Premier League preview: Stoke City
Surely the greatest tribute that can be paid to Stoke boss Tony Pulis ahead of his and his club’s third season in the Premier League is that very few people, if any, see them as candidates for relegation.
Yes they can be physical, and fans at the Britannia Stadium often leave with sore necks – Stoke’s opponents leave with sore ankles – but they’ve never apologised for what they do. Others might not like it (sit up Arsène Wenger) but the Potters are what they are, it is up to their opposition to work out how to deal with them. Less and less sides appear to be able to do that.
Last season’s 11th-placed finish followed on from 2008/09’s debut 12th place, and so the signs of gradual improvement are easy to see, and Pulis has to take enormous credit for that.
He is not immune to spectacular fallouts with his players – Dave Kitson was branded “petulant” and James Beattie was, allegedly, on the end of a powerful Pulis headbutt in the Emirates Stadium changing room last season – but perhaps he picks his fights carefully. Neither forward looks likely to play much more of a role in City’s future, and it’s a surprise that both are still at the club. Frankly though, Stoke can now do better.
Bids for the in-demand Loïc Rémy and Carlton Cole have been mooted, but Pulis has turned to Kenwyne Jones to lead his line for this campaign.
It appears to be an astute move. If any forward is built to play for the Potters then it is Jones, and the likes of Ricardo Fuller and Mamade Sidibe – still surprising everyone with their consistency – are likely to thrive playing alongside him.
Jones’ presence was a key, but often overlooked, factor in Darren Bent’s excellent goalscoring season for Sunderland last time out, and so Pulis will look to team up the Trinidadian with another of his forwards – most likely Fuller – in a bid to create a strong partnership, and the prospect of facing those two is sure to have Premier League defenders ducking for cover.
There are several more powerful presences lurking within Pulis’ squad such as skipper Abdoulaye Faye, Robert Huth, Salif Diao and Ryan Shawcross – whose most storied moment of last season was sadly the tackle that broke Aaron Ramsey’s leg, and not the England call-up which followed merely hours later. Still just 22, and appointed Stoke’s vice-captain this season, the central defender is maturing rapidly.
Despite the big boys, to dismiss Stoke as just a team of 6ft powerhouses is wrong, there are the artisans too.
This promises to be a key season for Tuncay Şanlı, who frequently flattered to deceive in 2009/10 but wasn’t given many opportunities to put things right, while Matthew Etherington has battled personal demons to become one of the most consistent left wingers in the Premier League. Rory Delap is much more than just a long throw machine too.
Behind them, the battle for Stoke’s No. 1 shirt looks to be an interesting one.
Thomas Sørensen has made the position his own for each of the past two seasons, but the signing of Asmir Begović from Portsmouth last January has placed pressure on the Dane, and the 23-year-old Begović has gone public with his desire to succeed the vastly experienced Sørensen.
Another conflict for Pulis to sort out then, but you get the feeling that he’s well used to them by now, and he’ll attempt to sort it out in his own special way.
He and they will be fine again, and expect no-one to be tipping them to go down 12 months from now.
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