Europa League highs but mixed Premier League results shows the hazards of juggling both competitions for the Potters.
Star man: Jonathan Walters
Notable mentions: Peter Crouch, Ryan Shawcross
Must do better: Robert Huth has taken a step back from last season’s outstanding performances.
Manager: Tony Pulis is a hero at the Britannia, but has a tough job on balancing Stoke’s involvement in Europe with not letting them take a step backwards in the league.
Grade: B
Verdict: Qualifying for Europe was a huge achievement for Stoke, and to now be top of their Europa League group is sign of how successful the club now is. However their success has come at a price, in weekends after European games, Stoke’s form has suffered, losing 4-0 to Sunderland and 5-0 to Bolton, two of the league’s worst performing teams, while losing 3-2 to QPR at home was also a big disappointment.
Stoke do have a good squad, and will be sure to add to it in January, but their European adventure is new for players and staff, so these are testing but exciting times for the club. A successful winter period is crucial, with no Europa League there is a chance for Stoke to put themselves in a strong position and give themselves a good chance of a top ten finish.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
