The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Stoke

  • Weeping and gnashing of teeth as Stoke relegates

     

    It was weeping and gnashing of teeth for most Stoke fans on Saturday as the club sank in the relegation waters after a 2-1 defeat by Crystal Palace.  The club is returning to the lower division after 10 years in the top flight following a return to the elite division in the 2007/8 season.

    Xherdan Shaqiri put the Potters ahead with a brilliant free-kick in the 43rd minute but James McArthur leveled for Palace after half-time.

    Patrick van Aanholt then capitalised on a defensive error to score a late winner to end Stoke’s 10-year stay in the top-flight.

    Palace themselves are guaranteed to stay in the Premier League thanks to the result, while Stoke will look back with plenty of regret on the points they have dropped in the last month as, for the third time in four games, they failed to hold onto the lead.

    In total, they have now lost 18 points from winning positions this season while Paul Lambert has managed just one victory since he was appointed manager in January.

    Stoke had not finished below 14th in their previous nine Premier League seasons, but they could not get the victory they needed against a Palace side who have been revitalised under Roy Hodgson.

    Victory would have seen Stoke survive in the Premier League for at least another day, but Palace dominated possession after the break and saw their pressure pay off in the 68th minute when McArthur slid past Jack Butland.

    This is Stoke’s first relegation from any division since the 1997-98 campaign, when they were relegated from the second tier alongside Reading and Manchester City.

    Crystal Palace are mathematically safe from relegation, and are therefore the first top-flight team since Liverpool in the 1899-1900 season to avoid relegation despite losing their first seven matches of the season.

    Stoke finish their season with a trip to Swansea next Sunday while Crystal Palace host West Brom.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Peter Crouch seals fresh one year deal

    Peter Crouch seals fresh one year deal

     

    Peter Crouch has signed a new one-year deal at Stoke.

    The former England international, who moved to the Britannia Stadium for £10million six years ago, will now remain with the Potters until at least the summer of 2019.

    The 36-year-old has scored three times for Stoke in the Premier League this season and is 9/4 with Sky Bet to extend his tally by netting against former club Liverpool on Wednesday.

    The forward scored the winner for Stoke in their 2-1 victory against Southampton in September, before he was on target earlier this month to salvage a late point against Leicester. He also scored the equaliser for Stoke in their 1-1 draw at West Brom back in August.

    Crouch has made 440 appearances in the Premier League during a career which has included spells at Tottenham, Portsmouth, Southampton and Liverpool. He has scored 106 goals during that time.

    “Peter has been with Stoke longer than he has been with any other club which I think speaks volumes for how he views us and how we view him,” said Stoke boss Hughes.

    “He still has so much to offer us. He may be 36 but he continues to have a major impact on games, as he has proved on numerous occasions this season.”

    Stoke’s chief executive Tony Scholes added: “The discussions with Peter and his representatives were very straightforward; Peter is happy here and made no secret of his desire to stay with the club. We’re delighted with the news.

    “There were one or two raised eyebrows when we signed Peter from Tottenham because it was a huge outlay for us as a club at the time but he has now signed his fourth contract and has been a vital figure for us in the Premier League.”

  • Former Stoke defender Teixeira dies @ 25

    Former Stoke defender Teixeira dies @ 25

     

    Former Stoke defender Dionatan Teixeira has died of suspected heart attack. The Brazilian left the Potteries in February.

    Teixeira had been playing for Moldovan club Sheriff, but hadn’t featured for them since the final day of last season.

    The centre-back joined Stoke for a reported £400,000 from Dukla Banska Bystrica in 2013, but only made two Premier League substitute appearances for the Potters, against Aston Villa and Bournemouth.

    He also had a loan spell at Fleetwood Town in 2015/16, where he played 10 times.

    Sheriff said in their official club statement: “A few hours ago, a good man and an excellent football player, former FC Sheriff player Dionatan Teixeira, died.

    “The Brazilian defender was only 25 years old. The whole of the club is shocked by this tragic news. The pain of loss is great.

    “We express our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of Dionatan.”

    Former club Stoke tweeted: “The thoughts of all at #SCFC are with the family & friends of our former player Dionatan Teixeira following his untimely passing, aged 25.”

    Teixeira began his career with local team Londrina EC in his native Brazil. At the age of 16 he decided to move into European football and earned a youth contract with Slovak side MFK Košice. In 2009 Teixeria went on trial with a number of English teams including Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and Manchester City.

