Pistol, I think in a nutshell you sum up the whole conundrum about TP. We are at our weakest in the areas of central midfield and full back, something that we have all said since we came into the Premier League - what is TP's answer to this? Well, he shells out around £6m for Wilson (£3.5m + Lawrence + Kitson) as a midfielder, but then decides to play him at left back, before seeing if he can convert him to a right back. Meanwhile a guy who 8 weeks ago he (jokingly I assume) referred to as apotential Gareth Bale, remains on the bench. So we have a team of 11 which on paper seemed quite attacking, but with 5 people out of position - Wilson, Fuller(left wing)Jerome (right wing) Huth(left back) and Walters (midfield?). If TP was to leave, the real test of his stewardship would be what has he left to any new manager, and the answe (for all the money he has spent), is a team with good centre halves and goalkeepers, but elsewhwre no pace (Jerome excepted), no creativity (unless Palacios and Wilson both become what they were bought to be) and a set of strikers who shoot on target about as often as you win the lottery.In short after 4 years, when we should be looking forward to mid table obscurity and cup runs, I fear we will be looking over our shoulder and dark days in the Championship - this team is 100% of TP's own making and the problems, be they disciplinary or failure to convert into points on the field are allof his own making.
exactly!!! thats how bad I think we are!!!, if Whitehead is one of the better players we are in massive trouble. Next season looks frightening and lets look at the facts: Etherington looks virtually finished, the amount of good games he has had this season can be counted on one hand. Pennant will be gone (prison more likely), Walters looks a shadow of himself, Kenwyn Jones has the worst touch of ANY footballer I have ever seen and never even looks in control of the ball. It Looks like we will never see how good Palacious can be as he can pass the ball and so has no place in TPs team, Delap has been given another 1 year contract and Shotton seems to not be as good as I first hoped. All in all on performance we are the worst team in the Prem and I can undertand why other teams would want us relegated as all we do is try to wreck every game by bullying, hoofing etc instead of trying to get the ball down and pass it a bit. I will get absolutely slated for this post but I dont give a **** anymore!!!.
Excellent post! The Wilson deal was nearer 10 million. We had 5.5 million invested in Kitson plus the cash and Lawrence was worth 2.5 million of anybody's money!
Waddo i didnt mean to sound that way and it was not aimed at any individual i know football is crap under tp but i,m just stating that the grass is not always greener just ask charlton, bolton or wolves fans, if infact coates did sack tp i just asked who would you like to see in, no need for any abuse just creating a topic which is open to anyones opinion.
Well said,and it`s a good question.Nobody who is available springs to mind at the moment, much as I dislike our football.
I agree that the grass is not always greener mate, but even if we played a better standard of football we would still avioid relegation. I said that when Di Matteo got sacked from West Brom it was a disgrace and I would have him at Stoke any day of the week, unfortunately that ship has sailed and he has worked wonders with Chelsea. Ill be honest and say that I would have any other Premiership manager other than Pulis at this moment, he hasnt got a clue what hes doing full stop!!!!!. For me the times when we say we are happy to just be in the prem are long gone and we DESERVE abterr standard of football for th millions and millions he has spent. Personally I think the football (if you can call it that) we have played this season has been the worst that I have EVER seen. For me the only way forward is to get rid of Pulis!!
ric i cannot disagree with you i suppose after our game at qpr he is desperate its obvious to see and the money he has spent on poor strikers is quite frankly scary, i do not think coates will ever sack him though whats more likely to happen is that he will move upstairs and then bring in someone but again the big question is who?? hughton? holloway? raneiri? its a tough decision which if coates gets wrong well we all know what will happen.
I cant see any manager reporting into TP in a director type role! Its hard to respect a peer or superior who has spent 90 million, produced some of the worse football in prem history and is partial to the off naked flying headbutt!
I won't slate you Ric, I don't thiink Whtiehead is anything special and the rest of your'e post I agree with 100% I have NEVER seen another Stoke team give the ball away so many times. We all know that Pulis will not leave but I'm wondering if Mr Coates may have finally seen enough.
Wishful thinking I`m afraid,Potts,we`ve been here before,but I just don`t understand how ,having spent all that money(PC) he can enjoyu watching the dross that we play!!
I dont think Coates really cares either way, as long as the club runs itself - he will always be remebered as the guy who took us to the Prem (owner wise). TP has come out with some crap in his time, but Coates has said a few things that have been negative about the Stoke faithful!
I hope Coates gets rid of Pulis but I dont think that there is any chance of that. I cant believe that Coates is happy spending all that money to watch crap football.
I loved going the Brit,and seeing us fight for every point,but now i don't enjoy it any more,but i love Stoke City thats why i put up with it, So nobody is going to tell me dont go,if you dont like it. I go but i hate how we play now.
