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Post by somersetstokie on Jul 27, 2017 9:26:54 GMT
Maybe its just the natural optimism of a football fan looking forward to the start of a new season, but after the gloom and despondency that settled in after the last campaign, which by general agreement was dire, I think that this new season will actually be a great improvement and might actually offer some fun and excitement.
1. There has been criticism of the summer transfer policy but there does actually seem to be planning and thought behind the scenes. Several older players were given extended contracts recently, to the dismay and disbelief of many fans, but it now seems clear that this was a deliberate strategy to ensure some transfer value for players that were likely to be moved on.
2. We have been told that there will be new signings coming in and i myself am happy to be patient and see what develops. I am sure there will be surprises before the transfer deadline and this all adds to the growing excitement. I think by the time we get to the end of August we will have a solid squad with great potential that we can be reasonably happy with.
3. Several young stars have shown up well in pre season and will doubtless get their chance in the first team. The preseason form suggests that this promotion will probably now occur much sooner and this is an exciting prospect. If the lads are given a chance and the fans show patience I think we will be more than happy with two or three places in the squad being filled from within, rather than by expensive rejects from other clubs.
4.Last year we had a poor and largely wasted pre season, and when it came to the real thing we were way behind the fitness curve and were "under cooked". We struggled and had a pretty disasterous start to the campaign. This meant we spent the whole season under pressure with a series of must win games. As a result the opportunities for MH to find a settled or effective line up were simply not there. Even a good run of a few games can put the confidence back into the team, and give a breathing space to try a new formation or give a player an extended run in a role. This season I think we have started well and certainly cracked this pre-season with a number of competitive games that have offered us a range of challenges. This can only be good and I think this time we will be ready for the off. I think Mark will have learnt the lessons from last year and won't be easily boxed into a corner again.
5.There has been disappointment that key targets like Bruno havn't been signed, but things can still happen, and we might well be surprised by alternative solutions. Last seasons acquisition of Bruno himself seemed a bit of gamble itself so there is no reason why we might not be surprised again. I certainly believe that the loan signing of Zouma is an excellent move.
You never know. By the time the season starts I might have to write "Reasons to be Cheerful" Part 2.
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Post by Gods on Jul 27, 2017 9:31:13 GMT
Maybe its just the natural optimism of a football fan looking forward to the start of a new season, but after the gloom and despondency that settled in after the last campaign, which by general agreement was dire, I think that this new season will actually be a great improvement and might actually offer some fun and excitement. ... You never know. By the time the season starts I might have to write "Reasons to be Cheerful" Part 2. I'm in my normal state of 'natural pessimism' ! It rarely lets me down, things either work out just as badly as I expected or I am pleasantly surprised
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Post by walrus on Jul 27, 2017 9:56:02 GMT
You'd struggle to believe it based on the mood on here of late, but I'm looking forward to some belting atmospheres at home this season.
The atmosphere has really suffered the last few years, I believe largely because as fans we've become a little complacent. If we feel like we're up against it a little more, especially if we have a few youngsters getting first team game time, the 12th man factor might well come back into play.
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Post by The Toxic Avenger on Jul 27, 2017 10:17:55 GMT
Good OP, it really largely depends on 2. No doubt we'll sign some players, it's just hard to have confidence they'll be the ones we need, addressing the problem areas we've got, given recent windows. If we can see that there's some sign of a plan, in terms of how Hughes wants to set up, that'd be reassuring.
I can't subscribe to the 'it'd be great to be losing every week to get the bearpit back!' idea I've seen a couple of times though.
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Post by Dingdangdoo on Jul 27, 2017 10:50:40 GMT
Owned/controlled by some VERY savvy business people
They want us to remain in the PL
PC isn't stupid and understands how football and transfers work
They all know we need new blood
They all know we need to start blooding youngsters
We generally go to the wire AND get some decent signings in
You can ignore the media and interviews
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Post by loosestools on Jul 27, 2017 11:58:52 GMT
I think everything hangs on the success or failure of Berahino or ANOther to score some bloody goals.
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Post by somersetstokie on Jul 27, 2017 12:00:07 GMT
As Stoke fans we are sat somewhere in the middle of things regarding our perspective. We are not a big trophy winning club, but we are a strong and respected established Premier League side that can beat anyone on their day, but equally can disappoint on a regular basis.
We might look enviously at Everton and their close season transfer activity, or be surprised at what mid ranking teams like West Ham and Crystal Palace might be up to in the market. It would be brilliant though if we arrived at the end of August and fans of those teams were looking at Stoke saying that we look as though we cracked it and finally came good. Or,them saying we looked like we signed a winner and how they wished that they had signed him.
