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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 9:23:37 GMT
I'm not referring to the 185 miles , but in terms of quality . What we saw yesterday was a depleted Stoke side that performed adequately well and yet still managed to grind out a result . I'm sure next season we can push on and surprise a few people if Hughesy is allowed to spend freely enough. With Bojan hopefully back to full fitness , I honestly think that sixth place should be our target .
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Post by nutterpotter on Apr 19, 2015 9:29:22 GMT
I just really hope we don't have so many injuries next season because it could really be a great one. Diouf seems settled now and will score 15 goals if he plays up front. With Bojan and Odemwingie coming back, and 3-4 new signings, we can really push for Europe.
Think we need a RB, an energetic CDM, a couple of wingers and a young striker.
Good times ahead!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 9:33:00 GMT
I have a dream.........
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Post by basingstokie on Apr 19, 2015 9:44:52 GMT
I think the op might be quite close with the 185 miles actually.
Southampton are/were a really good side but they have also been lauded by the media because they are southern and fashionable.
However successful Stoke are we will always be seen as a working class team in a working class area which just doesn't sit well with the southern based, cappuccino drinking, apple fanboy media
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Post by roylandstoke on Apr 19, 2015 9:46:18 GMT
Their academy has produced a stream of multi million pound footballers, ours, as yet, does not.
We are close to them on the pitch but we must continue the hard work, that has been started over the last two years, to make ourselves more financially stable if we are going to make a real step up to the level Southampton are at right now.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 10:12:57 GMT
Their academy has produced a stream of multi million pound footballers, ours, as yet, does not. We are close to them on the pitch but we must continue the hard work, that has been started over the last two years, to make ourselves more financially stable if we are going to make a real step up to the level Southampton are at right now. I think the same . Once our Academy starts to produce the quality that Saints do on a regular basis , then we can say we have definitely arrived. I'm still a little uncertain with regards to its progress . I was hoping for much better results to be honest. |
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Post by johnnysoul60 on Apr 19, 2015 10:47:10 GMT
To be honest for big chunks of the game I thought they were way ahead of us , they way they work as a team and close down was really impressive , having said that they created very little in terms of clear chances . We did well to grind out a result and the ability to do that is a huge quality to have , after all it's been the difference between Chelsea and the rest of the top teams this season .
For me to improve we need a few things , pace at full back , more urgency in midfield , the slow play and going backwards that we see too much of at times has to stop. We need to improve on set plays at both ends of the pitch .
Our biggest failing this season has been conceding sloppy goals I think we have conceded 20 more than Southampton so greater discipline as a team is another area for improvement .
The injuries this season have had an impact , especially on our attacking play , not sure they excuse our defending .
We have done remarkably well MH just needs to keep trying to improve , not sure Southampton will maintain their form but it's based on a wonderful youth system that has made the money for them to invest , we are clearly years away from that but I do hope MH will sign and give young players a chance even if at first we have to sign them , we need to be seen as a club that will play youngsters before we will attract them
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 11:05:34 GMT
I thought you were on about global warming and the ice caps melting, where the sea could rise several feet and wipe out many parts of the Uk.
Maybe Port Vale would at last actually be a port.
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Post by mrcoke on Apr 19, 2015 11:35:10 GMT
Southampton are clearly ahead with their academy, but I'm confident with Hughes in charge we will see the benefits coming through.
Southampton were better at approach work and break aways yesterday but their finishing was actually poorer than Stoke's, which is something they appear to have lost lately.
Our defensive back line lacks pace, Whelan's passing isn't good enough and N'zonzi's shooting isn't either, but they are a sound partnership protecting the back line.
We only had 1 creative player on 90 minutes yesterday in Arni, until Adam joined him. This is an area Hughes will make us much stronger next season, and IMO we will reap rewards with Diouf scoring more goals.
We are quite close to Southampton and if we had found ways of scoring against resolute defences at home earlier in the season and kept Bojan playing, we could well be matching them.
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Post by partickpotter on Apr 19, 2015 11:45:40 GMT
Do we really need an academy when our feeder club in Spain is doing such a good job?  |
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Post by wuzza on Apr 19, 2015 11:52:39 GMT
Going to be another big test for Saints this summer - at least 2 of their best players are almost certain to move on. We on the other hand are only really under threat of losing Bego and have a lot of players due to return to the squad from injury. I think the 2 sides should be fairly close next season ...along with West Ham, Swansea, Everton etc.
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Post by a.d.faye.god on Apr 19, 2015 11:54:21 GMT
Bego
Wass shawcross muniesa pieters
Essien nzonzi
Carillo bojan Annie
Slimani
Not too far at all really
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Post by elystokie on Apr 19, 2015 12:11:06 GMT
Southampton are clearly ahead with their academy, but I'm confident with Hughes in charge we will see the benefits coming through. Southampton were better at approach work and break aways yesterday but their finishing was actually poorer than Stoke's, which is something they appear to have lost lately. Our defensive back line lacks pace, Whelan's passing isn't good enough and N'zonzi's shooting isn't either, but they are a sound partnership protecting the back line. We only had 1 creative player on 90 minutes yesterday in Arni, until Adam joined him. This is an area Hughes will make us much stronger next season, and IMO we will reap rewards with Diouf scoring more goals. We are quite close to Southampton and if we had found ways of scoring against resolute defences at home earlier in the season and kept Bojan playing, we could well be matching them. Agreed. With Bojan and Odemwingie hopefully back next season with possibly a bit more 'quality' signed up in the summer I think we'll have every chance of emulating and/or surpassing what Southampton have done this season. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 12:19:36 GMT
I have said this so many times over the last few months, with some investment we could be on the verge of something special.
