Excellent positive comments coming from Coates on the expectations of Stoke for the remainder of the season! "It is vital for us to have a GOOD end to the season and pick up as many points as we can" he said. "If we finish in the top half, the financial aspect would be attractive (42 million for 15th & 49 million for 8th) and important to us in terms of RUNNING the club". This is one of the very few occassions I have heard PC state openly where he wants/expects Stoke to be. I also noted that there appeared to be focus on a strong finish (something that grated alot fans last year) and the focus ona financial return! Glad to see Coates going public with a positive goal and hopefully TP will respond! So realistically, based on TP's previous history, our form (16th/17th over the last 10 prem games) and Coates open statment of expectation do we think that top 10 is an option. Please vote!
I have gone for 14th - 17th on the basis that I can see Villa out performing us through to the end of the season. Whilst it is very close (only 1 point over 6 teams) the others look to be able to score goals on a regular basis which means they are pretty much in every game - and if we do tie on points our goal difference doesn't look great! If TP got the team firing on all cylinders, played the best players in the right positions and has no injury woes I think the best we could hope for (with a bit of luck) would be 9th or 10th!
I went for 11th-13th because our goal difference is so crap and can't see us scoring enough goals to better it.
I'll go for 12th at best.. I was pleased to read Peter coate's comments but as said above.. Tony will BlOW it with his selections IMO. We blew it last season v Wigan True enought there is no way we're going to decrease that too much with Spurs and Citeh to come it could be far worse. Although, I honesty think we can beat Man City on Saturday eventing. Too many teams are playing better.. Swansea, Everton, Fulham, Baggies etc even Norwich I can see finishing above us. So given the excuse that it's been a long season.. I would settle for 13th/14th any lower is a big FAIL in my oppinion. We simply do not score enough goals and It's because Pulis is so negative. Let's have a right go at teams between now and Mid May
I've gone 11-13th, I was hoping for a top 10 finish this season, but with Swansea, Sunderland and Norwich all doing well it's gonna be hard, and I think Villa have got enough fight to jump up a few places
I have gone for 14-17 because (1) We don't score enough goals so we may draw games we ought to win (2) TP has been too cautious up to now, paying too much respect at times to the opposition (3) Our goal difference is crap compared to those around us and because we don't score enough we will not improve it by a great deal (4) I tend to be a bit of a pessimist with regard to Stoke's prospects However if TP changes his approach a little and tries to win games, especially away from home, and can motivate the players then maybe 11-13 would be achievable. Top 10 is unlikely IMO because of GD and teams above us now may be difficult to catch. I hope I'm wrong of course.
I have gone for 14-17 because (1) We don't score enough goals so we may draw games we ought to win (2) TP has been too cautious up to now, paying too much respect at times to the opposition (3) Our goal difference is crap compared to those around us and because we don't score enough we will not improve it by a great deal (4) I tend to be a bit of a pessimist with regard to Stoke's prospects However if TP changes his approach a little and tries to win games, especially away from home, and can motivate the players then maybe 11-13 would be achievable. Top 10 is unlikely IMO because of GD and teams above us now may be difficult to catch. I hope I'm wrong of course.
P.S. I voted for 14th/17th because of my above comment, I just think that given our squad that's not what I would have hoped for.. I'm looking for 12th at worst and I honestly think that is the best we will achive.
I go for 14th to 17th. I hope it is better than that really, but think I am being realistic. 1) I still think TP will not play Pennant from the start thus limiting our attacking options to score. 2) As Proud says TP is still far too cautious even more so away from home. 3) The away performances at Bolton & Sunderland will continue to haunt us and potentially cost 3 places at end of season. If we manage to get a point by Spurs players being effected by the ' England' job for Arry that would be a bonus, as would anything against Citeh. The only wins I can really see are Wolves & Bolton at home. I do hope we do ArseNIL again which would give us a great chance of being higher than I have plumped for. I also hope that we manage a scrappy 1-0 at Wigan. So if my predictions and hopes come to fruition we will get 48 points at least so with that figure we should get to 11th. On another thought it does look as if 35 points is what could keep teams up this year. Out of the bottom 3 can anybody see them getting more than 12 points from their last 9 games? I know of course we play each of them!!
