Stoke General Chat & Starting XI Thread

[Darbyand]

This is how I think we will line up tomorrow at home to Villa:

Begovic
Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters
Whelan, N’Zonzi
Bojan, Ireland, Arnautovic
Diouf

Great work.

[Tricky Tree]

I had Cameron in an auction game and ditched him for Bardsley as FISO and others said he had no chance of starting.

yeah, if I'd had a proper look I would have seen, as it was my Shaw/Ward/Pullis Gone mess I didn't look properly

[Takeshi Kovacs]

This is how I think we will line up tomorrow at home to Villa:

Begovic
Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters
Whelan, N’Zonzi
Bojan, Ireland, Arnautovic
Diouf

Great work.

Wish I could say the same for their actual performance on the pitch!

[Takeshi Kovacs]

This is how I'd guess we'll line up on Sunday against Hull.

It assumes Hughes has no knee jerk reaction to the terrible performance home to Villa last weekend.

Begovic
Bardsley
Shawcross
Wilson
Pieters
NZonzi
Whelan
Odemwingie
Bojan
Arnautovic
Diouf

Wilson could be under threat from Huth at centre back, and Sidwell will be pushing Whelan. Odemwingie could come in to replace Ireland, which could mean Bojan plays in the hole behind Diouf. Should see Moses off the bench at some point.

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Don't think Moses makes the match day squad due to lack of fitness...played very little in pre-season.

[bentapp]

I was impressed with Stoke's defensive performance vs City, and if Wilson remains first choice he looks a bargain at 4.5 - but what's happened to Huth? Thought the CB pairing was him and Shawcross? He's not injured. Is Wilson now first choice or have I missed something??

[Tricky Tree]

Certainly need to bin off my Geoff Cameron pick, especially as he has not gone on loan in the window. Not sure what he has done wrong but heh oh, I ain't the manager.

May well pick another Stokie ...

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Huth had a knee injury last season which kept him out for the latter part of it, and I think he had to have another more recent one to clear things up, so he's being eased back into things. It's a long season, so no need to rush him back. Wilson has done ok, and keeping a clean sheet away at Man City would have helped his cause. Huth's a better 'traditional' defender, but maybe Wilson plays closer to Hughes' philosophy i.e. more ball-playing.

Geoff Cameron has a bit of a groin / abdominal type injury which has kep him out for a game or two. Were rumours that he would be leaving during the transfer window, but he decided to stay and fight for his place as a defensive midfielder. He may not get that much pitch time, but you never know. It looks like Hughes is not afraid to drop players who underperform, and is not slow to reward tjose who come into the side and perform well. Stoke now have a squad that lends itself to a certain amount of rotation, so several of the players can be expected to be in and out of the team. I'd say the only certain starters, if fit, will be:

Begovic
Shawcross
Bardsley (no other great options at right back)
N'Zonzi

With Odemwingie out with a bad injury, I think Moses will get plenty of pitchtime now, probably on the right hand side, which will leave the left flank open to competition between Arnautovic and Assaidi (depending on how they perform).

Bojan will be in and out and sometimes used from the bench, until he becomes acclimatised to the pace of the Premier League (it took Arnautovic a good while to adapt last season).

You'd think Erik Pieters will be the main left back, with Marc Muniesa pushing him hard.

Diouf will probably be the most used striker, with Crouch, Bojan, Waltes etc being rotated.

[murf]

Has there been any official word on Odemwingie?

[bentapp]

Huth had a knee injury last season which kept him out for the latter part of it, and I think he had to have another more recent one to clear things up, so he's being eased back into things. It's a long season, so no need to rush him back. Wilson has done ok, and keeping a clean sheet away at Man City would have helped his cause. Huth's a better 'traditional' defender, but maybe Wilson plays closer to Hughes' philosophy i.e. more ball-playing.

Geoff Cameron has a bit of a groin / abdominal type injury which has kep him out for a game or two. Were rumours that he would be leaving during the transfer window, but he decided to stay and fight for his place as a defensive midfielder. He may not get that much pitch time, but you never know. It looks like Hughes is not afraid to drop players who underperform, and is not slow to reward tjose who come into the side and perform well. Stoke now have a squad that lends itself to a certain amount of rotation, so several of the players can be expected to be in and out of the team. I'd say the only certain starters, if fit, will be:

Begovic
Shawcross
Bardsley (no other great options at right back)
N'Zonzi

With Odemwingie out with a bad injury, I think Moses will get plenty of pitchtime now, probably on the right hand side, which will leave the left flank open to competition between Arnautovic and Assaidi (depending on how they perform).

Bojan will be in and out and sometimes used from the bench, until he becomes acclimatised to the pace of the Premier League (it took Arnautovic a good while to adapt last season).

You'd think Erik Pieters will be the main left back, with Marc Muniesa pushing him hard.

Diouf will probably be the most used striker, with Crouch, Bojan, Waltes etc being rotated.