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Post by Billybigbollox on Apr 19, 2015 12:20:45 GMT
If we hadn't dropped stupid points at home to Villa, Leicester, Palace, etc, games we should've won, I think we'd be up there with them anyway.
Southampton do keep possession and pass the ball well, which is something one or two of our players don't seem able to do, and they break well with pace.
We are not miles away from them but we do need to strengthen at the back. It seems unbelievable that we have conceded more and scored fewer goals from set pieces than any other team.
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Post by march4 on Apr 19, 2015 12:22:32 GMT
Soton's success is coming from when Clive Woodward was involved and they bankrupted themselves building some of the best training/academy facilities in the world. The succession of youngsters they have developed is the envy of every British club. And the way some of the players are struggling elsewhere shows that it is the way Soton have handled them that makes it so good.
That is where we have a niche. Just as Crewe used to sign players from under the noses of bigger clubs because they would have a chance of first team football sooner so we can do the same. The signing of Moha demonstrates this.
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Post by retired1 on Apr 19, 2015 12:38:07 GMT
Was Woy here yesterday?
I think we stil have some way to go to be something like Southampton, we need to be more comnfortable on the ball and sometimes our passing is atrocious. I know we beat them but they have beaten us twice this season and beaten us well at their ground. I wish we could turn up as a team as often as they seem to do. But with a few decent signings in the summer who knows. we could easily be there with them.
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Post by march4 on Apr 19, 2015 12:45:21 GMT
Was Woy here yesterday? I think we stil have some way to go to be something like Southampton, we need to be more comnfortable on the ball and sometimes our passing is atrocious. I know we beat them but they have beaten us twice this season and beaten us well at their ground. I wish we could turn up as a team as often as they seem to do. But with a few decent signings in the summer who knows. we could easily be there with them. It was also noticeable that each time we have faced them they were not as good as the previous time. I thought their back 5 were very good and we did well to score 2 goals and miss 2 sitters. Their keeper was not very good at all, thankfully. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 17:37:24 GMT
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Post by Pugsley on Apr 19, 2015 17:51:33 GMT
I think the op might be quite close with the 185 miles actually. Southampton are/were a really good side but they have also been lauded by the media because they are southern and fashionable. However successful Stoke are we will always be seen as a working class team in a working class area which just doesn't sit well with the southern based, cappuccino drinking, apple fanboy media If Stoke City 'do a Southampton' then we'll get as many plaudits. It would be impossible for them to ignore us. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 17:54:31 GMT
I think the op might be quite close with the 185 miles actually. Southampton are/were a really good side but they have also been lauded by the media because they are southern and fashionable. However successful Stoke are we will always be seen as a working class team in a working class area which just doesn't sit well with the southern based, cappuccino drinking, apple fanboy media If Stoke City 'do a Southampton' then we'll get as many plaudits. It would be impossible for them to ignore us. ........and we may see Woy here every Saturday judging potential English players ....ShawXross etc ...   |
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Post by stokiejoe on Apr 19, 2015 18:05:40 GMT
I am hopeful that we are getting back to the old Stoke which was a very well regarded Club  |
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Post by upthefud on Apr 19, 2015 18:20:38 GMT
A fully fit Bojan and Charlie Austin..
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2015 18:23:02 GMT
Stoke isn't a fashionable town which doesn't help, and that image did suit the physical and negative Pulis football we used to play.
That said we get a lot of recognition now I think, we have established ourself as a top half team and people on here definitely make more of a meal of it then is the case, I find when pundits do mention us they're often quite positive however the issue really stems from the fact they never fucking mention us!
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Post by Bombus on Apr 19, 2015 19:01:22 GMT
I just really hope we don't have so many injuries next season because it could really be a great one. Diouf seems settled now and will score 15 goals if he plays up front. With Bojan and Odemwingie coming back, and 3-4 new signings, we can really push for Europe. Think we need a RB, an energetic CDM, a couple of wingers and a young striker. Good times ahead! +1 |
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Post by senojbor on Apr 19, 2015 19:02:06 GMT
The fact is that the Saints team is made up of mostly foreign players from Italy, Portugal, France, Kenya etc. Take a look at their players profile and there are a dozen different nationalities. Most have played in lower leagues abroad. They do have one or two home grown players but the spine of their side isn't academy players.
Fair play to them, they've done well the last couple of seasons, but so did Fulham. In the long term to stay the course choosing Stoke or Saints, I know who my money's on.
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Post by Stokyo on Apr 20, 2015 0:53:15 GMT
I thought you were on about global warming and the ice caps melting, where the sea could rise several feet and wipe out many parts of the Uk. Maybe Port Vale would at last actually be a port. Port Vale would then be that part where all of stoke-on-trents shit empties out into the sea |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2015 4:14:12 GMT
I thought you were on about global warming and the ice caps melting, where the sea could rise several feet and wipe out many parts of the Uk. Maybe Port Vale would at last actually be a port. Port Vale would then be that part where all of stoke-on-trents shit empties out into the sea Some things are just meant to be...Up the Vale, or in this case "Down the Vale" |
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Post by stokemanusa on Apr 20, 2015 5:48:41 GMT
Bego Wass shawcross muniesa pieters Essien nzonzi Carillo bojan Annie Slimani Not too far at all really This Annie has been getting alot of mention lately... Is She good? |
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Post by Linx on Apr 20, 2015 5:49:41 GMT
On Talksport's Press Gang last night, the journo's (Telegraph, People) were agreed that we could be pushing for a top six place in the next season or two, with a couple of quality signings. They were quite complimentary about the progress we have been quietly making.
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