Topic: Stoke City This Season

[downtown]

Just Realized this:

9 Competitive games played:

Wins: 6
Draws: 3
Loss: 0

11 goals scored, only 3 conceded.

Just how highly do you rate their defense as a UNIT...and my word, I think they are one of the most efficient teams in opposition's half.

Stoke vs Guti, Quaresma, Almeida of Beskitas at Britannia is gonna be an awesome game.

How long do you think they can keep this unbeaten record ?

[DangerScouse]

Their defence has been very solid in the 2 full games i've seen them this season, that being ourselves and Chelsea. To say they defend in numbers is an understatement but it's extremely effective and you can't fault them for it..

[keano7]

I think Ryan Shotton has been very very good in his brief cameos for Stoke and his performance tonight was brilliant. He's supposed to be a CB but has been used by Pulis as an emergency striker and at Right Back. Can see United or Chelsea going in for him in either January/Summer.

[C]

I've only seen two, both teams (us and Dinamo Kiev) twatted them.

Shevchenko, Henderson and Suarez all missing guilt edge chances and peppering the goal with pressure.

Will take a few more months of the season for me to have a real opinion on the side this season, Jones, Crouch and Jerome is going to be an irritating partnership though

[RuncornRed25]

..and my word,

That you ray?

 

[Pride-Of-The-Midlands]

Come on Stoke!

[Angelius]

Despite the obvious shit that gets peddled against them, I like them and I am starting to like Pulis a lot. This might or might not have been helped by Pulis' recent interview where he was very complimentary of Kenny.

[And Could He Play]

fucking hate them

[Twiggthemanc]

I think Ryan Shotton has been very very good in his brief cameos for Stoke and his performance tonight was brilliant. He's supposed to be a CB but has been used by Pulis as an emergency striker and at Right Back. Can see United or Chelsea going in for him in either January/Summer.

He's about 23 and he's fucking shite

[CarraG238]

It's a weird one with Stoke, because you hate the way they set up, but you can't but help admire how hard it is to beat them. None of the big clubs will enjoy a trip to away to Stoke because you know it's going to be a physical battle and you better get stuck in.

Also like Pulis not only for his recent comments about Kenny, but also seems much more astute than most people him credit. Consulted Rafa about their European campaign and was linked to buying Lucas for a long time.

[rowan_d]

There's only one stat that counts, Martin

[sidneyroughdiamond]

Respect to Pulis and the job he's done but in essence they are a modern day Wimbledon.

[It's Jimmy Corkhill]

Not pretty on the eye, but are even improving in that aspect, as the year after they were promoted they were the worst side I'd ever seen.

Don't think Begovic will be there too long, he looks an excellent goalie. Strong at the beck, big fuckers and have a goal threat, and have made a place for themselves in the top-flight. Can't ask for any more than that considering where they were a few years ago.

[mulfella]

Respect to Pulis and the job he's done but in essence they are a modern day Wimbledon.

Slightly unfair i think - they can be brutal but their tactics are slightly more sophisicated than Wimbledon. Having 2 quality flank players ensures that.

Well done to Pulis - they are annoying as hell to play but respect where it is due.

[Yiannis]

Well done to Pulis(comes across as a good guy) and to the team for being competitive and what they have achieved these years but that's as far as I'll go praising them.I will never sit down and watch them as they are a side simply awful to watch and I still can't get over the fact how they won our last game after having only one shot on target(2 in total) during the game.

[stevensr123]

Most matches I don't even think they are that bad to look at, to be honest. They are playing far better football than they did a few seasons ago.

Anyway I like them as a club, a c*nt to play against, Would I would rather have teams like stoke than west brom, that's for sure.

Westbrom played decent football for sure, But sides just steam rolled them and look were it got them (relegated a few times). Yet by playing to their strengths, stoke have managed to challenge for a cup, and are doing pretty well in europe.

[Grobbelrevell]

The modern day Leicester City.

I don't particularly like their style of play but the simple fact is, it's effective. They play to their strengths and as a result, they're extremely hard to beat. Whichever way you look at it, whatever your own view on style and how the game should be played, Pulis has done a fantastic job there to take them from the nether regions of the Championship to Europe (via Wembley) in pretty much four seasons.

How much further they can progress i'm not so sure, but you have to admire what they've achieved.

[adeel]

Hope stoke bastards take points against Spurs, Arse and Manc clubs. And then fail miserably against all other teams.

[Chivasino]

Have to admire what Pulis has done there.

If you had told their supporters five years ago they would be in the PL, an FA Cup Final, in Europe, and "The" team to truely test yourself against (e.g. could Messi do it against Stoke on a cold Monday night), then they would've pissed themselves.

Dislike them, but fair play.

[xavidub]

I like them. They are doing the best they can on fairly limited resources.

[Liverbird 2010]

If I paid for a season ticket to watch that shite every week Id rather poke hot knitting needles in my eyes fat Sams Bolton cloggers thats all they are can't stand them.

