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Post by Naughtyfarty on Jul 25, 2014 22:09:59 GMT
At the start of last season I was slightly brassed off with the apparent cheap skating on transfers
but I should not have been worried, the additions were good, and as the season progressed, with the addition of Odemwingie we looked a very good side.
2012-13, as a season ticket holder, I hated most of the season, u knew the team sheet, Walters and Crouch starting, Shotton playing in a role that did not suite him, and the same old plodders.
but now, some of those plodders have been transformed(eg Whelan), even Adam looks a different player( I would hate him to leave because he is miles better than Ireland, buts that another argument).
But wow!!!!, last year was overall fantastic, a few dodgy months perhaps because of the transition, and at times before February we were all a bit scared.
but looking at the signings, I cant believe what we are seeing
Stoke City, what a club, staying up first season, consolidation, FA Cup final , fantastic clayton wood facilities, free away travel and season ticket price freeze for seven years.
I would be happy with 17th, but my match day has changed, I go for a drink in the garderners with my Son , not knowing exactly what team we will put out, the excitements back. |
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Post by swampySCFC on Jul 25, 2014 22:22:13 GMT
Building a stable Premier League club takes years mate. Coates and Pulis did this, sometimes against the fiercest opposition. Some of us watched the transformation over years because we onner glory hunters. When we sign Bojan, Crouch, Arnie etc its all good but at the very start I for one remember the part that no name players played in our success. Gifton Noel Williams take a bow son
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2014 22:28:59 GMT
Nice post , but I wouldn't be happy with 17th....
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Post by nott1 on Jul 25, 2014 22:35:02 GMT
We are going places with this bunch of (class) players and I'm still thinking top 6.The Prem. will be shocked!
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Post by lawrieleslie on Jul 25, 2014 22:41:17 GMT
We are going places with this bunch of (class) players and I'm still thinking top 6.The Prem. will be shocked! Would be astonished at top 6 TBF. But a solid top 10 finish without the last gasp struggle to achieve this would be good. Add to this a good cup run and, for me, this would demonstrate good progress. |
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Post by ricksastokie on Jul 25, 2014 22:58:41 GMT
I for one would like to see a plus goal difference.
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Post by mrcoke on Jul 25, 2014 23:03:27 GMT
I'm expecting a top half finish now, having achieved 9th last season and strengthened the squad since last January.
After January Stoke played 15, won 8, drew 4. That's 28 points in 15 matches = approx. 68 for a full season. Over the whole season Stoke had the 6th best home record and that included lot of dropped points. Hopefully the squad is now stronger.
How high up the top ten Stoke can achieve, will depend how well the new players play, length of cup runs, injuries, suspensions* and who Stoke might sell. If Stoke have a good start to the season then the big clubs could come in in January and take the best players. * Ironically I think the suspensions last season were beneficial to MH's change program.
My main wish is for Stoke to win the FA Cup.
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Jul 25, 2014 23:04:27 GMT
I'd be right titsed off with 17th unless we won thd FA/League Cup double.
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Post by Naughtyfarty on Jul 25, 2014 23:07:45 GMT
my wish as well, the FA Cup is acheivable
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Post by The Stubborn Optimist on Jul 26, 2014 11:21:38 GMT
I'm old enough to remember the 60's, it took Waddo 10 years to build the wonderful side of 72 - 75. From 63 to 70 we bumped along, keeping our top league status with some narrow escapes along the way.
I can see some parallels with how we're doing things now. Each season sees an incremental improvement in the strength of our squad which makes achieving our first priority of maintaining our place in the Prem that bit more likely each year, anything else is a massive bonus.
I'm more than happy with our progress to date, long may it continue.
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Post by kevan45 on Jul 26, 2014 11:41:33 GMT
....and would still be happy with 17th = still in the Prem, so I agree with the OP's statement. I agree it looks like being an exciting season for us with some decent and well thought out signings made. BUT, I think we need to be mindful that the top teams will be much stronger; Liverpool, bought in a lot of quality Man U, employed one of the best managers in the world Chelsea, quality signings, and of course they have Mourinho! Man City, yet to show, but there is plenty time (and money) left! Arsenal - nah, we'll still be their worst nightmare  Bring on Villa!! |
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Post by boskampsflaps on Jul 26, 2014 11:42:52 GMT
As long as we stay up I'll be happy tbh.
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Post by estrangedsonoffaye on Jul 26, 2014 11:46:34 GMT
I think there's a difference between aiming for 17th and finishing 17th, I have to say now I wouldn't be happy with a 17th place finish, but if the chips were down, would we all take it? Of course we would.
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Post by Beloved Monkfish on Jul 26, 2014 11:55:08 GMT
Finishing 17th would be deemed a failure in my eyes and I wouldn't be happy with it (although obviously relieved that we didn't go down). Having just finished in the top half and having signed some real quality, if we were to finish 17th you'd have to be asking serious questions of the management.
And that's not being ungrateful or stupidly ambitious at all. If we'd have finished 17th last season, I don't think we'd have signed Sidwell, Bojan or Diouf. By finishing so high up the league, playing some attractive football, we've jumped ahead of the likes of Villa, West Brom, Hull, Sunderland and possibly West Ham in terms of being first choice for mid table Premier League players. If we were to finish 17th next year, I'm not so sure the likes of Bardsley would be choosing us over other clubs let alone the likes of Bojan.
