I imagine Paul Hart would have expected Tony Pulis to turn up to his post match interview wearing an eye patch such was Stoke’s fortune at winning a game, on the balance of play, we really didn’t deserve to.

A great and very welcomed 3 points but there are still a number of key themes to be addressed; though whilst the results are still good it is hard to justify making such a big deal about them but I really do think there are problems.

The defensive four pretty much picked themselves (though I still think Higgy should be back in on the left) and Huth and Wilkinson both had the chance to stake their claim for their preferred respective positions. Huth had a steady enough game but I just felt ever so slightly anxious that he would give away free kicks, which he did – he also seemed to not head the ball away from danger, more often than not it would go vertically or straight back to the opposition a matter of yards away, which lead to those awkward standing jumps. Wilkinson on the other hand had a magnificent game – I cannot praise the lad enough, he has seen Huth come in twice despite his own form but his performance was a very mature and confident one and his reading of the game was vital. Up until now, I was very much in Huth’s camp for the Right Back slot but having seen his last two performances, despite him having not as much composure on the ball, I just feel he edges the big German out based on his ability to make up ground, intercept passes, sniff out danger and make timely tackles. He was so close to making it a real game to remember when he took off on his 75 yd run and was only inches away from capping a most excellent performance so well done Andy!!

The midfield is the area of most concern to me… Last season, Pulis packed the midfield with battlers to stifle teams, leaving any goals to come from set plays and the mercurial Fuller (much like this game) but circumstance and opportunity gave him a window to pair Whelan and Delap together towards the back end of the season and the balance of the midfield with Lawrence and Etherington on the flanks seemed to be our best combination – so why aren’t using the very same players?! The answer I fear starts with Whitehead – it seems he is an early favourite of the Manager and has to be included which leaves one centre berth which is likely to be filled by Salif ‘the best midfielder at the club by a country mile’ Diao which means another Pulis favourite, Delap, must be accommodated elsewhere which is pushing Lawrence onto the bench. Delap has shown in the 4/5 games he has played on the right that he brings very little to that role and his being moved into the middle after the introduction of Lawrence brought a completely new shape to the side and a much improved attacking shape, hell even Whitehead looked a better player with Rory and Lawrence alongside him..

Once again, Beattie had a poor game, I remember seeing him pre-season and it just looked like he had lost something, he was never that quick so I’m unsure if it is just an injury or whether there is a mental issue in play, he certainly didn’t seem bothered in the pre-season friendlies and despite his words to the contrary of late, he doesn’t have much more urgency now either. Fuller, as well we all know, simply has to play, though he is only one booking away from a suspension so it seems we may well see Tuncay sooner rather than later. It seems the Turk has been identified as a Fuller alternative with the manager having said the two can’t play together (for ‘can’t play together’ read ‘I won’t play them together’) so it seems he will have to wait until that 5th booking to get his long awaited League debut. I imagine Tuncay was pulling out his many hairs when not only was he by passed by the half fit Beattie and Sidibe, but when he thought he had a chance to get a decent spell on the pitch Fuller scored putting him back onto the bench to nurse his hairband in frustration.

Sidibe’s inclusion and indeed the use of Beattie really is starting to look like an unwelcome departure to some of the better football we have played in the past and that we know we CAN play – I was so disappointed to see the aimless lumps up to Beats who struggled to win any of them, and I said to my mate at the time that rather than see it isn’t working and bringing on Tuncay to change it around, Pulis would refuse to change the tactic and instead bring on someone taller, which he duly did with Mama replacing the out of sorts Beattie. Mama proceeded to work hard with his trademark smile and gloves on but on more than a couple of occasions demonstrated his lack of sharpness, fitness and some might say skill. To be fair though, the big man was part of the move that brought the goal, the first time in the game we actually strung some passes together and had some decent movement we scored a goal! How about that…

I think the next couple of weeks will tell us more about any player issues as Pulis now has to make a big decision for next week’s game and anything less than recalls for Lawrence and Wilkinson I fear will be met with much frustration and if Sidibe starts (it was rumoured he was going to instead of Beattie for the Pompey game) then even more questions are going to be asked and the poor Malian will probably be subject to unfair criticism for having the unwelcome tag of another Pulis favourite. We also have both Fuller and Whitehead one booking away from suspensions so it is important that whoever comes in grabs the opportunity with both hands and makes the Manager’s decision a lot easier, at least then if he makes the wrong one, we will have something more concrete to berate him with…

Manager Rating – 5

Player Ratings

Sorensen – 7
Wilkinson – 9 (Man of the Match)
Shawcross – 8
Huith – 7
Collins – 6.5
Delap – 7
Whitehead – 6.5
Diao – 6
Etherington – 8.5
Beattie – 6
Fuller – 8

Substitutes

Sidibe – 7
Lawrence – 8
Tuncay – 6.5