Stoke City 2 Wigan Athletic 1......Good Times Returning To Stoke?!

That felt something like the old Stoke,of the Huth's. Walters',Whelan's.Very much trying to be on the front foot,A lively start,which should have been marked with goals.No heads down when yet another mix up,this time between Butland and Edwards,giftedWigan a simple opening goal.

Instead we responded bravely with character,and,dare I say more confidently,than in the recent past.With the crowd very much onside we pressured our visitors,equalising early in the second half when Batth, in the six yard box,turned Woods' wicked free kick into the net.

Despite prompting from  left wing McClean,we spent the next 40 minutes huffing and puffing but not scoring.Man of the Match McClean, with surging runs, provided at least five brilliant  crosses into the goalmouth,all of them looking easy to convert, but the other forwards contrived in various ways to miss the chances created.

As the game drifted toward a draw we were not sure what to expect when Mame Biram Diouf came on as sub.A last throw of the dice,or an inspired move by our new manager?Deep into added on time we had the answer.

Inspired!Forgotten man Diouf was on hand in a goalmouth scramble to cooly place the ball into the net for the winner.His first goal since April 2018,and the trigger for a massive celebration.

So Michael O'Neill two games,two wins, six points....on goal difference not quite out of the bottom three in the table....but moving in the right direction at last.

More of the same at Cardiff on Tuesday night would be special

First Match I've Really Looked Forward To For A While.

This Is Michael O'Neills Stoke City ....Soon

Watched the Northern Ireland v Holland match yesterday to see if it perhaps provided pointers  for Stoke City's immediate future.In my view the N.Irish did very well indeed,against a talented Dutch side.

A creditable draw,and, who knows, with firmer refereeing of the Dutch antics around the penalty incident, it could have been 1-0 to NI.

What pointers for Stokies though?

1. The whole  NI team showed great energy and commitment to the cause.

2. Great commitment and support to each other.

3. High pressing verging on harassment to win the ball back.

4. Not allowing their opposition to settle.

5.Very little sideways or backward passing.

6.Looking to go forward in numbers at every opportunity.

We can do it too.

What have I missed out? Why not let us all know what you think we can look forward to at STOKE CITY with this manager at the helm.

Stoke Ever Present Sam Clucas' Barnsley After Match.......

Two brilliant goals from Clucas but unfortunately picked up a foot injury and had to come off early.

Stokies Would Really Like Much More Of This !! Barnsley 2-4 Stoke City

That's Better......Barnsley 2 Stoke city 4!

New manager bounce, leaving the diamond behind, playing a system the players we have can deliver with, and, well, scoring 4 goals in a single match ! Barnsley may not be very good, but we've said  that about a few sides this season, and got beaten by them.

Hopefully this is a sign of things to come as we said after the Swansea and Fulham results. An occasional defensive frailty is still evident,  but O'Neill's reputation has been in part down to solid organised defences. Expect big improvements there.

Brilliant start to a new chapter in Stoke's history. A Saturday night to look forward to for a change....enjoy it!

New Manager Pitches Straight In

Developments on the Managerial Front

Michael O'Neill, Northern Ireland team manager, could well be Nathan Jones successor as manager at Stoke City.

Rory Delap takes Barnsley pre-match conference.

Rory Delap looks to be in caretaker charge of the Barnsley match. The gist of it was that Stoke are indeed in a relegation struggle, the players mental fragility needs to be replaced with greater confidence and fight :that 14 matches will have to be won. 

He reserved praise for the fans,always supportive,and travelling in numbers despite our current state.

I wish him luck,and the 2,400 travelling Stokies.A win would be such a tonic.

Stumble And Fall?

Apart from a brief period of brighter play just after the break ( and at the very end after the introduction of McClean), Stoke never looked likely to upset their  visitors West Bromwich Albion,whose 2-0 victory took them to the top of the Championship table.

Stoke are now 6 points adrift of safety at the bottom.

The Bet 365 substantially emptied before the final whistle.

The sub standard performance deflated the crowd and caretaker manager Rory Delap.

  


If things carry on as they are relegation looks more and more likely.

Stoke City Struggling / Staggering Toward The Future

Long time no write...guess its been something to do with apathy or disappointment.Had misgivings at the start of last season but crossed my fingers and hoped.

