|
Post by followyoudown on Mar 26, 2017 10:08:22 GMT
Another expensive signing jettisoned after a short time -who are the others then? And you want to slaughter Hughes for really poor management on something that hasn't even happened, seems fair and balanced to me. Well it'll be Joselu, Shaq and Imbula if the summer goes to plan I think. Because it very likely to happen and he's not playing these players he's signed and has gone back to the old guard that are just horrible to watch. He deserves nothing less. Joselu expensive at £5.75m? Assuming you are correct which do you reckon the Coates family prefer letting them see out their contracts and leave on a free or move them on and get as much money back as possible.
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 26, 2017 10:14:05 GMT
I'd have kept Joselu for this season. But again once Crouch signed his new deal, Joselu should never have been signed. It's another case of Hughes showing he doesn't really have a plan and is pretty harem scarem with his recruitment. I just can't see past how you can get rid of your record signing after 18 months and not be sacked. It's a massive fuck up that shouldn't be acceptable. If he was my signing I wouldn't be getting rid of him for that very reason. But if his job is that safe then that worries me. But in that case of course you would. He's a massive flop and the manager clearly has no time for him. Shaq's one of our best players, he shouldn't be going anywhere. Certainly some real howlers being made by the recruitment team. Cartwright, Cruickshank, Hughes - who knows the layers of responsibility? God only knows what they saw in Joselu that they thought would translate to England. Imbula's a very odd one. Both Milan clubs would have taken him which says everything about his ability. But he doesn't seem to have moved forward an inch as a player in 14 months. Again, hard to know where the blame lies and there seems to be big character issues and he still looks like he's having a kickabout on the playground. Looks like a case of fingers burnt will mean Prem-ready, domestic players zooming up the charts. With Shaq, he's missed 43% of games and if we can't rule that out continuing and think that's who he is and is going to be, we must think cutting our losses is the way to go. The ultimate responsibility will lie with Hughes. I don't think he'd have it any other way and I wouldn't want it to be any other way. We can't say we weren't warned with Imbula. Which makes it all the more strange. Again that just stinks as the Stoke way to me re Shaq. A bit half arsed and giving up pretty easily. I think he's worth keeping and working on to make him right. What worries me more is who replaces him? I don't like Arnie on the right tbh. And if we signed a plodder for out there it would be maddening.
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 26, 2017 10:16:32 GMT
Well it'll be Joselu, Shaq and Imbula if the summer goes to plan I think. Because it very likely to happen and he's not playing these players he's signed and has gone back to the old guard that are just horrible to watch. He deserves nothing less. Joselu expensive at £5.75m? Assuming you are correct which do you reckon the Coates family prefer letting them see out their contracts and leave on a free or move them on and get as much money back as possible. It is for under Hughes, especially when he came in he was essentially 4th choice. Do many clubs spend that much on a fourth striker they don't need? That's not the issue here is it? I'd imagine they'll be pretty furious with that scenario though and if they aren't then they should be.
|
|
|
Post by rawli on Mar 26, 2017 10:22:27 GMT
I just don't think that Shaqiri wants to be here. He took an eternity to sign which meant he was waiting for a better offer that never came.
It feels like he thinks he's doing us a favour by being here.
|
|
|
Post by CBUFAWKIPWH on Mar 26, 2017 10:24:25 GMT
Hughes' record is pretty good - every transfer is a gamble, some you win some you lose.
The issue for any manager of Stoke is the same - we want to compete in the top half of the table and we're not the biggest draw for the best players. Therefore we have to take more chances than the clubs that can afford to pick and choose which makes us more prone to getting some wrong. Given the situation Hughes is doing well.
If having turned out for Switzerland if Shaqiri has another niggle in the next couple of games it really is time to let go. No matter how talented we need players who actually wants to play for us.
