ESPN Soccernet - Correspondents - Stoke City

Posted by James Whittaker on 07/13/2009

So the annual curtain raiser at Newcastle Town has been and gone, who were the players who got hat-tricks I wondered as I got back from a day out... none it seems. In fact, we were beaten…..and only scored one goal.

It's all too easy to panic and start quoting statistics pairing pre season form with that taken into the league, but this fan is trying his best to remain as level headed as possible.

Historically, we play this fixture something like 10 days into our pre-season work, this game was played only 3 days in – we also split the squad across two games, the other being another loss at Nantwich, and in addition, we swapped teams around at half time in each of those games.

I might be clutching at straws somewhat with these, but the fact remains that I have faith in our manager. There have been times where I have struggled to agree with his signings, approach or selections (Cresswell is just not good enough for the Prem!), but on the whole, Pulis has done a magnificent job and no matter what, will always do his best for the club and will more often than not pull out a surprise signing from nowhere to help silence the many pre-season panic merchants.

The squad, as it is, over achieved last season, I think we all appreciate that, but with a handful of signings, preferably adding a couple more for the future, we should look in good shape for the season ahead.

Quality is a classic Pulis'ism and that's precisely what we need to add to our current ranks of sheer determination and fitness – but finding players who have all three is not as easy as it sounds and Pulis is the only one who truly understands the balance of the dressing room and how certain arrivals will affect it.

I will once more place my faith in our leader, and entrust him, as I do every season, with all my hopes, fears and dreams and pray he delivers once again, I have to, because in Pulis we trust...

Comments

Posted by Rich on 07/15/2009

I don't even see it as the slightest bit of an issue that we lost to newcastle and nantwich.

Obviously neither does Pulis, bearing in mind they hadn't done any ball work before the games.

Don't really think there's any need for any pre-season panic merchanting ( it's a word ), he likes doing his business late and I reckon he'll strengthen the squad and we'll be stronger than we were last year.Happy days

Posted by Rowan on 07/16/2009

Stoke could do worse than looking at Viduka on a pay-as-you-play deal. He doesn't want to play in the Championship, nor go home just yet, but most clubs wouldn't gamble on his fitness. He'd suit Stoke's game perfectly - great in the air, brings others into the play, physically big and solid, great finisher - and maybe bag 10 and create 10 more if he stayed fit. The fitness and pace of those around him would help him stay in the game, and he could really upset defences off the bench if not 100% fit.

Don't know if he'd consider it (considering the obvious paycut), but Pulis could do worse than try.

Posted by Craig on 07/16/2009

An interesting thought on Viduka however I feel the need to point out that having watched him for the last two years he is certainly not great in the air. Hitting the ball long to him is a useless tactic as you wouldn't get the Daily Mail under him when he jumps. I do agree though that he can be used to bring other players into a game with his ability to hold the ball up. But you have to feed him the ball with his back to goal and on the ground to get the most out of him. Ten goals and ten assists would be a big ask of a player who traditionally goes on holiday for six weeks at Christmas and has various other injury layoffs throughout the season.

Posted by James Whittaker on 07/17/2009

Viduka is an interesting player - he is as strong as an Ox, and scores goals with half chances - but...

He seems to be constantly unfit, isn't very mobile and also, as Craig above says, is very poor in the air - much like Parkin, he prefers the ball in to his feet and we don't really play that way.

Historically, and I have no reason to doubt any different this season, we play a 'Mama role' and a 'Fuller role'.

Mama role : is agile, athletic, tireless worker and excellent in the air.
Fuller role : is pacy, running the ball into the channels and making chances from nothing (due to no-one being anywhere near)

It seems simplistic but whenever we think of a new player coming in, I always think which of those two roles they will fit into - Kitson fit into neither, say no more.

Question is, does Ashton fit into either?

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