Stoke City have changed, but is this change real or is it one of those promises you make to yourself when you wake up hungover and broken? Are they risking their foundations by collecting more tainted and sinful talent?
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Good read, have to give Stoke credit they hadn't sniffed the top flight in years now they are part of the furniture and bringing in some quality players. I am skeptical same as you though as soon as things go south bring back Rory Delap throw ins and the special toweled shirt.
I've never really hated Stoke like some on here seem to have done in the past...
Good old-fashioned club... proud History, gave us Garth Crooks... I've no bone to pick with them at all...
But now they play like a football team rather than a Rugby Club, I actually think we have a better chance of beating them!
Good old-fashioned club... proud History, gave us Garth Crooks... I've no bone to pick with them at all...
But now they play like a football team rather than a Rugby Club, I actually think we have a better chance of beating them!
It's been a remarkable transformation. Half of the names at the club now look like a wonderkids player shortlist from FM a few years ago*. I'd be frankly suprised if they weren't in the top 8 at the end of this season.
* edit: which is exactly what it says in the article that I should have read first.
* edit: which is exactly what it says in the article that I should have read first.
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They're still Stoke though.
They have this talent but they still tend to go long to Walters or over the top for Diouf to run at. It's a shame because if they had half decent central midfielders who like to play football instead of the likes of Charlie Adam and Glen Whelan, they may mount a serious European challenge.
They have this talent but they still tend to go long to Walters or over the top for Diouf to run at. It's a shame because if they had half decent central midfielders who like to play football instead of the likes of Charlie Adam and Glen Whelan, they may mount a serious European challenge.
I see it with my own eyes. Against Liverpool they kicked it long to Walters and over the top to Diouf. It's why they struggled. If they actually played the ball on the floor in that game, they may have got something out of Liverpools poor defence, they played to Liverpools strengths.
They also beat Liverpool 6-1 at the end of last season playing some good football and dominating their midfield (of which there were six...) so it's swings and roundabouts. Clearly from the BBC graphic they have adapted their game significantly whatever you saw at the weekend.
I'm rubbish at understanding those infagraphics, but does the 'league position' in terms of number of '% of passes long' being higher compared to the literal number of 'long balls' mean they must pass it less than other teams? If so, isn't the chance of it being a long pass increased when they do actually pass it?
Basically, fuck stats
Basically, fuck stats
It's saying they used to play the most long pass % in the league whereas under Hughes they're about 8th or 9th for long pass %. I'd assume that the distance of the pass defines it being 'long' or 'short' and that all passes must be one or the other. Not that tricky really, but then again my job is working in stats...
ochsulk:To be fair end of last season they played us off the pitch with some really good football