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Post by roberthuth4 on Jul 24, 2014 9:35:30 GMT
Its mad how our first season in the premiership we were all expecting nothing but a lucky season and destined for relegation. 6 years on we are signing players from Barcelona and looking to break into the top ten season after season. Who would have thought it. For me its been about good management through out, nobody came in and made wholesale changes to the team year on year we have slowly improved if you look at what we came from (no denying they all did a great job and were a great team but you compare it to the team we will put out against aston Villa its unbelivable.
Sorenson. Begovic
Wilkinson. Bardsley Cort. Huth Shawcross. Shawcross Griffin. Muneisa
Delap. Nzonzi Olifinjana. Adam Whelan. Whelan Creswell. Arni
Kitson. Bojan Sidibe Diouf
Well done - tin hat - Pulis, Hughes, Coatsey and the pizza boys.
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Post by metalhead on Jul 24, 2014 9:40:26 GMT
I hate to say it but what I would give for just one more Rory Delap throw from that season. They were vicious. Never quite the same after the second. I think he hurt his muscles and never quite got the pace back.
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Post by march4 on Jul 24, 2014 9:42:39 GMT
Its mad how our first season in the premiership we were all expecting nothing but a lucky season and destined for relegation. 6 years on we are signing players from Barcelona and looking to break into the top ten season after season. Who would have thought it. For me its been about good management through out, nobody came in and made wholesale changes to the team year on year we have slowly improved if you look at what we came from (no denying they all did a great job and were a great team but you compare it to the team we will put out against aston Villa its unbelivable. Sorenson. Begovic Wilkinson. Bardsley Cort. Huth Shawcross. Shawcross Griffin. Muneisa Delap. Nzonzi Olifinjana. Adam Whelan. Whelan Creswell. Arni Kitson. Bojan Sidibe Diouf Well done - tin hat - Pulis, Hughes, Coatsey and the pizza boys. Where is Ric? Mama was sub against Villa. Before the transfer window was over we strengthened the side with Higgy and Abdy. Then in Jan, we signed BT and Ethers. The team from the 2nd half of that season went on a good run and would have relished playing against our current team at the Brit. I suspect they would be confident of scoring from a set piece or two. However, the present team look better away from home and that is the place to pick up the extra points. I am also optimistic of them picking up more points at home against the likes of ManUre and Chelsea.
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Post by robwahlmann on Jul 24, 2014 9:44:21 GMT
Its mad how our first season in the premiership we were all expecting nothing but a lucky season and destined for relegation. 6 years on we are signing players from Barcelona and looking to break into the top ten season after season. Who would have thought it. For me its been about good management through out, nobody came in and made wholesale changes to the team year on year we have slowly improved if you look at what we came from (no denying they all did a great job and were a great team but you compare it to the team we will put out against aston Villa its unbelivable. Sorenson. Begovic Wilkinson. Bardsley Cort. Huth Shawcross. Shawcross Griffin. Muneisa Delap. Nzonzi Olifinjana. Adam Whelan. Whelan Creswell. Arni Kitson. Bojan Sidibe Diouf Well done - tin hat - Pulis, Hughes, Coatsey and the pizza boys. Think the team versus Villa will look more like this! Bego Bardsley Shawcross Wilson Pieters Odemwingie Whelan N'Zonzi Arnie Ireland Diouf Subs: Sorro, Muniesa, Huth, Cameron, Sidwell, Adam, Walters, Crouch, Bojan (This is really a quality subs bench!)
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Post by march4 on Jul 24, 2014 9:49:20 GMT
Its mad how our first season in the premiership we were all expecting nothing but a lucky season and destined for relegation. 6 years on we are signing players from Barcelona and looking to break into the top ten season after season. Who would have thought it. For me its been about good management through out, nobody came in and made wholesale changes to the team year on year we have slowly improved if you look at what we came from (no denying they all did a great job and were a great team but you compare it to the team we will put out against aston Villa its unbelivable. Sorenson. Begovic Wilkinson. Bardsley Cort. Huth Shawcross. Shawcross Griffin. Muneisa Delap. Nzonzi Olifinjana. Adam Whelan. Whelan Creswell. Arni Kitson. Bojan Sidibe Diouf Well done - tin hat - Pulis, Hughes, Coatsey and the pizza boys. Think the team versus Villa will look more like this! Bego Bardsley Shawcross Wilson Pieters Odemwingie Whelan N'Zonzi Arnie Ireland Diouf Subs: Sorro, Muniesa, Huth, Cameron, Sidwell, Adam, Walters, Crouch, Bojan (This is really a quality subs bench!) Assuming no outgoings, I think you could be correct. Of course, there is still the mystery winger that we could sign!!!!
