Mid-season: very hard to assess where we are

[chiswickpotter]

This is an unpredictable Premier League season and we seem to epitomise it, my view on our situation changes week to week.

We have changed style but in the last month or so we have reincorporated the long ball. I suspect this is inevitable if Crouch plays as there is no other style that can work. He has very good touch but his feet move so slowly that he is easily dispossessed. Our passing game worked better with Kenwynne but he quickly ran out of steam. I think the new blend has the most potential as early on we were passing for the sake of it. Given this, our back 7 looks more than good enough compared to our peers - the 10 teams below Southampton. (I see Southampton as closer tot he Top 8 than us, lot of pace and flair, no surprise given what they have spent and their youth set up). Our goalkeeper, regular back 4, plus Wilson who I see as a better bet than Huth in our passing game, N'Zonzi and Whelan are a solid unit. We will get caught out against the better teams with pacey wingers and quality midfields (Everton, Spurs, Swansea, Man Utd second half away) but will more than hold our own against the rest. crouch will also be good enough for this season, long term both him and Whelan need upgrading for more pace, provided we get more pace and power wide and in attacking midfield. Charlie, Assiadi and Walters all have their uses as substitutes but not as starters, they don't offer enough. This is where we need to strengthen. Ireland is too lightweight for me and Arnie needs more time to adjust before we assess him.

The results of this is that we are better away than in previous years and deserve more points than we have. Having seen most of the corresponding games for 5 years previously, this season we have put in our best away performances at Arsenal, West Ham, Fulham, Liverpool, Swansea and Man Utd. And possibly our worst at Everton and Spurs. I do believe we will take more away points in the second half as we have easier games and we are beter suited, with one or two signings we could clean up.

By contrast, our home form is not so strong, though it has been in steady decline for some time - I think since Delap faded we have not been able to put teams under sustained pressure as they don't have to worry about throw ins any more. We are getting the full backs forward more but need more creativity, the early promise has not continued in terms of chances created. My nagging worry is that we have had relatively easy home games and we will have to do well against Swansea, West Ham, Fulham and Hull as our other 6 games are against Top 8 teams.

Overall our league position is fair or maybe slightly behind performances and we have made definite progress away. We have probbaly gone as far as we can with this personnel and we do need a couple of new attacking players. A right back would allow us to see Cameron in midfield where I think he could do an excellent defensive job, he is quick and very good at nicking the ball, just what we need. It will be our away form that determines our final placing and at our best this season we could end up in the top 10. But a few slips at home and a bit of panic and it could be touch and go. It feels like the right direction and it also seems that the management are flexible and do change as things develop. With more time to impose their views and to bring in new personnel we will be fine, just need to survive this season

[lordb]

Playing devils advocate we haven't made progress away at all: at least not points wise.
However I can't believe anyone doesn't overall prefer Hughes Stoke away from than TP's.
We seem more likely to have games like Spurs though than before however we also have played some good stuff away from home & perhaps deserve more points than we have.

[stokiejoe]

Doing slightly better than I expected. Hoped for a point a game to get to the January window, which we have with points to spare. We now need to consolidate the changes with some new players and become more consistent. Fingers crossed for a good window.

[mattface]

About where we should be for a transition season. Played some great stuff some shocking stuff and a chunk of mediocre stuff. Squad needs strengthening but can see us doing okay second half of the season with a few select additions in Jan.

[partickpotter]

No it's not. We're 12th. Simples.

[mrcoke]

Dec 30, 2013 15:32:12 GMT mattface said:

About where we should be for a transition season. Played some great stuff some shocking stuff and a chunk of mediocre stuff. Squad needs strengthening but can see us doing okay second half of the season with a few select additions in Jan.

Spot on

But Stoke will have to play better to get the same number of points in the second half of the season. They need to start beating the teams below them convincingly, particularly at home. I'm confident they will rise to the challenge of top teams visiting the Brit. with the crowds support behind them to keep them going.

[slother]

I'm feeling very positive about the season so far. With Pulis at the helm we were like a wagon in the wild west that had got lost in Utah and the food was running out. Now that Hughes has taken over, we're still in Utah but we've got our bearings and there's a Costco 7 days travel away.

(There's still a "Worst Analogy of the Year" category at the Oatcake Awards tomorrow night, right?)

[penkvillepotter]

I've said at work for a while I have no idea if we!ll stay up or go down. I still don't know. I believe there are 3 worse than us but I need convincing.

[trigger]

A slight improvement under Hughes, well going sideways rather than more direct.

Didn't like Hughes before and nothing has changed my opinion of him, this window is critical for us.