Stoke City (H) A forum preview by Sarge 12 Aug 2023 1:27
Championship football returns to Portman Road for the first time since 2019 against an opponent that even our pathetic excuse of a Championship team managed to gain a point against when last we met, Will Keane netting a 92nd minute equaliser to delay relegation for a few more miserable weeks.

Four years on, both teams are unrecognisable from that period, Kayden Jackson and Tom Edwards (currently on loan at Huddersfield) the only players in either matchday squad still on the books at their clubs.

Stoke opened their campaign with a comprehensive 4-1 dismantling of Rotherham, there are 25 pages of quotes I could harvest but suffice to say, fans are happy when their team wins. Even more when so when it happens on the same day your local rivals become the second most heavily battered thing in Barnsley after something probably served with chips

"What a refreshing change, excellent today. Early days but team gelled together really well and playing some lovely stuff."

"3 points, 4 goals scored, Vale routed 7-0....What a day !!!"

The Ipswich Connection
There are no former blues in the Potters’ squad, whereas we of course welcomed home Harry Clarke last season following his loan spell at the bet365 stadium. His name appears to escape some though

"Didn't that full back we had on loan sign permanently for these? Forgot his bloody name now, from Arsenal!"

Likely lineup
Stoke will be without the injured Tyreese Campbell and the recently departed Jacob Brown who scored in their opening day win against Rotherham. This has caused some mild consternation that they may not have enough in the attacking third, although not too much considering the excellent start to life in England that new signing Andre Vidigal has had.

"A blow to lose Brown and Campbell as options in the space of a week, with no additions."

"So basically down to the 2 Portuguese chaps unless we want to go with Mmaee wide again, which would mean having to go with Wes up top."

Potters’ fans predicting a relatively unchanged lineup besides the forward line, with some predicting new boy and alleged Ipswich target Luke McNally to come in for his first league appearance.


Ipswich match thoughts
There seems to be a fairly surprising amount of animosity in the fanbase, although this may well be the norm as I haven’t yet ventured onto the forums of our other Championship compatriots. Most of it I couldn’t get through the swear filter. Clearly wherever Stoke is (and there is some scholarly debate as to whether it exists at all as no one can quite agree on its location nor recall ever going there) is a relative wild west in terms of lawless online football debate-ry

"These turnip squatting sister enjoyers won’t stand a chance.
Kieran McKenna will have spat himself into a coma before the half time whistle has even blown."

"Glad they beat Mackems as they will be v cocky and that’s good for us"

A real variation in terms of predictions and premonitions ahead of the game, but with a clear undercurrent of positivity in the Potteries, many finding the game hard to call between two sides riding (very) early season success

"Bad time to play them. Newly promoted who are tipped to do well this year, so they’re probably a good side who are also high on promotion adrenaline still."

"It’s a crap time to play us too though. New look stoke city riding a wave of optimism."

Depending on who you ask it’s a home banker, straightforward away win or hard-fought draw

"Easy 3-1 win Stoke
No noise from the tractor boys
Playing a real team Saturday"

"I fancy a draw or a 2-1 to Ipswich."

"A draw will be a good point gained, I think Ipswich will be up there come May."

Our successes last season, rejuvenated fanbase, and fruitful trip to Wearside have meant that we now offend the olfactory with our overzealous optimism. That and the shaky first 20 mins last Sunday broadcast live for the world to see mean that there is a sense of not really knowing what to expect on Saturday

"I can smell the arrogance on them already."

"I couldn't work them out at all on Sunday. They were crap and dangerous at the same time."

"This will be a good test of how much we have been improved. Given their result last week, their long unbeaten run, and this being their first Championship home game, Portman Road will be a cauldron. They looked compact and well-organised against Sunderland. Great fixture; hard to call; can't wait"

I must admit myself that after seeing their result against Rotherham and our not overly convincing first half of a half against Sunderland that my expectations of a probable home victory this time out were tempered somewhat. So I was slightly relieved to see that Stoke fans have similar trepidations

"This will be the first real test for the new stoke team.But have a sneaky feeling we could come away with at least a point"

"Will be a difficult game this one."

"I don’t particularly fancy us for this one. I do think we’ll beat Watford next week though."

I thought it would be interesting to compare opinion on us around the time fixtures were released to now

"If we get our recruitment anything other than spot on I fear we could be in serious trouble. The division will be a right bastard next year. The promoted clubs are bang in form and in Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday are two that can pull bigger crowds than us with their eyes closed."

"I thought both sides looked poor. The gap is big enough and big money/shrewd loans will need to be spent by any of them to be competitive"

The large squad turnover will surely have eased concerns such as these, as I would certainly fancy Stoke (albeit based on one game so far) to have a pretty decent season. Opinion on us is mixed, predictions for the game are mixed. Nobody really knows anything yet so down to Portman Road we go to try and shed some light on it.

See you there.

[Post edited 12 Aug 2023 18:21]