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TEAMtalk Insider: Stoke Review Pt 1
Stokeended 2008 on a low at West Ham but the year saw plenty of highs forthe Potters and TEAMtalk's Insider Mark Holmes takes a look at them.
Fuller and Sidibe: Big fan favourites
2008began with a slightly disappointing 1-1 Championship draw against HullCity at the Britannia and it ended with an even more disappointing 2-1defeat at Upton Park.
The Potters now find themselves in the Premier League, though,and there have been plenty of highlights from their first 20 games backin the big time.
Add in the second half of last season's promotion campaign andyou can safely say 2008 will be a year fondly remembered by Pottersfans all around the world.
Here, as part of TEAMtalk's season-long 'Insider' feature, weremember a few of the most memorable moments - and a few best forgotten- from a fantastic year in the history of Stoke City FC.
Top Five Games
5. Wolves (A) - 4-2: Stoke have so often blown promising leaguepositions in the past and few would have been surprised to see anotheropportunity blown in this game against the old rival. However, thePotters surprised us all with one of their most convincing performancesof the season to firmly establish themselves as contenders forautomatic promotion. Finished off by a superb fourth goal by RicardoFuller this was definitely a day to remember.
4. Arsenal (H) - 2-1: Just to be playing against the likes ofArsenal can be counted as an achievement, but to beat them wassomething else. To do it in such a convincing manner was quite simplyamazing. This was arguably Stoke's best performance of the whole yearand definitely the one that made the Premier League sit up and takenotice.
3. Liverpool (A) - 0-0: It's rare to put a 0-0 down as one ofthe games of the year and even more so when you consider Stoke hardlygot into Liverpool's half this afternoon. Not one of the Stokies in theground that day could care less, though, as we watched our boys dig infor a truly marvellous point. Seeing us defend for our lives that daygave me more pleasure than any thrashing we ever gave to Wycombe,Norwich or Leeds - quite simply a sensational feeling.
2. Bristol City (H) - 2-1: Like the Wolves one, this was a gameyou almost expected us to mess up simply because of the great situationwe'd put ourselves into. We knew a win on this day would all but secureus promotion and end the challenge of the Robins, and it never reallylooked in doubt. Mama Sidibe got both our goals and 25,000 Stokies wenthope finally believing promotion was ours. Superb.
1. Aston Villa (H) - 3-2: Our first home game back in the bigtime and the expectation was incredible. A packed out Britannia createdan atmosphere like nothing ever before and the players proved they wereready for the Premier League with a terrific performance. Villa peggedus back twice to break our hearts but this was always going to beStoke's day and Sidibe's last-minute winner set off scenes offcelebration not seen since...well the last league game at theBritannia!
Top Five Players
5. Rory Delap - Delap's throw-ins have turned him into one ofthe world's most talked about players, but Potters fans will know thereis far more to the midfielder's game than a long chuck. He was theclub's most consistent player in the second half of last season and hasarguably been the best midfielder in the Premier League too. A greatengine, unbelievable work ethic and of course those throws, Rory hashad a wonderful year.
4. Ryan Shawcross - There have been a couple of lows for theyoung defender in 2008 as he's twice had to force his way back intoStoke's team after being dropped by Pulis. He responded to the axe inthe best possible fashion to play a key role in promotion, though, andhas done it again this year to establish himself as an important memberof the defence. A true star in the making, 2009 promises plenty for the21-year-old.
3. Liam Lawrence - Liam may have ended higher on our list butinjury has restricted his opportunities in the Premier League. He waslast season's player of the year, though, and was undoubtedly thedriving force of the Potters' promotion. His eye for goal and set-pieceability should make him a key figure of the side for 2009.
2. Ricardo Fuller - The year ended on a low note...well anextremely low note...as he slapped his skipper Andy Griffin and gothimself sent off! It was still a fantastic 12 months for Ricardo,though, and Stoke would not be where they are today if it weren't forhis goals. Particular highlights are his stunning fourth at Wolves andsecond goal against Villa, but headers against Arsenal and Sunderlandwere equally important.
1. Mama Sidibe - Where to start with Big Mama? He scored two ofthe most crucial goals in the club's recent history against BristolCity last season, grabbed a last-minute winner in the first everPremier League win and even saw off the Baggies last month. Add in hisunbelievable work rate, his quite simply sensational ability in the airand the fact that he's possibly the world's nicest man and you can'tlook past Mama as the player of 2008. A true Stoke City legend.
