Stoke City fan podcast Wizards of Drivel have helped give us insight into tomorrow's Championship game against the Potters. We discuss how they've started the season, and their match predictions...
In midweek Stoke managed to rescue a late point at home to Middlesbrough, was it a fortunate point or was it well deserved?
Very much the former. Chris Wilder said it could have been four or five to Boro and he wasn’t far wrong, and the stats back him up to a large degree. When your team is being booed off after a last minute equaliser, that’s quite a stark indication of how the game went.
In the transfer window you guys lost a few senior players along the likes of long time Potter Joe Allen, Steven Fletcher and James Chester. Has there been a visible absence of experience in the squad?
I’m not sure that lack of experience has been the issue, rather just a lack of composure. Joe Allen had been at the club years and we weren’t pulling up any trees with him in the centre of the park. Fletcher and Chester were way past their peak too. Phil Jagielka was signed to lend some experience to our young centre-halves, but overall O’Neill has lowered the age profile of the squad from the days of mercenary Premier League hangers-on.
Another piece of business in the transfer window that has caught the eye of many is the free transfer of former Mag, Dwight Gayle. He has proven to be a decent Championship player, how do you think he will do this season after barely any game time last campaign?
It’s typical Stoke that he hasn’t scored for us yet after scoring for every other team he played for. I’m hoping and praying we see enough of him with the ball at his feet in the 18-yard box but that hasn’t really happened just yet. If he can get the right service he should be a really positive addition, but at the moment that’s a big ‘if’.
The past few seasons have been very consistent for Stoke, finishing the last four seasons between 14th and 16th in the table, what is needed to make that extra push into the top half?
A miracle! It’s been another season of big squad turnover, shifting some deadwood and trying to bring younger players in but there’s no indication that we will be pushing on into the top half based on the first four games. The performances have been quite poor and I sense some uncertainty in a lot of areas on the pitch, the impending arrival of Liam Delap on loan may give us a boost, but thoughts of the play-offs are already distant.
It’s been almost three years in charge for manager Michael O’Neill, what’s his most used tactic/formation?
A 3-5-2 with wingbacks, of which we have none. We generally like to play a possession game where we can and counter against stronger opponents or away from home. We have some tidy passers of the ball and willing runners, but lack speed and invention.
For the travelling Mackems, where is the best place for away fans to grab a pre-match pint?
There’s a Harvester and Power League near the ground but I wouldn’t recommend either. If you go into Stoke (the town, not the city) there’s The Glebe and The White Star which are very good and a short walk from Stoke-on-Trent train station. Also at the station is a small ‘bod’ bar run by Titanic brewery which is cracking but not fond of letting football fans in so that may have to be an undercover visit. There’s also a barge (the brilliantly named Barge-Inn-Booze) selling alcohol on the canal if you want a quick drink near the ground in a more relaxed setting than The Power League. If you really want to push the boat out, maybe if you’re staying over due to the train strikes, go to Stone – which is south of the city but home to Staffordshire’s nicest pubs.
It’s no secret that Stoke will have to keep their eyes on Stewart and Simms at all times, but who will we have to keep tabs on? Which player is likely to cause us the most trouble?
I would have said Josh Tymon, but he’s got himself injured now, so it could be any one of our strikers. Jacob Brown is a fan’s favourite and arguably our most consistent performer. Tyrese Campbell and Dwight Gayle obviously have quality and D’Margio Wright-Phillips offers another dimension. Watch out for Lewis Baker from the edge of the area too, as he’s lethal from distance.
How do you think the game will play out?
Both teams seem to have more going for them in the attacking positions than they do defensively. However, I can see both managers approaching this conservatively. 1-1. Brown for us, Stewart for you.
Finally, it might be too early to tell but where do you fancy either side to finish this year?
Stoke 15th, Sunderland 14th.
