Transfer deadline done, squad numbers issued, new manager settled in.... It's time for business to commence! Following much debate over the past few months, the 2013/14 season is underway and following this weekends international break, will see assembled squads battle it out until at least January. Supporters across the land will be wondering how their teams will fare this season and what new additions will bring to their team. Liverpool and Tottenham in particular have spent big money. In Liverpool's case, the impact has been immediate... Top of the league, three out of three. Stoke have also made a great start and so far we have silenced our lazy critics who can't be bothered to look past previous seasons. The only way we will change that myth is by continuing the strong start under Mark Hughes and inviting genuine praise from the likes of Paul Merson and Co on Soccer Saturday. I am sure that most Stoke fans were overjoyed by Merson's reflection of Stoke's performance against West Ham, especially as he has been just as quick to criticise in the past. It's very refreshing for someone to comment on a teams performance having watched the whole game. Having been drowned in transfer news surrounding Bale, Rooney, Suarez etc, we can now concentrate our efforts in the players bought in to strengthen Stoke City for the forthcoming season. Several signings have been made, some with risk, some we needed and some who we will have to wait for. When people say that a team has ' had a good window' I often question whether they can make such an assessment without seeing how they fit into a team. My personal view on successful transfer windows is the results it brings on the pitch and not how it looks on paper. I am yet to be convinced that Tottenham Hotspur's new signings have gelled despite the obscene amount of money they have accrued and spent Closer to home, I think the signing of Erik Peiters could prove a very shrewd move by MH and having a settled player in a position that needed strengthening can only provide balance. Maybe the surprise result of Pieters arrival is the return of Marc Wilson in a central role. His performances so far this seasons have made a few take note and, following the arrival of Stephen Ireland, it is the place of Charlie Adam which seems most under threat. That said, Adam is a matchwinner on his day and should be given the chance to cement his starting place. Marko Arnoutovic is clearly the signing that Stoke fans want to see. He comes with the 'bags of talent' label but is widely reported to be somewhat immature. Stoke fans like heroes and the Austrian has every chance of becoming just that. Talking of heroes, or fallen ones at least, it is sad to see some of the derisory comments aimed at Tony Pulis and Jonathan Walters which continue to surface frequently on these forums. It is time to move on, get behind the club and allow players to get into the team on merit and at the discretion of the man we have entrusted to take us forward, Mark Hughes. UTP Trains
Good post Trains-potter.' I think you must agree that the atmosphere surrounding the club seems a thousand times better than when TP was there. Most people appreciate what he did for the club but let`s be honest we`d be going down for sure if he`d stayed for this season. He ended up being destructive not constructive with `this football club` and that`s what a lot of people can`t forgive. Forget the style of play(which was abysmal AND boring) but his vindictiveness to certain players was unforgiveable. As for Jonathan Walters my feelings are ambivalent,he is weak talentwise but I personally find it difficult to criticise someone who gives 110% every game. Every team needs a workhorse and Walters fits that role to a `tee` There is certainly a lot more hope and expectation now and I can`t wait to see how these new signings perform.
Excellent post and if I havent welcomed you in the past - then I do so now. A very good summary of ours (and others) current situation. I would like to pick up on your point in relation to Adam and competition for places in the midfield area, who would have thought this 6 months ago even though we havent added many new recruits in this area? This leads me to highlight a second point - Tony Pulis - which naturally follows the previous. I agree that what has been done in the past, should by all accounts remain in the past but unfortunatly I feel that there will be a few more months (maybe more) of comparisons and discussions on what TP did (or didnt do) if we continue on our current progression. He will be measured by what we achieve moving forward both in results and the clubs atmosphere. I have been one of the more vocal (possibly too vocal) on the TP era and on several of the players he forced on us as fans - not least Walters. I still fail to see what he offers at premiership level and question his place in the match day squad - I do think that he is still one of the weakest links in our team - and working "ard" and being a "smashin lad" unfortunatley doesnt give you a divine right to score goals. This was at its most evident last season - even as our designated penalty taker. Its a personal view and one that may or may not be shared by others. I will support any player in a Stoke shirt but I think if we are honest with ourselves, he will come under more pressure the further the season progresses.
