Season shape-up - Stoke

We look at how sides are gearing up for the new campaign

Last updated: 21st July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Season shape-up - Stoke

Pulis: Quiet summer

STOKE TRANSFER ACTIVITY

Ins: None

Outs: Robbie Garrett (released), Marlon Broomes (Blackpool - free), Russell Hoult (Notts County - free)

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Barely a penny has been staked on Stoke avoiding the drop this season and it's little wonder after a worryingly quiet start to the summer. Mark Holmes takes a look at just how tough their task will be.

What's happened so far

Until Friday afternoon, not a lot. Plenty of players had been linked, ranging from the 'please don't happen' (Sun Jihai, Rob Hulse) to the 'never gonna happen' (Ivan Klasnic, Diego Milito), but Tony Pulis had not tied down a single player.

However the Potters then got their spending underway with the club-record capture of Reading striker Dave Kitson for £5.5million. That dwarfed their previous highest figure of £1.4million paid for Leon Cort last season, and City fans will be hopeful that is the start of a things to come.

Jamaica international Rudolph Austin has also signed subject to a work permit but he was prevented from making his debut in the club's pre-season friendly at Newcastle Town on Friday night so there wasn't a single new face on show at Lyme Valley.

Pulis has promised a lot more big-name arrivals before the season kick-off but just who is anyone's guess as the Welshman has typically kept his list of targets close to his chest - frustrating for fans and journalists alike.

Marton Fulop and Anthony Gardner are highly likely to move to the Britannia this summer, though, while the likes of Danny Higginbotham, Jon Walters and Hayden Mullis are among the realistic targets that also appear to be on City's shopping list.

While the arrivals door has been slow to open, Potters fans at least console themselves that the exit is yet to fling open.

Relegation rivals West Brom have arguably lost their two best players from last season but Pulis has managed to keep his squad intact, with reserve teamers Russell Hoult, Robbie Garrett and Marlon Broomes the only players released. Even Dominic Matteo - last season's club captain - may stay on in some capacity after returning to training with the rest of the squad.

What they need

Where to start? There is no doubting that Stoke surpassed expectations in the Championship and even the squad they finished the season with was probably weaker than many of their rivals'.

Pulis used the loan market to full effect to make up for a lack of transfer cash, but the Welshman does not have that luxury this season - Premier League clubs can only lend four players off their rivals per season, and only two at any one time.

The Potters will undoubtedly make the most of that quota but they cannot rely on other teams doing them favours anymore and need to heavily strengthen in each and every area of the field. Ryan Shawcross, Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller will be capable of stepping up but there are question marks over the majority of their current team-mates, particularly in defence and attack.

Their defensive record last season was surprisingly poor and Pulis needs a goalkeeper, full-back and experienced partner for Shawcross - at the very least. Goals actually weren't a problem last term but Fuller's regular partner Mama Sidibe scored just five, and Richard Cresswell - the third highest scorer last season - is unlikely to prosper as a Premier League forward.

The arrival of Kitson will certainly help take the weight off Fuller but a move for another forward could be sensible - long-term target David Nugent is available - as Lawrence is the side's only other player likely of regularly chipping in with goals.

But top of Pulis' priorities should be finding a left winger to supply his new-look frontline as Cresswell surely won't be asked to play there again. The Potters have got good tecnical ability in their midfield in the shape of Lawrence, Glenn Whelan, Salif Diao and Rory Delap but they desperately need to add some genuine pace - none of the above have the speed to regularly skip past opponents.

What they'll get

Pulis will look to the top four - more than likely Manchester United and Liverpool - to loan him some of their latest protégés this season and the success they have will largely determine how Stoke get on in the Premier League.

There will also be some more permanent arrivals, though, and Pulis will continue his habit of searching out those players that have lost their way. He has a handy habit of resurrecting careers and will hope to do the same with the likes of England cap Gardner, should be arrive.

You can also safely bet Pulis won't sign any bad eggs - dressing room spirit played a huge part in promotion last term - and he will build a team based on power, pace and of course hard work, ala Harry Redknapp.

It is tough to know just who will arrive (the list of players linked with the club currently stands at over 60) but the signatures they do eventually gain are likely to include a mixture of top-four youngsters, top-flight veterans and possibly the odd player from France or Africa.

Fan's view - John Paterson

As I write this we have finally made our first signing! The record breaking fee for Kitson, suggests that Pulis and Coates are prepared to pay for quality. However, evidence from TP's teams in the recent past suggest that the final Stoke squad should be greater than the sum of it's parts.