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Post by ruts66 on Jul 24, 2014 9:54:31 GMT
It has been a remarkable transition and in a dog-eat-dog, killer environment like this sound management from top to bottom is everything. We've clearly got a lot more right than wrong as evidenced by the club's amazing progression.
Once you're on the slippery slope it's incredibly hard to reverse so we need to keep doing the basics and maintain that sense of common purpose, spirit and togetherness alongside the new style and flair. Expectations are soaring and we, as fans, have to do our bit, too, even when we're not seeing off lower half opposition as many are anticipating.
Great time to be a Stokie but we need to avoid complacency and get that intimidation and noise back. The management have done their bit, now it's our turn in 3 weeks time.
GO ON STOKE...
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jul 24, 2014 9:59:33 GMT
Its mad how our first season in the premiership we were all expecting nothing but a lucky season and destined for relegation. 6 years on we are signing players from Barcelona and looking to break into the top ten season after season. Who would have thought it. For me its been about good management through out, nobody came in and made wholesale changes to the team year on year we have slowly improved if you look at what we came from (no denying they all did a great job and were a great team but you compare it to the team we will put out against aston Villa its unbelivable. Sorenson. Begovic Wilkinson. Bardsley Cort. Huth Shawcross. Shawcross Griffin. Muneisa Delap. Nzonzi Olifinjana. Adam Whelan. Whelan Creswell. Arni Kitson. Bojan Sidibe Diouf Well done - tin hat - Pulis, Hughes, Coatsey and the pizza boys. Think the team versus Villa will look more like this! Bego Bardsley Shawcross Wilson Pieters Odemwingie Whelan N'Zonzi Arnie Ireland Diouf Subs: Sorro, Muniesa, Huth, Cameron, Sidwell, Adam, Walters, Crouch, Bojan (This is really a quality subs bench!) 9 players on the subs bench - it has quantity as well as quality!
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Post by robwahlmann on Jul 24, 2014 10:24:24 GMT
Think the team versus Villa will look more like this! Bego Bardsley Shawcross Wilson Pieters Odemwingie Whelan N'Zonzi Arnie Ireland Diouf Subs: Sorro, Muniesa, Huth, Cameron, Sidwell, Adam, Walters, Crouch, Bojan (This is really a quality subs bench!) 9 players on the subs bench - it has quantity as well as quality! I know, but there was so much quality I wasn't able to choose the right number! Who would have thought just a couple of seasons ago!
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Post by costkickaboagenawo on Jul 24, 2014 10:26:20 GMT
Well I know some on here do not like us owd'uns harping on about the past...but if someone had told me only 7 years ago that in 2014 we would be finishing in the top half of the PL & signing our 2nd Barcelona player...I would have choked on me cheese n bacon oatcake! As long as we are still in the PL in another 6 years - I will be more than happy! KTF! Gooaarn Stoke!!
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Post by thedeadlyshart on Jul 24, 2014 15:06:25 GMT
9 players on the subs bench - it has quantity as well as quality! I know, but there was so much quality I wasn't able to choose the right number! Who would have thought just a couple of seasons ago! it's not like we didn't have quality on the bench with pulis, that's where he kept the skilled players!
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Jul 24, 2014 15:10:49 GMT
Who would have thought.....Kitson to Bojan.
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Post by robwahlmann on Jul 24, 2014 15:26:50 GMT
Who would have thought.....Kitson to Bojan. I was actually more impressed when we signed Kitson, but the club was in a totally different position then! Hopefully Bojan will turn out to be a better signing than Kitson who really was a big disappointment! Only time will tell though!
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Jul 24, 2014 15:30:02 GMT
Who would have thought.....Kitson to Bojan. I was actually more impressed when we signed Kitson, but the club was in a totally different position then! Hopefully Bojan will turn out to be a better signing than Kitson who really was a big disappointment! Only time will tell though! You have to be pretty special to play over 100 games for Barcelona's first team
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 15:34:34 GMT
Our first Premier League game, the 3-1 defeat at Bolton "still going are they?" Wanderarse.
