While many think of Stoke City as a rough and tumble, no nonsense side that grinds out 1-0 wins on cold and rainy nights, they are very close to becoming a legitimate European threat.
Mark Hughes has methodically put together a side that is full of ex-Barcelona players and second-tier talents from clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool. Everyone on this side, especially their newest signing, has something to prove.
Stoke City are Turning the Corner
It started in 2014 with the signings of Senegalese striker Mame Diouf and midfielder Bojan Krkic, a failed Barcelona project, which somehow happens more often that you would think. Krkic would then fall in the middle of the season to a knee injury, and would not return until the 2015/2016 season.
A couple of strange transfers out of Steven N’Zonzi (Sevilla) and Asmir Begovic (Chelsea) gave supporters something to scratch their heads about, as Begovic was becoming one of the most menacing keepers in the league.
They, however, turned this money into a surprising group of players who are classy enough to rotate into the lineup of most teams. Philipp Wollscheid replaces long-tenured Robert Huth in the middle of the Stoke defence after a loan spell that played out well. He joins yet another Barcelona signing Marc Muniesa in central defence.
Signings of Ibrahim Afellay from Barcelona and Glen Johnson from Liverpool bolstered an already promising attacking force in Marko Arnautovic. Attacking midfielder Marco van Ginkel was also loaned in from Chelsea to replace N’Zonzi.
After a long saga, Switzerland and Inter Milan winger Xherdan Shaqiri joined on Aug. 11. He provides an energy and quality that will make Stoke so dangerous. Shaqiri scored a hat-trick against Honduras in the 2014 World Cup, but had trouble cracking the starting eleven at Bayern Munich, and then later at Inter Milan following a transfer.
With all of these new signings, it will take a little while for the Potters to gel. Experienced Premiership players like Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam will only help their progression.
Through four games, they currently sit in the relegation zone with only two points following a loss last week to West Bromwich Albion that saw Adam and Afellay sent off in the first half. The only win the Potters have recorded this year is against League Two side Luton Town in the Capital One Cup, and that was on penalties.
Growing pains are to be expected for new teams. But, with all of the talent that Hughes has brought in from the prominent European clubs, I can’t imagine another mid-table finish for the Potters in 2015/2016. Stoke now have a very talented side that won’t try to bully teams. These players have all tasted big clubs and some have been unsuccessful, this opportunity to play against the world’s best competition is their best chance to get back on the scene.
A telling contest is on the cards against Arsenal on Sep. 12 without the sent-off duo of Afellay and Adam, and I think we will see the best from Hughes’ side.
