Last year got us to 13th place, Ok it was only six points off relegation, but do you honestly believe, even with our squad now, that we will be relegated? I do not, not with the teams that have come up, plus Wigan, Blackburn, Wolves,West Brom & Bolton & Newcastle & Sunderland. Have some faith people, with just a few signings we will be top 10.
I think we can get relegated, much better teams than us have in the past! Our issue is not our squad (although it needs vast improvement), it's that we cant score goasl or creat chances, we lose too many games and we struggle on the road! Playing the % works until the opposition takes the % away from you! TP made a comment that he sets his team up the same way regardless of the opposition - that is just crazy! Football is like chess, you reduce a threat and attack a weakness - amd they will vary depending on who you play! So I have faith that we will probably muddle through, but we CAN go down!
Smither's and Stokielad Both of you are quite right. NO ONE is too good not to go down. But, with a couple of decent player's. Yeah, I KNOW we are all still waiting I believe we can and will stay up. I took up on the TP interview in the Sentinel on Friday. He said to the Croatia Journo's.. We, Stoke WILL play in Europe the ENGLISH way? Yeah cos we will T.P. But, IF you keep on broadcasting the fact. We might be found out. I wish he had not said anything really. Our squad as it stands right now? I'm am certain we will find it harder than last season. That's why I want T.P. to act quickly. I will, always have KTF but we DO NEED to add to what we have. When clubs like QPR sign D J Campbell, WHY is it that T.P. didn't even enquire about him, maybe he did but it shows that even the new teams even Swansea seem to realise how hard it will be. My real worry is this. More and more newly promoted teams will follow W Broms attacking style as did Blackpool. I can see All three of them having a "Real Go this season" playing without fear, they have nothing too lose. If I had to back at least one of them staying up or more than one. I honestly think they will. Blackpool were unlucky and IF teams keep on adopting their no fear approach. Eventually teams who do as we do, just turn up to away games with negative tactic's. That will be where T.P. needs to look at his own ideas on us "having a go away from home" It does work, win some lose some. Much better IMHO anyway than, hold out and hope. Because that will/might cost us this season.
I think Sunderland will be top 10, Bruce has bought some good players. Yes we can go down especially if we dont improve our squad. Nearly all of the teams mentioned above have as good a squad of players as us. Wigan played some cracking stuff last season. Blackburn, Newcastle and especially Bolton wont go down IMO. Kenwyn Jones really pisses me off!!!, he stroles round the pitch like hes playing sunday morning football. He just doesnt look interested to me, that bloke has a lot to prove because IMO he has been a bad signing up to yet!!. Hope he starts to look interested and bags a few goals but sometimes he seems like hes just picking up his wages.
Me, for a change I am saying nothing, except we are 2 injuries away from relegation fodder!! Oh and Pulis's away set up. Oh sod it, and playing Huth at right back, persisting with our much famed midfield!! That's enough of saying nothing!!
With the squad we have got now,definately yes! As Smithers said we have hardly any attacking threat at all.I also cannot see the sense of leaving transfers until the last minute.Surely it is better to make sure now, of the players that you want, and get them `bedded` in.For goodness sake it`s Chelsea we`re playing next Sunday and just how are we expecting to score any goals with the present line-up?
Nick Well, that was short and too the point mate! ANYONE who doesn't realise by now that you like me believe that we are no where near good enough isn't thinking logically as you so rightly pointed out in you last e mail to me. Sorry mate, will reply ASAP had a busy week and just reading it a few minutes ago. Just for those of you on here. Nick didn't mention ANYONE in our current squad. He was aiming higher when he righty commented about "This football Club" Nick, you are so right in what you said mate. I will leave it for the rest of you to work out. Getting all cryptic in my old age lads, must see the doc first thing on Monday cos it might get too painful to bear if someone doesn't do something. Sadly, neither I nor Nick can't. HOW I wish we could. As Nick would usually say, Oh sod it! Bring on Chelsea
Looking on the stoke site today, TP's mentioned surprise signings he's close to. I know it's same old story but he's not rushing, he never does and last season he couldn't have signed anyone better - the difference those players have made is amazing!
Dave Fair enough same old same we are looking etc.. Cos I will give TP the benifit until the end of the month. Great result on Thursday and NOW, surely WE MUST get player's in ASAP. Agreed I think apart from KJ who is a lazy so and so all he needs is a kick in the preverbials. Can't argue with the other signings we did make. KTF one and all.
Do you know Stokielad - I NEVER considered that - it is such a bizarre thought that it COULD be true!! Yup, he got it right last year with Walters and Pennant - way off beam with Jones imo. BUT it appears to me right now that you have GOT to run Faster just to stand still!! On here someone said (sorry cannot remember who but I believe is 100% correct) the newbies in the prem WILL have a go ala Blackpool with a bit more emphasis on defence!! Pulis just HAS to change his ways away from - no not like that - football tactics wise or else!! I believe I am correct in saying that Fortress Brit ain't the fortress it used to be be!! I am sure that our resident stats men will either prove or disprove that. What ever it is NOT improvement, it is NOT evolution, of Pulis does not get his act together it will be both relocation - to the Championship
I agree totally that we need new players, and to say goodbye to whose part in our story has come to an end, but if we are going to have the transfer system that we have now with two windows it is fundamental economics that, since clubs buying will try and beat the prices down and sellers and agents will be doing their damnedest to keep prices high, it is unavoidable that in many cases deals will go to the wire to do so. It is not just TP, I think it is the system.
I did state on another thread that i would scream if we started this prem campaign with delap & whelan in the centre, well now im screaming, thats just for nick lol. How about a midfield of Pennant Palacios(sp) Wilson/Barton/Someone from Italy Ethers And a forward line of Jones/Bendtner/Walters/Crouch/Cole Would that suffice?
Get's my vote Huthy. But can we dump Jones on the Baggies see their thread and get Defoe in?? Gutted to see the Vale losing
Have you noticed how Sunderland always buy loads of players at the start of the window and usually pay over the odds for them. You look at their squad every year and think, 'yeah they should finish top half this year' and after a really good start they always implode in the second half of the season and go on a run that sees them flirting with relegation. Anyways, whatever decent players they sign we will end up with them half price in a few seasons time (hopefully including Gyan). I think we can give Chelsea a game with our current team based on the 1-1 draw last season although apparently Drogba is back to his old self in pre-season and he's the one player who can do our defence real damage. We won't go down... that's the beauty of Pulis' overtly defensive approach. If you look at every team that gets relegated they all have one thing in common and that's a sh*t defense. We definitely have a top 8 defense.
Stokielad,your point about saving money by not buying too early in the transfer window is well made ,but now we are only 1 week away from the first game and still no new faces. By the end of the month we could well be out of Europe and bottom of the Prem.Haddock I also agree that the system is at fault ,can anyone remind me why we have a transfer window anyway,it certainly doesn`t seem a very good way of doing business with frantic deals being done at the last minute!!