|
|
|
Post by mozzer on Mar 26, 2017 10:28:18 GMT
Indeed and that started with getting Crouch and the move to slow football. Which sounds familiar. You can't use breaking even as an argument and then saying 12m is nothing. It's a lot of money to waste for a club like Stoke. Who says we've wasted it, Shaqiri just seems to be the current surrogate for many of the Hughes out brigade. Players got injured some break legs or ankles some pick up injuries like Shaqiri. I see no reason if we choose to sell Shaqiri that we wouldn't recoup the majority of the fee, personally I hope we don't. Just as a comparison Villa will potentially pay £15m for Jonathan Kodjia which is only £2m less than we've paid for Shaqiri and Ramadan, we're not going to get signings like Marko for a couple of million now. This is a strange one for me I am not a Hughes out man.......But I was not a Pulis out man either, I was happy with what both achieved and enjoyed the football when their relevant sides were in their stride.....boring Pulis....5-0 at Wembley anyone I thought Pulis was doing just fine but he failed to sort out the deficiencies in the team when we lost the wingers and performances went boring & flat, so I fully understand why the board moved on with Hughes as we stagnated under Pulis Hughes has come in and is just bobbing along in the same vein as Pulis did, so I am more of a Hughes is doing OK but needs to quickly address a few deficiencies just as Pulis needed to in his reign or the writing may just be on the wall Pulis bought some nightmare signings and so has Hughes, but in the main they both bought some excellent signings.....just look at the core of the team currently, Hughs reverted back to the Pulis old guard when it was all going tits up. AND NOW TO THE CRUX OF THE POST.... Shaquiri, A fantastic signing that got the world of football talking and put SCFC fully in the headlights of ambition A signing that a lot of the established champions league teams would have loved to compete for with more financial clout A signing that is one of our glamour shirt selling additions that on his day is a sublime footballer that oozes quality and the team benefits from his ability and vision A signing that unfortunately misses lots of games a season for Stoke yet amazingly is always fit for Switzerland, perhaps that is just lucky for the Swiss FA but unlucky for SCFC A signing that we seem to have a ready made stand in, even though it is early days the stand in WANTS to play for Stoke and has great ambition and drive to prove himself and succeed with the chance that he has been given, an ambition that if his performances keep improving will force a move to a bigger and more ambitious club And that is where the balance has to be found, can we afford a bit part player on Shaqs wages verses his input and contribution to the team, a player that gives an impression that he would rather not be here and a player that always seems to get an injury on the run up to a Swiss international game yet is always lucky enough to turn out for that said team. My view is no, I wish that we had the strength of depth as the bigger sides so that we can carry a passenger for 65% of the season but we can not, will Shaq get Hughes the Sack NO, will the purchase and failure of Imbula get Hughes the sack NO, but I tell you what may just get Hughes the sack, not knowing your best team until Christmas giving every one around us 6-8 games head start before we start to compete going out of the cup playing with a strong side against shit opposition failing to obtain adequate cover in key areas until the issue is staring you full force in the face and threatening to derail your season conceding 4 goals on a regular basis playing boring tippy tappy football in the centre of the park and not going for it against lesser opposition that is what the board will look at as they did with Pulis and that is what may sway the boards decision over where the club goes over the next 12-18 months. Will Hughes go the same way as Pulis, of course not, well not at the moment anyway, the board are realistic and like most level headed supporters on here know our place in the football pecking order, although that we are currently 9th I think that they will demand an improvement to the problems above but know that they will probably not better what we have, they will understand that a little tweaking is required and will hope that Hughes has the nous to sort the issues out Will Shaq and Imbula go..Almost definitely, one looks mentally unstable living in a strange and foreign country and the other thinks that he is better than little old Stoke and his best footballing days are better spent away from the club....time will tell. I think this close season is the biggest in our Premier league history and may well give us a great new chapter if we buy/replace and lose the fringe players or if we get it wrong...well!!
|
|
|
Post by mattador78 on Mar 26, 2017 10:33:28 GMT
On paper we have a great squad but for one reason or another it just hasn't clicked. The defence picks itself but on potential I think most people possibly even MH would be looking at this Allen Imbula Sobhi Shaq Arni Berahino But for one reason or another (injuries, fitness, discipline, loss of form) it hadn't happened and more than likely won't work because we don't have enough steel and skill in the 2 DMs role which needs addressing. When weve been relying on Glen and Geoff there is a problem for what is the key position that makes the others work. After his recent performances there is no way we can drop Geoff at the minute
|
|
|
Post by adi on Mar 26, 2017 10:37:55 GMT
Our best player. Keeping him should be the main priority. Based on what? I'd say that arnie is or maybe bruno
|
|
|
Post by Gods on Mar 26, 2017 10:40:05 GMT
I'm certain that Joselu was a Cruickshank buy. You could tell by his reaction on Twitter when he signed and then when we loaned him out, he seemed gutted. Same with when we let Wolly go too. That seems highly likely. Kevin Cruickshank what do we know about him? Was at QPR with Mr. Hughes, that might tell you something
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 26, 2017 10:40:41 GMT
On paper we have a great squad but for one reason or another it just hasn't clicked. The defence picks itself but on potential I think most people possibly even MH would be looking at this Allen Imbula Sobhi Shaq Arni Berahino But for one reason or another (injuries, fitness, discipline, loss of form) it hadn't happened and more than likely won't work because we don't have enough steel and skill in the 2 DMs role which needs addressing. When weve been relying on Glen and Geoff there is a problem for what is the key position that makes the others work. After his recent performances there is no way we can drop Geoff at the minute He isn't the solution though is he? He shouldn't be in the starting xi next season. We need much better. Our midfield at the moment is practical but past that it offers nothing. There's no balance in it. And you can't have a regular midfielder in the Premier League who can't pass. We need way better.
