Stoke City can play football
Tony Pulis departed as Stoke City manager at the end of last season, having played some of the most direct football known to man during his tenure.
The Potters’ midfield under Pulis was practically ornamental, with the ball sailing over their heads time and time again.
It would have been reasonable for new boss Mark Hughes to attempt evolution rather than revolution, but Stoke have seemingly morphed into Swansea overnight, and are playing an impressively technical possession based game.
Hughes’ side may sit 17th in the Premier League, but despite an unforgiving start to the season in which they faced Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United in their opening nine matches, the only team to have beaten them by more than a single goal is the Gunners.
In that game, Stoke were unlucky, only conceding from set pieces, and actually out passed a team widely considered the best possession outfit in the Premier League over the last decade.
As the season goes on, Stoke’s results – and football can be expected to continue to improve.
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