Top Five Goals
5. Seyi Olofinjana v Everton - It might not have been theprettiest build up to a goal all year - it came from a Delap throw -but there was nothing ugly about Olofinjana's finish. The throw wasonly half cleared via a punch from Tim Howard and a defender's head,allowing Olofinjana to set himself on the edge of the box and superblypower a volley into the back of the net and very nearly the Boothen.
4. Liam Lawrence v Ipswich - Lawrence loves a long-ranger andthey don't come much better than this one at the Brit that won thePotters all three points. A ball into the box was only half-cleared byTown defender Alex Bruce as far as Lawrence on the corner of the boxand the winger needed no second invitation as he arrowed a bulletstraight into the top far corner.
3. Rory Delap v Tottenham - Every man and his dog has had theirsay on the team's style of play but they were all shut up for a momenthere as the Potters crafted a goal of pure class. The move started indefence and was played through the midfield before being pushed outwide to Sidibe to superbly cross into the box for Delap to run in andtap home. It proved Stoke can play - and that Delap has more in hislocker than a long throw.
2. Ricardo Fuller v Wolves - Stoke were hanging on to a 3-2lead at Molineux when, in the 90th minute, a Wolves player fell in thebox and the whole ground looked to the referee. Play was waved on andthe ball was soon at the feet of Fuller virtually on the edge of hisown box. He wasn't fazed, though, and instantly set his target on thehome goal some 100 yards away. He left players at his feet along theway before brushing off two final challenges on the edge of the box andfiring low into the far corner. Cue mass celebrations among thetravelling Stokies.
1. Ricardo Fuller v Aston Villa - If his goal at Wolves wasgood, then this one was simply out of this world. It was another finelycrafted goal by Stoke, with the move started in midfield where the ballwas picked up by Delap. He fed
Olofinjana who inturn threaded through for Lawrence 40 yards from goal. Lawrence thenspotted the run of Fuller, but his ball was played slightly behind thestriker forcing him to receive it with his back to goal and MartinLaursen for company. However, in one smooth motion the Jamaican flickedthe ball up and past Laursen before quickly turning and finding himselfbeyond the defender. With plenty left to do he dummied before finallystriking from a narrow angle past the dive of Brad Friedel and into thefar corner of the net. A truly world class goal.
Stokeended 2008 on a low at West Ham but the year saw plenty of highs forthe Potters and TEAMtalk's Insider Mark Holmes takes a look at them.
Fuller and Sidibe: Big fan favourites2008began with a slightly disappointing 1-1 Championship draw against HullCity at the Britannia and it ended with an even more disappointing 2-1defeat at Upton Park.
The Potters now find themselves in the Premier League, though,and there have been plenty of highlights from their first 20 games backin the big time.
Add in the second half of last season's promotion campaign andyou can safely say 2008 will be a year fondly remembered by Pottersfans all around the world.
Here, as part of TEAMtalk's season-long 'Insider' feature, weremember a few of the most memorable moments - and a few best forgotten- from a fantastic year in the history of Stoke City FC.
Top Five Games
5. Wolves (A) - 4-2: Stoke have so often blown promising leaguepositions in the past and few would have been surprised to see anotheropportunity blown in this game against the old rival. However, thePotters surprised us all with one of their most convincing performancesof the season to firmly establish themselves as contenders forautomatic promotion. Finished off by a superb fourth goal by RicardoFuller this was definitely a day to remember.
4. Arsenal (H) - 2-1: Just to be playing against the likes ofArsenal can be counted as an achievement, but to beat them wassomething else. To do it in such a convincing manner was quite simplyamazing. This was arguably Stoke's best performance of the whole yearand definitely the one that made the Premier League sit up and takenotice.
3. Liverpool (A) - 0-0: It's rare to put a 0-0 down as one ofthe games of the year and even more so when you consider Stoke hardlygot into Liverpool's half this afternoon. Not one of the Stokies in theground that day could care less, though, as we watched our boys dig infor a truly marvellous point. Seeing us defend for our lives that daygave me more pleasure than any thrashing we ever gave to Wycombe,Norwich or Leeds - quite simply a sensational feeling.
2. Bristol City (H) - 2-1: Like the Wolves one, this was a gameyou almost expected us to mess up simply because of the great situationwe'd put ourselves into. We knew a win on this day would all but secureus promotion and end the challenge of the Robins, and it never reallylooked in doubt. Mama Sidibe got both our goals and 25,000 Stokies wenthope finally believing promotion was ours. Superb.
