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Paul Merson recently said “if you read it in a book, then you would throw the book away”. He was speaking of course, of Stoke City’s dramatic rise in the past 5 years under the ownership of Peter Coates and the management of Tony Pulis, Merse said it would come across as unrealistic. And ten years ago, we would have agreed.

It will be ten years in November since Pulis first took the job and it has been an up and down decade full of extreme highs and desperate lows, most of the lows coming in his first spell. He arrived after being out of work for over two years and he dragged the Potters to survival from a disastrous position in the Championship, despite the odds being stacked heavily against him.

A couple of years of mid-table solidarity followed, with Pulis making the most of a small budget allocated by the then Icelandic owners, who plagued the club until 2006.

They, like many of Stoke’s loyal supporters, didn’t take to the Welshman and he was sacked in 2005 for “failing to exploit the foreign transfer market”.  After a brief but successful spell with Plymouth Argyle, he accepted an offer to return to Stoke after the also returning owner Peter Coates promised him funds to spend.

Within two years Pulis had taken a club tipped for a relegation scrap and transformed them into promotion winning material, accompanied by the likes of Ricardo Fuller, Liam Lawrence and Ryan Shawcross. Stoke heroes forever.

At the beginning of the clubs first Premier League season one bookie even paid out on them to be relegated come May, but that was all the inspiration Pulis needed as he incredibly took them to 12th in the league. Since then two more years have followed of Premier League security, throw in an FA Cup final (the first in the clubs 149 year history) and a creditable Europa League adventure , and you can see why everything in Stoke’s garden looks rosy.

But as is the saying in football ‘you can never stand still’ and the next challenge for Pulis and co is to take the club forward, but how? With a strong finish to the season, Stoke could achieve their first top ten finishes in the Premier League.  But where do they go from there?

With the top six looking impenetrable and the likes of Newcastle, Everton, Sunderland and Aston Villa not far behind, it is difficult to see how a comparably small club like Stoke could ever infiltrate the top half on a regular basis.

One method of progression could be addressing the dreaded style of football. The Potters ‘rugby’ style according to some (yes, I am looking at you Arsene Wenger) has been widely criticised, and arguably rightly so. At first, it was exciting, entertainment of a different kind. We can’t all play football like Barcelona and be successful (yes, I am looking at you again Mr Wenger), but there has been a growing sense of frustration around the Britannia on a Saturday afternoon this season.

The atmosphere isn’t the same, the football is becoming stagnated and teams are working it out, the Europa leagueis partially responsible, but only partially. Last season Stoke did play some nice football with two genuine wingers, but the disappearance of Jermaine Pennant and the prolonged inclusion of Ryan Shotton are as baffling as Mario Ballotelli.

Whether Pulis can implement some technically superior footballers and use them the right way remains to be seen, but the way that Pennant, Kenwyne Jones, Eidur Gudjohnson, Tuncay and Wilson Palacios have all struggled to adapt their game, does give me some doubts. Maybe Leopards can’t change their spots.

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But he is a man who will never rest on his laurels, and if he can take the Potters and tweak their style of football, not drastically, but definitely enough for technically better players to be given a slightly free rein, like at Everton and Newcastle, while still maintaining the intensity at which they currently play at, Pulis may just win the adoration of all the fans, and go down as the greatest manager this club has ever had when he finally leaves.

Unbelievably many fans would have him out of the door now. I dread to think of the day he leaves,  Charlton’s sudden plight after Alan Curbishly left are all to revealing, also look at Bolton’s current position since a certain Sam Alladyce left. Curbishly believed he couldn’t take the club any further, and maybe Pulis can’t either. Mid-table obscurity is perhaps the limit for Stoke, but with Pulis in charge you can almost guarantee that every season. And after the past 25 years of hurt, that can’t be a bad thing.

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The five Arsenal young stars set to feature in the first-team next season; in my opinion anyway.

