Premiership Window Watch – Worth a read

[coggy]

Worth a read anyway

articles.squarefootball.net/squarefootball/2009/01/premiership-w-6.html


Premiership Window Watch – Stoke City
Overview – Another to have performed well above expectations to date, although their haul of 20-points is still only good enough to leave them third from bottom going into 2009. A few new faces could give Stoke City renewed impetus in the battle to beat the drop.

Priorities – The need for greater creativity and pace down the flanks and a striker to share the burden with Riccardo Fuller would seem to be the main priorities for Tony Pulis. Greater options in central defence, midfield and at full-back would also help the cause.

Major concerns – The statistics point to the heavy reliance on Rory Delap’s ability to hurl throw-ins deep into the danger zone as being pivotal to Stoke’s success this term. Once teams eventually start to come to terms with Delap’s missiles, Stoke will need to come up with some creative alternatives.

Rumour Mill – With Watford’s financial predicament being such that they have already indicated a need to sell in January, Tommy Smith has been strongly linked with a move to the Britannia Stadium. The Southampton duo of Adam Lallana and Andrew Surman, like Smith at Watford, could be available for a relative pittance given their club’s financial plight.

A costlier addition would be Cardiff City’s Joe Ledley but, with the Welsh international winger apparently willing to run down his contract at Ninian Park, Pulis might be able to secure one of his long-term targets. Ghana international Haminu Dramani is another apparent long-term target and there has been talk of Stoke rekindling that interest with Lokomotiv Moscow.

Marlon Harewood, well down the pecking order at Villa Park, would give the forward line some extra quality alongside Fuller, although if they could prise Angolan striker Manucho away from Manchester United on loan that would enable Pulis to spend his pennies in other areas. Any move for Wigan Athletic’s Henri Camara would seem to depend on the Latics being able to retain the services of their other strikers. Sunderland’s David Healy could be a possibility, while Portsmouth’s David Nugent might be available depending on other transfer activity at Fratton Park. Aruna Dindane is another option, particularly now that it appears that Ligue 2 Lens might be prepared to allow the Ivory Coast striker to leave on an initial loan deal.

Celtic defender Gary Caldwell would provide cover at the back, while another raid on Reading for Andre Bikey has also been mooted. Perhaps the fact that veteran former Newcastle United defender Lamine Diatta has recently been offered a trial at the Britannia Stadium suggests that the Senegalese international could be seen as a cheaper option.

Derby County youngster Miles Addison has also been linked, with his ability to play in central defence of midfield having obvious appeal to Pulis. Any deal would appear to be unlikely though, at least until the Rams decide upon a long-term successor to Paul Jewell. Burnley’s Chris McCann is another that could provide the Stoke midfield with young legs.

Those that Pulis might be willing to let go include summer signing Dave Kitson, who has failed to adapt to the Stoke style of play. Andy Wilkinson and Carl Dickinson have also been mentioned as possible departures.

[Beardy200]

"Worth a read"


We'll be the judge of that ............






















Quite a good read that

[RICH68]

Not been linked with many players then