We achieved the "Stokealona" tag quite easily one season and looked great for a short period. We are not likely to repeat that outcome again, especially as we now seem to be looking at a wider market, but if we can fire the imagination of the football world once, there is no saying that we can't do it again.
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Post by scfc75 on Jul 27, 2017 12:03:21 GMT
I think everything hangs on the success or failure of Berahino or ANOther to score some bloody goals. Our problem last season wasn't the ineffectiveness of our forwards, it was a combination of calamitous defending and pedestrian build-up from the back. If we can defend better, and are more incisive / creative going forwards, then we'll be fine.
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Post by drjeffsdiscobarge on Jul 27, 2017 14:52:58 GMT
Which one's Cheerful?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2017 14:54:19 GMT
At my age just waking up in the morning is reason to be cheerful alone 😉
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Post by leoncort on Jul 27, 2017 14:57:12 GMT
We never replaced Nzonzi, and we probably wont anytime soon. Now one of the most complete midfielders in the world and quite rightly linked with Barcelona and Juventus, that good. We need to find a style that suits us and stick with it, too much chopping and changing and playing people out of position. Have the balls to play the creative minded Bojan, play imbula and stick with it. We also need a settled back four to play infront of Jack, we always used to have this but in the last 18 months due to injury prone Shawcross and Johnson it simply hasnt happened.
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Post by gibby1409 on Jul 27, 2017 15:02:49 GMT
You'd struggle to believe it based on the mood on here of late, but I'm looking forward to some belting atmospheres at home this season. The atmosphere has really suffered the last few years, I believe largely because as fans we've become a little complacent. If we feel like we're up against it a little more, especially if we have a few youngsters getting first team game time, the 12th man factor might well come back into play. You're spot on about the mood on here! Fortunately, the atmosphere in the ground is generated by (hopefully) 30,000 fans not just a couple of hundred posters on a message board 😉 I actually think the mix of youth and experience is a refreshing and exciting change for Stoke? And from memory, it's a change that quite a few of the doom and gloom posters on here had been asking for over the past 6 months? Goooaaaaarnn Stoke!! 😁
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Post by The Toxic Avenger on Jul 27, 2017 15:06:38 GMT
We never replaced Nzonzi, and we probably wont anytime soon. Now one of the most complete midfielders in the world and quite rightly linked with Barcelona and Juventus, that good. We need to find a style that suits us and stick with it, too much chopping and changing and playing people out of position. Have the balls to play the creative minded Bojan, play imbula and stick with it. We also need a settled back four to play infront of Jack, we always used to have this but in the last 18 months due to injury prone Shawcross and Johnson it simply hasnt happened. We'll certainly need a settled back four if we're going to play Bojan and Imbula together...
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Post by leoncort on Jul 27, 2017 15:16:35 GMT
We never replaced Nzonzi, and we probably wont anytime soon. Now one of the most complete midfielders in the world and quite rightly linked with Barcelona and Juventus, that good. We need to find a style that suits us and stick with it, too much chopping and changing and playing people out of position. Have the balls to play the creative minded Bojan, play imbula and stick with it. We also need a settled back four to play infront of Jack, we always used to have this but in the last 18 months due to injury prone Shawcross and Johnson it simply hasnt happened. We'll certainly need a settled back four if we're going to play Bojan and Imbula together... I didnt necessarily mean together, but a midfield three of allen, fletch and cameron isnt sustainable is it? we could have the best finisher in the world up top and he wouldnt reach 10 goals a season infront of that midfield. Saido has no chance. we need a solid base of: Jack RB Shawx BMI Erik Fletcher Allen These 6 can keep us in games, i'd upgrade Allen and get in a new right back, but we've played the best football recently in this formation. The four up top are interchangeable but the solid platform to play from just hasn't been there for well over a year. I'd also upgrade Shawcross. Rama Bojan Shaq Diouf/berahino
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Post by leoncort on Jul 27, 2017 15:17:27 GMT
We'll certainly need a settled back four if we're going to play Bojan and Imbula together... I didnt necessarily mean together, but a midfield three of allen, fletch and cameron isnt sustainable is it? we could have the best finisher in the world up top and he wouldnt reach 10 goals a season infront of that midfield. Saido has no chance. we need a solid base of: Jack RB Shawx BMI Erik Fletcher Allen These 6 can keep us in games, i'd upgrade Allen and get in a new right back, but we've played the best football recently in this formation. The four up top are interchangeable but the solid platform to play from just hasn't been there for well over a year. I'd also upgrade Shawcross. Rama Bojan Shaq Diouf/berahino I meant Zouma, i was just having thoughts on how much better BMI is than shawcross.
