US Soccer Players

The official site of the USMNT Soccer Players with soccer news, schedule, statistics, players, interviews, and exclusive stories.


Next Opponent

09/23/2022 TBD on ESPN networks
  • Rankings
  • Schedule
  • Results
  • Home
  • Roster
  • USMNT News
  • MLS
  • Americans Abroad
  • Alumni
  • USNSTPA
  • Archive

Stoke City

April 29, 2013 by US Soccer Players

Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea’s Stoke City showed the easiest route to avoid relegation in recent weeks. Faced with a table that had them too close for comfort a few places above the drop zone, they started winning games. Six points from two wins in a row is the difference between 15th and 11th, with Stoke looking perfectly safe eight points above the drop.

Here’s the thing about Stoke, they lost what some thought was a relegation derby against Aston Villa on April 6th and followed that up with an expected loss to eventual Premier League champions Manchester United. They followed that up with wins over QPR, now officially relegated, and Norwich City over the weekend. Norwich are now 14th, six points above the drop. In other words, Stoke’s response to their relegation threat was pragmatic.

Far too often, the threat of relegation turns English clubs into the equivalent of school kids trying to figure out the unlikely math that turns their impending report card into the highest grade mathematically possible when their only concern should be passing. If results haven’t been going your way with only a handful of games left in the season, it’s highly unlikely you’ll run the table.

Stoke had to manage expectations after that loss to Aston Villa. They did that in a way that now separates themselves from the truly troubled clubs in the bottom half of the table.

The threat of relegation changes the way clubs look at their schedule, and that happens earlier in the New Year when there are obvious problems. Far too often, that becomes a series on unrealistic scenarios. Stoke played against that late in the season and did enough to end up in significantly better shape than anyone should’ve reasonably expected. The line between success and failure can be thin, but it’s a hard line. Too often, that catches clubs in unrealistic moments, making circumstances more difficult.

Stoke City’s turnaround isn’t the glorious late season run that sees a bad team suddenly taking points from contenders, but it’s certainly enough to do the job. When relegation or safety hangs in the balance, that’s all that matters.

Corner Rating: (with 1 Stoke sliding down the table and turning their remaining three games into another struggle and 11 Stoke staying in the middle of the table) 10.

Last Week’s Corner: Critiquing how MLS values its goalkeepers takes more than a week to really judge, so we’re staying with our 7.

Like Google +1 Retweet

Filed Under: Americans Abroad, Featured, Soccer News, Top Posts Tagged With: premier league

Deals and loans set up an interesting season for USMNT players across Europe in 2022-23

Deals and loans set up an interesting season for USMNT players across Europe in 2022-23

By Clemente Lisi

Clemente Lisi’s look at the USMNT players at new clubs in Europe with the focus on the Bundesliga, Premier League, and England’s Championship.

US arrivals and 2022-23 dreams for Crystal Palace, Arsenal

US arrivals and 2022-23 dreams for Crystal Palace, Arsenal

By Charles Boehm

Charles Boehm on the start of the 2022-23 season that has Chris Richards’s Crystal Palace hosting Matt Turner’s Arsenal.

MLS Power Rankings: Favorites in position and Chicago moves up

MLS Power Rankings: Favorites in position and Chicago moves up

By Luis Bueno

Philadelphia and NYCFC make moves in the August Power Rankings while the Galaxy slips to 16th and the Chicago Fire moves up six places to 21st.

More from our writers

US Soccer Players

mark mckenzie holding nations league trophy

Mark McKenzie - USMNT

Position Defender
Pro Team Philadelphia Union
Read more about Mark McKenzie - USMNT

UNITED STATES NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM PLAYERS ASSOCIATION

Players

  • Squad
  • Results
  • Schedule
  • Match Reports

Soccer News

  • National Team
  • Major League Soccer
  • Americans Abroad
  • Featured

About USNSTPA

  • About US Soccer Players
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Sponsorship and Licensing

Copyright © 2022 All Rights Reserved - US Soccer Players.