The fans: Cautious optimism over new-look Stoke City

Stoke will be roared on by a packed Britannia Stadium when they take on champions Manchester City today. Supporters will also take the roof off when a certain England legend appears in the Stoke number 10 shirt. But what do fans expect from the game, and what have they made of Stoke’s transfer dealings and start to the season so far? We asked four loyal supporters for their views ...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF STOKE’S TRANSFER BUSINESS THIS SUMMER?

Tom Crinson: I’m 99 per cent happy with it, particularly as we have signed a creative midfielder.

Charlie Adam could be the player the team has been crying out for. We have needed someone who can change a game with a pass.

We couldn’t have asked any more of Peter Coates. He’s allowed the club to spend around £10m, even though the only sale we’ve had is Danny Collins for £500,000.

Angela Smith: I think time will prove that yet again TP and his team have conducted some shrewd business. Adam is a quality player who made an immediate impact when he came on at Wigan. Also, Dean Whitehead looked much better as the defensive midfielder after his introduction. Cameron will be another good acquisition, Nzonzi is a good youngster who TP has tracked for some time and, along with Ness and Edu, will be a great addition to the squad.

Rob Doolan: It’s been the strangest transfer window I can remember. TP has ventured outside his comfort zone and brought in some un-Pulis-like personnel – youngsters (Jamie Ness), overseas players (Geoff Cameron) and even the holy grail – a creative midfielder (Charlie Adam). If this means we finally see some evolution in our playing style then it’s very encouraging.

Rob Ledgar: Excellent value for money. Matt Jarvis went for a reported £10m, but we paid just over that to sign seven players.

IN PARTICULAR, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MICHAEL OWEN COMING TO STOKE?

TC: It’s a massive coup. The location suited him, but I’m sure he could have gone elsewhere for more money.

I think he’ll be used as a substitute for the first few games at least. There’s no point playing him from the start only for his hamstring to go, as happened to Andy Carroll for West Ham.

AS: Michael Owen is clearly a calculated risk. If he remains fit, he’ll score as he has that rare ability to be in the right place at the right time most times.

I’m sure he’ll be eased in to the team slowly as he is not going to be match fit for a time, but I’d rather have Owen on the bench than a lot of other options.

This signing has the fans buzzing and has placed Stoke at a higher level for media interest at the moment too, which is a bonus for the club. Owen’s influence off the pitch, particularly with the younger players, will be a bonus.

RD: I seem to be in a minority of Stokies not jumping for joy about it. Owen seems like a thoroughly nice bloke, but he’s 32, hasn’t played much football in the last few years and has had a catalogue of injuries.

Moreover, he’s only five foot eight, and small strikers in the TP era invariably end up on the wing or out of the team.

All in all, I’m not convinced he’s the type of striker we really needed, but I hope he proves me wrong and scores a hatful.

RL: He’s got to be worth a risk on a pay-as-you-play deal. We lack a natural finisher and he could be the missing link. I’d be chuffed if he contributed eight to 10 goals.

ARE THERE AREAS WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN STOKE TO STRENGTHEN, BUT THEY DIDN’T?

TC: Yes. Left-back. I like Marc Wilson, I just don’t think he’s a left-back.

After announcing we had signed Goran Popov from Dynamo Kiev it seems we then lost interest and allowed him to go to West Brom.

Perhaps the manager just didn’t rate him after seeing him train.

I saw Popov play for Macedonia against Scotland in midweek and he wasn’t great.

AS: Like all Stoke supporters I’d have liked to see at least one full-back signed. I’ll resist the urge to comment on the one who didn’t quite materialise!

RD: The biggest disappointment for me was not really addressing the lack of pace throughout the side, which I felt hamstrung our attacking play last season.

Like most fans, I continue to be bewildered by our reluctance to sign specialist full-backs as well.

RL: I expect many people to say right- and left-back and I can’t disagree. I’m in two minds with this as we don’t concede too many, but you know there are better players out there than we have currently. I can see Geoff Cameron being used there.

WHAT WOULD YOUR TEAM AND FORMATION BE WHEN ALL THE PLAYERS HAVE SETTLED IN?

TC: Probably 4-4-1-1. Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Pennant, Adam, Nzonzi, Kightly, Walters, Crouch.

That leaves Owen as a substitute, at least until he is fully fit. I really like the look of Cameron, who appears good going forward and strong defensively, and could slot in at right-back.

AS: I’ll tell you when all the players settle in! I’m assuming Adam will play in midfield most games alongside Cameron, and I think Whitehead will also play.

Last year I was thinking we might be the first team made up entirely of centre-halves, this year we may go for eight midfielders. Up front, I still think it will be Crouch and Walters, with Kightly, Etherington and Pennant fighting it out for the wide roles and Owen starting life as an impact player after 70 minutes.

RD: Something like a 4-1-2-3, with Begovic in goal, a back four of Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth and Wilson, Steven Nzonzi as the destroyer shielding the backline, Cameron and Adam just ahead of him and, up front, Jerome and Kightly either side of Crouch.

RL: What I do like about the new squad is the sense of anticipation of the answer to exactly this question. I’m hoping we will be more positive against teams we could and should be beating.

