Wellens says all the right things

[Kitchandro]

I think that's harsh. He has signed 'physical' players such as Jones, Faye, Carew etc but has balanced it out with players such as Etherington, Pennant, Gudjohnsen etc.

He's done a fantastic job at Stoke and reminds me a bit of O'Neill with the job that he has done. I'm sure there were a fair few who didn't appreciate our style of football at the time but it was effective nonetheless.

Although we were physical side and were hardly playing like Spain, we played better football than Stoke do.

I'm not knocking Pulis as a manager, but it just seems to me that they aren't even attempting to play football properly. They are playing the long ball from the first minute to the last.

I wouldn't mind if they weren't in the Premiership and they weren't on Sky often.

[Salieri]

Although we were physical side and were hardly playing like Spain, we played better football than Stoke do.

I'm not knocking Pulis as a manager, but it just seems to me that they aren't even attempting to play football properly. They are playing the long ball from the first minute to the last.

I wouldn't mind if they weren't in the Premiership and they weren't on Sky often.

I see what you are saying but I see a lot of similarities with what Pulis is doing with Stoke and what O'Neill did with us and unfortunately if you're going to try to compete with the 'big boys' and haven't got endless resources available then you have to be more direct as attempting to play the likes off Arsenal, Chelsea etc off the park ain't gonna happen.

The way they operate is proving to be very effective and the manager deserves plenty of credit.

As for being on Sky often, why shouldn't they be? If you don't like it, don't watch it.

[Kitchandro]

I see what you are saying but I see a lot of similarities with what Pulis is doing with Stoke and what O'Neill did with us and unfortunately if you're going to try to compete with the 'big boys' and haven't got endless resources available then you have to be more direct as attempting to play the likes off Arsenal, Chelsea etc off the park ain't gonna happen.

The way they operate is proving to be very effective and the manager deserves plenty of credit.

As for being on Sky often, why shouldn't they be? If you don't like it, don't watch it.

Well when there's no other live games on at the time it's either watch Stoke, or watch no football. They aren't great choices. I'm not saying they shouldn't be on TV but I can't say it's entertaining either.

I hate to say it but Blackpool are doing similarly well this season and they play good, entertaining football.

Pulis has got his defence sorted first and fair play to him there, because Blackpool's poor defending will be their undoing.

I think you can have a balance between playing solidly and being vaguely entertaining.

Like I said he's doing well so who am I to tell him to change the way he plays. But at the same time it annoys me at how boring they are and how poor quality their football is. I mean they are in the Premiership after all.

[Salieri]

Well when there's no other live games on at the time it's either watch Stoke, or watch no football. They aren't great choices. I'm not saying they shouldn't be on TV but I can't say it's entertaining either.

I hate to say it but Blackpool are doing similarly well this season and they play good, entertaining football.

Pulis has got his defence sorted first and fair play to him there, because Blackpool's poor defending will be their undoing.

I think you can have a balance between playing solidly and being vaguely entertaining.

Like I said he's doing well so who am I to tell him to change the way he plays. But at the same time it annoys me at how boring they are and how poor quality their football is. I mean they are in the Premiership after all.

I'd rather (if and when we go up) we adopted Stoke's style and established ourselves in the Prem rather than go up and try to be too fancy, a bit like West Brom recently (under Mowbray) who tried to take their style of play from the Championship to the Premiership which resulted in relegation.

As for Blackpool, fair play to them, they've done fantastic so far but it won't last. They remind me a bit of Hull when they went up and I predict a similar sort of capitulation.

[Kitchandro]

I'd rather (if and when we go up) we adopted Stoke's style and established ourselves in the Prem rather than go up and try to be too fancy, a bit like West Brom recently (under Mowbray) who tried to take their style of play from the Championship to the Premiership which resulted in relegation.

As for Blackpool, fair play to them, they've done fantastic so far but it won't last. They remind me a bit of Hull when they went up and I predict a similar sort of capitulation.

I agree. Like I said fair play to them, their priority is not to entertain, it's to stay up.

And I agree that would be the same for us. I would hope though that we slowly tried to introduce some good football over a few years, as I seriously would get fed up of watching us play boring football every week for years on end, for the result of midtable in the Premiership.

[Salieri]

I agree. Like I said fair play to them, their priority is not to entertain, it's to stay up.

And I agree that would be the same for us. I would hope though that we slowly tried to introduce some good football over a few years, as I seriously would get fed up of watching us play boring football every week for years on end, for the result of midtable in the Premiership.

Totally agree with that. I will always wonder just how far O'Neill could have taken us, because prior to his departure we were beginning to look like more of a footballing side (5-2 win over Sunderland in particular).

I don't know if he had taken us as far as he could, but there's no doubt we were improving each year under his guidance.

Whether Pulis can take Stoke to the 'next level', remains to be seen.

[Kitchandro]

Totally agree with that. I will always wonder just how far O'Neill could have taken us, because prior to his departure we were beginning to look like more of a footballing side (5-2 win over Sunderland in particular).

I don't know if he had taken us as far as he could, but there's no doubt we were improving each year under his guidance.

Whether Pulis can take Stoke to the 'next level', remains to be seen.

If Sven stays for long enough we might finally be able to carry on from where O'Neill left off, but with more money. Exciting times

[Salieri]

If Sven stays for long enough we might finally be able to carry on from where O'Neill left off, but with more money. Exciting times

Sadly I think it's a big if. Despite his proclamations of loyalty I still think given a lucrative offer from a 'bigger' club he will jump ship.

I sincerely hope not as he's doing a fantastic job and with the backing of the Thais money then there's no reason that we can't emulate and hopefully surpass the achievements under MON.

I live in hope.