- Roo Legend: Rooney Retires from England duty!
- Australasia gets represented in the Premier League this year!
- Sanchez in North London, Where Have We Heard That Before?
- Sigurdsson Sale: Swansea could face Ragnarok after losing Thor!
- 2017/18 Premier League Predictions!
- PSG set to trigger record Neymar Fee!
- Mourinho thrives with a Prag-Matic approach!
- The Loan Ranger: Game of Loans!
- Rome(-lu) Wasn’t Built In A Day, But Hernandez Is Heading Hammers Way!
- Man United, Arsenal, and Huddersfield are all in a dash to splash the cash!
20 teams in 20 days – Stoke City
Manager: Mark Hughes
Stadium: Britannia Stadium
Nickname: The Potters
Finish Last Season: 9th
When Mark Hughes took over at Stoke City, he was a preacher. Stoke City was a club that had been under the same religion since before they had been promoted to the Premier League. At first, it worked. The Potters kept themselves in the top flight and nearly broke into the top ten in their second season in the Premier League. But quickly their beliefs grew outdated and stale. It was clear that the club needed to convert. Yet for the next few seasons, Tony Pulis, the leader of the religious cult leader, remained in charge of Stoke. It wasn’t until the summer of 2013, after the club ended up just outside the relegation zone for three seasons straight, that Stoke sacked Pulis. It was a move that seemed two or three years overdue. Stoke were ready to be converted. There was none of the “old habits die hard”. Hughes brought in a welcomed change.
“When I came in, I felt I wasn’t forcing things on players. Maybe they were ready for change themselves.”
Now, this is all considering football is religion, and tactics are beliefs. Haw Haw. But seriously, Hughes brought a massive change of tradition at the club. Under Pulis, the club’s tactics was always the long ball game. “I can do a cold Tuesday night at Stoke” is taking a dig at Pulis’ “boring” tactics. Even last season, they made 12.8 fouls per game, the second most in the Premier League. The physicality of their game is something that will not die for a long time, but tactics will – under Hughes they scored 45 goals in 2013/2014, eleven up on the previous season, which was the second lowest in the league. Their average pass distance went down, and their pass accuracy up an astonishing 8% to a 78% completion rate, according to stats published by Squawka. All this leading to a club that plays more flowing possession based football – the Midlands club kept an average of 3% more possession in 2013/2014 than 2012/2013.
Granted, this process will take time, especially with the club having dramatically cut their spending over the past few years. Less than €15 million has been invested in the transfer market since 2012, but that little bit along with picking up cheaper, but young promising players who haven’t filled their potential yet. Marko Arnautović, Marc Muniesa, Jack Butland, and now Bojan Krkic. Krkic especially is a sign of change. A creative and goalscoring poacher, who scored ten goals in a season for Barcelona at the age of just 17, who plays just behind the No9, Krkic is just 23-years-old, but still brings in years of experience. As a teenager he was ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry in Barcelona’s starting lineup. Lionel Messi has yet to play in the Premier League, but Krkic may be the closest we will ever get. Certainly, if Hughes can help him find his potential. Hughes will have plenty of younger players to help him mould the change into a long term switch – their average age is drifting down, however slowly.
Alongside the youngsters the squad is not half bad either. With Asmir Begovic in goal, any combination of Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Geoff Cameron, or Marc Wilson as a center-back pairing, and Erik Pieters and Phil Bardsley featuring as full-backs, their defense is still strong – something that still must not be forgotten by Hughes in his transformation of the team. Mame Diuof is capable up front, especially with Krkic behind him, while Steve Sidwell, Charlie Adam, Stephen Ireland, Glenn Whelan, and Steven N’Zonzi make up a experienced midfield. Arnautović provides pace and youth down the wings, while Peter Odemwingie experience and goalscoring ability down the other. Make the transformation smooth and get the squad to jell, and Hughes may be able to match Stoke’s points tally of fifty in 2013/2014, the club’s best in the Premier League, this season. And if a few players like Arnautović or Krkic can shine, an eighth place finish would be an even bigger success, though seventh is a bit unrealistic considering they would have to better Everton or one of the other big name clubs to the position. At least relegation no longer looks a threat, though a poor start could leave them scrambling to safety come their tough run of fixtures in the holiday season. But with a few more stable years in 10th or so and then the club will have time to transform fully.
Full Fixture List:
Aug 16 Aston Villa (H)
Aug 23 Hull City (A)
Aug 30 Manchester City (A)
Sep 13 Leicester City (H)
Sep 20 Queens Park Rangers (A)
Sep 27 Newcastle United (H)
Oct 4 Sunderland (A)
Oct 18 Swansea City (H)
Oct 25 Southampton (A)
Nov 1 West Ham United (H)
Nov 8 Tottenham Hotspur (A)
Nov 22 Burnley (H)
Nov 29 Liverpool (A)
Dec 2 Manchester United (A)
Dec 6 Arsenal (H)
Dec 13 Crystal Palace (A)
Dec 20 Chelsea (H)
Dec 26 Everton (A)
Dec 28 West Bromwich Albion (H)
Jan 1 Manchester United (H)
Jan 10 Arsenal (A)
Jan 17 Leicester City (A)
Jan 31 Queens Park Rangers (H)
Feb 7 Newcastle United (A)
Feb 11 Manchester City (H)
Feb 21 Aston Villa (A)
Feb 28 Hull City (H)
Mar 4 Everton (H)
Mar 14 West Bromwich Albion (A)
Mar 21 Crystal Palace (H)
Apr 4 Chelsea (A)
Apr 11 West Ham United (A)
Apr 18 Southampton (H)
Apr 25 Sunderland (H)
May 2 Swansea City (A)
May 9 Tottenham Hotspur (H)
May 16 Burnley (A)
May 24 Liverpool (H)