    He returned to Košice in April 2009 and made his first team debut on 18 April 2009 against MFK Dubnica. After a lack of opportunity at Košice he went on loan to Slovan Bratislava for the 2011–12 season but spent his time in Bratislava playing in the B team.He left Košice in the summer of 2012 and after spending time playing for local amateur side Slovan Čeľadice he joined 2. Liga side Baník Ružiná. In March 2013 he joined Slovak Super Liga side Dukla Banská Bystrica before joining premier league side Stoke City in 2014.

  • EPL Results: Man City, Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea win matches

    EPL Results: Man City, Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea win matches

    Man City vs Crystal Palace 5-0

    Palace held Man City out until the 44th minute before Leroy Sane broke the deadlock and a quick fire double by Raheem Sterling deflated the visitors’ initially stubborn resistance.

    Late goals by Sergio Aguero and Fabian Delph completed a 5-0 route, making it the third time City hit five or more in three successive games.

    Southampton vs Man United 0-1

    Romelu Lukaku broke the deadlock on 20 minutes, converting the rebound after Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster parried his header from Ashley Young’s cross.

    The result maintains United’s unbeaten start to their league campaign, although they are second in the table, behind Manchester City on goal difference.

    Their latest victory was not routine as Southampton piled on the pressure in the second half, and United’s Marouane Fellaini had to clear Oriol Romeu’s header off the line

    Leicester City vs Liverpool 2-3

    Simon Mignolet saved Jamie Vardy’s penalty to clinch a thrilling 3-2 win for Liverpool at Leicester city

    The goalkeeper capped an eventful game after conceding the spot-kick having also been in the spotlight for Shinji Okazaki’s controversial strike.

    Mignolet appeared to be held by the forward when he netted just before the break after Leicester trailed to goals from Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho.

    Jordan Henderson made it 3-1 before Vardy netted but he was then denied from the spot by Mignolet.

    Stoke vs Chelsea 0-4

    Blues continued to show there is life after Diego Costa with another Premier League victory at Stoke, with Alvaro Morata scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 win.

    Morata, the club-record signing bought to replace Costa, was on the scoresheet again early on before Pedro extended the lead on the half-hour mark.

    Both goals came from defensive mistakes by Stoke, whose manager Mark Hughes had demanded a response from his players following the disappointing midweek defeat at Bristol City in the Carabao Cup. He did not get it, with Morata rounding off the win in the final quarter-hour.

  • Osaze ready to help Stoke

    Osaze ready to help Stoke

    A 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Leicester City was not the ideal return to first-team football for Stoke City’s Peter Odemwingie, but the Nigerian said he is fit and ready to go heading into the second half of the campaign.

    The former West Brom striker has endured an injury hit campaign thus far, while his return to the first-team has been blocked by the performances of the likes of Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic.

    His substitute appearance against Leicester was his first minutes in the Premier League since October and while he understands that Mark Hughes is not short of attacking options, he has pledged to be ready for whenever he is needed.

    “I’m happy to be back involved. Players are not happy when they’re not playing, but I’ve been training at my best to be ready,” he told the Stoke Sentinel.

    “You need more games to be back to your best so hopefully I will keep being part of the team and get that game time.

    “I hope I can play more. The boys have done great over the last month, but you know there are some times that fatigue kicks in and that’s why we have a big squad.

    “Hopefully it will get to my turn when the team needs me and I can contribute because I feel fresh.”

    While returning in such an emphatic loss made for a tough return to the first-team fray, Odemwingie said it was a fine example of why Leicester sits atop the table.

    “It was a tough day. They were at their best. We saw why they are top of the table. We weren’t as good as we have been for most of the last few months and that was the price we pay,” the Nigerian said.

    “They turn it on in the second half in many games. In the first half you might look at them and ask questions about why they are doing so well, but then we saw why. They are very fit, work hard for every ball and on top of that they have very good players.

    “A combination of that explains all the victories they have been getting.”

    Odemwingie now hopes to help Stoke move into the League Cup final by overturning a 1-0 deficit against Liverpool in the second leg of their semi-final at Anfield today.

    “If we win on Tuesday then Leicester will be forgotten,” Odemwingie said.

    “The deficit is one goal. We lost at home but cup games are special. Anything can happen.

    “We have done well away in many games so we can keep that at the back of our minds and hopefully the result will go our way.”

  • Adeloye grabs winner for Stoke

    Adeloye grabs winner for Stoke

    More overseas-born Nigerian players continue to shine for their respective clubs, with Stoke City’s Tomi Adeloye the latest.

    His second half penalty proved the only difference as Stoke City Under-21s recorded a 1-0 league win over Brighton at Clayton Wood on Friday.

    After a tight first half with few chances for either side, William Collar’s foul on Mason Watkins-Clark gave Adeloye the chance to put the Young Potters ahead from 12 yards.

