Stoke City FC

[baldock92]

A point was definitely deserved, I've just seen the MOTD highlights and they don't do us any justice. The 2nd half we were disgustingly good with 9 men, West Brom were worried whenever we had the ball in their half, yet none of this has been shown in the shitty highlights reel.

As you said arb, the west scrummage albion player should have been sent off aswell for the first incident, and to be fair i'm still undecided about charlies "stamp".

We had the chance to run riot today, playing some great football and not giving them a look in before it all went tits up.

On to an easier game: Arsenal away. Got my ticket, any of you stokie blondes heading down?

[arbboy]

Walters put in a transfer request today.  What are others views on him leaving?  I think he has been a great player for Stoke and still has plenty to offer.  For the money involved I think Stoke should get him signed up for a couple more years.

Anyone think Crouch might be gone tomorrow last minute?  He hasn't played a minute yet this season in the league.

[baldock92]

Walters put in a transfer request today.  What are others views on him leaving?  I think he has been a great player for Stoke and still has plenty to offer.  For the money involved I think Stoke should get him signed up for a couple more years.

Anyone think Crouch might be gone tomorrow last minute?  He hasn't played a minute yet this season in the league.

Gutted myself, arb. Been a real workman for the club, never a complaint whether he's started up front, on the wing, centre or even on the bench. Has a few horrendous games including the infamous 2 own goals and a missed penalty against Chelsea, at one period missed 4/6 penalties but still has the balls to step up and bury his next one. This defines him to me, he's got that nitty gritty approach that seems to be lacking from the team this season. I'll never forget losing my nut at Wembley for the semi final when he takes the ball from his own half, fights off the bolton defender and lashes the ball into the bottom corner. If it was up to me, like many of the fans, he'd get the 3 year deal he's after but sadly football doesn't work like that. It's impossible not to like the man, as a stokie, so when he does leave it'll be a sad day for the club. Time to move past him though.

I personally don't think Crouch will leave tomorrow, perhaps January or next summer though. He knows his game time is going to be very limited this campaign.

Don't know if you've seen but supposedly Mile Jedinak will be heading our way from Crystal Palace. I'd be pretty happy with him as a signing; we've showed a lot of imbalance since N'Zonzi left, with Van Ginkel not quite providing the same stability to the spine of the team we had last season. Whelan and Jedinak at CDM would be a very hard, no bollocks,  nitty gritty pairing. So although Jedinak looks underwhelming as a signing after some of the names we've signed this summer, he could be a great bit of business.

[arbboy]

I thought Walters only wanted a 2 year deal and had been offered 1 year extension only?  Didn't realise he wanted 3 years.  Not surprised the club won't agree to that tbh.  How much you think he is asking for a week over 3 years? £30k?

[baldock92]

You could be right, I'm not 100% certain. I'd say right now he's on about £25-30k/ week and it wouldn't be much different for the contract he's asking for.

[arbboy]

He isn't worth £30k a week though in 30 months time.  He is definitely 'under paid' relative to the rest of the Stoke squad in his opinion given how much he is kicking off about his next contract and quoting performance stats and how well he performs etc in the press.  It wouldn't surprise me if he is on less than £30k a week tbh and that is why he wants a decent pension for his last contract and is willing to move on for it.  I didn't think he would ever ask to leave Stoke.  He would go when he was told to.  He was a serious journeyman for the first 10 years of his career and wouldn't have made any serious money until he was bought by Stoke.  His first contract at Stoke was in 2010 for 4 years.  I can't believe he would have signed for big money salary wise then as he was a total unknown to the EPL.

[arbboy]

Bottom of the league.  Grim viewing for the stokies.

[Karabiner]

Bottom of the league.  Grim viewing for the stokies.

Don't tell me your'e going to put the kybosh on our Sunderland bet!

You look to be really missing Nzonzi.

[arbboy]

Bottom of the league.  Grim viewing for the stokies.

Don't tell me your'e going to put the kybosh on our Sunderland bet!

You look to be really missing Nzonzi.

Yes.  He was the bargain of the summer window for me.

[The Camel]

Bottom of the league.  Grim viewing for the stokies.

Tough set of fixtures to start.

[arbboy]

Bottom of the league.  Grim viewing for the stokies.

Tough set of fixtures to start.

Tough set of circumstances as well to add to the fixtures.  lolapool scoring a worldy to luckily beat us at home.  Losing 1-0 at home to WBA when down to 9 men and outplayed them for the 2nd half with 9 men.  Not too concerned yet.  Never get anything at Arsenal.  Not overly concerned.  Just laid Stoke at 6/1 to go down.

[baldock92]

I've just got back from London (stayed the night), and I'm not concerned in the slightest. We started very slowly last season and have had a tougher opening 5 games this term. The only game we should have won so far is West Brom at home but we decided that having 11 players was too easy so had 2 sent off for fun. The next 5 games or so give us the opportunity to get points on the board, if we're still struggling after them it's time to be concerned.

And have to agree, the loss of N'zonzi is leaving a bigger hole than I originally thought. He was our best player last season yet I think we still all underrated him he was that good. On to the next one, when hopefully this away day induced hangover will have fucked off!

[TightEnd]

a look at Stoke’s lack of identity and direction this season

http://wscrd.co/NewLookStoke 

[arbboy]

Agree with it to a certain degree.  Sample size of 5 games (lolapool (h) - lost to a freak goal/spuds (a)/arsenal (a) - always lose at arsenal) and a game against wba at home with 9 men for over an hour which with 11 men we would have won easily) is hardly representative of what is likely to happen over the course of a seaso.  Add in Shawcross injury and adjusting to life without N'Zonzi it is going to be tough in the next few weeks.  Think the current quotes on stoke going down given the above are quite comical. 

[baldock92]

The next 5 games will be a big tell. No need to panic whatsoever yet.