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Post by malteser68 on May 1, 2016 10:57:42 GMT
Now that the season is inexorably reaching its end, the verdict will soon be out as to what we have achieved or failed to achieve this season.
In my opinion, over-all, it was a disappointment.
We had a very poor start and an even poorer finish to the season snd were saved by the purple patch we had at Xmas.
A lesser point tally, one or two positions further down compared to last season and a much worse GD doesn't depict a rosy picture at all. All this in a season in which so many teams failed to live to their expectations that s team like Leicester is going to win the league !!
We have certainly failed to reach the mythical next level and so it's back to the drawing board and a massive summer is needed to strengthen the squad, prune it of all the dead wood we have, find a proper and consistent system of play and then move on to the augured next level
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Post by butlerstbob on May 1, 2016 11:10:41 GMT
How strange that we will finish 9-10th and we are all saying its been a disappointing season! Shows how far we have come doesn't it? Under the circumstances we have done really well, but with a good centre forward and centre half we could have been top 6!
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Post by turtlefox on May 1, 2016 11:14:01 GMT
How strange that we will finish 9-10th and we are all saying its been a disappointing season! Shows how far we have come doesn't it? Under the circumstances we have done really well, but with a good centre forward and centre half we could have been top 6! Shows how deluded we have become.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 11:16:07 GMT
In fairness, it actually DOES feel like a disappointing season, but that is only because of the outstanding progress made in recent years. And yes, it is right to mention Leicester City's achievements, but Claudio has been able to pick virtually the same team week in and week out. We have been ravaged by injuries. We shall never know how many points we might have won, or what the goal difference might have been had we not suffered so badly with injuries, but I dare bet that it would have been another record season.
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Post by chuffedstokie on May 1, 2016 11:18:26 GMT
We've certainly squandered a few points but we are where we are. We can criticise until we're blue in the face, but disappointing. I was there yesterday and THAT was disappointing. But overall we could have been higher obviously, lob in a decent forward, remove injuries and we're going to be there challenging.
Glass permanently half full.
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Post by Pugsley on May 1, 2016 11:20:14 GMT
Frustrating.
Injuries have totally fucked us over.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 11:21:03 GMT
Disappointing season ? - (add question mark please)
to finish mid table given the injuries we have had is - about right - good in some respects
incredibly frustrating too !
yes - we all wonder 'what if'
but it was not to be
we continue to build incrementally providing we dont get ahead of ourselves
(sadly some are)
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Post by stokecitytalke on May 1, 2016 11:25:20 GMT
I was talking to a Wolves fan the other day and I said we had had a disappointing season as we would only finish 10th. He said he would give his right arm to finish mid table in the premier league. Puts it into perspective really.
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MooG
Youth Player
Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
Posts: 492
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Post by MooG on May 1, 2016 11:27:18 GMT
It does feel like a disappointing season but I don't think it has been.
I'd say the perception is down to three things 1) Unlike previous years we've started a bit poorly, had a good middle then tailed off at the end. This is just less satisfying than the way we've got better as the season went on in the last couple of campaigns. 2) Hughes is a bit a 'victim of his own success' (I've sent the royalties to Port Vale). Given the job of completely turning round the way we play; this is about where we might hope to be. IMO Hughes hit the ground running and did better than expected, so this feels like a bit of stagnation compared to that. 3) The underperformance of the big clubs. There's nothing really wrong with where we are but you look at Leicester and West Ham and think 'how come that isn't us' *they* aren't bigger than we are.
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Post by butlerstbob on May 1, 2016 11:27:55 GMT
How strange that we will finish 9-10th and we are all saying its been a disappointing season! Shows how far we have come doesn't it? Under the circumstances we have done really well, but with a good centre forward and centre half we could have been top 6! Shows how deluded we have become. I agree, me personally I think its been a good season, could have been better, just tinged with a little disapointment!
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Post by wuzza on May 1, 2016 11:31:38 GMT
In the context of the past 30 or 40 years nothing we do in the Premier League can be judged disappointing. In the context of the players we have, the form we were showing at the back end of the previous season, the performance level at home, and the poor form of some of the big clubs - yes it has been a bit disappointing.
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Post by StokieNath on May 1, 2016 11:35:13 GMT
Another reason why it feels a disappointing season is because of how well Leicester and West Ham are doing, if they were shit this season I guarantee a lot of stokies would class this season as another good season. People are asking the question, Why are West Ham and Leicester up there but we aren't? Can't wait till next season.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 11:38:45 GMT
We're not getting relegated so how is it disappointing?