THERE WAS SOME DISSENT TOWARDS TONY PULIS FROM CITY FANS AT WIGAN. DO YOU THINK THAT IS A ONE-OFF, OR SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS?

TC: It was just a minority. There was some frustration that day because Charlie Adam wasn’t starting, but the majority of fans are right behind the manager and want him to stay. I feel the same.

AS: I think the rumblings of discontent were starting to gain momentum. We had the defeat to Swindon and were poor in the opening minutes against Wigan, but Adam helped change the game and the new signings should stop any discontent in the short term.

I hope we don’t return to an era of negativity and continue to support the team, however difficult that is. We don’t want to lose the atmosphere that makes the Brit so intimidating and helps push our team on.

RD: It depends. As amazing a job as TP has done, the football last season was too often overly negative, as was reflected by Stoke finishing as the lowest scorers in all four divisions. If we have another season like that, and fail to find a way of accommodating the talent of players like Adam, then I think – rightly or wrongly – supporters will start to be increasingly vocal in expressing their discontent.

RL: There’s always been an undercurrent of anti-Tony Pulis supporters since his return.

Despite what will in time be remembered as one of our most successful seasons last year, there was an air of pessimism around the Brit.

Let’s hope the new signings and a new approach combine to end this. I am – just about – old enough to remember Waddo’s exit from Stoke City and I really hope we don’t repeat that.

ARE STOKE RIGHT TO INVEST £6m IN THE YOUTH SET-UP, OR SHOULD SOME OF THAT MONEY HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THE FIRST TEAM?

TC: Peter Coates was right to put the money into the youth set-up and invest in the club’s future. We can’t keep spending £10m or more every season on new players, some of whom have little resale value.

It’s going to take time for the youth investment to pay off though. I watched Stoke’s

under-21s lose 4-1 to Newcastle last week and it looked like men against boys because Newcastle were so much better.

AS: If we want to progress we need to invest in every area of the club, particularly the youth set-up. We need more locally produced players in the first-team squad.

RD: It’s definitely the right thing to do. Long-term, it is in the best interests of Stoke City to try to become more self-sufficient, as the chairman has often stated, and this is a promising step towards doing that.

RL: It’s great to see a future being built at Stoke with the academy now on the same level as some of the biggest British clubs. Tony Pulis is not known for blooding youngsters, but it is also a potential source of income as players are sold.

WHAT HAS PLEASED OR CONCERNED YOU ABOUT STOKE’S FOUR GAMES SO FAR?

TC: My concern is there hasn’t seemed any change of style from last season when we struggled for goals. I am hopeful that will change with the new signings.

AS: I’m pleased we haven’t lost, but disappointed that we haven’t won two of the games. At Reading and Wigan we failed to convert some excellent chances.

RD: The new signings have all quietly impressed so far. It will take Cameron a while to adapt to English football, but his debut against Arsenal suggests he has the tools to do well in midfield. Kightly is already making an important contribution. Adam’s entrance at Wigan helped to turn the team’s performance around.

RL: I’m pleased we are unbeaten in the Premier League, which is where we need to be at the start of next season. TP will be thinking, “37 points to go”.

My concerns are the lack of passion showed in the first half against Swindon, but that is combined with knowing that key players were rested.

WHERE DID YOU INITIALLY THINK STOKE WOULD FINISH THIS SEASON, AND HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND SINCE THEIR LATE DEALINGS IN THE TRANSFER WINDOW?

TC: I always thought we’d sign players so was reasonably hopeful. Without the new players I think we would have finished 15th, but now I can see us in 10th or 11th.

AS: I must admit I thought we might struggle this year and finish around 16th. But with the new signings and some good fortune I now believe we should be around 10th to 12th.

RD: Before the transfer window closed I would have said 15th or 16th was the best we could hope for. Now I’m more confident we can finish 10th to 12th, which would represent a decent season.

RL: I did say 11th, but hoped for top 10. All being well we might just sneak into the top 10.

WHAT’S YOUR PREDICTION FOR THE MANCHESTER CITY GAME AND WHY?

TC: My money’s on 1-1, with Stoke scoring first, but having to settle for a draw after plenty of Manchester City pressure.

AS: Defeat because we have had such a good run against them since we got back in the Prem. All good things must end (even beating WBA finally came to an end).

RD: Stoke seem to save their best performances for games against the big clubs at the Brit. I think we’ll get a creditable draw, just like last season and the season before.

RL: 1-1 – I fancy us being up for the game, especially having the likes of Nzonzi, Adam and Owen all pushing to make their home debuts.

Even if we stick to the percentage game, the likes of Adam should improve the success of percentage passes.

KEEP THAT CRYSTAL BALL OUT. NOW GIVE ME YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE TOP FOUR AND BOTTOM THREE.

TC: Top four – Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal.

Bottom three – Aston Villa, Southampton, QPR (I just don’t like QPR!).

AS: Top – Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal (but I really hope I’m wrong about Arsenal).

Bottom three – Southampton, Aston Villa, Wigan.

RD: Top four – Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal.

Relegated – Southampton, Wigan, Norwich.

RL: I reckon the two Manchester clubs will scrap it out again for the title, leaving Chelsea and Arsenal to complete up the top four.

The bottom three will be Wigan, Southampton and Reading.