[scared_person]

Of all the British managers in the league (apart from one of course!) I admire Pulis the most.

I like that he takes the Europa League seriously and is going to have a proper crack at it. I can't stand c*nts like Redknapp moaning about his football team being forced to play a few more football matches. What the fuck is the point in managing a football club if you're not trying your damnedest to win some trophies?

I reckon Stoke might get well into the knockout stages of the EL with that defence.

[scatman]

Pulis is doing a good job, wouldnt want to watch them every week, plus the town is full of inbreds as we saw on deadline day

hope they take points off the mancs though

[Danyaals Kop]

They're gonna come second. First is ours, of course.

[Red Beret]

They're not a team you want to play early on in the season when they're fresh.  Better to meet them when they're tiring a little.  Of course that will probably involve a cold night at the Brittania stadium though... 

[Grobbelrevell]

I like that he takes the Europa League seriously and is going to have a proper crack at it. I can't stand c*nts like Redknapp moaning about his football team being forced to play a few more football matches. What the fuck is the point in managing a football club if you're not trying your damnedest to win some trophies?

Because unfortunately, thanks to those loveable chaps over at castle FIFA, finishing within the top-four of the Premier League is of such necessity financially that anything else is secondary. Especially the Carling Cup of Europe (as it has become thanks to being constantly watered down year after year).

[Billy The Kid]

Like them or not, they're a fucking good side. I said on here last week, that they really ground out those 3 points against us. The way the defended was outstanding. They blocked the channels, tracked all our runners, closed down the space, and snuffed out a lot of our attacking moves. Yeah it's fucking painful to watch at times, but I doubt Tony Pulis and his players give a fuck what anyone thinks of them. I kind of respect that in a way.   

[Zlen]

I like them.
No matter what you say they have their own style, gameplan and players to make it work.
Also they spend within their means and their manager is respectful of others.

[Grobbelrevell]

For those saying that they detest Stoke due to their style of play and approach to games, were you of the same opinion when we were collecting trophies under Houllier whilst adopting a largely defensive, counter-attacking (and often direct) style of football?

We certainly weren't known for our attractive, attacking football in that era, but it was effective and it worked for us because we were playing to the strenghts of the squad we had available. I remember many being of the opinion that they didn't care what others thought of us. It was (on the whole) working and that was all that mattered.

Could the same not be said of the current Stoke City?

[koppitekop11]

I like them. They are doing the best they can on fairly limited resources.

Everton have fairly limited resources, West Brom have fairly limited resources, Stoke just spent over £20m this summer!

Personally I cant fukin stand them.

[...]

dirty bastards but they're doing the best they can with what they've got.

[koppitekop11]

For those saying that they detest Stoke due to their style of play and approach to games, were you of the same opinion when we were collecting trophies under Houllier whilst adopting a largely defensive, counter-attacking (and often direct) style of football?

We certainly weren't known for our attractive, attacking football in that era, but it was effective and it worked for us because we were playing to the strenghts of the squad we had available. I remember many being of the opinion that they didn't care what others thought of us. It was (on the whole) working and that was all that mattered.

Is that not the same as the current Stoke City?

There is a huge difference with how we played under Ged and how Stoke play. When we played under Ged we were much more like Chelsea were under Mourinho from 04/06 in terms of style.

Yes were were more defensive than attacking but we still went for wins both home and away. And when we did get our lead we made sure we kept it, but theres a difference between shoving all 11 men behind the ball like Stoke do and having say 6 men behind the ball (Gk, back four and Didi).

Also we never played a direct style. Yes we had Heskey but we also had Gerrard, Murphy, Mcallister, Barmby, Smicer etc who could play it on the deck up to him Owen and Fowler as opposed to having shite like Delap who is the most limited football in the world, I mean seriously, what other player in the world plays football because of his arms?

[Chivasino]

For those saying that they detest Stoke due to their style of play and approach to games, were you of the same opinion when we were collecting trophies under Houllier whilst adopting a largely defensive, counter-attacking (and often direct) style of football?

Yep. but the ends justified the means for me, we hadn't won fuck all for years. Same applies to stoke, good on them I say.

[Lucas21]

I mean seriously, what other player in the world plays football because of his arms?

Reina, Cech, Da Gea, Cassilas, Valdes, Buffon...

[royhendo]

Stoke are good. Pulis is good.

[AnfieldIron]

What were the rumours about Rafa helping Stoke out?

[firedragon]

Fair play to stoke one of the few teams maximizing their resources and getting the absolute best out of themselves, If we can manage to do that we'd challenge for the league.

[rusty-la]

Stoke are good. Pulis is good.

You say all that but wait until they have to Stoke on a cold and wet Wednesday night in November...

[Camarero25]

Like Pulis a lot and I respect what he's done with that side, but as a team, I fucking hate Stoke. I'd happily see them relegated so we don't have to play the fuckers again.

[liverpoolfcmike]

Not a fan of their shithouse tactics, or their 'football' for that matter, but begrudgingly admire their will to win and competitive spirit. They will do well this season.