1. Aston Villa (H) - 3-2: Our first home game back in the bigtime and the expectation was incredible. A packed out Britannia createdan atmosphere like nothing ever before and the players proved they wereready for the Premier League with a terrific performance. Villa peggedus back twice to break our hearts but this was always going to beStoke's day and Sidibe's last-minute winner set off scenes offcelebration not seen since...well the last league game at theBritannia!
Top Five Players
5. Rory Delap - Delap's throw-ins have turned him into one ofthe world's most talked about players, but Potters fans will know thereis far more to the midfielder's game than a long chuck. He was theclub's most consistent player in the second half of last season and hasarguably been the best midfielder in the Premier League too. A greatengine, unbelievable work ethic and of course those throws, Rory hashad a wonderful year.
4. Ryan Shawcross - There have been a couple of lows for theyoung defender in 2008 as he's twice had to force his way back intoStoke's team after being dropped by Pulis. He responded to the axe inthe best possible fashion to play a key role in promotion, though, andhas done it again this year to establish himself as an important memberof the defence. A true star in the making, 2009 promises plenty for the21-year-old.
3. Liam Lawrence - Liam may have ended higher on our list butinjury has restricted his opportunities in the Premier League. He waslast season's player of the year, though, and was undoubtedly thedriving force of the Potters' promotion. His eye for goal and set-pieceability should make him a key figure of the side for 2009.
2. Ricardo Fuller - The year ended on a low note...well anextremely low note...as he slapped his skipper Andy Griffin and gothimself sent off! It was still a fantastic 12 months for Ricardo,though, and Stoke would not be where they are today if it weren't forhis goals. Particular highlights are his stunning fourth at Wolves andsecond goal against Villa, but headers against Arsenal and Sunderlandwere equally important.
1. Mama Sidibe - Where to start with Big Mama? He scored two ofthe most crucial goals in the club's recent history against BristolCity last season, grabbed a last-minute winner in the first everPremier League win and even saw off the Baggies last month. Add in hisunbelievable work rate, his quite simply sensational ability in the airand the fact that he's possibly the world's nicest man and you can'tlook past Mama as the player of 2008. A true Stoke City legend.
Top Five Goals
5. Seyi Olofinjana v Everton - It might not have been theprettiest build up to a goal all year - it came from a Delap throw -but there was nothing ugly about Olofinjana's finish. The throw wasonly half cleared via a punch from Tim Howard and a defender's head,allowing Olofinjana to set himself on the edge of the box and superblypower a volley into the back of the net and very nearly the Boothen.
4. Liam Lawrence v Ipswich - Lawrence loves a long-ranger andthey don't come much better than this one at the Brit that won thePotters all three points. A ball into the box was only half-cleared byTown defender Alex Bruce as far as Lawrence on the corner of the boxand the winger needed no second invitation as he arrowed a bulletstraight into the top far corner.
3. Rory Delap v Tottenham - Every man and his dog has had theirsay on the team's style of play but they were all shut up for a momenthere as the Potters crafted a goal of pure class. The move started indefence and was played through the midfield before being pushed outwide to Sidibe to superbly cross into the box for Delap to run in andtap home. It proved Stoke can play - and that Delap has more in hislocker than a long throw.
2. Ricardo Fuller v Wolves - Stoke were hanging on to a 3-2lead at Molineux when, in the 90th minute, a Wolves player fell in thebox and the whole ground looked to the referee. Play was waved on andthe ball was soon at the feet of Fuller virtually on the edge of hisown box. He wasn't fazed, though, and instantly set his target on thehome goal some 100 yards away. He left players at his feet along theway before brushing off two final challenges on the edge of the box andfiring low into the far corner. Cue mass celebrations among thetravelling Stokies.
1. Ricardo Fuller v Aston Villa - If his goal at Wolves wasgood, then this one was simply out of this world. It was another finelycrafted goal by Stoke, with the move started in midfield where the ballwas picked up by Delap. He fed
Olofinjana who inturn threaded through for Lawrence 40 yards from goal. Lawrence thenspotted the run of Fuller, but his ball was played slightly behind thestriker forcing him to receive it with his back to goal and MartinLaursen for company. However, in one smooth motion the Jamaican flickedthe ball up and past Laursen before quickly turning and finding himselfbeyond the defender. With plenty left to do he dummied before finallystriking from a narrow angle past the dive of Brad Friedel and into thefar corner of the net. A truly world class goal.
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