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Post by mtrstudent on Oct 16, 2024 1:22:03 GMT
The point I'm making though is that the terrific signings Hughes made in the earlier years were generally more attack minded players being added to the rock solid foundations he'd inherited. Under those circumstances there is a high margin for error because, if the flair players don't perform, you still have that foundation that can weather the storm and form the basis for grinding out the necessary results. When it's the foundations themselves that need rebuilding, the margin for error is far narrower because if you get that wrong you end up in the situation we found ourselves in; where relying on someone like Shaqiri's individual magic isn't enough. Shaqiri scored some goals that could've been crucial in our relegation run in; but because the team behind him weren't capable of grinding it out, his goals sadly became an irrelevance in the end. With this in mind, it's not unfair to single out Wimmer; who was signed for a huge fee (at the time) in a crucial position. With hindsight we might've survived if we'd instead signed 2/3 unglamorous but industrious defensive players with that cash. (not to say Wimmer was "glamorous" but the fee definitely was) Totally agree with this mate. Pulis built the foundations but seemed incapable of adding that next level magic. Hughes could do it if you gave him the foundations, but he couldn't rebuild. |
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Post by scottzbj on Oct 18, 2024 20:54:59 GMT
I genuinely felt sorry for anyone who didn’t have the good fortune to be a Stoke fan at that time.
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Post by nonameface on Oct 18, 2024 21:56:39 GMT
Ignoring the footballing side of it for a moment. If memory serves me right this was the time the clubs transfer strategy started to change. Pulis had signed experienced player’s for big money with no resale value and the club wanted to become self sufficient, how that badly backfired!
But at that time we started to sign more and more players where there were more risks, whether it be players from abroad, troubled players, younger players, players who’d had a few injuries or were injury prone and ultimately combined with getting rid of Hughes at a bad time ( it should have been done at the start of our at the end of the season) cost us relegation.
Footballing wise, Shaqiri was overrated because he hit a good shot edit now and again but Arnie was utter class. He clearly wasted his talent at a young age at Inter and then had some catching up to do. Quite similar to Fuller that his sulking would wind me up, but then moments later a bit of magic and you could just laugh at him being a bit of a dick when he was sulking.
Some really good players and if we thought we got some of our recruitment wrong just before we got relegated it was nothing compared to those first few years in the championship. Seriously does anyone like any of the players we’ve had since we’ve been relegated? Struggling there!
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Post by mtrstudent on Oct 19, 2024 4:46:24 GMT
But at that time we started to sign more and more players where there were more risks, whether it be players from abroad, troubled players, younger players, players who’d had a few injuries or were injury prone and ultimately combined with getting rid of Hughes at a bad time ( it should have been done at the start of our at the end of the season) cost us relegation. Footballing wise, Shaqiri was overrated because he hit a good shot edit now and again but Arnie was utter class. He clearly wasted his talent at a young age at Inter and then had some catching up to do. Quite similar to Fuller that his sulking would wind me up, but then moments later a bit of magic and you could just laugh at him being a bit of a dick when he was sulking. How would you rate other signings? Nzonzi, Bojan, Muniesa leave me with happy memories. Lots of others not so much! |
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Post by lordb on Oct 19, 2024 5:02:33 GMT
Ignoring the footballing side of it for a moment. If memory serves me right this was the time the clubs transfer strategy started to change. Pulis had signed experienced player’s for big money with no resale value and the club wanted to become self sufficient, how that badly backfired! But at that time we started to sign more and more players where there were more risks, whether it be players from abroad, troubled players, younger players, players who’d had a few injuries or were injury prone and ultimately combined with getting rid of Hughes at a bad time ( it should have been done at the start of our at the end of the season) cost us relegation. Footballing wise, Shaqiri was overrated because he hit a good shot edit now and again but Arnie was utter class. He clearly wasted his talent at a young age at Inter and then had some catching up to do. Quite similar to Fuller that his sulking would wind me up, but then moments later a bit of magic and you could just laugh at him being a bit of a dick when he was sulking. Some really good players and if we thought we got some of our recruitment wrong just before we got relegated it was nothing compared to those first few years in the championship. Seriously does anyone like any of the players we’ve had since we’ve been relegated? Struggling there! Agree with all of that except the Shaquri bit, he was class, imo more natural player than Arnoutivic, I struggle to say that one was clearly better than the other, Arnie's erratic finishing really let him down however if he'd been more clinical we'd never have had him, bith superb players for Stoke |
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