[Albion] Stoke team news

[Badger Boy]

Since last month the likely candidates for that are playing for Motherwell and Leyton Orient!

Ed Turns is a CB rather than LB I thought? He certainly seems to have been playing at CB for Orient the few times I've looked them up.

 

[GT49er]

Ed Turns is a CB rather than LB I thought? He certainly seems to have been playing at CB for Orient the few times I've looked them up.

True - but sometimes left of a three in PL2. Young CBs often play as FBs when they go out on loan - White did at Newport, Roberts at Derby for example. I think Tsoungui has been playing RB in Belgium too.

 

[Simster]

The reluctance to strengthen in January does appear to be shortsighted. We must be the only top half team or possibly the only PL team to finish the season with a weaker squad than when we started.

What you say about our strength is true, but only just - we sold Trossard and signed Buonanotte. Trossard is a big miss, no doubt about it, but at least we kept hold of our two world class midfielders and Jakob Moder may return for half of what remains for the season, so in that regard it's like having a new player.

You also have to look at the teams in the top half. Only Fulham and Brentford are comparable sized clubs. The others are all far bigger and have wallets and expectations to match. Have Fulham and Brentford notably strengthened in January? I honestly don't know. I doubt it though, because there is no value in the January window for clubs our size. Most big clubs use the January window to panic buy, although Arsenal got lucky because of Trossard's wish to play for a big club so they got him for a good price; but there isn't really a similar comparison to be made for provincial clubs.

And despite all this, we're still in the hunt for 4th place. The wheels might well have fallen off at Newcastle and Spurs are, well, Spurs.

 

[WhingForPresident]

I'd go with:

Sanchez

Veltman
Dunk
Webster
Lamptey

Caicedo
Groß
Mac Allister

Sarmiento
Fergie
Mitoma

No messing about, let's get it done.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Could be Sarmineto's break through game today.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I'd go with:

Sanchez

Veltman
Dunk
Webster
Lamptey

Caicedo
Groß
Mac Allister

Sarmiento
Fergie
Mitoma

No messing about, let's get it done.

Agree mate. As strong as possible

 

[Justice]

What you say about our strength is true, but only just - we sold Trossard and signed Buonanotte. Trossard is a big miss, no doubt about it, but at least we kept hold of our two world class midfielders and Jakob Moder may return for half of what remains for the season, so in that regard it's like having a new player.

You also have to look at the teams in the top half. Only Fulham and Brentford are comparable sized clubs. The others are all far bigger and have wallets and expectations to match. Have Fulham and Brentford notably strengthened in January? I honestly don't know. I doubt it though, because there is no value in the January window for clubs our size. Most big clubs use the January window to panic buy, although Arsenal got lucky because of Trossard's wish to play for a big club so they got him for a good price; but there isn't really a similar comparison to be made for provincial clubs.

And despite all this, we're still in the hunt for 4th place. The wheels might well have fallen off at Newcastle and Spurs are, well, Spurs.

What you say about our strength is true, but only just - we sold Trossard and signed Buonanotte. Trossard is a big miss, no doubt about it, but at least we kept hold of our two world class midfielders and Jakob Moder may return for half of what remains for the season, so in that regard it's like having a new player.

You also have to look at the teams in the top half. Only Fulham and Brentford are comparable sized clubs. The others are all far bigger and have wallets and expectations to match. Have Fulham and Brentford notably strengthened in January? I honestly don't know. I doubt it though, because there is no value in the January window for clubs our size. Most big clubs use the January window to panic buy, although Arsenal got lucky because of Trossard's wish to play for a big club so they got him for a good price; but there isn't really a similar comparison to be made for provincial clubs.

And despite all this, we're still in the hunt for 4th place. The wheels might well have fallen off at Newcastle and Spurs are, well, Spurs.

Tim Vickery had Buonanotte down as prospect to be fair he doesn’t get much wrong regarding our South American signings. So as direct Trossard replacement I’m not so sure.

Personally also think the unfortunate Enoch hasn’t been replaced and he was proving to be a top top player towards the end of last season.
I do know Brentford and Fulham haven’t weakened not sure if they signed anyone in January. For me that’s two big players gone since the start of the season.
The fuss around Caicedo is short term we aren’t going to building a team around him he will be off in the summer. Being resilient about Caicedo would have been fine if we had bought in on or two players ready to go to help the push in the second half of the season. I looked at the bench Saturday and thought if we need a goal who can bring on considering bar Lamptey none of them have ever scored a PL goal.
There will be opinions for and against of course we will have to see how we go.

 

[Rdodge30]

Could be Sarmineto's break through game today.

Sarmiento starting as the 10

 

[The Fits]

As a left footer, it's always amused me how little value seems to be placed on having left footed players in the squad. Imagine if your entire right hand side was just left footed players. We'd be going mad. RDZ would be begging TB for signings. Pundits would be banging on about the lack of balance. But on the other side it's fine...
It's curious.