Premier League Preview 2011-12: Stoke City

Best title odds: 6000/1 - Coral
Best odds on finishing Top 10: 7/4 - Bet365
Last season: 13th
Manager: Tony Pulis

Good news:

Not many clubs in the league are so demonstrably heading in the right direction. Three seasons in the Premier League have been and gone without relegation ever looking remotely on the cards. Finished 13th last term, only one win behind 8th, and when you throw in a first ever FA Cup final appearance you can see why the Potters’ faithful sing louder than most, or perhaps any. 

Bad news:

Apparently they lack a certain elegance. The glass half-empty brigade can always throw that at the unfashionable, but upwardly mobile club. What else? Kenwyne Jones should maybe score a few more goals for £8m. The only summer signing is Jonathan Woodgate; sadly 31-years-old seems an unlikely time to become an ever-present if your twenties were blighted by injury. But he’s signed a pay-as-you-play contract so Stoke aren’t exactly taking a big gamble. All and all, I’m nit-picking. There really isn’t much in the way of bad news.

Remember when:

Rory Delap was a journeyman pro who managers hoped would do something useful with his feet? It’s hard to believe now but the ‘Delap special’ throw-in has only truly been talked about since Stoke came up in 2008. He was 32 by then. What took him so long?

Verdict:

The ‘Tony Pulis Rap’ is a homage to the manager who is fast becoming a legend in the Potteries. He even has his side playing European football these days. Having finished just behind Newcastle and Villa last time, I see no reason why Stoke can’t leave those two big guns in their slipstream in 2011-12. The Brittania Stadium is a fortress.

Position: 8th