Maybe the other players we sign won't have Kitson's pedigree but every player in the squad will fight to the final whistle and give his all for the cause - we won't do a Derby.

We'll have height and strength right down the middle of the side. We may not have have a 20 goal a season striker but Pulis will compensate for this with goals from midfielders like Lawrence. And of course, we'll have goalscoring centre backs - 16 goals came from that position last season!

Once we were a team which never scored from corners, now the corner, the wide freekick and the long throw are amongst our most potent weapons. Pulis will attempt to recreate a "mean" defence - something which was, surprisingly, missing last season.

Will this approach bring success? Well, we won't have the best squad of the teams in the bottom half by a big margin. But then we didn't have the second best squad in the Championship last season!

However, I fully expect us to be competitive in that mini league of six or seven clubs who will be scrapping to avoid relegation. Like most Stokies, I will regard 17th as a success.

Pulis has never managed a relegation side and my hunch is he will retain that record - just!

Comments (42)

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Ben Matthews (Stoke City fan) says...

Dont know what all the fuss is about just scroll up and you will see were 15th in the league!!!!!!!!!

Posted 21:19 3rd August 2008

James Hoyle (Hull City fan) says...

Stoke look shakey. Hull seems more a more attractive place to come. And it's not the nightlife that's pulling in the players, that's for sure. Good luck to The Potters in the dog fight, but in thr pre-season preamble (which, fankly, matters little) it doesn't look hot. Stoke are in my 3 to drop together with Fulham and a.n.other from Wigan, Bolton and Middlesborough. WBA play great football. Only better club in the Championship last season was Hull, but then, I would say that, wouldn't I? Hull to finish 14th. PB and BH will guide us through the storms.

Posted 23:07 1st August 2008

Dave Roberts (Stoke City fan) says...

i believe a lot of people don't want stoke in the premier league,but i sincerely hope we prove them all wrong, and on the way beat some of the sides with the overpaid prima donnas in them.some of the money paid to these people is an insult to the working majority of fans who have to pay exhorbitant prices to watch football!!

Posted 16:49 31st July 2008

Emma Donohue (Stoke City fan) says...

come on stoke u can do it! we av got a gud chance of staying up up up!!!! come on tony pulis!!!!

Posted 14:31 28th July 2008

Jon Lightfoot (Stoke City fan) says...

Even though we are favourites to go down I think we will fight right to the end, and even surprise a few big clubs. The influx of new players has been slow but with the signing of Kitson hopefuly is just the begining.

Posted 00:08 28th July 2008

Mick S (Stoke City fan) says...

It will be close but we can do it the sighning of Kitson and Olyfinjana is a step in the right direction, we cant possibly do worse than Derby after all

Posted 15:53 26th July 2008

Richard Clowes (Stoke City fan) says...

stoke fans this is really disappointing reading i hope you don't bring this negativity down to the Brit this coming season we will need so much positive energy. stoke city fc is a unit we are part of that unit if we put maximum pressure on the opposition it will make it easier for our players who ever they will be, we can stay up and we will stay up come on stoke. PS we have just signed seyi olofinjana from wolves 3 mil

Posted 12:12 26th July 2008

Paul T (Stoke City fan) says...

I've heard a lot about West Brom's so called superior style of football. It only got them 2 more points than our style last season! In my opinion their weakest link is Tony Mowbray. He proved time and again last season that he is found wanting tactically when the wheels come off his game plan. They cannot adapt their style and this will be their undoing this season. At least Tony Pulis has proven his tactical ability to eek out results. This said we will struggle and it will be tough to survive but I believe that the hard work ethic and everyone fighting for the cause is how Bill shankley built a great Liverpool side years ago. Nobody is bigger than the club was his mantra and pulis appears to have adopted this attitude towards signings last year and continued it this year.

Posted 20:42 23rd July 2008

Philip Austin (Stoke City fan) says...

we will definitely avoid the drop this season, and i can see stoke finishing top 10, maybe not taking points off of 3/top 4 but beating man utd at the brit and drawing at OT. need a few more signings first, heard through the potters web site about a 15 milion rated striker, Milward or something? possibly coming, but never really heard of him. orrrr go on stoke!

Posted 16:42 23rd July 2008

Matt Millward (Liverpool fan) says...

