Stoke Season 2009/10

[johntheclaret]

After watching Everton's demolition job on b4st4rd rovers last week end, I thik Stioke will be very lucky to earn a point. Saha is on fire this year, since his woeful penalty miss at Burnley.

although I wouldn't count that because I think he missed it on purpose, such was his shame at Everton getting a penalty in the 1st place.

Since then he has already netted 4 times.

[nuggety goodness]

had a look at our current position and the games we've played.

we've lost to Man U (top), Chelsea (2nd) and Liverpool (3rd)... i don't mind that, also we've beaten Sunderland (8th) and Burnley (11th) however we've shared the points with Bolton (13th) and Birmingham (14th)...

if we lose to the top 6 but get points everywhere else then we'll go alright....

a draw against an in form Everton is all i can ask for... Kitson to score the leveller in the 84th minute...

[johntheclaret]

Hey Nuggety, did you know that Pulis has brought in Peter Reid as his number two at Stoke?

Personally, I'm not sure this a particualry good move for Stoke. Pulis has worked wonders at the Britannia in the last couple of years and I just can't see what value having Reid around can be for Stoke.

Reid has been out of the English game for a long time and even when he was around, he didn't exactly set the world on fire. He enjoyed some success at Sunderland but it seems to me that that was a classic case of one manager for one club, much like Allardyce at Bolton.

[nuggety goodness]

If we can hold out Man U this week then i will be a very happy man, i don't think it will happen but we'll see. looking the the pattern though tells me we are due for a win... we then have Everton (a), West Ham (h), Tottenham (a) of which i can see 4-6 pts coming out of them...

I hope that 4-6 points prediction is coming from the toffees and the spammers! cos you ain't getting nothing out of the Yids like last year!!

HAHA!!! get up you potters hey DA...

and my prediction was wrong, we pulled 7 points from the last 3 games... AND we won away to a top side, lovin life at them moment!!!

Wolves home, Hull away, Portsmouth home, Blackburn away... 4 of the 5 bottom sides coming up... we could have 5 on the trot after those... and go to Emirates with more confidence!

Stoke for a European spot hey Europa League '10/'11 here we come!!!

[Bully]

dont count those chickens buddy!! long season. very outside chance your mob will make european spots. not saying your a shit side i mean theres so many more games left

[nuggety goodness]

dont count those chickens buddy!! long season. very outside chance your mob will make european spots. not saying your a s***t side i mean theres so many more games left

i was half joking, if Stoke made Europe i would go crazy! definately don't expect it, but at this rate we'll improve on our 12th last year and be pushing for a top spot in the next couple...

saying that, my boys play a very ugly defensive game, i'm sure we frustrate opposition sides all the time!!! we need to attack more and we'll score more goals, but i guess that will only open our defense up a little so i dunno what's better...

[Bully]

yeah that delap and his throw ins cause alot of problems for teams to defend. i know this because it worked so well against us last season. its a wonder he has not been picked up by one of the so called BIG 4. On that note going on this morings game for us against west ham i can see carlton cole doing this very soon. he was the stand out player for both sides this moring

[RoosterMarty]

There is no way Stoke will make Europe but I thought their win on the weekend was fantastic. Their football is pretty bloody ugly at times but it is effective and that is all that matters.

[johntheclaret]

yeah that delap and his throw ins cause alot of problems for teams to defend. i know this because it worked so well against us last season. its a wonder he has not been picked up by one of the so called BIG 4. On that note going on this morings game for us against west ham i can see carlton cole doing this very soon. he was the stand out player for both sides this moring

Why would one of the big four be interested in Rory Delap? More and more sides are adopting the long throw techique especially as il Duce quite rightly said, ref's have relaxed the foul throw law.

[Bully]

yeah that delap and his throw ins cause alot of problems for teams to defend. i know this because it worked so well against us last season. its a wonder he has not been picked up by one of the so called BIG 4. On that note going on this morings game for us against west ham i can see carlton cole doing this very soon. he was the stand out player for both sides this moring

Why would one of the big four be interested in Rory Delap? More and more sides are adopting the long throw techique especially as il Duce quite rightly said, ref's have relaxed the foul throw law.

going on the long throw 50 % of clubs dont have that at this stage. all have decent throw ins but not like delaps . could be a good pick up for a big 4 maybe useful off the bench towards the end of matches if behind with a long throw like that.

[The Jack]

A pity Ryan Shawcross was injured last week and couldn't take his place in my fantasy team this weekend. Here's what Tony Pulis had to say about it - "Ryan felt something in his groin, so we pulled him off as soon as possible."

Now I'm no physiotherapist, but I would've thought ice would have been the best thing for it!

[devilsadvocate]

A pity Ryan Shawcross was injured last week and couldn't take his place in my fantasy team this weekend. Here's what Tony Pulis had to say about it - "Ryan felt something in his groin, so we pulled him off as soon as possible."

Now I'm no physiotherapist, but I would've thought ice would have been the best thing for it!

that's gold jack. good find!
I wonder if he realised what he said straight up, or had to be shown a replay.

[RoosterMarty]

If that wasn't disturbing enough........

'Naked' Pulis headbutted Beattie

Stoke are remaining tight-lipped on the alleged bust-up between manager Tony Pulis and striker James Beattie in the aftermath of their weekend defeat by Arsenal.

The latest raft of claims in the British press say Pulis was naked when he launched a headbutt at Beattie after he had emerged from the showers in the dressing room at the Emirates. The melee caused his towel to fall to the floor, say the Daily Mail.

The argument was reportedly over the players' Christmas party, which was due to take place in London over the weekend. Pulis is said to have cancelled the bash and insist the squad report for training instead.

Pulis is believed to have apologised to the players on Monday but Beattie is still considering a move away from the club in January.

The only comment on the row has come from Stoke chairman Peter Coates, who said: "As far as the club is concerned, this is an internal matter and will be dealt with internally."

Beattie came off the bench in the second half against Arsenal and has failed to start a Barclays Premier League match for the club since the 1-0 victory over Portsmouth last month.

Pulis signed the former England striker from Sheffield United for £3.5 million in last season's January transfer window and his seven goals in 16 games were instrumental in helping Stoke to finish 12th in their debut Premier League campaign.

But fitness problems have impeded his impact this term and the former Southampton and Everton forward has netted just twice in 15 appearances.

[Sploosh]

A reasonable effort at away games so far, you'd have to hope they can get their act together at home more though. Come on Stokies!

[nuggety goodness]

A reasonable effort at away games so far, you'd have to hope they can get their act together at home more though. Come on Stokies!

yep, an improvement from last year anyway. we have stemmed the flow of goals against, now we just need to put some away ourselves... Sorensen is a gun, our defence is great, our pressure is great, our attack needs to be worked on... why we let Kitson go on loan somewhere else i don't understand, Beattie will be gone me thinks soon. Fuller has done nothing so far and Sidibe, has he even scored this term? there's more goals from our defence almost!!!

[Sploosh]

Stoke 3, Arsenal 1 - top effort, well done Stoke!

[Bully]

was a good result. but i dont think we would have gone any further from there if we had have won. man city away we would have had if we beat stoke, and thats not easy these days.

[johntheclaret]

this was a good win by Stoke. Showed they wanted it more than the Gunners.

Is Fabregas the best player in the EPL? I think so

[Bully]

this was a good win by Stoke. Showed they wanted it more than the Gunners.

Is Fabregas the best player in the EPL? I think so

think so IMO but rooney, drogba and anelka are the same at the moment .

[johntheclaret]

Another good win yesterday. Thanks Stoke, and 1st time they've scored 3 goald in an EPL game