[BEGIN_OF_TEXT] It is the big kick-off - of sorts - today as Stoke City play their first competitive fixture of the new season. But instead of it being a league game, the campaign begins with a Carabao Cup match at home against League Two Oldham Athletic.
I just don’t get it. We always start with a league game, so what is the point of playing a cup match first? What sort of message does that send out about the competition? It provides managers with a dilemma. Do they put out their strongest side and risk a key player being injured ahead of the first league game? Or do they use the match as an additional pre-season fixture and then pay the price by being knocked out?
It’s a no-win situation for Stoke manager Mark Robins because even if the Potters win by three or four goals, people will say it’s expected. And the decisions he has to make regarding his team selection are enhanced because, when I look at it, there’s still work to do in the transfer market for Stoke.
FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! __Latest Stoke City news, analysis and more via the Sentinel__ Since we were relegated from the Premier League, we haven’t managed to finish in the top half of the Championship. Stoke have been active in the transfer market - and boy did they need to be after last term. We started brightly last year, but then fell away in the second half of the campaign.
But despite bringing in new signings, there’s still areas of concern from my point of view. We’ve signed goalkeeper Josh Griffiths from West Brom to add to Viktor Johansson in that department, so we’re covered. And the three new midfielders - Ethan Galbraith, Svante Ingelsson and Djibril Soumare - mean that part of the pitch, which is the most important to me, seems in good order.
However, I do worry about what we’re like in the defensive and attacking areas.
Yes, I know there’s still a few weeks until the transfer window shuts, but it highlights that there’s so much work for Stoke to do.
At the back, we’ve recruited centre-half Luke Graham from Dundee who, on paper, looks to be a good signing.
But we still look thin in the back four - or back three - whichever way Robins decides to do.
At right-back, Junior Tchamadeu is going to miss the start of the season through injury, while his deputy, Syd Agina, is out on loan at Forest Green. That leaves us with the prospect of having to play Ben Wilmot at right-back, while the situation isn’t much better on the left. Aaron Cresswell is injured as well, leaving us with Eric Bocat to play there. What happens if he gets injured? And in the middle, there’s Graham, Bosun Lawal, Maksym Talovierov and Ben Gibson. We do look thin.
Up front is a big area of concern. We’ve got the wide men like Sorba Thomas and Million Manhoef, but it’s through the middle which is problematic. At the minute there’s Sam Gallagher, Robert Bozenik and Milan Smit. I know there were injuries between the three of them last season - and some only arrived late - but between them they managed five goals. If that doesn’t set the alarm bells ringing, then I don’t know what does.
As well as incomings, there has to be outgoings as well. There’s players in the squad who are not going to push us forward - and if that’s the case, they need to find a new club.
The fact we’ve not finished in the top half of the Championship since relegation speaks volumes. You need players who will keep you improving - and no doubt that will be the focus in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.
There’s excitement from fans because the number of teams in the play-offs have been extended. Are Stoke good enough to challenge for one of those places? We will have to wait and see. But there’s going to have to be some more work done in the transfer market if we’re to buck the trend of recent seasons.
IT was so sad to hear about the passing of legendary Italian defender Franco Baresi. He was part of the great Italy side and really was a top-class player. In an age where players are happy to talk, but not back words up with actions, Baresi truly was the other way around.
In fact, Milan’s Paolo Maldini gave a great quote which summed up Baresi’s influence. “You taught me to fight until my very last breath, what it means to have a true bond with the shirt you wear, and the value of being a real leader. You taught me all of this through your example, every single day. Few words, but countless actions.”
If only the modern-day player did the same. [END_OF_TEXT]
