On an individual basis, Charlie Adam is more to blame for Stoke’s relegation than any other player. He missed a penalty in the last minute that would have beaten Brighton, and then got sent off whilst Stoke were drawing in a very winnable home game against Everton. If it wasn’t for him, they would be at least two points better off, if not three or five.
So true! That bloke's lack of self-awareness knows no bounds.
I'm bemused by how surprised some are at Stoke's relegation. They've got two genuinely good footballers: Joe Allen and Shaqiri (N'Diaye looks okay, too, but only signed in January). I think Butland, Choupo-Moting and Zouma are decent, too, but they've been inconsistent/injured this season. They've then got a load of players who were once decent, but are long over-the-hill, like Adam himself, Shawcross, Johnson, Ireland, Fletcher and Crouch. Then physical players with limited ability who won't look out of place whatsoever in the Championship like Peters, Bauer, Cameron, Diouf. Most glaringly, absolutely nothing up front.
All seems a perfect recipe for relegation to me. They'll be alright because of Coates but I can't see them bouncing back straight away, too much of a rebuild job required.