Trains, That is a brilliant summary, pulis has gone and we move on. A different boss, new players. Ect. Lets all enjoy it and have some rep. Potts
Thanks for your comments about this thread. Having read them all thoroughly, I have had the opportunity to reflect on others thoughts and have tried to consider my own feelings about the changes we have seen recently. There is no doubt in my mind that the squad at Stoke City has been strengthened since the arrival of MH and competition for places is as competitive as ever. The Coates family took the decision to bring in a new manager and it is credit to them that they have made what some in the game felt was a brave move, although I do not believe for one minute that 'fan power'played a huge role in their decision. Peter Coates is a very shrewd businessman and decisions of this magnitude are not made to please others. He will have made them many times over his years in business and he is a man who clearly believes in his own judgement. I often wonder whether Stoke would be in the position they are in today without Tony Pulis. Several teams, promoted from the Championship in recent years have struggled to stay up playing so called 'carpet football'. The so called 'yo-yo' teams, like West Brom and Wolves, have gained much praise for their style of football but it has not helped them in the long run. Tony Pulis was rightfully lauded for gaining promotion with Stoke City in 2008, but keeping them in the Premier League thereafter is probably a greater achievement. It is clear from the comments all over this forum that his brand of football was 'boring' and 'unadventurous' but we would do well to remember that the whole system he adopted was to make us difficult to beat. It was a different approach and one which often gave us a fighting chance of survival. In the early days after promotion, there were many good times at the Britannia and teams would hate the thought of facing a team of six foot monsters on a Saturday afternoon. It goes without saying, 'Playing to their strengths' was a phrase that most Potters fans got fed up of hearing, myself included. It did not take much working out that Tony Pulis appeared to have 'reached his limits'. The players he was targeting during transfer windows were in keeping with the system he employed and the 'glimmers of hope' that were bought in did not get a chance. Credit to Peter Coates for seeing this and acting on it. He knew there were better quality players coming in and no doubt questioned why half of them were playing out of position or not at all. The system that had served Stoke City so well, showed no signs of change and there were certainly no signs of evolution. I am of the opinion that without Tony Pulis, Stoke City may well not be in the Premier League. It was his 'unpopular' brand of football that got us there, and kept us there. I hold a strong belief that it is a system that would serve him well as the manager of his country and the next time Chris Coleman forgets his passport, the Welsh FA would do well to give Mr Pulis a call. I also believe that he deserves credit for leaving the club with such dignity after a very successful period in the clubs history and I hope that his association with Stoke City will be remembered favourably by at least some. UTP Trains
Trains Yet another great post and well balanced to boot! SORRY Trains, THANK YOU Tony Pulis for ALL you did. My problem is simple Trains, HE had the CHANCE "To take us forward and he didn't " that's my own view mate no offence. M H has restored my faith. But I WILL be forever grateful to Pulis for a few great games and of course European footie. New era now Trains, it might yet come back to bite us in the ass, but at least I am enjoying it again now.
Trains-potter,You are 100% correct ,I can`t disagree with anything you`ve stated in your summing up, and as usual, Potts, you`ve said it all. The football last season was DIRE . TP had run out of ideas,and after all,football is supposed to be entertainment not just survival. Don`t forget there were some `cracking `games when we were in the championship.Credit to Peter Coates for doing the right thing,and I personally thinkTP went quietly because he was given a very good `going away` present. For the good of the club and it`s reputation TP had to go. (just as an example, where I play golf, a number of people have come up to me and said`what`s happened to Stoke, they`re playing good football ?!`As far as I`m concerned the jury is still out on MH,but he`s certainly made an impressive start.
I believe that Tony Pulis was praised and rightly so, for all the good things he achieved at Stoke City football club, it's a shame he couldn't bring himself to use that name himself. He was praised for the promotion for bringing in new players and for keeping us in the Premiership, but he was also justly condemned for the things he got wrong and that goes with the territory of his position. The mismanagement of so many players showed his unprofessionalism, Beatie, Tuncay, Pennant, Wilson, Adams and Michael Owen, to name a few, when your window of opportunity is so short playing for Tony Pulis has got to be looked at as a poison chalice. Regardless I wish him well for his future and i'm more than happy with his replacement.
Welcome Trains, excellent posts mate. You are right, TP does deserve credit for what he did for us, but at the same time his failings and lack of ambition need to be highlighted. I also think your right about the Wales job, I think he could do a good job there, they have the underdog status that suits Pulis' style, and he'd have a chance to see how different Shotton and Bale really are As Joe says, jury is still out on Hughes, but we've had an impressive start, and it looks like we could be in for an exciting season. I work nights and sleep through afternoon/ evenings, so sometimes catching the games can be awkward, really takes its toll if I go to the game, so I usually stream the matches, but towards the end of last season I stopped bothering with that too. This season I've been up with well enough time to stream the matches, and I'm thinking about getting meself down the Brit for a few. I don't mind being knackered at work if I've enjoyed the football, but at times last season it was like doing a double shift! (Regarding streams, I've heard Al-Jazeera TV are showing every Prem game this season, so there should be plenty of decent streams)
Yes they are Sandor although my laptop does not take kindly to it! I'll fiddle around and get it right eventually.
