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Post by roostershair on Jul 27, 2017 7:52:30 GMT
We ain't finished in the market yet. Let's not be lemmings until it closes
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Post by chad on Jul 27, 2017 8:00:41 GMT
We are bigger than Bolton I think. They sent back a lot of tickets at Wembley. Who cares anyway...? Do you mind if I ask you who you are supporting this year? I'm not supporting a team. There are teams I would prefer to see do well, and Stoke are among them at least for the time being. There are teams I wouldn't mind seeing do poorly. And most of the teams I really don't feel one way or the other for. But I'm not really a fan of any team. I hope to become familiar with Stoke though naturally I'll never experience what passionate longtime fans and locals do. I followed Chelsea in the same way last year, and my plan is to follow another team next year. I continue to read up on other teams and players and also what I can find on the lower leagues, so my interests are generalized. Sorry but that's just weird. You quite obviously have no idea how football is for supporters have you.
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Post by Northy on Jul 27, 2017 8:08:31 GMT
Nope, 9th -14th is what we should be aiming at.
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Post by duckling on Jul 27, 2017 11:48:47 GMT
If Duckling said he was Norwegian and watched us in the 70's we'd all be wanking him off. Or fingering her... The latter - I don't have a penis But women generally prefer being rubbed on the clitoris instead of fingered. I recommend the fingerers try that on their ladies tonight
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 11:59:08 GMT
The latter - I don't have a penis But women generally prefer being rubbed on the clitoris instead of fingered. I recommend the fingerers try that on their ladies tonight Mmmmm...How old are you...Are you fit...Are you single....
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Post by mrred on Jul 27, 2017 12:04:13 GMT
No. This is our 10th season in the big time. olton lasted 11 years, Fulham 14 years. Stoke have been massively overachieving for the last decade, and that is bound to run out. This isn't the first time I've see you toe this line and with respect, you're talking out of your arse.
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Post by bigmalc on Jul 27, 2017 12:05:52 GMT
No. This is our 10th season in the big time. That actually makes me think things will get harder. Clubs of Stoke's size and stature rarely make it to 10 years. They almost never make it to 15 years. Blackburn and Bolton lasted 11 years, Fulham 14 years. Stoke have been massively overachieving for the last decade, and that is bound to run out. For midsize and small clubs with extended spells in the top flight, they reach a ceiling, stay there a few years, and wane eventually to relegation. You can see it with all the mid/small clubs that have had successful top tier runs. The three seasons of 9th place were probably the ceiling, and now I think you're in the decline phase. Let's hope it's a gradual decline rather than a fast one.
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Post by Gods on Jul 27, 2017 12:09:40 GMT
The latter - I don't have a penis But women generally prefer being rubbed on the clitoris instead of fingered. I recommend the fingerers try that on their ladies tonight Well this thread has taken an unexpected twist
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Post by armitagestokie on Jul 27, 2017 12:09:43 GMT
Yes unless we sign 4/5 decent players....if not then yes 15th and HUGHES will then go!!
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Post by duckling on Jul 27, 2017 12:11:07 GMT
I'm not supporting a team. There are teams I would prefer to see do well, and Stoke are among them at least for the time being. There are teams I wouldn't mind seeing do poorly. And most of the teams I really don't feel one way or the other for. But I'm not really a fan of any team. I hope to become familiar with Stoke though naturally I'll never experience what passionate longtime fans and locals do. I followed Chelsea in the same way last year, and my plan is to follow another team next year. I continue to read up on other teams and players and also what I can find on the lower leagues, so my interests are generalized. Sorry but that's just weird. You quite obviously have no idea how football is for supporters have you. You're right, I have no idea. Imagine if I had said to fans of any club, "I'm an American that's become interested in English football, and I've decided to support your team." What would the reaction have been? I suspect I would have been derided for being a plastic Yank and a symptom of what's wrong with the Premier League. I probably would be told to fuck off by at least one lifelong fan because you can't choose the team you support; the team chooses you. So I thought it better to become familiar with English football by staying neutral and learning about teams in more depth than I could get just by watching games and reading sports websites. Maybe in this process I'll find "my team", and if that does by chance happen, I'll be a fan because I have grown to genuinely like a team, not for superficial reasons.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 12:14:51 GMT
Sorry but that's just weird. You quite obviously have no idea how football is for supporters have you. You're right, I have no idea. Imagine if I had said to fans of any club, "I'm an American that's become interested in English football, and I've decided to support your team." What would the reaction have been? I suspect I would have been derided for being a plastic Yank and a symptom of what's wrong with the Premier League. I probably would be told to fuck off by at least one lifelong fan because you can't choose the team you support; the team chooses you. So I thought it better to become familiar with English football by staying neutral and learning about teams in more depth than I could get just by watching games and reading sports websites. Maybe in this process I'll find "my team", and if that does by chance happen, I'll be a fan because I have grown to genuinely like a team, not for superficial reasons. Never mind that bollocks....Tell us more about this clitoral stimulation you enjoy so much...
