please log in to view this image https://www.stokecityfc.com/ https://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/ please log in to view this image LAST TIME OUT In The Dressing Room Ryan Lowe is hopeful he may be able to call upon Andrew Hughes, with the defender now back in training following a spell on the sidelines. The manager also explained that Robbie Brady is on the road to recovery, however his return has been delayed due to an illness last week. Sean Maguire and Troy Parrott will both miss out, with the latter expected to return in January, but he will be assessed by Tottenham Hotspur’s medical team before being made available for selection. A Look At Our Hosts please log in to view this image Sat 17th in the table currently, the Potters are one of several sides in the division who will be hoping to make a push for the top six during the second half of the season. Managed by former PNE boss Alex Neil, Stoke are searching for greater consistency in their results having not achieved back-to-back victories since October. They're also looking to improve on their performances at the bet365 Stadium in the coming months, given they have taken 12 points from their 12 matches at home so far this term. Going Head To Head Games played: 110 PNE wins: 49 Draws: 24 Stoke City wins: 37 Last victory: Stoke City 1-2 PNE, 3rd January 2022 One To Watch please log in to view this image Having scored and assisted more goals than anyone in the team so far this term, it's hard to look past midfielder Lewis Baker as Stoke's key player. The former Chelsea man enjoyed a fantastic second half to last season with the Potters following his January arrival, scoring eight and assisting two. So far this season, the tally is five and four respectively, and with an eye for a long-range stunner, PNE will need to make sure they don't give the 27-year-old any sight of goal. Match Officials please log in to view this image Leigh Doughty will take charge of a PNE fixture for only the third time in his career on Monday. Doughty, now in his third season of refereeing in the Championship, officiated North End’s defeats to Cardiff City and Fulham in the 2021/22 campaign. This season, he has shown 74 yellow cards and four reds in his 17 matches as the main official, and on Monday he will be assisted by Adam Crysell and Robert Hyde, with Thomas Kirk on fourth official duties. A potted history of Stoke on Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of 36 square miles (93 km2). In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375.[9] It is the largest settlement in Staffordshire and is surrounded by the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Biddulph and Stone, which form a conurbation around the city. Stoke is polycentric, having been formed by the federation of six towns in 1910. It took its name from Stoke-upon-Trent where the main centre of government and the principal railway station in the district were located. Hanley is the primary commercial centre; the other four towns which form the city are Burslem, Tunstall, Longton and Fenton. Stoke-on-Trent is the home of the pottery industry in England and known as The Potteries. Formerly a primarily industrial conurbation, it is now a centre for service industries and distribution centres. MACS VIEW Another trip down the M6 to the Potteries, at least it's not Port Vale although the way we are playing that could be next season. After the shocker on Thursday night those that will be in attendance will be wanting a better performance however here is the problem who do you put in!?. Still not figured out how having a break for four weeks could led to so many injuries. Manager's credit is rapidly going down hill, the football is slow and predictable, needs new blood however our transfer windows are usually less than exciting, although when we do bring good players in like Anthony Gordon, we don't play them. New Year, new optimism, we'll see tomorrow and Sean Maguire is still injured
Stoke City 0 Preston North End 1 Evans Stoke City line-up: Bonham; Wilmot, Souttar, Fox; Clarke, Baker (Laurent, 79), Thompson, Smallone, Tymon; Campbell (Powell, 74), Brown (Delap, 65). Subs not used: Bursik, Kilkenny, Fosu, Taylor. PNE line-up: Woodman; DIaby, Lindsay, Hughes; Browne (Ledson 90+6), Whiteman, McCann, Johnson, Fernández; Riis (Woodburn, 23), Evans. Subs not used: Cornell, Cunningham, Bauer, Cross-Adair, Potts. Attendance: 20,034 (1,606 PNE fans) Referee: Mr L Doughty. A game that will not live long in the memory which was preceded by a near three hour journey to the Potteries via all points in rural Cheshire. Crashes near Wigan and Stoke meant a roundabout trip to the Bet 365 and the rarity of a 3.15 kick off which you only tended to get at Bury many years ago. The game was a shocker, to say it was poor was an understatement but we ended up with three points which you will take all day. The Bet 365 stadium was like a morgue barely any noise from the home support possibly getting used to our Alex's positie brand of football, mind you ours is not exactly Brazil 1970. We started off fairly well with Riis looking loke he was getting back to some form, however Riis went off injured after an accidental collision with those electronic advertising boards, we didn't have the same fluency following his departure. The home side had a glimmer of chance after we nearly cocked up a goal kick but were as toothless as us up front, although should really have taken the lead on the stroke of half time, Campbell tame effort from close in was kicked off the line by the Wodman who had already committed to a dive to the right. We kicked off the second half pumped a high ball forward to were 6ft7ins centre back Souttar easily won the header, against our diminutive forwards. It was a sign of things to come the ball pumped skywards by both sides occasionally football did break out but mediocrity soon returned, lost count of the number of times a misplaced pass ended up out of play. We managed to annoy the home fans as is the tradition with away teams, they looked more likely to win it but cannot remamber Woodman having to make any meaningful saves. As the game drifted towards a close we had a great chance, Eoodburn played through tried to chip teh keeper but Bonham made a really good save to deny him. Would have settled for a point but in the 93rd minute a corner was delivered to the near post Ched was there flicked header in she goes 1 up. A horrible game but cannot argue with three points. Fifth visit to the ground on the hill, fifth time I've won there. Mention for Ched worked his nadgers off, 10 year contract incoming Stoke City manager Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke: "It wasn't a game we deserved to lose, but we have a habit of taking games we don't deserve to lose and turning them into a loss. "I thought we had three really good chances in the game, which we don't take, and you always leave yourselves open to a sucker-punch at the end and that's exactly how it panned out. "I understand the disappointment and frustration [of fans], but this isn't an issue that's been here for a short period of time, it has been here a lot longer. "We're doing everything we can to try and remedy it, and hopefully if we can find ourselves on the right side of some of the key moments in games then it will change things in our favour." Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire: "The performance was all about character today. We've had a tough two weeks, let's not kid ourselves, it's what the Championship brings up. "We've had a few injuries and a bit of bad luck because we've still been playing OK, but sometimes you need that little bit of resilience from the group. "I said to them before the game, 'Tough times don't last, but tough people do,' and that's what we've got in abundance. "I thought there was loads of character, some good football, but the football's irrelevant - it's just the three points, that's the main thing."
Yep, take that. Abit more umph in the team but the team is not settled- too many injuries and illnesses. Now Riis lasted only 25 minutes.
NE's defence doesn't look as solid as it did earlier in the season, though Diaby had a decent game. The RFB position is very weak. Potts does a decent job and makes it more secure than when Browne or others fill in. Fernandez is good going forward but defensively a lot to improve. More of a winger than a LFB.
