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Post by Billy the kid on Jul 26, 2017 23:07:02 GMT
Dress it up however you like, if (and it is a big if) we end the transfer window with the squad we have now then we are in trouble. The funny thing is that 3 decent first team signings and everything can be rosey. I truest believe that this will happen and all will be well. I know we had a few defensive changers last night, but that aside we do look sharper and a little more fitter than any pre season under Mark Hughes. I don't expect that to transpire in to any more points within the first month or so given that we have a very tough start. What I do think though is that between the end of September and the Christmas period we will pick up more points per game than we did last season and be all but safe from relegation at the back end of January. Who do you think we should sign then? Who should be sign? Well that isn't up to me, it's clear we are not going to spend £100 million, so I would say 3/4 players between 5 and 15 million will get us what we need to have a good season.
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Post by CalgaryPotter on Jul 27, 2017 2:56:55 GMT
Haven't seen enough of these other youngsters but I am really looking forward to Ramadan replacing Arnie. I think we'll be singing Ramadan's name full bore when the snake returns.
I don't doubt Tymon will come good & be able to back up Pieters. Eric is not a bad defender. I just don't think the multiple formations suited him last year. He's a full back not a wing back, his crossing is dog shit, Tymon maybe the wing back option if we change shape mid game?
Edwards as back up to Johnson doesn't concern me either. Represented his country and is a prospect. Geoff can even cover if need be.
To be honest, I don't expect Johnson to be our #1 right back. If he is here, I hope he gets back to his first year form.
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Post by stokefanone on Jul 27, 2017 8:02:56 GMT
Too pessimistic on here i'm afraid, look at the possitives.
Fletcher is a very reliable and experienced centre midfielder, who has won numerous trophies, has vast knowledge, and still very fit. Butland is back! Good experience in Cameron, Shawcross, Adam, Crouch, Johnson, Allen and pieters. Good players in Shaqiri, Ramadan, Diouf, Zouma, Still a chance that Joselu, Imbula, Bojan, Berahino could come good. And we have half a dozen youngsters, in numerous positions, who have the potential to step up to the plate. And we will probably see 1 or 2 more decent signings. The young lads should bring pace and energy.
Of the players we have lost, Walters work ethic will be difficult to replace and Arnies maverick displays and occasional match wining skill. Whelan has been replaced and Bardsley will be by Edwards who has a great future.
Lets be optimistic please, come on Stoke.
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Post by metalhead on Jul 27, 2017 8:11:10 GMT
Who do you think we should sign then? Who should be sign? Well that isn't up to me, it's clear we are not going to spend £100 million, so I would say 3/4 players between 5 and 15 million will get us what we need to have a good season. The problem is, if we sign 4 Joselu's.... that's a failure. So, it's very difficult in this current market to see who we can actually sign. What is frustrating/concerning is moving forward, we're banking on young players hitting the ground running or old players actually performing when they failed last season.
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Post by stayingupforbigbazza on Jul 27, 2017 8:15:25 GMT
if the idea is to lower expectations -they've succeeded in that- they need scraping off the ground!!
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Post by cobhamstokey on Jul 27, 2017 8:15:39 GMT
Lots of folk on here have been banging the "lets get rid of the older guard and bring in youth" drum for months if not years, now Hughes has done as asked the same people are trying to skin him alive! We have some very good youngsters comming through the ranks so lets give them a chance, they cant do much worse than our fullbacks of last season can they? It all comes down to how good they are and we simply don't know as they've never played at PL level with the exception of Sobhi.
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Post by foxysgloves on Jul 27, 2017 8:35:35 GMT
I'm assuming/hoping we won't get relegated. Just. And then the more experienced youngsters have the experience to go on and achieve more in following seasons. Hopefully we have just about enough to stay out of the bottom three. Wouldn't they get the same experience if we loaned them out to a championship club where they belong?
If they are not ready do not put them in the team it will destroy them and us. simples.
We need to play "The best we have" because if we don't improve on last seasons piss poor effort we will be in a relegation fight.
The way things are shaping up, and given our usual injury woes, they could well be the best we have!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 10:42:58 GMT
Wouldn't they get the same experience if we loaned them out to a championship club where they belong?
If they are not ready do not put them in the team it will destroy them and us. simples.
We need to play "The best we have" because if we don't improve on last seasons piss poor effort we will be in a relegation fight.
The way things are shaping up, and given our usual injury woes, they could well be the best we have! No don't forget our player/manager
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Post by wingy11 on Jul 31, 2017 17:08:50 GMT
Thing is with stoke instead of steady progress we go from 1 extreme to the next younger players should be introduced slowly and actually had some preimer/championship experience but no the club decide to just cut the cloth and throw players in straight away and believe me it wont work championship beckons Nah I disagree. Whilst youngsters do need experience, I think they will ADD a work-rate and effort plus hopefully some much needed fitness and pace to the side. We all want to buy pre-made players but they are like mercenaries these days just coming for the coin. The youngsters might make some mistakes along the way but you know they will give 110%. Southampton lost most of their squad about 2 season when Pochettino left, but the new young players more than made up for losing the players. Premier League these days is LOW on quality but HIGH on pace and work ethic. We were so slow last season because we had so many old plodders. As Hansen said fatefully about Man United in 2000 - "you cant win the Premier League with kiddies" I think we will be surprised about how effective the youngsters are as long as they are given some confidence by Hughes and the crowd dont get on their back. They lost 3-1 to crewe
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jul 31, 2017 17:11:51 GMT
Lots of folk on here have been banging the "lets get rid of the older guard and bring in youth" drum for months if not years, now Hughes has done as asked the same people are trying to skin him alive! We have some very good youngsters comming through the ranks so lets give them a chance, they cant do much worse than our fullbacks of last season can they? We haven't gone about it in the right way have we though? Two of the three players haven't played Premier Laague football when they've had the chance to last season. That's the issue. My worry is that it will hurt those players as much as it could hurt us.
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