Welcome to this year's Premier League Previews series. This will be a series running until the eve of the Premier League, taking a look at each club in turn. From yesterday's jaunt into London we head back out to Staffordshire, where we visit the potteries of Stoke. About
Last season was... confusing. I think I was happy with it, overall. The first and last few months were dreadful, the middle was tedious. For a month in December, we looked like world beaters. Yet we finished 9th again, despite horrific injury problems and having changed half the squad in the summer. I was expecting a small step back last summer, after the incredible progress of Mark Hughes' first two seasons. The departures of Asmir Begovic and Steven Nzonzi were offset by eight new arrivals. Nzonzi would not be replaced until the signing of Gianelli Imbula in January, and was a big miss. Ryan Shawcross, having suffered a back injury and decided not to have an operation at the end of the previous season, flew off on pre season tours to Singapore and back, then Cologne and back, before, shockingly, suffering a back injury which ruled him out until October. After a poor start - no wins in the first six - we turned it around after the return of Shawcross and by mid January were sitting pretty in 7th, with a Capital One Cup semi final to play. The wins over Man City, Man United and Everton in December were some of the best football I have seen Stoke play, with the City win a particular highlight. Those wins came at a cost though, with Hughes picking the same side throughout the Christmas period, which led to predictable burnout. In hindsight, our season ended with the defeat to Liverpool on penalties. We would only win 5 more games as our players competed to earn Wilson Palacios vacated position in the treatment room. Butland broke his own ankle playing for England, Shawcross' back popped again, Muniesa's chocolate hamstrings snapped again, Glenn Whelan popped his back getting out of his car... We were another defensive injury from playing Fat Bob from the Duck and Dog League at centre back alongside poor, beleaguered Phillip Wollschied, and the performances of our third choice keeper Jakob Haugaard - Adam Bogdan lookalike, not as talented - let many to muse that we'd concede less goals that go STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE with Fat Bob in nets. Look at this shit. He doesnt even dive until its gone past him. We did rally with a last day win over West Ham to pip Chelsea to 9th (heh), but its difficult to shake off the feeling of a missed opportunity. With everyone else being a bit rubbish, European qualification was within our sights and we blew it. Hughes has to address a number of problems with the side. We move the ball far too slowly, have no really good strikers (we havent had one since Peter Thorne tbf), and too many players who want to play CAM. We cant break down teams that sit back and have a worryingly weak backbone when the going gets tough. We're like a shit Arsenal, basically.
This Season
This season then. Will we be any better, or at least more consistent? Hard to say, considering we've signed no one, and dont look interested in fixing our dodgy defence or getting a backup for Butland who can catch. If we can finally free Saido Berahino from Jeremy Peace's cellar, then I might be slightly more positive. Berahino is potentially the 20 goal a season striker we need, Diouf, Joselu and Crouch conspired to miss so many sitters last season. Joe Allen I'm not sure about. He's not Glenn Whelan, which should be enough to veto any signing, and I worry that a midfield of Allen and Imbula - talented, lazy bastard - will leave our defence as secure as a hymen in a South London comprehensive (credit Malcolm Tucker.) That said, beautiful Ibrahim Afellay is potentially out for the season, so we need someone to replace his class on the ball. To be honest, we dont need massive surgery this summer, Berahino and Kyriakos Papadoupoulos would do it. We desperately need a decent (i.e. not injured) centre back and a competent backup keeper in, but Shawcross, Muniesa, Wollscheid are all competent if they stay fit. Which they wont. Ideally we'd get another full back, as Glen Johnson is getting older, Erik Pieters was crap after signing his new deal in December and Phil Bardsley and Geoff Cameron are shit. But versatile, which everyone seems to think means they are useful. I think it just means they are shit in many positions. Going forward, we have the tools to do anyone damage on our day, even without Afellay, one of the few bright sparks in the second half of the season. Imbula - the only box to box midfielder who doesnt go backwards - is an incredible talent, able to glide beyond defences at will. Xherdan Shaqiri created more chances than any of our other players last season and its hoped that a full pre season will enable him to break out of the