Thanks Takeshi. So long term do you think Huth is likely to replace Wilson? Any idea when Huth's likely to be back and who Hughes' preference is?

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Hard to know what Hughes think. Most Stoke fans would probably prefer to see Huth renew his partnership with Shawcross that has served us well in the past, but given our style of play is evolving and we're starting to play out more from the back, he may continue with the more 'ball=playing' Wilson. Like I said, he will reward and keep faith in people who perform well, and it's Wilson's place to lose now I think. This could make Huth a risky proposition for Fantasy teams.

[SuperGrover]

Thanks for the info. I may need to take a risk on Wilson given Jones potential hamstring issues.

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Can you afford Shawcross?

[liquidfootball2]

I'm wondering how this affects Wilson if true :- I'm looking at the Stoke defence, especially hoping Wilson continues ahead of Huth. Doosra on ffs had speculated Cameron could be a threat even if not exactly like for like and Takeshi has recently commented on Huth v Wilson, and now an ffs poster (Dileno) has posted:-

Stoke's Cameron to have hernia surgery via http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/28689627" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Football Posted at 11:13 Stoke utility player Geoff Cameron is to undergo surgery to fix a troublesome hernia problem. The United States international has made just one appearance this season, in the Capital One Cup victory over Portsmouth, but was forced off with the long-standing injury before half-time. Cameron's absence is the second injury blow to hit the Potters after forward Peter Odemwingie had an operation on damaged knee ligaments

Obviously bbc site so presumably must have been verified.

[SuperGrover]

With Jones out I may just go for Bardsley. Definitely locked in and will get the odd assist that Wilson will not.

Any reason not to pick him?

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Wouldn't put you off picking him as he's first choice right back. If with Dream Team in mind, Eric Dier is same price!

[Darbyand]

Thoughts on Muniesa pinching Pieters's place? Likely to last?

[TheTon]

Can anyone shed any light on if Cameron is likely to keep his place. On a good run of games at the moment, at 4.2 (fpl) he currently holds a WC spot in my squad (may even play him at Leicester).

Thoughts?

[Ashers]

Stoke Squad 2015/16:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%8 ... .C._season

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Sadly, Steven N'Zonzi has departed for Sevilla and looks like the departure of Asmir Begovic is imminent.

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Marco Van Ginkel signed up from Chelsea on season long loan as a replacement for N'Zonzi.

[Takeshi Kovacs]

At the moment (and this could change significantly over next few weeks), I'd see the Stoke team as being:

Butland

Johnson (Glen) - assuming he joins
Shawcross
Muniesa
Pieters

Whelan
Van Ginkel
Arnautovic
Bojan

Walters or Odemwingie

Diouf (with Joselu as backup)

Think we're still looking to strengthen, and would hope we'll be able to bring in a right winger and another holding midfielder to challenge Whelan.

[bspittles]

Shay Given has also signed, not sure Butland is a certain starter.

[ctibbits]

Van Ginkel is a good player. I rate him much higher than NZonzi to be honest. You lose that height on set pieces though

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Shay Given has also signed, not sure Butland is a certain starter.

Butland was eased into first team action at the end of last season, and in my opinion, there's very little chance of him being usurped by Given as first choice keeper. He's the future, and has been biding his time on loan for the last couple of seasons. There's no way Hughes will now reward him by making him play second fiddle to a keeper soon to be 40! I think Given's been bought as cover, and to bring some experience to the squad as backup.

[Takeshi Kovacs]

Van Ginkel is a good player. I rate him much higher than NZonzi to be honest. You lose that height on set pieces though

Good to know.

[Spinynorman]

I'm sure that Given will be playing back up but he is still an excellent keeper. Should be one of the best number two's about and seems to be a decent bloke to have around.

[7lb claimer]

I have high hopes for Odemwingie. He was excellent in the World Cup in a more withdrawn role and can fit in. Just been given a new contract and is apparently well thought of around the club. Can see him having a good season if over injury.

[Takeshi Kovacs]

I like him too, but he also has Walters in competition for the wide right berth, and I'm pretty sure that's an area we'll be looking to strengthen during the remainder of the transfer window. There's still a possibility of luring Victor Moses back, for the left hand side, but not sure he's 100% keen (rumours that a straight swap for Begovic may be possible).

[helmethead]

I have been seriously considering Charlie Adam but from looking at the predicted teams, he is nowhere in sight. He had a very strong end to last season but could any Stoke fans indicate how likely he is to start. It seems towards the end of last season they played a 4-3-3 with Adam as a no.10 in front of N'zonzi and Whelan, with Walters & Arnautovic out wide and Diouf up top.

I presume Van Ginkel (assuming he gets over his fitness problems) will replace N'zonzi but the return of Bojan moves the formation to more like a 4-4-2 and means no place for Adam? Or could Bojan/Diouf play out wide leaving a spot for Adam?