Tin hat on guys, but thanks to Pulis, I really do not give a damn, I know that this season has for me, been the last straw. I'm not too sure what I am trying to say here, I cannot bring myself to say that if we get relegated, then at least we get rid of Pulis. I shouldn't be feeling like this, but I don't feel like it's MY Stoke City anymore
Nicky I feel exactly the same truth be told! NEVER thought I would feel so down about ONE season? Yep Europe was a bonus. Was it as exciting as almost 40yrs ago, not even close for me. Sick of Pulis's negative approach/interviews/complaining when things go wrong/his arrogance and obvious fall out with Pennant.. also he cares not a jot for US. The FANS are the life of Stoke City NOT Tony Pulis nor any other Manager. MY Problem with him? He thinks we've had a great season so far? He might fool some fans but not me. I said it the other week. I have my S/ticket for next season. IF Pulis does not start to PLAY more football I doubt I will renew in 2014. His is so far stuck up his own **** it's almost laughable. He is slowy but surly killing the great support this club has. NOW prove me wrong T.P. go at Spurs on Wed's and AGAIN vs Citeh on Saturday but you WON'T will you. Given that we're almost safe, in fact we may already be safe. It's sickens me just how arrogant and negative he is. If Mr Coates can not sense nor see it.. Basically we're well and turly shafted/stuck with a Manager half my mates can not stand the sight of. For ONE reason above all others. His NEGATIVITY away from home. Which is WHY I will not go anymore to away games. Someone PLEASE tell my WHY they think I should. Can't wait to get shot down here or are others along with myself and Nicky thinking similar? Rant over.
I actually think that Coates is telling TP you finish strongly, for if you do not you will not get the cash to spend in the summer. I understood earlier in the year that he does not expect to hand over £20 million each year for TP to spend. He wants the club to stand more on its on feet. Is PC losing patience? I believe he may be. As regard having a go at either Nicky or Potts, no I can't. You have your feelings as I have mine. Managers come and go and I will still be supporting the team longer than any manager is in place. The team will always be inside of me whoever the man is in charge. I will keep travelling up to support them and when in some 15 years (health permitting) I might have to rely on the train, that I hope will not stop me. So UTP and as you say Potts Keep the Faith!!
Cris As you will remember, last season because of illness I could not go too away games. This season is different. My only away game was at Sunderland and that was woeful. To think Sunderland we're at the time having a bad run with Bruce in charge it was'nt good enough IMO. I think re Mr Coates and T.P. you may be right. .. what makes it worse for me is when you look at Swansea? The fooball they play is fantastic, they may or may not finish above us. But, I would PAY to watch football like that home and away Cris. I can NOT bring myself to travel sometimes 3 hrs plus on a coach to see Pulis play so negativly. YOU do Cris and I applaud you and the other fantastic Stoke fans.
This was part of the reason I wrote the post - I too felt that it was a statemnet by Coates that TP finish the season positively! I think we are safe now, so thre 0-0 draws and TP sacking would do me fine!
Smither's Still it's a fact, we're ONLY safe or safe isshh becasue of the very poor teams below the others in the League agreed? GOOD JOB we had that decent run otherwise we would be well in the **** IMO. Still, that does not change my view that, we should go to Spurs and TRY and also v Citeh.. what's to lose Mr Pulis? Youre pride or your job.
Now Cameron Jerome wants to see the Master about getting more game time. Given that he has aired this view in Public, I imagine he'll play tonight, and then be banished to the Subs bench for the rest of the season, because TP is such a stubborn useless example of a football manager. At Liverpool we played OK for 45 minutes, but were fairly poor second half - the only thing that I can think would have changed things was the quality of the team talks - Dalglish probably saying go for the win, TP saying lets hang on for the draw. I did not really see much to excite me in terms of open play at Anfield, and I imagine we will be fairly dire tonight, meanwhile people who may have added a bit of quality and ability on the ball to the squad, are either sold or out on loan, being prepared for sale. If tonight and Saturday we set out to defend and hope to sneak a result, I don't even care if we win, I will not be renewing my season ticket ( the boys can if they find their own way of paying), because I have had enough of being taken for a mug by Mr Pulis. I have written to Tony Scholes, explaining exactly that point, and I am not expecting a reply. TP has traded on the loyalty of the fans as and when it suits him, but for 90% of the time he does not give a fig. When he's gone I'll renew my season ticket, even if we are in Division 2. While he stays, I stay away.
Well I never did well done the lads and so,, so unlucky not to get all 3pts Caught the game online and a pt was the least we deserved. WELL Done T.P. we HAD a RIGHT GO and it's gained us a pt I would have taken beforehand. Palacios,Pennant we're brilliant SAME team on Sat please Mr P.
I didn't think pennant and palacios were that good really. My stream was a little jumpy at times, so I may have missed bits, but Pennant didn't do much apart from deliveries from free kicks, and Palacios seemed a little sloppy, other than that though, good selection aside from Diao, but I think I'd prefer Jerome up top and Walters on the left if Matty's not playing. Don't think we performed all that well, but we were more positive than usual, so in the end a well deserved point.