cycle which saw him play one game, then miss two with a muscle injury last season. After a cruciate injury in January 2015, Bojan played every game from September to January, and was clearly burnt out by mid season. There were flashes of being back to his best by the end though. Then we have Marko Arnautovic. For the first time in three seasons, Marko delivered before April, and was actually consistent, finishing as our top scorer. Unfortunately, this has led him to believe the grass is greener and the Champions League awaits. No fucker actually wanted him, so he's staying. Hopefully its not a Kris Commons/Adebayor situation though. So, after all that, do I think we'll be better this season? Its difficult, the likes of Everton and Chelsea cant be as shit again, and the competition is fierce. After the dreadful end to last season, some new blood to shake things up would be nice. If we get the right signings in, I think we can make a run for Europe again. If we continue to fanny about, we'll have to take a step back into the bottom half of the table. West Brom territory, essentially. Transfers Highlights
All incoming/outgoing transfersFull 2016-17 squad 3 players to watch out for Jack Butland Stoke clean sheets after Jack Butland broke his ankle: 0. Stoke wins after Jack Butland broke his ankle: 1. Quite frankly too good for us, he settled into the Premier League like a veteran. Another good season will see him put pressure on "Honest" Joe Hart, so hopefully we dont have to see Hart front up to the cameras in Moscow in two year's time with his incessant refrain of "I made a mistake. I hold my hands up there." Just stop making the mistakes, Joe. Ryan Shawcross Big season for the skipper. Closing in on 350 games for the club, his back is becoming a real concern. Its gone three times in the last 18 months and restricted him to just 20 games last season. The difference in our defence with a fully fit Shawcross and without is shocking. Despite not being the quickest, he's the only one with the authority and bottle to make the defensive line stand the 10 yards further forward that we need it to be, whereas Wollscheid trys to play rush keeper when Shawcross isnt there. He didnt look great after his latest return from injury, and you worry that his mobility has been compromised. We need him fit. Bojan Krkic I could have put Shaqiri or Arnautovic here, all three are immeasurably important to us, a trio that, when it clicks, as against Man City, are a joy to watch. But I'm sulking with Arnie at the moment and I kind of covered Shaqiri earlier. Bojan is, despite his fitness troubles throughout his time here, the one that everything goes through when we play well. His ability to find space, his touch and vision are unparalleled in our squad, possibly in Stoke history (sorry Sir Stan). Get him back to full fitness (there's a theme here, isnt there?) and I dont care if we win or lose, I just want to watch Bojan play. What the fans think Thanks to /StokeCityFCfor their help.
How do you think this season will go?
"This is going to be a defining season for the team, I feel. There's been some solid moves in the offseason, including signing Sobhi and Allen, while also retaining all of our big players from last year. This doesn't mean the offseason has been perfect for us- we're still looking for a decent CB to either backup Shawcross, or replace Wollscheid. Additionally, the lack of a clinical finisher is really a big question here. It is possible that we'll end up starting Arnie up top, having Sobhi on the wing, but we may also allow Diouf to start to see how he performs. Joselu could be thrown into the mix as well. As far as how the season will go, I feel we'll be pushing for a 5th-6th place finish this year, getting Europa. If not there, we'll be close. Last year, we struggled with injuries. Shawcross was out for much of the season, and this really hurt our defensive capabilities. Even with the signings of last year (Affellay and Shaqiri, mostly), we stayed at 9th. I can only see us getting better."
"This season will be exciting. With the signings of Sobhi and Allen, Stoke have a lot to look forward to. On top of these signings, keeping Arnautovic with us has also been an important move this Summer. I feel a solid 6th place finish is in line for us this season. Stoke have shown a consistent 9th for 3 years running under Mark Hughes, and this year he will be determined to push for that European spot that we deserve."
Which player is going to be your star of the season and why?
"The star of the season for me will be Imbula. He is a great midfielder and has all the attributes that we need. His ability to retain control of, and play the ball is astonishing, and watching him the few times I have at the Brit has been incredible. Couple him alongside Joe Allen and we have a formidable duo in the centre of the park that will prove tricky for opponents."
