Stoke City: Potters facing toughest start yet, warns Tony Pulis
TONY Pulis has told Stoke City fans to brace themselves for possibly their toughest start yet to a Premier League campaign.
His warning follows the publication of next season's fixture list, which sees the Potters facing three of the four Champions League qualifiers – Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea – in their first five games.
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Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has warned fans to brace themselves for a tough start to the season
And it doesn't get much easier thereafter as Stoke are sent to Liverpool and Manchester United on successive Saturdays in October.
"I've got to say that our first pocket of five games is unbelievably tough," said Pulis ahead of Stoke's fifth Premier League season.
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"We play three Champions League teams in our first five fixtures, including the champions of England and the champions of Europe, so it's as tough as they come.
"And we'll certainly have to improve on our record in recent seasons against Wigan when we play at their place third match up."
And Pulis isn't too thrilled either about Stoke's opening-day fixture on August 18 at Reading – a team in buoyant mood after topping the Championship last month. Pulis, who arrived home from his annual holiday today in time for the birth of his first grandchild, said: "I've got to be honest and say a promoted team away on the first day is one you would choose to avoid if you had the choice.
"Reading will be bouncing after winning the Championship, and their fans will be really up for it too.
"It will be a big, big test for us and one we have to be ready to face come the big kick-off."
And Pulis will be hoping the experience of previous starts in the Premier League – not least against Wolves, Tottenham and Chelsea in their first three games two seasons ago – will stand his team in good stead.
"It's certainly something we are getting used to now," he joked.
"Then again, we have to remember we are playing in the most competitive and most difficult league in the world, so you are not going to look at any little run of fixtures and say there are easy points to be had there.
"It just doesn't work like that in the Premier League and even the big teams will think that way. Every single point has to be battled for at this level."
Stoke have been gifted mouthwatering holiday fixtures on Boxing Day and New Year's Day after drawing Liverpool at home and Manchester City away respectively.
The Premier League's opening-day fixtures also feature champions Manchester City at home to newly-promoted Southampton, while Sam Allardyce's fellow newcomers West Ham entertain Aston Villa and Manchester United travel to Everton.
The potentially title-deciding Manchester derbies are scheduled for December 8 at the Etihad Stadium and April 6 at Old Trafford.
Comments
by Davejjohnson
Wednesday, June 27 2012, 8:10AM
“Nice one Pottedrengen, a clever demonstration of what a complete Jackass Soccerfoot really is. It's a shame that he's to thick to see what you have done. Fascinating that he thinks that there are a small minority on here who hate the drivel he writes when in fact it's pretty much everyone. As Si1963 rightly points out he ruins this site for those who want to exchange opinions with fellow supporters or just wants to read their views. Anyone who posts instantly gets a direct reply from this idiot and the tone of it is always an attempt to start an argument. What a Knob.”
by soccerfoot11
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 8:24PM
“bloody hell. its like the blind leading the blind as they say to each other "did you see that" ??
too damn funny !! you cant make this stuff up !!”
by Haleswales
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 8:13PM
“Clever stuff Pottedrengen!”
by Pottedrengen
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 8:27AM
“Irony completely lost on soccerprat11.”
by djdaz1210
Tuesday, June 26 2012, 5:29AM
“mark my words. owen will come to Stoke City.”
by Pottedrengen
Monday, June 25 2012, 11:03PM
“See what i mean, soccercrook, you didn't even notice that every word I wrote was copied from what you wrote just below.
Quite amusing really.”
by soccerfoot11
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:50PM
“see what i mean si1963, pottedengen proves that they just cant help themselves, its like dealing with children with a small minority of the posting population on here. each one tries to out name call the other. I much expect someone to say "my dad is better than you dad" next!”
by Pottedrengen
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:43PM
“soccerfoot, as usual you are one of a majority group on here who thinks they don't know anything, see nothing and don't do anything right about Stoke City and that what everybody else says and thinks is brilliant !! your post on this subject and any reply makes it glaringly obvious !
whole truth of the matter is you think your opinion is nothing and you are nothing. just no other way to explain yourself around it !
it's quite amusing really”
by soccerfoot11
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:32PM
“si, well since you dont post why bother? Its not my fault the overly sensitive types on here get their feelings hurt. It seems to me that im having the adult conversation and some dont like what im saying so they start name calling like children. look at dap's post.
Im a Stoke City supporter and this is how i feel? so who is the adult now ?”
by MrDAP
Monday, June 25 2012, 10:12PM
“What a Knob...”