Stoke signings

Friday, 03/09/2010

by Shoot's Stoke blogger, Jon Roliinson.

What a transfer window that was! Or, more accurately, what a last few minutes!

Just when it looked like Stoke’s big signing was going to be Salif Diao, a player who only left two months ago, along came Tony Pulis with some smoke, mirrors and several rabbits to pull from hats.

First it was announced that Eidur Gudjohnsen had arrived on for £2m. Hot on the heels of the Iceman, Jermaine Pennant signed on for a four-month loan spell from Real Zaragoza. Finally, Portsmouth skipper Marc Wilson put pen to paper.

Going in the other direction are alleged trouble-makers Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson.

Pulis will be delighted with this deal, not least because he offloads the flop Kitson and the disruptive Lawrence.

It’s been a productive window for Stoke with Kenwyne Jones and Jon Walters already signed. Now Pulis needs to get his new players gelling as quickly as possible.

With three defeats from three games, things could be looking bleak for the Potters. But the mood amongst Stoke fans is bright and rightly so. The performances against Spurs and Chelsea were encouraging and with a little more luck the results should start to come our way. 

Starting with our next home game against Aston Villa on the 13^th September.

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has once again been holding up Stoke City as an example of how not to play football. 

The self-styled “professor” made specific reference to Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth in his latest lecture on the beautiful game.

Jose Mourinho once called Wenger a voyeur because he seems obsessed by other teams and you do have to wonder whether the double Champions League winner Mourinho has a point. 

Perhaps the fact Stoke have beaten Arsenal every year since promotion has something to do with it!

I confess to being more cynical. His latest outburst came just before a tough game for Arsenal away at Blackburn. 

I suspect Wenger was simply drawing attention to the physical side of the game – something Arsenal have struggled with recently – ensuring his players got even more protection from the referee.

Whatever the motive, the Frenchman is in for a rough ride when he brings his delicate squad to the Britannia Stadium.

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