Sorensen Wilkinson (Dickinson 76) Cort Shawcross Griffin Delap Olofinjana Whelan (Lawrence 56) Cresswell Kitson Sidibe (Fuller 65)
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Pericard, Diao, Amdy Faye.
What i wouldn't give for a Pericard, Diao or an Amdy Faye.
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Jul 24, 2014 15:44:19 GMT
Our first Premier League game, the 3-1 defeat at Bolton "still going are they?" Wanderarse. Sorensen Wilkinson (Dickinson 76) Cort Shawcross Griffin Delap Olofinjana Whelan (Lawrence 56) Cresswell Kitson Sidibe (Fuller 65) Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Pericard, Diao, Amdy Faye. What i wouldn't give for a Pericard, Diao or an Amdy Faye. 4 players still at the club from that team, although only 2 can be regarded as first choice in their positions. I wonder if we had been told that 4 players would remain after 6 years - how many Stokies would have predicted who the 4 would be? I think I'd only have predicted that Shawcross would still have been with us - and I'd have been worried that he would have been sold. I'd have assumed that Sorro would have retired or moved on and that Wilko and Whelan would have gone to lower placed clubs.
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Post by robwahlmann on Jul 24, 2014 15:48:49 GMT
I was actually more impressed when we signed Kitson, but the club was in a totally different position then! Hopefully Bojan will turn out to be a better signing than Kitson who really was a big disappointment! Only time will tell though! You have to be pretty special to play over 100 games for Barcelona's first team Yes, he certainly was, but having a big name means nothing if you can't deliver the goods! And to be honest Bojan hasn't impressed too much the last couple of seasons. Remember we brought in Gujohnsen, Woodgate and Owen without any of them being close to show why they had got big names in football. Bojan is still young though and hopefully he can get back to his best, but I take nothing for granted because you really can't do that in football.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 16:04:27 GMT
I was actually more impressed when we signed Kitson, but the club was in a totally different position then! Hopefully Bojan will turn out to be a better signing than Kitson who really was a big disappointment! Only time will tell though! You have to be pretty special to play over 100 games for Barcelona's first team but the last time was 3 years ago mate...since then he's achieved basically nothing. yes, you have to be good to play a lot of games for them but if they suddenly then drop you and get you away from the club for the next 3 years because you're no longer needed not just in the first team but anywhere in the setup whatsoever then there's usually a reason for that too...you can't just take the "There's a reason he played for them" argument and then ignore the far more recent "There's a reason he hasn't been anywhere near their first team for a long time" argument potentially exciting signing but at this stage that's all it is. it would seem from the last couple of years that he just isn't the player he once was....quick question, do you genuinely think if he WAS still anywhere near that quality an "Special" that we'd have been the only Prem team in for him? there's a reason why none of the other clubs bothered...he is potentially special but has shown nothing for a few years now to show that at all. let's see how he does eh rather than presuming he must be wonderful because he played for Barca 3 years ago bit of perspective and common sense needed by much of the board on the Bojan transfer if you ask me..it's all a bit like the Michael Owen saga for me i.e. let's jizz over someone because of what they were like in the past and ignore the present completely!