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Post by bigmalc on Jul 27, 2017 12:15:21 GMT
That actually makes me think things will get harder. Clubs of Stoke's size and stature rarely make it to 10 years. They almost never make it to 15 years. Blackburn and Bolton lasted 11 years, Fulham 14 years. Stoke have been massively overachieving for the last decade, and that is bound to run out. For midsize and small clubs with extended spells in the top flight, they reach a ceiling, stay there a few years, and wane eventually to relegation. You can see it with all the mid/small clubs that have had successful top tier runs. The three seasons of 9th place were probably the ceiling, and now I think you're in the decline phase. Let's hope it's a gradual decline rather than a fast one. I haven't got the hang of this posting and quoting lark but I disagree. Stoke are now an established Premier League team with what appears to be a very sensible chairman and back room team which keep us on the straight and narrow. I am personally extremely glad we have a local owner. I think it means a lot in the modern game. I think we should be challenging for the spaces occupied by the likes of Everton. We are not a massive club, but we are also not a minnow club. I am grateful for every season in the Premier league but I am also not from the school that thinks we should just be happy to be there. Its a tricky one. Leicester showed us all what can happen when you get a TEAM together, but it was the closest thing to a freak outcome that has ever occurred and we should be realistic. Personally I want a team that we can say has a chance to beat anyone on the day but which realistically should be pushing hard for 6th place.
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Post by cooper67 on Jul 27, 2017 12:17:45 GMT
Our keeper/backline/DM situation is so much better than last year. We'll be back around 9th again. Yup. Spot on. I still have a copy of your first edition Poseurs Guide somewhere mate. It's a great thing, hours of pleasure. Not that you can spell poser **************.
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Post by fentonstokie1 on Jul 27, 2017 12:34:13 GMT
That actually makes me think things will get harder. Clubs of Stoke's size and stature rarely make it to 10 years. They almost never make it to 15 years. Blackburn and Bolton lasted 11 years, Fulham 14 years. Stoke have been massively overachieving for the last decade, and that is bound to run out. For midsize and small clubs with extended spells in the top flight, they reach a ceiling, stay there a few years, and wane eventually to relegation. You can see it with all the mid/small clubs that have had successful top tier runs. The three seasons of 9th place were probably the ceiling, and now I think you're in the decline phase. Let's hope it's a gradual decline rather than a fast one. In that case then, I would rather we go down fighting unlike Sunderland, Fulham and VillaThe lack of fight is one of the main reasons they went down.
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Post by fentonstokie1 on Jul 27, 2017 12:42:48 GMT
In that case then, I would rather we go down fighting unlike Sunderland, Fulham and VillaThe lack of fight is one of the main reasons they went down. Oops sorry i should have read it more carefully, missed the unlike.
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Post by Clayton Wood on Jul 27, 2017 12:57:45 GMT
I was thinking of bumping this thread on 11th Aug, on the eve of the Everton game, to see if opinions had changed any. Looks like the Tinder crowd will keep it going anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 13:06:30 GMT
Yes. Then releasing old players will have been a good move that we can build on in future seasons. The releasing of the old guard is worrying (me) but if we come through it then it will be vindicated.
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Post by claytonscrubs on Jul 27, 2017 14:56:40 GMT
We'll finish no lower than 12th !
You've heard it here first folks...
Losing Arnie is a blow, and i still don't rate Johnson or Pieters.....But Fletcher and Zouma are quality signings, and i'm sure there's more to come.
Outside the top 6 or 7 the Prem is utter dross. So 8th place is still up for grabs for any side, including Stoke...
Too many people have been Benjified to death on here. Don't let the drag you down to his level ffs !
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Post by Vadiation_Ribe on Jul 27, 2017 16:28:20 GMT
Palace strengthened a lot last season too, and it didn't do them many favours, though I do think they'll do better this time. Southampton are more likely to get relegated than us. We'll finish higher than 15th. We have as good a chance as a few other teams of finishing in the top 9 again. I guess I was challenging the assertion that 'Palace have strengthened a lot', when, what have they actually done? Brought in an inexperienced but promising player on loan and signed a 20 year old defender from Holland. How is that commensurate with 'strengthened a lot'? As I said, I think people are creating a narrative about the ease with which other clubs are doing business and how they are doing lots of it, just so they can run down the club they supposedly support. Having 'neutral fans' contribute to that is also perplexing. But it is absolute rubbish; there are plenty of clubs struggling to do business (for various reasons) and their respective fans are also having their mini crises, each one destined for their slide down the table into oblivion. At this rate, a record 10 clubs will be moving down to the Championship in Summer 2018. There's pathetically negative bollocks posted on The Oatie at the moment and it increasingly looks like people post (spam) this board with the express intention to spout anything that puts Stoke City down, including outright lies. Plenty of good, interesting points are made but soon get drowned out by the mini-benjamins that have appeared from every nook, corner and cranny just to take a swipe at the team, the club and its academy. Sad. Aye - I agree with you and was following up with a bit more. I've posted in another thread that there are at least 5 or 6 clubs with a weaker squad than us at the moment, and that our first team is stronger now than it was at the start of last season (e.g. Butland vs Given, Zouma vs Wollscheid, Fletcher vs Whelan), even before we account for more signings.
