It's February, Stoke are a sitting comfortably mid-table on 33 points. 36 is the new 40. Stoke have a decent squad and an excellent manager. However they have lost their last 3 games 3-0 and are out of the FA Cup.
Sound familiar? Who really wants to be EPL cannon fodder?
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If you're going to be up against it in the Pl like the Norwichs and afcbs of this world then you really have to think carefully about what type of contracts you're willing to give out .
If villa do drop their wage bill would be enormous and they could become yet another giant visiting the pub league that is league one .
Man City are the same, rubbish in defence without Kompany, it's amazing how few decent CBs are out there
Instead we had to deal with relegation and we had to rebuild the squad from scratch which along with terrible signings was what cost us.
Whenever a team gets relegated from the Premier League I always look at who they have to sell, still don't think any team has instantly been dismantled as ours was that year (Maybe Queens Park Rangers this season come closest?)
I think the premature suggestion that they have given up for the season is a little but unfair. Also remember that they have played ten games in five weeks, something that none of those teams that beat them 3-0 have had to do.
I fully expect them to pick up and in answer to the OP I would love to swap league positions with them. Just before they lost 3-0 at Leicester and Man Utd we lost 5-0 at Huddersfield and 6-0 at Hull. Premier League 'canon fodder'? Oh yes please!
Similarly, I doubt Leicester's have a Title winning or even a CL qualification bonus clause!
Stoke City are relegated
These players are just going to fade out into the background without any accountability, whereas the fans are the ones who will have to help them rebuild
For me when clubs have pisstakers on their books there should be some shaming
Compare that to the previous ten season of Forest, Leeds, Sheffield clubs who IMO are bigger clubs who all have spent 3 plus years in league 1.
I think they'll push us hard for the Championship title next season