|
|
|
Post by mozzer on Mar 26, 2017 10:43:59 GMT
I just don't think that Shaqiri wants to be here. He took an eternity to sign which meant he was waiting for a better offer that never came. It feels like he thinks he's doing us a favour by being here. We could be both way off the mark here as I have nothing to back this up other than what was true at that time. The only reason that he is at Stoke is that no one else came in at that time and it took him an age to put pen to paper, In his own words back in December he stated that he "wants to play champions league football in the near future", well he will not be getting that at Stoke in the near future so is he committed to the cause or is he doing just enough to keep a move alive.
|
|
|
Post by adi on Mar 26, 2017 10:46:54 GMT
Shaqiri or Walters???? It's a difficult one! Or Ramadan.....
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 26, 2017 10:48:54 GMT
Shaqiri or Walters???? It's a difficult one! Or Ramadan..... Except Ramadan so far has only played really on the left. Arnie is better on the left and is our best player. That's a different conundrum though.
|
|
|
Post by mattador78 on Mar 26, 2017 10:57:33 GMT
After his recent performances there is no way we can drop Geoff at the minute He isn't the solution though is he? He shouldn't be in the starting xi next season. We need much better. Our midfield at the moment is practical but past that it offers nothing. There's no balance in it. And you can't have a regular midfielder in the Premier League who can't pass. We need way better. At the moment he is though stability as proven by Leicester last season can be paramount in performance instead of looking to the future we need to be controlling what we have at the present.
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 26, 2017 10:59:45 GMT
He isn't the solution though is he? He shouldn't be in the starting xi next season. We need much better. Our midfield at the moment is practical but past that it offers nothing. There's no balance in it. And you can't have a regular midfielder in the Premier League who can't pass. We need way better. At the moment he is though stability as proven by Leicester last season can be paramount in performance instead of looking to the future we need to be controlling what we have at the present. This season is practically over. It's all about the future. The future shouldn't be Cameron in midfield as a starter.
|
|
|
Post by pottersrule on Mar 26, 2017 11:07:37 GMT
We Would get at least 12m back for Shaqiri so I don't think Coates would see that as a problem if we sold him however Imbula we would lose £10m + which would be seen as a big issue. Imbula needs to be played to get some value on him if Hughes wants to sell or to play him into some form. We can't make europe and can't go down so why not give him the rest of the season as a starter. Imbula has been Hughes's biggest mistake if he does not figure for the rest of the season serious questions need answering. It just hasn't worked, probably for many reasons. These things happen. Why the witch hunt?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2017 11:16:08 GMT
Imbula has been Hughes's biggest mistake if he does not figure for the rest of the season serious questions need answering. It just hasn't worked, probably for many reasons. These things happen. Why the witch hunt? Because he's got a massive obsession with it.
|
|
|
Post by pottersrule on Mar 26, 2017 11:23:39 GMT
I just don't see how the manager can last the summer if Shaq and Imbula are sold. How can he be trusted to spend a decent amount of money again? That's 31m spunked up the wall. The recruitment team would need fecking off too. I don't think for one second though that we should sell Shaq. We need to find a fitness plan for him to keep him fit. Ffs! Incrediblely naive to say such a thing . It's like saying we need to find a cure for cancer,easier said than done.
|
|
|
Post by dadofsam on Mar 26, 2017 11:33:59 GMT
The "witch hunt" comes from anger that so little care and research seems to have gone into the signing and the total lack of responsibility by anyone for this enormous cock-up. Add to that huge disappointment and there you have it.
|
|
|
Post by stokiejoe on Mar 26, 2017 12:55:02 GMT
Patience, Shaqiri, Arnie, Ramadan and Berahino will be a dream attack. Shaq has had the scar tissue problem in his calf dealt with. He will be perfect in a number 10 role. Who's this new lad 'Patience'? Quality midfield replacement for Whelan; not able to say more you will have to wait until summer to find out
|
|
|
Post by crowey on Mar 26, 2017 12:55:08 GMT
Just asking like. How come he's always fit for Switzerland, but never fit for us?
|
|
|
Post by GeneralFaye on Mar 26, 2017 13:20:16 GMT
Just asking like. How come he's always fit for Switzerland, but never fit for us? Coincidence?..