We SHOULD be finishing 10th or there or there abouts. Happy with 17th? No.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 12:01:28 GMT
We are going places with this bunch of (class) players and I'm still thinking top 6.The Prem. will be shocked! Love yr optimism, but top 6 I think is just a bit out of reach, though you never know, Spurs could have a bad run, but as for the other " Big 6" I cant really see us at the same table as them, for me 8th or maybe 7th is quite possible...Would just love to finish above Everton & Newcastle. |
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Post by geoff321 on Jul 26, 2014 12:01:48 GMT
There shouldn't be any questions directed at Mark Hughes if we finished 17th, in reality he's spent very little on transfer fees, but of course he's raised the expectancy level.
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Post by partickpotter on Jul 26, 2014 12:55:23 GMT
There shouldn't be any questions directed at Mark Hughes if we finished 17th, in reality he's spent very little on transfer fees, but of course he's raised the expectancy level. He's also significantly raised the quality of the squad and how to deploy his resources most effectively. If we finished 17th, rest assured the first person asking questions would be Hughes himself. He's building a squad to compete in the top half of the table! Having high expectations doesn't come easy to Stokies, but for once high expectations are built on something solid. It isn't just blind hope! |
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kmp
Spectator
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Post by kmp on Jul 26, 2014 14:33:08 GMT
Last season was an odd season with a lot of teams under performing. If we can finish in the top 10 again that would be an achievement. I'd be happy with 12th or above.
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Post by y_oh_y_delilah on Jul 26, 2014 14:43:54 GMT
Of course. no different from any club, the primary aim is to stay up but personally I'd be devastated to finish 17th with the present squad.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 17:00:55 GMT
Ok I'll take 17th  |
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Post by AlJolson on Jul 26, 2014 18:40:54 GMT
A top 6 finish is not realistic for most of the premier league teams and so the FA cup now seems to be worth winning especially as a gateway to Europe etc and with the top teams resting players until the quarter finals an FA cup win is now achievable by teams like us. I think we should go for that and together with a mid table finish it would be a season to remember.
Isn't it a shame the management don't factor in what a buzz it would be for the fans to have a day in the sun at Wembley.
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Post by harryh157 on Jul 26, 2014 19:14:05 GMT
I for one would like to see a plus goal difference. Yeah, good cup run (resulting in winning one during the next few years) and a +ve GD look Like good secondary objectives to me |
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Post by lancer on Jul 26, 2014 19:30:38 GMT
Building a stable Premier League club takes years mate. Coates and Pulis did this, sometimes against the fiercest opposition. Some of us watched the transformation over years because we onner glory hunters. When we sign Bojan, Crouch, Arnie etc its all good but at the very start I for one remember the part that no name players played in our success. Gifton Noel Williams take a bow son Lovely post, mate, and so true. We have a lot to be thankful for, starting with Pulis and the lads he brought in, what he did with them, what he left us with, and the way that Hughes as picked up the torch and carried on.Gifton, as you say, was a priceles part of out history, arthritis and all, add to him Big Mama, Ric, Rory and a whole lot of other less glamorous'write offs', they all did us proud and I for one feel priviliged to have watched them. After a long lifetime of following Stoke, I have truly never felt better.Even our good years, the seventies, were no better than today.  |
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Post by robstokie on Jul 26, 2014 20:16:51 GMT
Of course, the main aim is realistically always going to be staying out of the relegation dog-fight (or at least managing to stay up year on year and 17th would achieve that), but I think I am in the majority in saying that we should have a squad that is capable of far more than that, we should be aiming for top half and a cup run this season.
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Post by homer32 on Jul 26, 2014 20:19:38 GMT
With the small amount of money spent you could say that finishing 17th is still a possibility. I personally think that LMH has put together a very balanced squad now with lots of options and I am looking forward to a good season & I think another top 10 finish.In LMH I most definately trust as I did also in TP.The Coates family have been brilliant with their appointments & are the reason we are where we are now ie an established premiership side.
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Post by scfcbiancorossi on Jul 26, 2014 20:23:02 GMT
As long as we play entertaining carpet football with loads of fancy flicks and finish 13th or above il be content.
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Post by Naughtyfarty on Jul 26, 2014 22:15:58 GMT
swampys reply is very true
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sifta
Youth Player
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Post by sifta on Jul 27, 2014 0:30:24 GMT
I'm really looking forward to this season, I truthfully don't think I've been this excited about our signings and ambition since we went out and bought Cranson, Scott (Ian, not Geoff, or Keith), and Biggins.
So I think I have enough realism to realise that things don't always go as expected. Obviously I'm hoping for and expecting a decent season, and a top half finish, but if things do start to go awry, then I'd take 17th, so that we can lick our wounds, and try again next season.
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Post by ColonelMustard on Jul 27, 2014 1:18:23 GMT
Hughes has earned a bad season now . I wouldn't be happy but it's acceptable.
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Post by Naughtyfarty on Jul 27, 2014 21:50:53 GMT
I don't think some of us stokies realise where we have come from
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