EnglishOxide

It would look good with an extra player over everybody else, yeah.

#itsjustbanter Chill. I don't think many on either side take it that serious.

I never disputed the unprecedented comment. Just that it shouldn't be used as a stick to discredit the run as being anything other than well deserved and earned by the team/club. I'm not even sure what we are discussing now. The last six seasons are utterly irrelevant. This whole 'establishing ourselves' argument is pointless. You would have a point if we were Burnley or Blackpool who had just scraped survival on a shoestring budget. But we are historically as big as Swansea/Stoke and currently we are well placed to push on and aim for top ten, even though I think 15th-10th would be pleasing too.

If you are referring to me, my wider point was that the lure for players is playing in the 'Premier League' to attract the interest of bigger teams. Stoke are not in Europe and aren't expected to get there just as much as we weren't relegated and aren't expected to be this season either. Thats why, IMO, the N'Zonzi move wouldn't be a downwards step but a sideways step. I don't know why everyone is losing their shit over it. 16th - 9th is nowhere in terms of player ambition. Its like two spastics arguing who is less disabled. I'm not wrong at all. You may disagree with my viewpoint but my comparison of results of the teams 'not in our bracket' obviously makes little sense when taken out of context in relation to the argument I was making. If we use logic alone then we could say Athletico Madrid are a more attractive prospect than Real Madrid and Barcelona because they finished above them a couple of seasons ago. Which obviously isn't the case. Being a mid table side for 3 seasons is worth no more than being a mid table side for 1 season. I like how the majority of our fans are calling our winning run unprecedented and lucky, as if our losing run wasn't also unprecedented and unlucky. **** off son.

It's you who seems to have missed my point. Foreign players don't choose Stoke because it's more glamourous than Leicester. Most players simply want to play in the 'Premier League'. With Cambiasso, Kramaric and now Fuchs in my opinion we are just as attractive to players as any other mid table team (note I didn't say more attractive). Somebody said we weren't in the same bracket as other mid table teams and I disputed that with results against those teams. For me you can split the table up as such... Relegation battlers Mid table teams Teams pushing for Europe Teams pushing for the title. I expect us to stay out of the relegation fight this season considering we have strengthened, and Cambiasso not withstanding, have not lost anybody. I like what Mark Hughes has done with Stoke, but I don't think anybody expects them to challenge Liverpool, Spurs and Southampton for the Europa League. That puts them into the same mid table catagory as us I think.

Most (fans and pundits) considered us to be unlucky to be bottom for so long. If we had a fair rub of the green in terms of refereeing decisions and unlucky own goals we may have been 4-8 points better off. With Fuchs, Kramaric, Cambiasso and Huth in from the start with a full pre-season under their belts and the rest of the squad with a seasons experience we are in a much stronger position. vs Stoke we won one and lost one vs West Ham we won one and lost one. vs Swansea we won one (destroyed them whilst they were aiming for Europe) and lost one vs Everton we got two draws But we are not in the same bracket, yeah? Alright mate.

Norwich coming in for Vardy is different. By definition, we are now an established Prem team. Norwich, like us last season and every other club who have been promoted automatically get touted for relegation, then you've got Sunderland, Villa and Newcastle as teams potentially in a relegation fight. Id say most people would have us alongside Everton, Stoke, West Ham, West Brom, Swansea as teams expected to fill the table without being anywhere near Europe or being around the relegation zone this season.

In what way is N'Zonzi to Leicester a downward step? Stoke are officially in the same ballpark as us as in terms of we are both expected to finish mid table this season. Nobody has either club as relegation fodder or to be pushing for Europe. As already said, Stoke have won **** all and have been making up the numbers for ages. Thats no better than us finishing 14th and being in a better position to compete in our second season. N'Zonzi said no to Leicester because as it stands it is a sideways move at best and he is looking for European football, not because it's a downward step.

I must admit I'm quite looking to the possibility of playing Watford next season. We get to slap them about all over again. Its not so outrageous that they think there is a bit if rivalry between us. There is, and its due to events on the pitch the last few seasons. Their fans have been thinking they're better than they are for years, the Prem is going to be a reality check for them and an influx of foreign imports won't work in this league. The quality of the Championship this year was poor without us, Burnley and begrudgingly QPR. To quote Nige, we are better in every way.

Disagree with the bit where he said we have capitalised on benign refereeing decisions and lucky rebounds. We have had zero help from the referees all season whilst the dodgy rebounds have usually gone against us.

I had my doubts, but that was tremendous. Especially as it was the first time

Hopefully its good. Is it me though or do most people not get to their seat until after the post horn gallop? It might not look as good as we are imagining it. Its the first time so its to be expected of course.

I'm not suprised, it's just slightly annoying as they condemn United as being rubbish rather than the other team being better than them on the day. To be fair they were nice about our team when discussing us v Palace just now.

Just watching Soccer Saturday. All they've done is ripped United for 10 mins rather than analysing our performance and praising it. Not even had a mention.

I saw that. Wanted to sign up and straighten him out immediately. Jesus christ.

Why are so many of us being upset by not being validated by other teams fans? Of course they are going to underate us. Just how they underestimated the other promoted teams. We don't need their respect or validation. We know we have a good team, just concentrate on supporting them and the pundits/fellow fans will continue to eat their words as the season progresses. Just remember we are riding a wave right now, we are one bad performance (which can happen sometimes) away from their opinions being justified too.

I have definitely noticed more games this season where posession stats are around the 40/60 or 30/70 mark. 10 years ago posession would be very evenly spread over 90 mins but with this influx of teams whose philosophy is to keep the ball like Swansea, Liverpool, Everton, Man City and this season Chelsea I think has skewed people's perception of who deserves the win. Most the teams who have been on the wrong end of the posession stat have gotten the win. It really means **** all. Posession is a way to run the clock down and pace your team. The real lesson to be learned from Barcas supremecy between 08-12 should be taken from their games vs Chelsea and Bayern. Press intelligently, defend with utter concentration and be ruthless on the counter attack. At the moment I'd say a posession style isn't the most effective in world football at all.

Stoke are a good team. Their fans are ****ing twats. I hope we turn them over more than i did for Chelsea/Everton/Arsenal whosee fans were largely less scummy.

Good tune, if somebody could come up with something similar for one of our slightly oddly named players that'd be great!

I sometimes wonder what it must be like to be as stupid as you. No worries, little knowledge and a blissful lack of self awareness. You must be so ****ing happy.