Stoke defied the odds to win promotion last season and will need to do it again if they are to avoid a return to the second tier.
Potters out to beat the odds to stay in top flight
Stoke defied all the odds to win promotion from the Championship last season and they will need to do it again if they are to avoid an instant return to the second tier.
Stoke's in-your-face style of play has not exactly endeared them to the neutral public over the past 12 months and there are unlikely to be many people arguing against the media's prediction of relegation this season. Their harsher critics reckon they could even struggle to surpass Derby's record low points total.
The negative vibes will not worry the Potters, though, who were written off as also-rans in the Championship this time 12 months ago. Tony Pulis seemed to instill a siege mentality in his squad and a united dressing room played a large part in their eventual promotion.
The Welshman needs a similar spirit this term if his side are to make an impact, but he is clever enough to know that alone will not be enough to keep them up. He has set his sights on big signings ahead of the curtain-raiser at Bolton, but has found it difficult to attract them to a club so heavily tipped to go down.
Extortionate
The Potters are not prepared to solve the problem with extortionate wage offers so Pulis has got his work cut out if he is truly serious about persuading the likes of Nicola Zigic to the Potteries. However, let's not forget that Stoke are the second oldest football club in the world. They are the only club to have had two knights of the realm - Sir Stanley Matthews and Sir Geoff Hurst - play for them, and have spent more time in the top flight than Leeds United.
They are traditionally a far bigger club than the likes of Fulham, Bolton and Middlesbrough and so Pulis will hope (and possibly pray) that this can help him attract the right players to the Britannia Stadium over the next couple of weeks. Thomas Sorensen, Seyi Olofinjana and Dave Kitson represent a good start to be fair, but at least four signings of similar quality are needed.
Sorensen and Steve Simonsen provide two decent options between the sticks but the defence is woefully short of quality at the moment. City found clean sheets hard to come by even in the Championship so they desperately need to spend money at the back, with Ryan Shawcross the only player guaranteed to make a splash this season.
The 20-year-old was an unknown Manchester United reserve 12 months ago but he was one of the Championship's most impressive performers last season and he possesses all the qualities to make the step up. However, an experienced partner is needed and ideally someone with pace too as that is the one thing Shawcross is not blessed with.
Leon Cort will have a part to play and his ability in the air is likely to result in a fair few goals. But tackling is not his strongest point and it will be a worry for City fans if he starts at Bolton; likewise if Andy Griffin and Carl Dickinson begin the new season as first-choice full-backs. Premier League experience makes Griffin a probable starter, but Pulis needs a pacy ball player on the other side - at the very least.
Stoke are reasonably stocked in midfield as Olofinjana, Salif Diao, Glenn Whelan and Rory Delap all have enough to do a job in the centre. Liam Lawrence, meanwhile, is the star man and a must for anyone wanting a cheap option in their Fantasy teams - he was the Championship's leading assist maker last term and top goalscorer from midfield.
Disastrous
The left side of midfield, however, is more of a worry as there is not currently a single left winger in City's squad. Failure to add someone of quality here would be disastrous for Pulis but he will more than likely borrow one of the big four's proteges - with Chelsea's Scott Sinclair a possible target.
That makes it three absolute must signings - a centre-half, full-back and winger - and a fourth is needed to bolster the frontline too. Scoring goals is usually the biggest difficulty facing newly-promoted sides so signing Kitson looks shrewd, his 10 league goals last season proving he can flourish at the top level. Ricardo Fuller is the current star striker but he is unproven outside of the Championship and neither Richard Cresswell or Mama Sidibe will score enough to keep City up.
There is much to do before the odds come down on survival, but Stoke have got a blueprint that they believe can again see them silence their doubters. There are 17 teams with more quality than the Potters, so there is little chance of them passing their way to many victories. But super fitness, physicality and a bombardment of set pieces could just see them surprise one or two.
Set pieces in particular will be absolutely key to their success. It doesn't matter if you are Alex Bruce or Rio Ferdinand, you have got a job on your hands when there's seven 6 footers surrounding you at every corner kick. And don't forget throw-ins either - Delap's is just about the longest and hardest around and Stoke are not afraid to send men up to get on the end of them.
That alone is not enough of course, but they do look capable of scoring goals and that is more than can be said of some of their relegation rivals. Shore up the defence in the next two weeks and they may, just may, still be in the Premier League in 12 months time.
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