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| photo by jad99 |
- by Andrew McCarten, writing from Miami
After gaining promotion as the Championship’s runner-up in 2007/8, the Potters have finished 12th, 11th, and 13th respectively in their first three seasons back in the top flight. Last year also saw them narrowly defeated by Manchester City in the FA Cup Final, earning a Europa League third play-off round berth in the process. After battling past Croatian outfit Hajduk Split in that round, they dismantled FC Thun of the Swiss Super League 5-1 on aggregate. Pulis’s side has been assembled on the bargain, but owner and chairman Peter Coates has steadily provided the funds over the past year to bring in new talent, and in this transfer window especially it has helped Pulis add the numbers and quality needed to compete in all competitions.
Since his acquisition from Real Zaragoza last summer, Jermaine Pennant has looked a new man with his pace and energy on the wing reminiscent of his early days at Arsenal. Matthew Upson and Jonathan Woodgate have both been brought in on free transfers, and whatever the England internationals may contribute will be soon as a bonus due to the low risk factor in adding them. Wilson Palacios’s deadline day transfer will delight Stoke fans, as the Honduran stopper is cut perfectly in the mold of a central midfielder in the Welsh manager’s system, which has seen grafters like Glenn Whelan, Dean Whitehead, and Rory Delap excel. He joins fellow former Spurs team-mate Peter Crouch in moving to the Brittania Stadium, and the lanky 30 year old’s potential partnership with Kenwyne Jones could give centre backs nightmares of crosses raining in from all sides. Pulis was also on the trail of Cameron Jerome for some time, and his addition from Birmingham City will round out a talented core of strikers also including Irish international Jon Walters and recent injury victims Ricardo Fuller and Mamady Sidibe.
With the impressive Asmir Begovic in-goal, it seems that the team assembled is absolutely perfect for how Pulis wants to set out his team and have them play, which has earned criticism and special focus on cold Tuesday nights at the Brittania. But the persistent predictions of an eventual return to the second-tier have proved to be false, and their solid showings in Europe mean that many in the side, and perhaps even their always pessimistic manager, have their sights on the top half of the table this season.
A resilient showing against Chelsea earned them an opening day draw in front of the home support, and Kenwyne Jones rescued a point at Carrow road at the death to deny Norwich all three points on the second matchday. Ryan Shotton also struck late to give Stoke a smash-and-grab win over West Brom at the Hawthorns, keeping their unbeaten streak alive. Liverpool will provide a stern test at the Britannia on 10 September after the international break, and the match against Dalglish’s side will be an interesting tactical presentation, as well as a home debut for Stoke’s new contingent. Given the current rate of progress around Stoke-on-Trent, the Potters will represent a tough match for all opponents this campaign both at home and in Europe.