The level of promise is what has brought the disappointment, we have been shown what could be and now it has become what we expect, which is just like Arsenal fans sadly.
You could blame injuries and the lack of cover for destroying a probable European Spot and even a Possible Champions League spot. But what it has done is highlight our deficiencies, which I'm hopeful will now be addressed in the summer.
Would we have taken 10th at the start of the season, I would.
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Post by vahl on May 1, 2016 11:39:32 GMT
We've had a good season.
We are winning away from home regularly, we were a couple of 12 yard kicks away from competing for silverware and we have bedded in a few of the new lads (that some people forget came in for lads that had been here years and knew the crack etc)
I think it has been a pretty solid season for those reasons.
We have our issues but, so do 19 other teams in the league.
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Post by sufolkstokie on May 1, 2016 11:40:37 GMT
It is the way we have crumbled or simply not turned up in too many games that has me frustrated, plus the injuries and some very weird subs
12th to 10th is fine, but it does feel like there is a bloody good team in there somewhere and we have only seen glimpses
A higher temp forward passing game is required for next season
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Post by partickpotter on May 1, 2016 11:46:20 GMT
Frustrating - yes
Disappointing- no
Optimistic for next season - Hell Yeah!
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Post by butlerstbob on May 1, 2016 12:00:13 GMT
Well we have avoided the gravity crocodile so for me that's something to be positive about! :-)
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Post by RAF on May 1, 2016 12:02:02 GMT
It's fucking amazing how fucking deluded some of our lot have become in such a short amount of time. If you hadn't noticed we are at the next level, and that was delivered by Hughes in his first season. You know 'Top Half' that was touted as the next step, and he did it in the second season as well. Funny when the last incumbent was here anything from 17th upwards would be ok ,even after the massive amount of cash he was afforded. You have to be an absolute fuckwitt to not acknowledge injuries have had a massive impact on our season. Have a look at Leicester and West Hams injury list compared to ours and ask yourself why they have been consistent. I think Hughes could have been a bit more astute in the January window, but he has plenty in the bank for me.
So in summary for me, it's been an OK season frustrated by injuries and a decent cup run. Unlike the ungrateful twats who can't manage their own expectations I'm looking forward to a great summer transfer window, an injury free pre-season and getting amongst it again next season.
If all else fails just blame Wolly like a few of the subnormal tools on here.
Onwards and Upwards Stoke.
H
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Post by roylandstoke on May 1, 2016 12:09:40 GMT
It's fucking amazing how fucking deluded some of our lot have become in such a short amount of time. If you hadn't noticed we are at the next level, and that was delivered by Hughes in his first season. You know 'Top Half' that was touted as the next step, and he did it in the second season as well. Funny when the last incumbent was here anything from 17th upwards would be ok ,even after the massive amount of cash he was afforded. You have to be an absolute fuckwitt to not acknowledge injuries have had a massive impact on our season. Have a look at Leicester and West Hams injury list compared to ours and ask yourself why they have been consistent. I think Hughes could have been a bit more astute in the January window, but he has plenty in the bank for me. So in summary for me, it's been an OK season frustrated by injuries and a decent cup run. Unlike the ungrateful twats who can't manage their own expectations I'm looking forward to a great summer transfer window, an injury free pre-season and getting amongst it again next season. If all else fails just blame Wolly like a few of the subnormal tools on here. Onwards and Upwards Stoke. H Thanks. Saved me alot of typing.
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Post by mickmillslovechild on May 1, 2016 12:12:42 GMT
How strange that we will finish 9-10th and we are all saying its been a disappointing season! Shows how far we have come doesn't it? Under the circumstances we have done really well, but with a good centre forward and centre half we could have been top 6! Shows how deluded we have become. How is it deluded? Up until a month ago (i.e. a few weeks from the end of the season) we were in 7th and only about 5 pts off the champs league places. Explain to me how, without masses of injuries, a europa spot would have been therefore considered "delusional"? It's not 2008 anymore mate. Based on the last few weeks evidence it's delusional but after the previous 30 odd games that came before that we were actually in a pretty damn decent place you know. No-one is saying we insist upon top 6 or therefore we must be shit but it's perfectly reasonable to suggest we could have done so (y'know based on points and all that) if we hadn't had so many injuries and if the players hadn't switched off for the last few games. You can't just judge our entire season on the last few weeks, that's just lazy, knee jerk over-reactionism.
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Post by hchpotter on May 1, 2016 12:20:19 GMT
Off the top of my head at least 25 far more disappointing seasons spring to mind.
