Even though i hate their style of play, if i were a Stoke fan i wouldn't care if it got results. They're a tough team to beat, and like us have only conceded 1 goal. Outside the top 6 do you reckon they're the strongest team now? I know you may think this is a knee jerk reaction to their early success but I've thought for a while that they're a tough team. I personally fear our matches together because i know exactly whats going to happen. The same as last year, we'll play all the best football, pass it well, but they'll smash us up with set plays. Who do we have in our team that can deal with an aerial threat? Saylor? Tiote? Who else marks well vs good players? I know it was Tiote who lost his man vs Fulham that lead to one of their headers on goal, which fortunately Krul saved, but most of the time Tiote is pretty good in the air defensively. Colo isn't that great. He can win headers, but against big players i wouldn't bet on him. How the feck are we going to defend against Stoke?
As long as they can keep their home record intact and get a few away wins, they'll finish top 10 They're a bit like Hippo Head's Bolton, hard for any team to play against If they can string together a few wins they can do well, their away form is a worry But with Shawcross (v under-rated), Huth, Woodgate and Upson I can't see them leak many, Pulis has them well drilled
I hate to say it but Pulis has done a magnificent job at Stoke. Their football is **** , but they play to their strengths. Personally I'm against their style of football but what can we do? They're very strong at home and on their day just their physical presence in the box could be enough to beat any team in the league when playing at home. Still hate Pulis and their fans especially , hate them with a passion. Glad they beat Liverpool though , the "It's going to be our year" echoes were starting to emanate from that library they call Anfield.
Stoke will either get 6th or 7th this year, but they won't be as strong as they are now all season. I'm a little worried for when we play them because they always seem to get the better of us. We haven't beaten them since the 4th round replay when Keegan returned
I wouldnt class them as the strongest outside the top 6, but they are almost certainly one of the strongest, along with ourselves, Villa, Everton and Sunderland. Possibly Fulham. They're an extremely tough team to beat, especially at home. Just because, they hardly play football. If they ever change their manager, it would be their downfall. You dont think Colo is that great!? You got a temperature Tash? Colo is one of the best defenders, if not the best we've had in along time.
I meant to say Colo isn't that great in the air. He can win headers, but not normally against big players, and Stoke have a lot of them. Colo and Saylor are our best defenders. Saylor is more powerful and better in the air, Colo is more intelligent, quicker and has awesome precise tackles.
And apparently it was Liverpool who ended up lumping the ball long all the time and playing 'Stoke style' football in the end
I work in Stafford, not far from Stoke and know quite a few Stoke fans. They are unfairly labelled as a 'rugby side' and actually play quite a lot of good stuff whilst being solid at the back. A lot of people who slate them only ever see what MOTD shows, and we all know how edited their coverage is. I've never had a problem with Stoke. Much rather them in the PL over the likes of Wigan and Blackburn. They will safely be top 10 this season. Crouch isn't worth £12m tho.
I think they are pretty strong although I hate them sooo much! I think we have a chance of finishing that high if we stick together and keep on picking up the results
I find Collo is great against all except the very best players. I seem to remember his biggest embarassments during the relegation season being against players like Gerrard/Ronaldo (Best players in the league that year) Since then I've only seen him visibly struggle 1 on 1 against very few teams, less than a team in every handful I would say. One of them obviously being Bolton with an in-form Davies and Elmander
Everton will walk all over Stoke. They're far superior. Watch Everton yesterday, they're good, just switching off too much. But they're both ahead of us, quite a bit I'd say. If we keep defending as well as we have though, it's a different matter.
