ - Undisclosed fee (which would indicate we spent more than he is worth) with a poor prem record! Couldn't sign at the begining of the window - did he think he was better than Stoke? TP thinks he has pace and can run the channels, but Walters already excells in that area and with Fuller returning soon we already have the impact sub of the prem! Personally think this was a deal TP wanted at all costs, and the player does have age on his side with the potential to improve, but as a 4th choice striker how often will he play? 4/10 Full Backs? - An area I think we needed to strengthen or cover for, Hutton seemed good value but it appears that TP has made up his mind to play with a mix and match back 4 even though we probably have one of the best in the league! Very worried in this decession and seeing Huth and Wilson wasted! Attacking Midfielder? - Another area we all agreed we were in desperate need of improving and Jenas on loan seemed good business for Villa! With no addition in this area WP will be playing alongside Delap, Deano or Whelan - all of whom have been slated by different posters! I think we will still be imbalanced in the centre of the park moving forward and we are only as strong as our weakest link - could this be it? Fringe players? - We haven't managed to offload many fringe players and given the high press coverage Stoke have had in relation to wages, it seems strange that we have not tried to reduce costs in this area! I understand that we need depth, due to the amount of competitions we "MAY" be in, but we could also be knocked out of all cup comps at the first hurdle. Already having a very big squad and lacking in quality, it seems strange that we were not able to sell or loan out some of our "LESS QUALITY" players. There may be some movement from the lower leagues (loan wise) over the next couple of weeks but that just proves that they weren't good enough for the prem! I give the window a 7/10 based on the above and would be keen to understand what everybody else thinks - constructuve comments please!
Morning Smithers and all, You beat me to it Pal, and what a good post it is. A wee bit over generous on Crouch and Jerome I think, given the League goals last season: Jerome 3 goals in 34 league appearances Crouch 4 goals in 34 league appearances I think that these stats are correct, without being picky a combination of say £15 million for 7 league goals does not in my opinion, result in good value for money, of course there are different tactics/styles used by their previous clubs, I could not find any stats for 'assists'. WP is a quality destructive midfield player with a huge presence, was reading somewhere that when he started in his Honduran team, he scored 31 goals in something like 100 games!!! BUT I think that Pulis/Stoke did exceed my expectations AGAIN and I guess only time will tell, like you Smithers, I think the lack of a 'proper' full back and a creative midfield player, may come back to haunt Pulis. Anyway, will give them the benefit of the doubt, will see how Pulis set's the team up, BEFORE I eat humble pie. Finally, thank God the transfer window is now CLOSED
Morning Smithers Wilson P... brilliant signing for me, way better than anything we have and I HOPE can improve us and Whelan might excel with W.P. alongside him in midfield. 10/10 Crouch, it's way OTT for a 31 year old but, IF and it's IF we keep Ethers and Pennant fit I think the quality of crosses we DO deliver.. Bambi will hit the onion bag. He has more than height to his game. Good touch and I'm happy enough. 8/10 Jerome, this is something I personally always thought would happen. Won't make my mind up until I've given the lad a chance but, his goals records isn't good. I think, ONE goal last season and he's short of first team games so far this season. I believe he has pace to burn i.e. Walters/Jerome/Crouch feeding off anything loose in the box undecided on him... 6/10. Happy enough but.. midfield I would have liked Jenas or another player in there. At least we now have good options up front which, after recent games i.e. West Brom we didn't have. I won't slate T.P. and for me Palacious at that price might prove to be a bargain, Crouch he's England C/F so well happy apart from the fee. More so HOW much are we paying him. IF he's taken a pay cut... well done Crouchie but the deal took so long seen as we signed Palacios on Sat night I wonder if this means in future. We can aim higher.. more wages better players. Well done T.P. two of the three most Prem managers would have signed but we got them.. T.P. get's 8/10 from me. Still concerned about the midfield but maybe T.P. did try Smither's. I know for a fact was told last night by S S News at the training ground.. we were also after one Citeh player on loan but, they wanted to sell him before loaning out? Of course that could be untrue but he seemed to know who was going where before it was officially announced. He told me Crouch had signed at 10:45
Crouch got a lot of assists for us last year knocking high balls down to Van der Vaart. I'm not sure he'll get as many assists (in the same manner at any rate) for you guys as you play 4-4-2 I believe but he could well score goals - he will surely recover some form after a poor league campaign last year and will get good service from the likes of Etherington and Pennant. A word of warning about Crouch, he can give away lots of free kicks as when he jumps as it looks like he climbs ('cos he's so tall) and because defenders worked out ages ago that if you back into him a bit then it makes it LOOK like Crouch is climbing even more. He can be a bit substandard in the air for a man of his height as well. Just prepare to be a tad frustrated with him sometimes. Palacios started really well for us when he came from Wigan but somewhat understandably he never recovered form after the tragic events surrounding his brother. If you can get him firing again then he can be a force in the centre of the park, but I don't think we rate his distribution as highly as you do! In all seriousness they are two good signings for you and I wish you good luck for the rest of your season.