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2017 13:27:20 GMT
Who's this new lad 'Patience'? African lad. Patience Winston M'Bongo.
|
|
|
Post by mattador78 on Mar 26, 2017 13:34:52 GMT
At the moment he is though stability as proven by Leicester last season can be paramount in performance instead of looking to the future we need to be controlling what we have at the present. This season is practically over. It's all about the future. The future shouldn't be Cameron in midfield as a starter. Then who? The future should be one game at a time if we put in some of our better performances and pick up points why not start with that next season. Hughes does seem to have the FM syndrome as I call it always looking at changing the team or the formation after one game if it didn't go as planned obviously our injuries haven't helped but we need to finish and start next season stable and consistent. Even if that means Cameron in midfield and Walters up front points win prizes and if that's how we get them that's what we do
|
|
|
Post by elystokie on Mar 26, 2017 13:36:38 GMT
It just hasn't worked, probably for many reasons. These things happen. Why the witch hunt? Because he's got a massive obsession with it. He seems to be obsessed with being the most boring fucker ever to grace the pages of the Oatcake mb, whilst calling everyone that pulls him up on it a 'stalker' (rofl)
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Mar 26, 2017 13:39:56 GMT
This season is practically over. It's all about the future. The future shouldn't be Cameron in midfield as a starter. Then who? The future should be one game at a time if we put in some of our better performances and pick up points why not start with that next season. Hughes does seem to have the FM syndrome as I call it always looking at changing the team or the formation after one game if it didn't go as planned obviously our injuries haven't helped but we need to finish and start next season stable and consistent. Even if that means Cameron in midfield and Walters up front points win prizes and if that's how we get them that's what we do We've been playing dreadful football for 18 months. He needs get new faces in, in the summer and fast. We cannot be relying on the plodders. It simply isn't good enough. The central midfield is a cluster fuck and big changes are needed to make it function as both a defensive unit and an attacking force. I keep getting told we're in transition. Well we've been in transition for 2 seasons now and I have no fucking idea what we're transitioning into it. The team looks a million miles away from where we ended the 2014/15 season and not in a good way.
|
|
|
Post by jimigoodwinsbeard on Mar 26, 2017 15:18:13 GMT
Patience, Shaqiri, Arnie, Ramadan and Berahino will be a dream attack. Shaq has had the scar tissue problem in his calf dealt with. He will be perfect in a number 10 role. If hughes plays him there.......
|
|
|
Post by wizzardofdribble on Mar 26, 2017 15:22:32 GMT
Just asking like. How come he's always fit for Switzerland, but never fit for us? More oxygen in the air in Switzerland. And as we all know oxygen is good for injured players. Perhaps Shaq would like to live there permanently.
|
|
|
Post by kustokie on Mar 26, 2017 15:30:57 GMT
This season is practically over. It's all about the future. The future shouldn't be Cameron in midfield as a starter. Then who? The future should be one game at a time if we put in some of our better performances and pick up points why not start with that next season. Hughes does seem to have the FM syndrome as I call it always looking at changing the team or the formation after one game if it didn't go as planned obviously our injuries haven't helped but we need to finish and start next season stable and consistent. Even if that means Cameron in midfield and Walters up front points win prizes and if that's how we get them that's what we do Every place in the league is worth a lot of money. Also, finishing strongly sends the right message to potential new signings, and there have to players trying to impress either the manager or other teams. Beside I have tickets for the Hull match so they better not bottle it.
|
|
|
Post by mrcoke on Mar 26, 2017 17:06:35 GMT
I may be naive but I can't believe that Shaqiri's injury problem(s) is manufactured. I'm sure he is ambitious to return to playing for a major club and knows the best way to achieve that is to show his ability at Stoke. The solution has to be to resolve his physical problem and get him playing regularly.
As for those who think now we have got Ramadan and we don't need him. Firstly there is injury/fitness issue with all players and we need top class cover and the ability to rotate players. Secondly we should appreciate Ramadan may not be around long before he is off to a big club.
|
|