Home of football statistics and historyIt’s been a disastrous season so far for Stoke City who are now facing the reality of a relegation fight. With 24 games played they have managed to win just 6 and they currently have the worst defensive record and goal difference in the league. Their terrible form saw The Potters dispense with manager Mark Hughes who had led them to a 13th placed finish last season, and now it seems things could possibly go from bad to worse in the near future too.
Stoke’s survival in the Premier League could come down to them finding the right manager to steer them clear of danger. It’s reported that former Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores has turned down the opportunity to head back to England’s top flight from Spanish side Espanyol due to not being entirely sure he can save The Potters from the drop, even with the promise of a hefty transfer kitty. This then left the door open for Paul Lambert to keep the club in the Premier League. The 48 year old Scot has been out of work since leaving Wolves at the end of last season, and has a wealth of experience from managing the likes of Aston Villa and Norwich.
Lambert will need to hit the ground running and the win against Huddersfiled will go a long way in building the club’s belief and confidence. They’ve just brought in Moritz Bauer, a right back from Rubin Kazan, who should give them more solidity at the back; but they will certainly need more if they are to turn the tide. It’s a squad that saw arguably one of their better players in Marko Arnautovic leave the club, along with many others, but the rebuilding job certainly hasn’t gone to plan. It’s crucial that Stoke get the right players through the door over the next couple of weeks.
There’s certainly a good chance that Stoke will stay up this season, they’re not relegated yet, not by a long chalk. There are plenty of sides in the league right now who’s form has been somewhat iffy all season. The likes of Swansea, West Brom, Bournemouth, Southampton, Brighton, Newcastle and Huddersfield are probably all going to be involved in the battle at the foot of the table and if Stoke can somehow start picking points up, their experience may come to their aid over the course of the next few months.
Fans will be hoping that the new manager will look at things more pragmatically. Paul should be the ideal person to bring structure to the team, and make them hard to beat whilst being more resolute defensively. Betting.com’s Football Betting page is the best place to check out the latest transfer news and match reports, so fans can keep up with the club’s progress.
If Stoke can add more quality to their squad, it will give them a great chance of climbing the table away from danger. Right now though, they need points and need their big players such as Ryan Shawcross, Joe Allen, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Jese and Xherdan Shaqiri to come to the fore and deliver.
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