Just what can the final ingredients bring?

[luke45]

stokecity2-0hullcity.blogspot.com/2010/04/potters-ambush-tigers.html

For anyone bored enough to read, I've wrote a blog about the game yesterday, thoughts of who played well and who didn't, then briefly about where I think we need to strengthen in the Summer, and what we could go on to achieve with the right additions.

Thank god smiting is removed. ;D

[griffoisalegend]

Nice read

With the right additions we won't achieve anything more than we are now, we're maxing out our potential already.

What we may achieve however is a better standard of football, i'd personally be happy with 10-12th place every year for the rest of our history as long as we get the odd cup run and the odd "miracle" season like Fulham have. Although, i wouldn't be happy if we continued to hoof it forever more(like 5 years on from now), being a mid table prem side and a good footballing one at that would be brilliant.

As you say a centre midfielder would be lovely and i'd be delighted with just one quality player like O'Hara coming in on the summer so we can gradually improve the way we play. There's been encouraging evidence of that happening already in certain games.

[stokeyhunter]

spot on in my opinion couldnt disagree with much at all except next year for me should be trying to get a top ten spot not a top 8 obviously i wouldnt say no but all in all a very goood post it would be a positve karma rather than a negative smite for that post lol

[griffoisalegend]

You look at the top 8 sides as well, and they're all light years ahead of us in every department.

[Inverness Stokie]

Good blog Luke, don't think it's possible for us to get top 8 though as we don't have the resources nor the players to get anywhere near that, as a top 10 side we are maximising our potential as a football club.

[Lakeland Potter]

A good read Luke. Just one error I spotted - we and Man Utd have both lost 5 away games not 3.

[Lakeland Potter]

I agree with the general opinion that breaking into the top 8 would be a big ask - but it is quite possible that we might finish less than ten points away from 8th place this season!

We can all look to silly points dropped this season and imagine that making up those ten points would not be too difficult with: a good striker, a creative midfielder, an attacking full back and a decent winger with pace.

Getting all of them in one summer will be a tall order though - and it will have to be accompanied by a serious cull of some deadwood to free up the wages. But it is possible. Even if we did fill all the vacancies, we are more likely to "flirt" with the top eight rather than become a regular top eight club

[luke45]

Apr 4, 2010 18:59:50 GMT Lakeland Potter said:

A good read Luke. Just one error I spotted - we and Man Utd have both lost 5 away games not 3.

I'll get that edited and we'll pretend I was never wrong Cheers John.

[Roy Cropper]

Apr 4, 2010 18:59:50 GMT Lakeland Potter said:

A good read Luke. Just one error I spotted - we and Man Utd have both lost 5 away games not 3.

Yeh Luke, get it right! 3/10

Seriously though, good report and agreed with everything..

..as for the question then who knows where we'd be if we had that striker who can notch in 12-15+ goals a season.

[bigdave1]

I think we already have stikers who can score 15+ goals a season.
we really need someone to create the chances.
if you look at most games, we are not missing 5 or 6 chances a game, infact we are not creating 5 or 6 in a game.
given the service on a regular basis i think fuller kitson beatie tunch and even mama will score more goals.
so i save the money on spend it on 1 or 2 quality midfielders to supply our strikers.

[fentonstokie1]

Apr 4, 2010 20:31:29 GMT bigdave1 said:

I think we already have stikers who can score 15+ goals a season.
we really need someone to create the chances.
if you look at most games, we are not missing 5 or 6 chances a game, infact we are not creating 5 or 6 in a game.
given the service on a regular basis i think fuller kitson beatie tunch and even mama will score more goals.
so i save the money on spend it on 1 or 2 quality midfielders to supply our strikers.

Mama. ;D