Worrying Start for the Potters
The season finally started this Saturday, with the Potter heading to Molineux for the opener against Wolves. The main questions over the line-up ahead of the game were in goal and up front. In goal, it was a question of Begovic or Sorensen. Tommy got the nod, but didn’t seem at all as assured of himself as he was last season and was worryingly shaky.
Up front, this week’s signing of Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland is a very exciting one for the club. We desperately needed a new ‘big man’ striker with James Beattie leaving and as Mama Sidibe simply isn’t good enough for where we want to be. Jones, though, signals a possible change in striking options for Tony Pulis. He’s not the typical Pulis big-man as he has skill and good finishing with his size. Jones coming to Stoke is a very good sign for the progression of the team, despite his previous inconsistency which shouldn’t be as much of a problem in the Stoke environment that he is more suited to. And Jones started up front with Ric Fuller; a partnership which should blossom in the future.
here is an example of one of Ricardo's relationships that didn't blossom....
Sadly, though, the partnership may have to wait. After just ten minutes of the game, in which he impressed, Jones was forced off with what looked like a bad injury. He’s due to have a scan, but my first impression was that it looks like at least six weeks out for Jones. So the debate of our strike force will continue. Jones was replaced by Sidibe, but Mama was later replaced by Tuncay, who was on fire in pre-season and seemed to do better today.
Overall, though, it was a dismal performance from Stoke. Once Jones went off, the team fell apart. There was no rhythm and the midfield in particular lacked any ability to keep the ball, with the exception of Matty Etherington. Wolves were dominant in the middle and they broke down the defence disappointingly quickly. The whole team were very obviously playing their first competitive game in a long while. In fact, we were quite lucky to only lose by one in the end.
Matty's accumulator had come in...
Next week’s game against Spurs will be much more telling for how the season will go, as hopefully the lads will have more passion and fight in their play back at the Brit.
Submitted by Mike Nussbaum
15/8/2010