Aaron Ramsey

Since he broke into the side at such a young age, it seems to have been forgotten quite how young he actually is. His career was brutally interrupted by a dreadful injury at the hands of Ryan Shawcross last year, but now seems to be on the comeback trail. Ramsey was magnificent in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Manchester United at the Emirates, managing to score the winner, and has put in competent shifts ever since. The key for Ramsey is whether he can gain a high level of consistency in his play – week in week out – which is always the hardest thing for a young player to achieve. The 20-year-old is the stand-out player to look out for next season, regardless.

Henri Lansbury

The 20-year-old recently stated that there would be nothing more satisfying for him than to break into the Arsenal first-team next season. His ambition is not to merely use this club in order to be more attractive to lower league sides should he not make at Arsenal. He wants to be successful at the North London club, and that can only be a good thing. He was limited to only one Carling Cup appearance this season for Arsenal, but he excelled in the game. Out at Norwich, Lansbury soon became a first-team regular in a side which gained promotion, which says a lot about his ability and talent. He could make some appearances next season.

Jay-Emmanuel Thomas

The 20-year-old is an erratic player, one who can do things of great skill and intuitiveness whilst also having an uncanny ability to look like the worst player on the pitch at the same time. He was out on loan at Cardiff, where he was jeered off in the play-off second leg against Reading. Although extremely harsh from their supporters, his performance was not up to scratch. Wenger is known to rate him extremely highly, and the youngster will be hoping to play some sort of role in the Arsenal squad next season. It seems more likely he will be sent out on another loan though.

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Emmanuel Frimpong

Before a serious knee injury right at the start of last season, there were various people who deemed Frimpong good enough to challenge Alex Song for a place in the Arsenal midfield, and there were many others who believed he was good enough for a place on the bench. The 19-year-old is physically incredible, with perhaps slightly less technical ability than his peers, but a talented player nonetheless. He has now fully recovered from his injury and is certain to be a member of the squad next year.

Ryo Miyaichi

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Arsenal did not just sign this youngster to sell shirts in Asia. The 18-year-old went out on loan to Feyenoord, simply because he could not gain a work permit for England. A talented winger, with great flair and drive, Miyaichi is certain to make it at Arsenal in at least some role – the club will re-apply for a permit this summer, hoping to get more success this time round. He is a fantastic talent, and one whom the rest of Europe were chasing. He’s in good hands with Wenger, and Arsenal are lucky to have him.

Read more of Alastair’s articles at Gunnersphere

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Chief executive David Gill insists Manchester United remain on the right financial path following the emergence of Manchester City as a Premier League powerhouse.

United's ambition was questioned by Wayne Rooney before he performed a dramatic U-turn and signed a new five-year contract last week.

The England striker was linked with a move across Manchester to City where reports claimed the wages on offer were far in excess of what United could offer.

But despite increased competition from their local rivals, Gill is confident that United remain on the right track.

Asked if City's new financial muscle was a concern, Gill replied:"No not really. I'm not concerned by that as ever since we have been a public company we have had a policy that wages should be 50 per cent or less of turnover.

"We believe we can do that and still retain and attract the stars we need on the pitch. We think that's the sensible model.

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"Clubs have other models – that's their prerogative. Each to their own."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

It seems that almost every week at least one manager struts into his press conference talking about how their team or players have been judged on their reputation, spouting lines such as: “These kind of decisions keep happening to us.” The claim of being victimised by officials is not a new one, but it is one that has been increasingly prevalent this term.

The likes of Kenny Dalglish, Roberto Mancini and Tony Pulis have all hit out at referees at some stage, believing that the reputation of their players have caused referees to act in a certain manner. Quite often they have a point, with some performers under the scrutiny of the man in charge from the get-go.

Okay, a reputation is often created due to multiple incidents where player, or team, has acted in a certain manner. However, referees are required to be impartial when they enter the field of play, judging an individual on the merits of the games actions, and not something that happened weeks, or even months ago. Whether you love or hate Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli, you can’t deny that he is under the spotlight every time he steps onto the pitch. Take the league tie at Anfield earlier this season, where, on as a substitute, the Italian forward picked up two bookings, for two pretty innocuous challenges. If it were a player such as Steven Gerrard would he have been given his marching orders? Probably not.