Frustrating certainly. Most disappointing crop of injuries since 74/75 but overall I think we can live with 2015/16.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 12:35:50 GMT
Signing a proper finisher would have helped, instead of the nearly men we've got up front. Apart from Arnie, most if not all of our finishing has been dreadful!
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Post by turtlefox on May 1, 2016 12:38:53 GMT
Shows how deluded we have become. How is it deluded? Up until a month ago (i.e. a few weeks from the end of the season) we were in 7th and only about 5 pts off the champs league places. Explain to me how, without masses of injuries, a europa spot would have been therefore considered "delusional"? It's not 2008 anymore mate. Based on the last few weeks evidence it's delusional but after the previous 30 odd games that came before that we were actually in a pretty damn decent place you know. No-one is saying we insist upon top 6 or therefore we must be shit but it's perfectly reasonable to suggest we could have done so (y'know based on points and all that) if we hadn't had so many injuries and if the players hadn't switched off for the last few games. You can't just judge our entire season on the last few weeks, that's just lazy, knee jerk over-reactionism. I wasn't saying that at all. What you have posted has nothing to do with what I thought or said.
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Post by liamo on May 1, 2016 12:46:07 GMT
Just shows how far Hughes and co have brought us, under the capped reign it was always 40 points and safety
We've accumulated some great players who are still settling in and with a good preseason, a few transfers and better luck injury-wise i'm very optimistic for next season
Inconsistent and frustrating would be 2 words i'd use to sum up this season
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Post by Mint Berry Barks on May 1, 2016 12:58:06 GMT
I wonder how people would reflect on the season had we reached the cup final, we were so close.
It's been a frustrating one down to the injuries and some weird decisions made by Hughes at times, but away from home we've been absolutely brilliant and I think we tend to forget about that.
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Post by kidcrewbob on May 1, 2016 13:23:25 GMT
I'm ok with our overall position and safety pretty much in the bag by Jan, and yes we've been dealt a really shit hand injury wise but home performances have been very poor with one or two exceptions in the purple patch around Xmas. Even those we've won we've struggled against the shit sides - big improvement on that front required for next season Hughesy as its been a trial at times...
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Post by milky on May 1, 2016 13:25:42 GMT
Frustrating in a what could have been way.
In many ways Hughes made a rod for his own back by mentioning Europe. Though without the ridiculous injury situation we wouldn't have been too far off.
What he should have said is our only target is 40 points and survival then most folk would have been ecstatic with top ten.
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Post by silverdollar on May 1, 2016 13:45:04 GMT
Shows how deluded we have become. How is it deluded? Up until a month ago (i.e. a few weeks from the end of the season) we were in 7th and only about 5 pts off the champs league places. Explain to me how, without masses of injuries, a europa spot would have been therefore considered "delusional"? It's not 2008 anymore mate. Based on the last few weeks evidence it's delusional but after the previous 30 odd games that came before that we were actually in a pretty damn decent place you know. No-one is saying we insist upon top 6 or therefore we must be shit but it's perfectly reasonable to suggest we could have done so (y'know based on points and all that) if we hadn't had so many injuries and if the players hadn't switched off for the last few games. You can't just judge our entire season on the last few weeks, that's just lazy, knee jerk over-reactionism. It seems to me you are contradicting yourself here. You are pointing out that not so long ago we were up in the top eschelons of the league. If we were disappointing how did we achieve this position? Surely we must have been playing well. Certainly we have had a most disappointing last few matches and this because Stoke's performances had been so good they had lifted our expectations to enormous heights. Over the last few days I have heard the most ridiculous comments regarding the team, the players and the manager. It is a fact that this season Stoke have had more injuries than any other team in the Premiership. Our defence has been particularly hard hit. In spite of this the team has beaten Man United, Man City, Chelsea twice and Liverpool. We have got to a League Cup Semi Final and late in the season a reasonable shout at qualifying for Europe until our season fell apart for whatever reason. Yes that was most disappointing! All those people slating manager, players and team must take a much closer look at themselves! Apologies to Mick! I am in fact totally agreeing with you!
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 13:48:57 GMT
How strange that we will finish 9-10th and we are all saying its been a disappointing season! Shows how far we have come doesn't it? Under the circumstances we have done really well, but with a good centre forward and centre half we could have been top 6! How do you know we will finish 9th or 10th?.
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Post by davejohnno1 on May 1, 2016 13:56:26 GMT
Frustrating yes.
If this is a bad season, we are doing brilliantly.
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