I'm a very happy Potter this morning! Only downside was not getting backup for Jermaine and Matty but it wasn't for the want of trying - we inquired about both Johnson and Bellamy but to no avail. Crouch's goalscoring record can't really be brought into question over his career, and it's nice to know we've now got a couple (maybe three) strikers who will score around 10 goals a season. Jerome also scored 11 in his first season in the Prem with Brum, and I'm optimistic he'll be a shrewd acquisition. However, for me the best signing of the lot is Palacios. He's still relatively young, quick, strong in the tackle, passes decently enough and would eventually be a perfect foil for Marc Wilson when he's moved back into midfield. With the likes of Begovic, Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Wilson, Shotton and Jerome we've got a very good set of younger players that can be the foundation of the club for years to come. Obviously there's still some gaps left in the squad - a natural full-back would've been lovely, as would a more creative midfielder. However, I still think we're building nicely and we've come a long way since thinking Dave Kitson was the new messiah. Pulis gets an 8 from me.
G'day Potts, but I went to bed before you!! Jose - agree with you, especially about Kitson. Have a good day guys
I think the crouch and palacios signings demonstrate stokes ambition. jerome i think is a very average player with a below average goalscoring record. palacios is an outstanding player. gets about, makes tackles, passes well, and for anything up to £8m for a player spurs got for about £12-14m, is a absolute bargain. i would have thought if you are to add to a front line which already boasts good physical strength, then you might go for something a bit different, a bendtner for example who has pretty good technique (ok maybe not), who is much younger than crouch and could improve given a good run of games.
Palacios could be great for you but for the last 6 months/year he had been seriously underperforming for us. It was not just him losing concentration and making stupid mistakes during matches but he was being far less physical and mistiming tackles etc. Don't get me wrong we absolutely loved him when he was at his best, but sadly he has not been in recent times (as I said due to the tragic events surrounding his brother) and I think the main reason we moved him on was because we needed to free up squad space and sadly Harry can't/won't spend time brining him back into the fold. If Pulis can get his head right and get him playing then you have a midfielder who is extremely effective at what he does. Maybe I was a bit harsh earlier as well, he can knock the ball around but don't get me wrong, he's no playmaker. "The Sarge" was a fan favorite (still is for a few) and many Spurs fans are sad to see him go, especially for a loss. I reiterate the fact that I think he'll do well for you.
Pav Thanks for the imput. Tony P has a knack of getting player's heads around after off field problems i.e... Pennant, Etherington, before those Ric Fuller and here's hoping Wilson P can do likewise. To lose a member of your family in that way? I think it was must be bloody awful to get your head around.. we will make sure he gets a special "Potteries" welcome.
Pav Thanks for the imput. Tony P has a knack of getting player's heads around after off field problems i.e... Pennant, Etherington, before those Ric Fuller and here's hoping Wilson P can do likewise. To lose a member of your family in that way? I think it was must be bloody awful to get your head around.. we will make sure he gets a special "Potteries" welcome.
I'm over the bloody moon 5 signings of which 3 are Ex-Engalnd internationals, Crouch (will be now he plays for Stoke ), Woodgate & Upson. A midfielder that we have been crying out for (massive upgrade on our current lot). & a young pacey striker, who i personally think will fit in superbly. And all that for just a few million quid more than Liverpool payed for Jordan Henderson. Superb business Stoke. Now January, just get a proper left back & wing cover, top 8 here we come.
Fantastic bit of business all round, would have spontaneously combusted if we had got Johnson as well!! Agreed re backs and wing cover, in the meantime get Higgy and Wilko fully fit and back where they belong, switch Wilson to midfield and get Ric up and running again. That would give us a great run through to January. Saying that, we are unbeaten in 7 even before the latest signings. Life is bloody good.
Yes, I have got to say I was wrong.I honestly thought we were going to miss out on deadline day.My only reservation is that I hope Crouchy has a good work-rate ethic because if he doesn`t, he wont fit in, and will soon become disillusioned.I don`t think he really wanted to come here but obviously ran out of options.At his age he probably sees this as his last big move,I just hope he doesn`t see us as a soft touch!! Smithers,I know you`ve had reservations about Jerome because of his scoring record, but his record against us is fantastic,and according to our defenders is very difficult to play against.If he`s as quick as people say he is then he will add some much needed pace to our attack.I` ve got a feeling he might just come good with us. As Potts has intimated,a lot of our attacking play depends on Matty and Jermaine keeping fit and if anything happens to them we haven`t got any back-up players.I must admit I was against us signing Upson but I`ve changed my mind on that ,and to get 2 England internationals for nothing has to be excellent business All in all it turned out to be a good transfer window for Stoke. I played golf this morning and although I`m the only Stoke fan there,the general opinion was that we certainly got the best of the transfer window.It is a mark of how we`ve progressed that even Liverpool fans were discussing STOKE CITY,when a couple of years ago,when I said I supported Stoke people just smiled or commiserated.Well done to the management at Stoke and especially Mr Coates and family who made it all possible! :
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, but the recipe looks mighty fine. Hope they bed in early and glad for the extra strike power.
I eat Humble Pie after besmirching the good name of Messrs Pulis & Scholes.We should attach Kenwyne's bonce to Crouch's legs and then we'd have a fine Centre Forward. Jerome's record in the Premiership is light years ahead of what Fuller achieved with Portsmouth and Southampton (1 goal in over 36 games I believe), so let's not judge until he has had a fair crack of the whip. He does have some pace, which we are still a little short of. As everyone says, a left back would have been nice, and then we could perhaps have been treated to a Palacios / Wilson or Wilson / Palacios (da da!) midfield. All in all, enough to get me back from jumping from the window.