Mick McCarthy was left fuming as well, when Frank Lampard’s two-footed lunge on Adam Hammill went unpunished. Even the Chelsea man admitted he was lucky to have stayed on the pitch, and help his side to victory. McCarthy was particularly enraged, as he felt if it were Karl Henry, or any other of his midfielders, that a red would have definitely been produced for the offence.

Perhaps the biggest sufferer of victimisation on the pitch remains Joey Barton, with the mere mention of his name giving even the most lenient of referees an itchy trigger finger. Yes he has committed various awful challenges down the years, and been a less than lovable character away from the action, but did his ‘head-butt’ against Norwich’s Bradley Johnson deserve a red card? After all, it was the man in yellow who placed his head against the ex-Newcastle midfielders face, before falling theatrically knowing full well who would been seen as the felon.

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It may be frustrating to hear managers bemoaning decisions due to reputation and subsequent victimisation, but quite often they do have a point. Referees come in for a lot of criticism, but in some cases it is deserved.

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Luka Modric might be playing very well this year, but if you cast your minds back to 2008, you might remember that Modric did not have the best of starts at White Hart Lane. In his first season at the club Tottenham won just two points from eight games. When Ramos signed the Croatian, there had been questions over how effective Modric would be in the Premier League due to his size. Luka Modric started his Tottenham career playing in the centre of Ramos’s midfield and there was no doubt about it; he looked lightweight.

The first rise of Luka Modric came when Harry Redknapp took over and moved him to the left wing. In this more attacking position his form improved and so did Tottenham’s. I remember at the time, Redknapp received a lot of praise for getting the best out of Modric. But it seems that even then, Modric’s best was still to come.

This season has seen the second rise of Luka Modric, as he returned to the middle of the midfield as a ‘deep lying play-maker’. In the second half of last season, Modric’s place on the left wing came under threat. Gareth Bale’s rapid improvement meant that he had to play on the wide left. But Redknapp was determined to fit Modric into the formation somewhere.

A benefit of Bale and Lennon is that they stretch defenders which allows room for van der Vaart, but it also exposes Tottenham to the counter attack. These days, Tottenham need two central midfielders to sit a bit deeper to offer balance to the attacking wingers. It was a stroke of genius to choose Modric as one of these deep sitting midfielders.

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Modric may have been a revelation to Tottenham back in 2009 on the left wing, but he is even more effective in his current position. When he was higher up the pitch he was marked more tightly and saw less of the ball. The benefit of him playing deeper is that he sees the ball more often, when he is on the ball Tottenham look in control. Modric might not posses the range of passing of a Huddlestone or a Gerrard, but his choice of pass is excellent. He rarely loses the ball because his touch is so good, and he has the ability to find space in even the most congested areas of midfield. These attributes, combined with his awareness and composure, make him an excellent choice for a central midfielder.

Oddly enough, I don’t think Ramos played him out of position back in 2008, he just paired him with the wrong type of player. In his first spell in central midfield, Modric played mainly with Jermaine Jenas. Jenas is an attacking-minded midfielder who likes to get forward. That did not benefit Modric who had to do more defending than he ideally would. However, this season, he has played alongside Huddlestone, Palacios and most recently Sandro. They all sit much deeper than Jenas did and look after Modric a bit more, allowing him to play in a more creative role.

With the way Tottenham play, which sometimes verges on cavalier, occasionally they need someone to slow the tempo down and just keep possession for a while. Modric does this perfectly. Maybe I am being a bit sentimental now, but I cannot think of any player in the Premier League who would do a better job for Tottenham than Luka Modric. If you can think of someone, your suggestions are welcome…

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Milan Jovanovic has angrily denied reports that he is unsettled at Liverpool after just a few months in English football.

Reports last week claimed the 29-year-old Serbia international was already becoming disillusioned with a lack of starting opportunities at Anfield.

He agreed to join the Reds on a free transfer from Standard Liege before Rafael Benitez was replaced as manager by by Roy Hodgson.

However, Jovanovic has dismissed suggestions that he is already looking to leave Liverpool.