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Post by The battheader chronicles on Jul 24, 2014 16:11:12 GMT
You have to be pretty special to play over 100 games for Barcelona's first team but the last time was 3 years ago mate...since then he's achieved basically nothing. yes, you have to be good to play a lot of games for them but if they suddenly then drop you and get you away from the club for the next 3 years because you're no longer needed not just in the first team but anywhere in the setup whatsoever then there's usually a reason for that too...you can't just take the "There's a reason he played for them" argument and then ignore the far more recent "There's a reason he hasn't been anywhere near their first team for a long time" argument potentially exciting signing but at this stage that's all it is. it would seem from the last couple of years that he just isn't the player he once was....quick question, do you genuinely think if he WAS still anywhere near that quality an "Special" that we'd have been the only Prem team in for him? there's a reason why none of the other clubs bothered...he is potentially special but has shown nothing for a few years now to show that at all. let's see how he does eh rather than presuming he must be wonderful because he played for Barca 3 years ago bit of perspective and common sense needed by much of the board on the Bojan transfer if you ask me..it's all a bit like the Michael Owen saga for me i.e. let's jizz over someone because of what they were like in the past and ignore the present completely! But by the same token if he had carried on as predicted a few years ago he'd now be a £40-50m player and we'd have sod all chance of signing him
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Post by riccyfuller93 on Jul 24, 2014 16:11:31 GMT
You have to be pretty special to play over 100 games for Barcelona's first team but the last time was 3 years ago mate...since then he's achieved basically nothing. yes, you have to be good to play a lot of games for them but if they suddenly then drop you and get you away from the club for the next 3 years because you're no longer needed not just in the first team but anywhere in the setup whatsoever then there's usually a reason for that too...you can't just take the "There's a reason he played for them" argument and then ignore the far more recent "There's a reason he hasn't been anywhere near their first team for a long time" argument potentially exciting signing but at this stage that's all it is. it would seem from the last couple of years that he just isn't the player he once was....quick question, do you genuinely think if he WAS still anywhere near that quality then we'd have been the only Prem team in for him? let's see how he does eh rather than presuming he must be wonderful because he played for Barca 3 years ago bit of perspective and common sense needed by much of the board on the Bojan transfer if you ask me..it's all a bit like the Michael Owen saga for me i.e. let's jizz over someone because of what they were like in the past and ignore the present completely! Michael Owen was like 33 when we signed him.. Bojan is only 23 and still has a lot of potential, he's definitely something to get excited about. It was Pep that dropped him and he even says he was treated unfairly.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 16:18:21 GMT
but the last time was 3 years ago mate...since then he's achieved basically nothing. yes, you have to be good to play a lot of games for them but if they suddenly then drop you and get you away from the club for the next 3 years because you're no longer needed not just in the first team but anywhere in the setup whatsoever then there's usually a reason for that too...you can't just take the "There's a reason he played for them" argument and then ignore the far more recent "There's a reason he hasn't been anywhere near their first team for a long time" argument potentially exciting signing but at this stage that's all it is. it would seem from the last couple of years that he just isn't the player he once was....quick question, do you genuinely think if he WAS still anywhere near that quality then we'd have been the only Prem team in for him? let's see how he does eh rather than presuming he must be wonderful because he played for Barca 3 years ago bit of perspective and common sense needed by much of the board on the Bojan transfer if you ask me..it's all a bit like the Michael Owen saga for me i.e. let's jizz over someone because of what they were like in the past and ignore the present completely! Michael Owen was like 33 when we signed him.. Bojan is only 23 and still has a lot of potential, he's definitely something to get excited about. It was Pep that dropped him and he even says he was treated unfairly. so if he's still special and was just treated unfairly is there a reason why no-one else in the Prem looked at him you reckon? like i said he could potentially still have it but no-one (including the media at the various clubs he been at where they watched him week in week out rather than just us who may have had him on football manager and watched youtube clips) has seen anything for a few years to say he still has. 14 goals over 3 years at 3 different clubs totalling 76 games....that's one goal every 5.5 games roughly. hardly indicates he still has that "Special" ability does it? no-one's saying that he'll be shit, merely trying to be a bit more level headed, tempering our enthusiasm with a bit of realism and basing our opinions on actual fact rather than just "He played for Barcelona so therefore HAS to be amazing"....if he was amazing, 100% for a fact and there were no question marks or doubts surrounding him and his ability now (rather than when he did play for Barca last which is over 3 years ago)then we wouldn't have signed him because he'd have gone to a bigger club, simples!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 16:18:53 GMT
Our first ever Prem team came from (I think )
Denmark England (England) England England England Ireland Nigeria Ireland (Ireland) England England Mali / Jamaica
and this seasons team could come from
Bosnia England / USA Germany / Slovakia England Holland Ireland France Nigeria Spain Austria Senegal
Just an example of what the team could look like but no wonder the home nations are getting worse.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 16:21:11 GMT
but the last time was 3 years ago mate...since then he's achieved basically nothing. yes, you have to be good to play a lot of games for them but if they suddenly then drop you and get you away from the club for the next 3 years because you're no longer needed not just in the first team but anywhere in the setup whatsoever then there's usually a reason for that too...you can't just take the "There's a reason he played for them" argument and then ignore the far more recent "There's a reason he hasn't been anywhere near their first team for a long time" argument potentially exciting signing but at this stage that's all it is. it would seem from the last couple of years that he just isn't the player he once was....quick question, do you genuinely think if he WAS still anywhere near that quality an "Special" that we'd have been the only Prem team in for him? there's a reason why none of the other clubs bothered...he is potentially special but has shown nothing for a few years now to show that at all. let's see how he does eh rather than presuming he must be wonderful because he played for Barca 3 years ago bit of perspective and common sense needed by much of the board on the Bojan transfer if you ask me..it's all a bit like the Michael Owen saga for me i.e. let's jizz over someone because of what they were like in the past and ignore the present completely! But by the same token if he had carried on as predicted a few years ago he'd now be a £40-50m player and we'd have sod all chance of signing him that's my point...he didn't! so therefore to jizz all over him as if he had proven that potential and was still that same special player is a bit daft really. he's no more exciting for me than Diouf. both could be great for us but to decide they will be unquestionably when one has played in england already and done nothing when he was here and the other has played for 3 different clubs in 3 years and done nothing at any of them is just going overboard without any justification.