Since then we've seen Gary Rowett burdened with excessive expectation ( and inherited difficulties behind the scenes) anchor us in mid table,but within reach of the top six, before being shown the door, unfairly in my opinion.

He was replaced in the managerial hotseat by a very earnest well meaning fellow, Nathan Jones, seriously successful at Luton Town.Good fortune has not followed him to Stoke. Few wins have been recorded in his nine months at Stoke.There are Stokies who would dub him the world's unluckiest football manager. Much has already been spoken and written as to why that might be, I have no new insights to offer.

Suffice it to say, he leaves us currently hopelessly anchored at the bottom of the Championship table.

Our new manager has a difficult job ahead.Who will it be after the Alex Neil fiasco this weekend?

Here's wishing Rory Delap and the team success against WBA  tomorrow night.

2018 -2019. A New Challenge....which we could have done without!

Remember the  intro to season 2017- 2018?

"JUST A LITTLE NERVOUS AT THE OFF !!!!

"Last season fell a little way short of what we achieved under Mark Hughes management in the previous three seasons.Not by much, but there was a degree of doom and gloom.Many suggested that the legacy of solidity that he inherited from the Tony Pulis years was disappearing, and that we were about to enter uncharted waters."



Uncharted waters they were indeed.The decline, as the heart and character of the Pulis team departed,was inexorable. Hughes did not seem to have too many answers. His inevitable departure was too late leaving successor Lambert too little time to salvage the sinking ship,holed as it was  by dressing room malcontents (taking the money...and the mickey), lack of fitness, et alia. The drop into the Championship is now, as they say, history.

So our new manager Gary Rowett has a new challenge....to get us back into the Premiership.

Good luck to the team,the management,and the fans. Fingers  very much crossed !!

2017 -2018. JUST A LITTLE NERVOUS AT THE OFF !!!!

Last season fell a little way short of what we achieved under Mark Hughes management in the previous three seasons.Not by much, but there was a degree of doom and gloom.Many suggested that the legacy of solidity that he inherited from the Tony Pulis years was disappearing, and that we were about to enter uncharted waters.

During the close season further Pulis stalwarts have departed.Glen Whelan to Aston Villa, more significantly Jon Walters (and Bardsley) to Burnley.The latter in particular might return to haunt us this season in the Premiership.Similarly one of Hughes' major and successful acquisitions Arnautovic now with West Ham.£25m represents good business,but a mercurial talent difficult to replace.There is also late talk of Joe Allen possibly returning to Swansea City.

Arrivals include the seasoned Darren Fletcher from WBA, defender Zouma on loan from Chelsea, forward Choupo-Moting from the Bundesliga,plus young defender Josh Tymon from Hull City. Defender Bruno Martins Indi will prove to be a bargain from Porto at £7m, if last seasons loan form is repeated. Hopefully before the end of the transfer window there will be one or two further arrivals with the potential to take us above mid table.

Pre season would suggest that insufficient goals scored is still going to be an issue.We eventually acquired Berahino's services last season,but one pre season tap in goal is so far the extent of his contribution to our goal tally. 

Good luck to the team,the management,and the fans. Fingers crossed !!

2016 -2017. HERE WE GO AGAIN.

Mark Hughes has given us three seasons of 9th place success in the Premiership.The signs look good for another mid table finish.It would be nice to get off to a winning start this time, on Saturday at Middlesborough,and follow it with a positive result against Man City at home the following week.

No major players departing in the close season,and Joe Allen a shrewd addition to the squad is good news.Hopefully before the end of the transfer window there will be one or two arrivals with the potential to take us above mid table.

Pre season would suggest that insufficient goals scored is still going to be an issue, unless we can land a Bony,Benteke, or Berahino. Crucially we will hopefully avoid the calamitous injury count of last season.

Good luck to the team, and management.Hopefully we fans will have plenty to cheer!

ONWARD AND UPWARD with THE POTTERS !!

Another season gone by!

Mark Hughes still with us,successful at that.Two seasons running maintaining our highest finish in the Prem, and adding the highest points total we've ever achieved there.

Numerous players of considerable talent and pedigree acquired as we build to something which may become special.