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Post by ted1965 on Feb 3, 2009 10:36:59 GMT
I think it’s been a good transfer window for us and thankfully we didn’t see players coming in simply to fill shirts and for the sake of a signing as we did on the final day of the summer window. That for me was very important because simply making singings to appease supporters usually backfires and makes the manager or club look foolish. We have brought in two decent forwards and very different which is what we have required, one who is a natural goal scorer and the other who has genuine power and pace.
The other area we needed improvement was a wide man who could deliver crosses for our forwards to get on the end of. That thankfully has happened, yes it took look enough but we have one now and his worth has already been shown.
Kelly if we completed in time is also a very good signing, he is comfortable on the ball and a decent full back something we have lacked. I really hope that deal goes through because it will give us a more balanced look and also options.
The only area where we can be a little disappointed is the lack of a quality central midfield signing, that for me would have been the last piece in the puzzle, someone who can dictate play and who can also help us retain the ball better than we do at the moment. That is still a very genuine concern for me, the lack of ball retention. If we can begin to retain more of the ball it will take some pressure of us and give players a chance to regroup.
It’s going to be a roller coaster ride over the next 14 games but with real options now up front and hopefully the end of a certain managerial favourite who while he works hard doesn’t bring very much else to the side which at this level simply isn’t good enough. I really believe looking at our fixtures and additions we now have a realistic chance to survive and that’s a feeling I like.
We have a better run in on paper than many of our relegation rivals and with many of them being in turmoil for one reason or another this is an opportunity we can’t afford to waste. I am really excited about Saturday, it’s for me a genuine chance to gain our first away win this season and we need to go there with that attitude, we can’t afford to sit back and allow Sunderland to dominate the possession there needs to be a different attitude from the manager and players, take advantage of this new found optimism that some good additions have brought everyone.
I really feel this transfer window was handled well and hopefully Kelly still to be announced we do now have a more balanced look to our squad, shame we couldn’t have completed that central midfielder but I think overall we should be delighted with the business done this window.
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Post by madeinstoke on Feb 3, 2009 10:37:45 GMT
good read that ted.
spot on mate.
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Post by Cityfullergoals on Feb 3, 2009 10:41:38 GMT
Bang on Ted
Ball retention really is a problem we must try and overcome
We cannot keep allowing the opposition 60 or more per cent possession, but I think Ethers will help out in this department, and obviously Saturdays second half game plan was because we were down to 10 men.
Roll on Saturday
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Post by salopstick on Feb 3, 2009 11:13:54 GMT
ball retention has been the diffrence between stoke and the oppo this season
when the oppo has lost the ball they quickly get it back
when we lose the ball as evident on saturday results in a shot on goal or in robinho and bellamy's cae a conversion chance
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Post by 606Stokie on Feb 3, 2009 11:39:48 GMT
Agreed and spot on..
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Post by paulh75 on Feb 3, 2009 13:36:04 GMT
Agreed but I feel the "Favourite" will still be apart of the managers plans. Delap will be missing for the next 3 matches and it doent look like Lawerence is doing to get the nod!!
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Post by lordb on Feb 3, 2009 13:41:04 GMT
next summer - imho we need: a keeper (to compete with Sorrenson)
two fullbacks:
1 or even 2 CB's (Cort,Sonko to go)
2 central midfielders: Ollie,Diao to go
1 RM with pace & quality to compete with Liam
plenty to do there
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Post by eddy_under_fire'sviews on Feb 3, 2009 13:55:45 GMT
great post Ted. hit the nail on the head there mate
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Post by lordb on Feb 3, 2009 13:58:49 GMT
anyone else read this post in Buzzlightyears voice?
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Post by Ddraigcoch on Feb 3, 2009 14:04:09 GMT
Why are so many people obsessed with the 'need' for a top draw creative midfielder this season??
Whelan will grow into this psoition and will prove a decent player given time.
We don't need to pick locks to score goals....just batter the fookin door down .....or get width (Ethers, Camara, Lawrence) which we now have in abundance.
Going forward TP has now got far more strings to his bow than at the start of the season; there are goals in this squad from set piece and open play and they will produce enough to keep us up.
The summer will see more comings and goings to allow consolidation next season, players will see STOKE as much more attractive option after this seasons survival.
Be Loyal. Be POSITIVE. BE STOKE.
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Post by ted1965 on Feb 3, 2009 14:22:08 GMT
It’s fine saying we can simply batter the door down but sometimes you need a little subtlety to go with the beef. If we are to establish ourselves in the top flight we will need to add some creativity to our muscle and sweat. If you look at sides like Bolton who battered the door down as you put it they also had that luxury player who could unlock a defence.
In those really tight games where simply battering the ball forward isn’t working you need something different, that player who can see a pass and then make it. We also need to keep the ball more and that isn’t done with simply having two defensive minded central midfielders in the side.
I am not complaining about what we have done but surely having all options covered gives us a more realistic chance of staying up.
As for next season, if we stay up then there will be a lot of clearing out to be done and a much more competitive look to the squad. That can only happen if we get the first part of the job completed and that is staying up, which I believe we can. I think we’d have an even better chance with real full backs and I hope the Kelly deal is still ongoing as far as paperwork being cleared. As we don’t have that extra option of someone to dictate play in the middle then we go with what we have and I still think with more options up top we have a great opportunity to stay up.
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Post by surreystokie on Feb 3, 2009 18:45:08 GMT
Quite right, Ted, but we (supporters plus TP) are finally on the same wavelength, as he did try for a CM, albeit seemingly not the creative one we'd die for, and brought in the others we requested. It's looking good.  |
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