Stoke City go into their local derby with Aston Villa on Sunday knowing a win could all but guarantee them Premier League football next term.
The Potters are currently just two wins of the magical 40 point mark but after Aston Villa’s 1-0 snatch and grab win over title chasing Chelsea last weekend, they know they are not in for an easy ride.
Mark Hughes will be without Charlie Adam and Jon Walters for the trip to Birmingham and even though Stoke made the West Ham game look easy without the midfield pairing, you can tell Stoke are not the same team without them.
Adam was handed a three match ban after stomping on Olivier Giroud in the Arsenal win two weeks ago whilst Jon Walters was handed the same punishment last week at Norwich. Even though it was shown that the referee did see Adam’s foul on Giroud and waved play on, The FA felt the need to step in and deliver a blow to Stoke after the Scotland international has been a pivotal member in Stoke’s history making side this season.
Referees and The FA alike seem to view Stoke from afar, the same way they viewed them in the Tony Pulis era, back then Stoke had players like Abdoulaye Faye, Ricardo Fuller and John Carew who could bully and boss teams. That was where Stoke found fame the attention that they didn’t want or need.
Hughes has turned the Staffordshire based team into the team who passed Arsenal off the pitch, no longer do they score goals from throw-ins and they are one of the lowest scorers of headers in the league this season.
Media and the critics can all see the positive effect the Hughes’ era is having on Stoke, and fans know it will take time for the rest of the football world to see that Stoke have changed. “The rugby team” will be known as that for as long as it takes for them to be in transition with captain Ryan Shawcross still resorting to “hoof” the ball when put under pressure.
A team can’t change overnight and shouldn’t be judged solely on previous performances. On many occasions the Potters have travelled to top four clubs and have seen decisions go against them because referees feel pressured by the home fans to make an example out of Stoke and their unique tactics.
It’s opinions like this that saw the FA to reject Walters’ appeal after his red card last week and that in turn forces Stoke to visit Villa Park without him. Referee’s don’t fully understand the extent of their decisions have on a team who depend on certain players who are the back bone of the team.
Walters has been a consistent performer all season as the Republic of Ireland international has been a main part of Stoke under Hughes after playing a record amount of consecutive games under Pulis last season.
Whilst Stoke managed easily without Adam and Walters on Saturday, the game was at home. The Britannia Stadium is a fortress, but away from home, Stoke have won just one game this season and needed all of their players available for games against the likes of Aston Villa that on paper are winnable.
Stoke were also handed the bad news that Robert Huth is out for the rest of the season which means Marc Wilson and Marc Munisea are now Stoke’s only cover in central defence.
Hughes’ side is already worn pretty thin through injuries and suspensions, to the extent where bad referee decisions and FA judgements could be the difference between a seventh Premier League season next year and Championship football in The Potteries.
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