    The next chance didn’t come until the half hour mark as visitors Brighton came within a post’s width of nicking the opener. Forward Charlie Harris unleashed a shot from 30-yards out which clipped the outside of the post.

    Stoke were awarded a penalty on 63 minutes though when centre-half Watkins-Clark was tripped by Collar. Adeloye, back from a recent loan spell with Macclesfield Town, tucked the penalty down the right and past the dive of Joshua Smith to put the hosts in front.

    With next Tuesday’s trip to Reading postponed, the Under-21s will be back in action on Monday 9th March when they travel to Newcastle United.

    The 17-year old is highly rated at the Britannia, and is expected to be more involved with the senior squad from next season.

    He is eligible to represent both England and Nigeria.

  • Moses on Target for Stoke

    Moses on Target for Stoke

    SNUBBED Super Eagles winger Victor Moses scored the first goal for Stoke City in their 2-2 draw with West Ham United at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

    Moses, in the news all week long over a alleged dive to win his team de of his right foot in the first half.

    Chelsea moved on to 26 points from 10 matches and stayed four points clear of second-placed Southampton, who won 1-0 at Hull City with Victor Wanyama crashing home a speculative 40-metre shot after three minutes as the Saints won for the 10th time in 11 matches in all competitions.

    Arsenal left Burnlea penalty in the 2-1 win over Swansea City, bundled home a scrappy goal in the ‎33rd minute to give Stoke a half time lead.

    The Nigerian profited from a defensive mix up to scramble home a Bojan Krkic’s weak effort.

  • Stoke 3-0 Portsmouth: Moses makes winning debut for Stoke

    Stoke 3-0 Portsmouth: Moses makes winning debut for Stoke

    Super Eagles flying winger Victor Moses made a successful debut for Stoke City in the Capital One Cup as they spanked Portsmouth courtesy a brace from Jon Walters and a goal from Peter Crouch.

    Peter Crouch playing against his old club, tried to use his 6ft 7in frame to Stoke’s advantage but it was, in fact, Walters who broke the deadlock nipping ahead of Jones to get on the end of a tasty ball from Muniesa.

    Moses on loan from Chelsea made a vital contribution to the second when his run down the left allowed for a low cross that found an unmarked Jonathan Walters and he finished with aplomb.

    Meanwhile, his compatriot Osaze Odemwingie started the game before he was replaced by Shenton in the 81st minute.

    The Eagles star enjoyed a winning debut as Peter Crouch put the gloss on the result in the 90th minute when he headed home to put the game beyond Portsmouth.

    Moses played for 64 minutes.

  • Hull vs Stoke: Osaze returns

    Hull vs Stoke: Osaze returns

    • Moses doubtful

    Manager of Stoke City Mark Hughes admits Victor Moses, the on-loan Nigeria forward from Chelsea might not make the team for Sunday’s visit to Hull City.

    Moses Joined Stoke a week ago and missed the team’s opener against Aston Villa which they lost 2-1 at home.

    He was tipped to make his debut for the Potters this Sunday against Hull City, but Mark Hughes says his lack of pre-season action means he might not debut as predicted.

    “It’s a little bit early for Victor,” Hughes told the club’s website.

    “He’s in my thoughts, as everybody is, but he hasn’t had a great deal of football, he has like 13 minutes in pre-season which is a bit low in terms of what we really need.”

    Hughes insists that the Capital One cup game against Portsmouth is a realistic target for the Nigerian to debut.

    “We’ve got the weekend and the game against Portsmouth coming up so he’s got opportunities,” added Hughes.

    On the other Nigerian Peter Odemwingie, who alongside Geof Cameron were left out of the opening day fixture, the manager confirmed both could be back against Hull.

    “I spoke to Geoff and Peter, they’ve been at the World Cup and we don’t want to put them at risk, they haven’t had a great deal of football themselves” confirmed Hughes.

    “We were a little bit cautious but they are back in my thoughts again.”

  • Hughes anticipates Stoke sale

    Stoke City manager Mark Hughes is expecting members of his first-team squad to leave the Britannia Stadium in the transfer window.

    Hughes has already brought three players to the club already in recent weeks, including Mame Biram Diouf, Steve Sidwell and Phil Bardsley.

    That leaves Stoke with 27 first-team players currently at the club and competition for places rife.

    The former Manchester City boss concedes the bloated nature of his squad makes departures likely, though he is not predicting a fire sale.

    “It’s a balance,” he told The Stoke Sentinel.

    “Sometimes players recognise where they are in the group and make the decision themselves that they need to move on to progress their career.

    “Some will have those conversations with their people and with their families.

    “I don’t anticipate a lot of players leaving but some will feel their futures lie elsewhere.”