"I am angry. I am new here and all I'm trying to do is work and do what's best for the team," he said.

"It's not important that I am on the bench. I have signed a contract for three years and I want to stay for three years.

"I feel very good at Liverpool and better players than me sit on the bench whether it's here or anywhere else.

"I have to learn and work to be better – it's not a problem.

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"I expected a challenge. I expected sometimes to be in the team and sometimes not.

"And also, I don't want to speak about myself. It is much more important to talk about the team."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

It might be a common theme among many Arsenal fans this morning who are mixing a sense of dread with a little bit of excitement regarding Arsene Wenger’s latest comments about Eden Hazard. Excitement, in fact, may be too optimistic; intrigue might be more appropriate. Wenger is never one to openly admit he is after a player, rather looking to take a diplomatic route in respecting a player’s club and making positive comments from afar. But Wenger has a least given some light to Arsenal’s financial state, insisting that the club needed to make between £15-20 million profit each season. What he was not clear on is how and whether if affects the club’s position in the transfer market.

It’s a welcome stance that Arsene Wenger has decided to take, if only for a very disappointing revelation. Someone from the club, who the supporters can trust, has given an indication that the club may not be in the position many would have hoped following the move to the Emirates. Players such as Eden Hazard may actually be a little out of reach and players who are on the third or fourth tier in terms of quality may be all the club can hope to bring in for the foreseeable future.

Again, it’s not entirely clear what Wenger is referring to when he says the club need to make a profit. He specifically points out that it’s the duty of the manager to determine a fair price for targets, which means he may be looking for real quality as many rumours suggest, but they are likely just out of the club’s spending range. From Wenger’s position at least, his statement will likely buy him some time. He is absolutely correct in giving fans a little bit of clarification on why he refused to spend in January—one of the reasons so much vitriol has emerged recently. Instead, the supporters’ anger should now be wholly deflected onto the board, who have seemingly put the club in this very weak position financially.

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The problem again, however, is what the board have said in recent times, specifically Ivan Gazidis; saying that the club do give Wenger sole power of the expenditure at the club and would never deny him the funds to buy a player he needs. The summer activity suggest nothing of the sort and it clearly indicates that something is not right at the club. Why were the club so slow to get a deal done for Juan Mata, and then only at the last minute decide to go on a spending spree on players who may not have been desirable at the start of the summer? The is still too much uncertainty surrounding what Wenger has said and contrasts greatly with the board’s apparent unconditional financial support for the manager.

Does this mean Wenger is the only one paying any real attention to the Financial Fair Play ruling of Uefa? Is he referring to the Champions League income and in turn mean it is “imperative” for the club to finish in the top four? Perhaps he’s too over cautious in regards to the stadium debt. Nigel Winterburn spoke on the weekend of the lack of funding at the club and the lack of ability to pull the trigger on first choice summer targets. He referenced the fact that the club could not get the Cesc Fabregas deal done quickly enough and had held a very weak hand in the market. This does tie in with what Arsene Wenger has had to say. Maybe there is a reported £60 million sitting in the vaults at the Emirates, but it is untouchable. If so, why? Why increase the season ticket prices, why waste £3 million on a player the manager has no intention of playing, and furthermore, why keep insisting that the manager has the full backing of the board on all fronts?

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All questions that dodge Wenger and go directly to the boardroom. Exactly what was needed. The hostilities towards the manager are getting out of hand, and he has already done too much to deflect criticism away from the board. There was nothing wrong with what Wenger had to say, in fact it was greatly welcomed and might trigger a response from those above Wenger at the club.

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Whilst a 2-1 victory over a side who is currently bottom of the Premier League is rarely something worth celebrating with much gusto, I’ll forgive those Manchester City fans who are feeling fairly pleased with themselves following the Blues victory over West Ham on Sunday. There were great performances all over the pitch and even Mario Balotelli looked fairly impressive despite toiling away without much reward.

I was disappointed with one performance however, from a man who has failed to impress me throughout the course of this season. City may well have one of the best defences in the country, but as far as I can tell at the moment it has one major weakness and his name is Aleksandar Kolarov.

