Vital Stoke editor Lloyd Reddin took the short trip down the internet airways to West Bromwich to speak to Vital WBA editor Baggyboy, and gather his pre-match Derby thoughts.
What are your feelings about Goran Popov and Peter Odemwingie, and how the club has handled their situations?
With the Goran Popov incident, from the replays I saw, it wasn’t deliberately aimed at the player so it seemed to be a huge over reaction to me in the press and on the pitch, in terms of being sent off. Obviously there is the issue of spitting on the pitch to be considered, but in terms of him attempting to flob on another player it was nonsense.
However it probably wasn’t helped by the fact it followed Odem-Gate and helped keep the club in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again.
As for Odemwingie, I’ll be amazed if he stays for next season. I think the bridge has been too badly burnt and the Twitter incidents did it for most fans, travelling down to QPR I don’t think was an issue for many, but it was how he spoke about the club that caused the damage.
I think the club has done all it can really to try and keep things low key, handle it professionally, but there’s no doubt it was a testing time and thankfully the off pitch issues haven’t dented us on the pitch.
Do you think you will continue to get the best out of former Stoke goalkeeper Ben Foster if he starts playing internationally again?
I think so. He’s a level headed chap and committed to the club and his own standards when it comes to his performance levels, so being open for Internationals again leaves only the worry of him picking up an injury, but that applies to anybody who is selected to represent their country.
Previously he had a number of niggles that he couldn’t clear up, and he wanted to spend more time with his family because of the age of the kids, now is as good a time as any to get back involved, and being older and wiser now, I don’t think the International end of football will trouble him fitness wise as it did before.
What were your expectations for this season? And have they now changed?
Expectations this season, especially with Steve Clarke coming into his first head coaching role, were to simply attempt to equal what we achieved under Roy Hodgson. Be in and around the same place in the league, so progress with the changing coaches, wasn’t too marked.
Clearly Clarke put his homework in, and has only made subtle changes to the team really, keeping the strengths of how Hodgson set us up, so the continuation in form and improvement has come pretty naturally apart from a few blips that everybody knew we would have.
It’s certainly not what fans were expecting though, so our expectations I think have changed simply because of how well we have done in the league. A European place push is something I’m not sure anybody really believes we are guaranteed for, but everybody wants the team to go for it and get as close to it as they can, as in many ways we are close enough to have earnt it with our performances and results this season, but it`s more a case of being slightly disappointed if we don’t make it, as opposed to being frustrated.
This season has been better than anyone imagined, so the vast majority will be happy regardless.
Who would you say is your danger man?
It really depends on who Clarke selects on the day to be honest. We are definitely more than a one man team thesedays, although the two obvious picks here would be Romelu Lukaku and Shane Long. Both of whom speak for themselves following their performances this season, and both of whom are dangerous for different reasons.
What would you say are your strengths as a team?
We play and fight as a team. It’s the spirit that is our main strength I think, because everyody works hard for each other, chases to support and more often than not, we keep going fully determined until the final whistle, so we always capable of making something happen.
What would you say are your weaknesses as a team?
I’m not sure we’ve got any real weaknesses. Yes we have problems if more key players are out injured or suspended, especially in midfield in terms of breaking up the play through Mulumbu and Yacob, but if anything, whilst we have goals spread throughout the side, if the two dangermen referenced above aren’t on song, we do obviously struggle more because of the roles they play for us.
How do you feel about your manager?
I was quite excited when he was announced as our new head coach, as I expect Clarke will go on to be a big name in management, but I did expect him to struggle more than he has done. He’s adapted well when things have gone wrong, and tactically he’s as impressive as he is man management wise.
There was obviously a lot of worry when Hodgson left, but Clarke has stepped into the role admirably, looks like he’s been there forever, and hopefully he’ll have a long and fruitful time at the club.
Which player (s) do you fear from the Stoke City side?
Peter Crouch always stands out for me. Talented on the ball on the deck, but an absolute gangly nightmare up high. Coupled with the nippy Jerome I thought Stoke would’ve had a better season really, but it seems you’ve lost that defensive strength you used to have so aren’t nicking as many games 1-0 as you seemed to in previous seasons. ut as said, it would always have to be Crouch for me, so our centre halves will have to be on their game to keep him quiet.
Is there any Stoke players you would like to add to your squad?
Crouch obviously because he provides an option we don’t really have, and he’d be able to play the ball the way Clarke likes as well. With Odemwingie no doubt off, Jerome would be a replacement of similar ilk. In years gone by I’d have said Jones, and although I don’t pay much attention to Stoke in fairness, he seems irrelevant on the few times I have seen you play this season.
How do you think Stoke will do this season?
As said I thought you’d be doing better than you are, but I don’t imagine you’ll get sucked into the battle at the bottom. I think you’ll level out around 10-14th place come the end, because of the way you can battle, but Pulis has to get that spirit back.
What is your likely line-up for the match?
Unless I’ve missed an injury, I can’t see changes to the team that beat Swansea, unless Dorrans is replaced by Long.
Foster,
Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell,
Yacob, Mulumbu, Morrison, Brunt, Dorrans,
Lukaku
Finally, what`s your score prediction for the match?
We’ll be out for a bit of revenge from the game earlier in the season, and we’re certainly in the form to deliver it if you aren’t solid at the back. But with everything that seems to be going on with your gaffer at the moment I’d expect him to have you really up for this, so I’d happily go 1-1 for full time.
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