"Our star player will really boil down to two players, I think; Imbula and Shaqiri both impressed at times last year, and with both having an entire preseason to train with the team, I can see them really start to shine. Imbula has looked like a monster of a midfielder for us, a true N'Zonzi replacement that we desperately needed last year. He plays the ball well, and almost seems to have glue on his shoes with the control of the ball. Shaqiri, on the other hand, has provided much needed quality on the right side of the pitch. He's been drawing defenders, freeing up the box, and most of all, scoring for us. He's had poor games, but I see him being much more consistent this year. If we get the Shaqiri from the Euros, I can see him taking the star player this year."
"As far as starting 11, I see this lineup on day 1: http://lineupbuilder.com/?sk=by50n. Nothing much changed from last year, but instead having Allen replace Whelan (for now). I might be totally off, but that's where I feel we're at right now. "
"For the starting 11, I can see the team lining up like this. Glenn Whelan will make way for Joe Allen, however the bench will contain some solid substitutes such as Muniesa, Charlie Adam and, of course, Super-sub Johnny Walters."
by NickTM Summary: Stoke have been making a habit of being middle of the road, but can they break the sequence of three 9th place finishes in a row in a positive fashion? What to say: Giannelli Imbula is a monster who’s going to rip up the league this year. What you might end up saying: If we keep signing wonderkids from 2011 we’ll win something eventually, right? Why to like them: They really wind up some Arsenal fans, which is pretty funny. Stoke also have an intriguing blend of names that would have been huge a few years ago, with Ibrahim Afellay, Bojan Krkic, Xherdan Shaqiri and, er, Jonathan Walters all plying their trade at the Britannia Bet365 SuperDome. Why to dislike them: Charlie Adam is a psychotic bricklayer who somehow got a contract at a Premier League club. The ‘Stokealona’ joke became old within a couple of hours of being coined. If the team was a food, it would be: Bovril. Reliable, dependable, well grounded stuff that warms you up on a cold Tuesday night.
Car parking at the stadium costs £5. Nearby Harvester pub/restaurant across the road from the stadium costs £10 to park there. Just off Sir Stanley Matthews Way is a Power League complex that allows parking at £4.50 per car. Nearby on Eastern Rise is Longton Rugby Club which also has parking available at £5 per car. Parking Near Bet365 Stadium Officially the North, West 1 and West 2 car parks are restricted on match days to those who have parking permits. There is another car park to the South that sells its limited spaces on a first come first served basis. Rent a Bet365 Stadium Parking Space. The Bet365 Stadium, previously known as The Britannia Stadium, is the home to Stoke City FC, the club responsible for both the inception of the penalty, following a goal line handball in 1891, and injury time, following an Aston Villa player kicking the ball out of the ground after a penalty was awarded in the 90 th minute in in the same year. The stadium has a capacity of 27,902 and it was built in 1997. At the time the cost to build the stadium was £14.7 million. With YourParkingSpace you are able to find and book parking in Britannia Stadium, such as a parking spot for the day, affordable overnight car parking, or a space on a monthly basis. Alternatively park in Stoke City Centre and take the Bet365 Stadium Shuttle Bus: Robert Hardy a visiting Norwich City supporter informs me; ‘We’ve been to watch the Canaries play at the Britannia Stadium on numerous occasions, and have tried parking at several places in the vicinity of the ground. This car park is for home supporters. Car parks at the bet365 Stadium open from two hours before kick-off on a matchday. The North, West 1 and West 2 car parks are limited to vehicles with seasonal parking permits only. One of the world's leading online gambling companies. The most comprehensive In-Play service. Deposit Bonus for New Customers. Watch Live Sport. We stream over 100,000 events. Bet on Sportsbook and Casino. The car park of the Bet365 Stadium has been upgraded from a ‘satellite’ Covid-19 testing centre to a ‘regional’ testing centre, the Department of Health and Social Care announced today. Previously, workers other than frontline NHS staff or council workers were being directed to regional centres as far away as Manchester. South Car Park to the bet365 Stadium. Stoke City Football Club - bet365 Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4EG. 01782 367 598; Send email The coronavirus testing centre at the bet365 Stadium, previously known as the bet365 Regional Testing Centre is now named the Stoke City FC South Car Park Regional Testing Centre. This means that if you are booking an appointment for a coronavirus test on the NHS website, you must select the option for Stoke City FC South Car Park Regional Testing Centre.
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