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Post by bhp on Jul 27, 2017 16:59:20 GMT
But after three 9th place finishes, after many years of consolidation in the league under the previous manager, many would have thought that we'd got to that point of not being a serious candidate for relegation. Nobody beyond the big 7 is completely safe, but we really shouldn't be talking about being happy to finish 15th. In response to the OP, i wouldn't be happy with 15th but that's where I think we would finish if the squad wasn't to change. Around 5 more weeks to change it yet though... We don't have a monopoly on 9th though do we just like sensible Leicester fans know they aren't going to win the league every year we will have ups and downs, but let me ask you this. Do you think Everton will get relegated, or Southampton, do their fans even think about it at the start of a season? I doubt it.
There is little doubt that for whatever reason we took a big step backwards last season, for me it was failure to stick with the plan and players who were brought in that were on paper good players but simply did not fit into the holes we had available so made things worse instead of better. We put people in staring roles before we heard them sing , that's why we had to run for cover back to our old stalwarts who performed at an expected level and saved our arses.
What we need this season in my opinion is to learn from those mistakes, sadly so far we are tone deaf.
Everton are a few steps ahead of us and Southampton are perhaps slightly better than us that's why.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 17:12:55 GMT
Right now - yes
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 18:49:11 GMT
I want eighth and the F.A.Cup. Get it sorted now!
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Post by CalgaryPotter on Jul 27, 2017 18:50:58 GMT
If we don't sign another player before the window closes we still have good players who can compete and keep us up provided we play the correct formation which doesn't involve Pieters and Johnson tear arsing it up the wings i.e 4 at the back.
The defense from last season has improved with Zouma over Indi. Midfield is about even, we lost Arnie but have Sobhi, we lost Glen (and good luck to him) and replaced with a better player in Fletcher. Forward line - we lost SJW who most people did nothing but moan about but we now have a fully fit and integrated Berahino.
Potential upsides
Bojan - any return to form by him will be fantastic Imbula - still here for now and is looking a better player Diouf - if his head is now sorted from losing his mum Ngoy - lightening quick Campbell - seems to have a bit about him.
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Post by Bang Bang Cauliflower on Jul 27, 2017 20:42:18 GMT
Id already take 15th and ffwd this season in the hope we could actually get our shit together at the START of a pre-season. You get players in before you ship any out.
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Post by boothenesque on Jul 27, 2017 21:26:25 GMT
We'll finish no lower than 12th ! You've heard it here first folks... Losing Arnie is a blow, and i still don't rate Johnson or Pieters.....But Fletcher and Zouma are quality signings, and i'm sure there's more to come. Outside the top 6 or 7 the Prem is utter dross. So 8th place is still up for grabs for any side, including Stoke... Too many people have been Benjified to death on here. Don't let the drag you down to his level ffs ! We were just one win off 8th last season, which according to some on here was the worst in our history. If you're downbeat then it becomes self-fulfilling, willing it happen so be able to wallow in self-pity and say I told you so". Need more optimism and if things don't go well then that's life and you are strong enough to pick yourself up and go again. There are a lot of sad, miserable weak people on here. They need to get a grip and grow a pair. All these dead weights bringing everyone down, any chance you could just keep your moans to yourselves for a while to give use some relief from the doom?
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Post by claytonscrubs on Jul 27, 2017 23:30:52 GMT
We'll finish no lower than 12th ! You've heard it here first folks... Losing Arnie is a blow, and i still don't rate Johnson or Pieters.....But Fletcher and Zouma are quality signings, and i'm sure there's more to come. Outside the top 6 or 7 the Prem is utter dross. So 8th place is still up for grabs for any side, including Stoke... Too many people have been Benjified to death on here. Don't let the drag you down to his level ffs ! We were just one win off 8th last season, which according to some on here was the worst in our history. If you're downbeat then it becomes self-fulfilling, willing it happen so be able to wallow in self-pity and say I told you so". Need more optimism and if things don't go well then that's life and you are strong enough to pick yourself up and go again. There are a lot of sad, miserable weak people on here. They need to get a grip and grow a pair. All these dead weights bringing everyone down, any chance you could just keep your moans to yourselves for a while to give use some relief from the doom? Very well said sir !.........We need more posters like you to counterbalance the doom merchants we get on here........... 👍
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Post by kustokie on Jul 28, 2017 0:24:22 GMT
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Post by Clayton Wood on Aug 12, 2017 9:22:03 GMT
Right. Second offer, 15th now or twist given the transfer business has moved on a little?
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Post by mattface on Aug 12, 2017 9:40:17 GMT
A slightly different option - 9th and no real cup run or 17th and winning the league cup. Which would you prefer - for me it would be lifting silverware
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Post by lordb on Aug 12, 2017 9:49:01 GMT
A slightly different option - 9th and no real cup run or 17th and winning the league cup. Which would you prefer - for me it would be lifting silverware I'd take relegation and winning a cup. I know the club wouldn't buy one day we will go down but not won anything major since 1972. Anyway I think,and the window has plenty to go yet,we will be somewhere around 12th
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