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Post by TexasPotter on Jul 27, 2017 15:21:26 GMT
Zouma got me happy. May more players coming in do the same.
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Post by The Toxic Avenger on Jul 27, 2017 15:30:44 GMT
We'll certainly need a settled back four if we're going to play Bojan and Imbula together... I didnt necessarily mean together, but a midfield three of allen, fletch and cameron isnt sustainable is it? we could have the best finisher in the world up top and he wouldnt reach 10 goals a season infront of that midfield. Saido has no chance. we need a solid base of: Jack RB Shawx BMI Erik Fletcher Allen These 6 can keep us in games, i'd upgrade Allen and get in a new right back, but we've played the best football recently in this formation. The four up top are interchangeable but the solid platform to play from just hasn't been there for well over a year. I'd also upgrade Shawcross. Rama Bojan Shaq Diouf/berahino I agree it's not sustainable, absolutely. Bojan I think is worth one more go. People are expecting miracles from Imbula based largely on eulogising his handful of good games and sticking their fingers in their ears about all his bad ones and the flaws he looks no closer to putting right 18 months on. At this point I don't care what system we play as long as we sign players who fit it. So if he wants a back three he needs two proper wing backs pronto. No hamstringing Ramadan by playing him there, no making do with Diouf or Cameron. If he wants 4-2-3-1 then he wants, at least, a proper holding midfielder, and another no 10 (or a winger so Shaq can move inside) If he wants a 4-4-2, we need a direct winger and a target man if he's not giving Joselu a go there. But he needs to settle on a direction quickly.
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Post by superheroantonius on Jul 27, 2017 15:45:35 GMT
We never replaced Nzonzi, and we probably wont anytime soon. Now one of the most complete midfielders in the world and quite rightly linked with Barcelona and Juventus, that good. We need to find a style that suits us and stick with it, too much chopping and changing and playing people out of position. Have the balls to play the creative minded Bojan, play imbula and stick with it. We also need a settled back four to play infront of Jack, we always used to have this but in the last 18 months due to injury prone Shawcross and Johnson it simply hasnt happened. No disrespect mate, but you are going a bit round in circles. You can't have Bojan and imbula in the middle of the park because neither of them want to put a tackle in. We need a creative midfielder in the middle of the park who DOES want to put a tackle in. Someone like nzonzi Which was your original point in the first place!
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Post by Sweeper on Jul 27, 2017 21:19:52 GMT
There'll always be a Stoke City...
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Post by leoncort on Jul 28, 2017 7:19:39 GMT
I didnt necessarily mean together, but a midfield three of allen, fletch and cameron isnt sustainable is it? we could have the best finisher in the world up top and he wouldnt reach 10 goals a season infront of that midfield. Saido has no chance. we need a solid base of: Jack RB Shawx BMI Erik Fletcher Allen These 6 can keep us in games, i'd upgrade Allen and get in a new right back, but we've played the best football recently in this formation. The four up top are interchangeable but the solid platform to play from just hasn't been there for well over a year. I'd also upgrade Shawcross. Rama Bojan Shaq Diouf/berahino I agree it's not sustainable, absolutely. Bojan I think is worth one more go. People are expecting miracles from Imbula based largely on eulogising his handful of good games and sticking their fingers in their ears about all his bad ones and the flaws he looks no closer to putting right 18 months on. At this point I don't care what system we play as long as we sign players who fit it. So if he wants a back three he needs two proper wing backs pronto. No hamstringing Ramadan by playing him there, no making do with Diouf or Cameron. If he wants 4-2-3-1 then he wants, at least, a proper holding midfielder, and another no 10 (or a winger so Shaq can move inside) If he wants a 4-4-2, we need a direct winger and a target man if he's not giving Joselu a go there. But he needs to settle on a direction quickly. One of the main reasons Pulis' reign ended was fan frustration which partially stemmed from square pegs in round holes, Woodgate at RB, Huth at RB, Wilson at LB. I see similarities now as you suggest, it doesn't seem he knows which formation we will start the season with and surely not knowing this also hinders any real focus in the transfer market. I think we need 2 full backs regardless of formation, Erik will be hung out to dry now whelan isnt there to be scapegoat. Similarly Johnson, even the other night at Bramall Lane he was getting stick (deservedly) and this will only grow as we play competitive fixtures.
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