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Post by march4 on Jul 24, 2014 16:37:47 GMT
Our first ever Prem team came from (I think ) Denmark England (England) England England England Ireland Nigeria Ireland (Ireland) England England Mali / Jamaica and this seasons team could come from Bosnia England / USA Germany / Slovakia England Holland Ireland France Nigeria Spain Austria Senegal Just an example of what the team could look like but no wonder the home nations are getting worse. In the 1970's English clubs dominated European football and every player was from the British Isles. And yet the national team couldn't even qualify for the World Cup, nor the Euros.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 16:46:45 GMT
Our first ever Prem team came from (I think ) Denmark England (England) England England England Ireland Nigeria Ireland (Ireland) England England Mali / Jamaica and this seasons team could come from Bosnia England / USA Germany / Slovakia England Holland Ireland France Nigeria Spain Austria Senegal Just an example of what the team could look like but no wonder the home nations are getting worse. In the 1970's English clubs dominated European football and every player was from the British Isles. And yet the national team couldn't even qualify for the World Cup, nor the Euros. The competitions consisted of 16 or 24 team finals so only one team qualified from each group, we lost out to Poland who finished 3rd in the WC and to Italy in at least two of those competitions.
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Post by lancer on Jul 24, 2014 19:47:39 GMT
It has been a remarkable transition and in a dog-eat-dog, killer environment like this sound management from top to bottom is everything. We've clearly got a lot more right than wrong as evidenced by the club's amazing progression. Once you're on the slippery slope it's incredibly hard to reverse so we need to keep doing the basics and maintain that sense of common purpose, spirit and togetherness alongside the new style and flair. Expectations are soaring and we, as fans, have to do our bit, too, even when we're not seeing off lower half opposition as many are anticipating. Great time to be a Stokie but we need to avoid complacency and get that intimidation and noise back. The management have done their bit, now it's our turn in 3 weeks time. GO ON STOKE... The management have done their bit, now it's our turn in 3 weeks time. That sounds so bloody good, at last. Been bored rigid since the last season ended.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 19:54:36 GMT
Michael Owen was like 33 when we signed him.. Bojan is only 23 and still has a lot of potential, he's definitely something to get excited about. It was Pep that dropped him and he even says he was treated unfairly. so if he's still special and was just treated unfairly is there a reason why no-one else in the Prem looked at him you reckon? like i said he could potentially still have it but no-one (including the media at the various clubs he been at where they watched him week in week out rather than just us who may have had him on football manager and watched youtube clips) has seen anything for a few years to say he still has. 14 goals over 3 years at 3 different clubs totalling 76 games....that's one goal every 5.5 games roughly. hardly indicates he still has that "Special" ability does it? no-one's saying that he'll be shit, merely trying to be a bit more level headed, tempering our enthusiasm with a bit of realism and basing our opinions on actual fact rather than just "He played for Barcelona so therefore HAS to be amazing"....if he was amazing, 100% for a fact and there were no question marks or doubts surrounding him and his ability now (rather than when he did play for Barca last which is over 3 years ago)then we wouldn't have signed him because he'd have gone to a bigger club, simples! finally some sense. Some of the reactions to signing Bojan have been way over the top, i'm excited about seeing him but its like we have signed Messi on here.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 20:06:44 GMT
Good ode Glenn Whelan
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Post by werrington on Jul 24, 2014 20:34:40 GMT
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Post by EccyStokie on Jul 24, 2014 20:53:40 GMT
We did not pay £4 million for Maurice Edu... Did we? Please no
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Post by sheikhmomo on Jul 24, 2014 20:59:25 GMT
Well the assistant manager said we didn't even pay a Million quid for Bojan so you can make your conclusions from there.
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