Being originally from the Potteries I am bound to say I hope Stoke do themselves proud and prey they avoid doing 'a Derby'. Realistically it is going to be hard for Stoke to avoid relegation but I think with a manager like Tony Pulis they at least have a chance. He has completely rejuvinated the club since taking over and although sometimes over last season or so certain Stoke fans said he was a tad cautious in his selctions I think the same fans will now be hoping he does just that. The Boltons, West Broms and Fulhams of this world are under alot more pressure than Stoke due to them being expected to be in the Prem. Stoke are expected to go straight back down an do "a Derby" which I think takes alot of pressure off them and puts more pressure on whoever it is Stoke will be playing. Stoke are a team of big lads and will not be a pushover in physical games and with a full-house at The Brit you can gaurantee a Liverpool-type 13th man element in some games. I wish the Potters the best of luck in the world and hope they can prove a few people wrong. It isn't going to be easy though. Maybe if they play the "Pottermouth War Cry" before every game.....goo on Stoke!!!!

Posted 17:29 22nd July 2008

Neal R (Liverpool fan) says...

It's hard to tell how Stoke will go, but plenty of ordinary teams in the past have managed to avoid relegation. After a long absence out of the top flight, I'm glad they are back

Posted 04:05 22nd July 2008

James Langton (Stoke City fan) says...

Stoke City fully deserve to be in the best league in the world. they were in th top 6 all of last season in the Championship. Now Tony has brought some quality to the side even though its 1 player I still think that we are good enough to stay up and i'm sure they will be 2 or 3 more. The Brit is a very hard stadium to come to and that will play a big factor next season. COME ON STOKE!!!!

Posted 21:32 21st July 2008

John Hackney (Stoke City fan) says...

I really hope we do stay up and with a few more good signings who knows? but one thing i do know what we lack in skill we more than make up for in heart, passion and damded hard work, theres going to be a few bruised egos (and limbs) after playing at the britannia

Posted 20:40 21st July 2008

Simon Jones (Liverpool fan) says...

I being a neutral watched the Championship last year and although Stoke didn't have the flare of some of the other teams ie: Crystal Palace and West Brom, I liked Stokes style of play. They are Big and Physical and i can see them being a hard team to beat in the Premiership and can see them staying up along with West Brom who i feel with there promotions and relegations should now be able to adapt and fight for survival. I cant see Hull being any good. I just feel they will lack the quality and management of other teams and can see them going down. Well that is my opinion on the three promoted sides. But who knows what the new season will bring. All i can say is Come you POOL. Liverpool forever!!

Posted 20:20 21st July 2008

Nick Carson (Stoke City fan) says...

I think stoke will stay up, along with west brom. Hull will get found out straight away as soon as they try to play supposedly attractive football.Last season everyone slated stoke's tactics and style of play, yes it may have been unnattractive but it got results. But this is where stoke can succeed, they are well drilled and organised and can frustrate almost any opposition, allied to there set pieces which last season were arguably there most potent weapon. I think Hull fulhamand wigan will go down. The potters to stay up, but only just.

Posted 17:56 21st July 2008

Andrew Harding (Stoke City fan) says...

to the blackburn fan stoke will not be to many points behind you youth you are due a relegation

Posted 17:40 21st July 2008

Miguel Bryan (Manchester United fan) says...

wat about Ricardo fulller didnt he score alot of stoke city's goal which helped them to the prem.....Sunderland

Posted 15:49 21st July 2008

Gary Hand (Stoke City fan) says...

I don't Agree Gary WBA were very inaffective last season against Stoke and were poor defensivly all season the only reason they won the league was becasue of Kevin Phillips goals and he has gone. I think looking at the signings Hull have the best chance out of the 3 of staying up but I do think Stoke, WBA and Hull will all struggle and I think that unfortunatly stoke and west brom will definatly go straight back down.

Posted 13:08 21st July 2008

Peter Lowe (Stoke City fan) says...

I believe that stoke can stay up. A few more good signings and we will be well on our way. I can't see us in the top half but i believe a finish of around 15th is well within our grasp. We need to increase our clean sheet ratio and sign a new goalkeeper and CB to bolster our defence. A couple of new midfielders would be good as well. Someone like sean davies of portsmouth. As long as we play our hearts out and try our best that is all we can ask for. COME ON YOU POTTERS DO US ALL PROUD.

Posted 11:38 21st July 2008

Chris Proctor (Stoke City fan) says...

its hard to say what will happen - we have signed one player so far , and are clearly in need of several more quality players. If we get a few PL class players between now and aug, then theres no reason why we couldnt stay up. The real trick is staying in the league over several seasons and becoming an established team in the PL that is the real difficulty. Unfortunately I just cant see that happening at all - the gulf between the PL and the champ. is just too big , so at best i think we might manage to scrape 17th for a season (or two) but alas i feel the champ. will be seeing Stoke city again (and it pains me to say that) .

Posted 09:41 20th July 2008
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