It may be a little harsh to judge the Serbian left-back after just one season in the Premier League, but thus far I’ve seen little to suggest that he has the ability to make it in a team that hopes to challenge for silverware. Kolarov joined City last summer from Lazio for a fee of £16m and he came complete with an excellent reputation.

Watching him play, however, has been another matter entirely. He’s not as great going forward as was originally believed and he lacks conviction in his defensive duties. Just look at his half-hearted challenge in the build-up to West Ham’s goal on Sunday. Can you imagine Vincent Kompany or even Joleon Lescott make such a weak attempt to win the ball?

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If it weren’t for Micah Richard’s injury it’s highly unlikely that Kolarov would be getting the chance he’s currently getting and he’s hardly grabbing at the opportunity with both hands is he? Richard’s injury necessitates Zabaletta playing at right-back and opens up a space in the left-back position.

As far as I can tell Kolarov isn’t a good passer, needs to work on his tackling, doesn’t read the game too well and can often lose track of his man. He’s distinctly lacking in pace and doesn’t get up and down City’s left-flank anywhere near as fast as is desirable. On the positive side, I will grant that the Serbian has a ferocious shot. It’s rare, however, that he manages to get these shots on target.

There will be fans who argue that it’s unfair to judge a player after just one season in the Premier League. To some extent, I’d agree, but for me to support Kolarov I’d have to have seen more from him this season that what he has offered up. You’re more inclined to grant players time to adjust if they show ‘signs’ or ‘flashes’ of brilliance or ability, but that’s simply not the case with Kolarov.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Serbian was moved on in the summer and a replacement was brought in to add more competition in City’s defence.

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Read more of Harry’s articles at This is Futbol

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Arsenal fans have a discernible bond of trust with their manager Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman’s transfer dealings and youth development policy have gifted the Premier League with some of its most talented and engaging stars. Yet if the studious manager has one noticeable defect, it is his reluctance to source a reliable goalkeeper who could assimilate into other top teams. Manuel Almunia has saved five of the last six penalties he has faced. His understudy Lukasz Fabianski saved a penalty in Arsenal’s away win at Partizan Belgrade this week. However when placed in the context of an entire game those statistics pale into insignificance. Wenger has been accused of dithering in the transfer market but do the Gunners’ problems run deeper than their heavily publicised goalkeeping predicament?

Almunia is an athletic, nimble keeper who occasionally displays his impressive reflexes. Yet those important traits are easily dismissed when he delivers an error- strung performance, as exemplified last weekend against West Bromich Albion. The Spaniard was at fault in the early stages of that encounter, clumsily fouling Peter Odemwingie in the area. He temporarily redeemed himself by saving Chris Brunt’s tame penalty kick. He was criticised though for West Brom’s second goal as Gonzalo Jara’s low near post shot went in off his arms. For their third the maligned stopper erratically rushed towards Brunt on the edge of the area which allowed the Northern Irishman to square the ball to Jerome Thomas for a comfortable finish. If Wenger has been mistakenly loyal towards Almunia, he has been equally at fault in describing Fabianski as “world class.” The Polish keeper has earned an unfortunate yet amusing nickname in the tabloid press. In the Champions League on Tuesday, however, the Pole gave a confident performance, saving a late penalty and making an important save from Ivica Iliev shortly after.

For a club of Arsenal’s stature a goalkeeper enjoying a good game should be customary rather than remarkable. With the beleaguered Almunia suffering from an elbow injury Fabianski may look to cement his position as the club’s next No1. However his manager arguably conceded the requirement for a new goalkeeper this summer by expressing an interest in recruiting Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer. It is received wisdom that teams cannot win the league title without a world class stopper. Alan Hansen wrote in the Telegraph this week, “History has shown time and again that you need a top class goalkeeper in order to be successful.”

The esteemed Scottish pundit’s assertion may be apposite but it is difficult to imagine Petr Cech or Edwin van der Sar being left as exposed as Arsenal’s equivalents. Sunderland’s right winger Ahmed Elmohamady thoroughly exploited the weaknesses Gael Clichy in their 1-1 draw last month. The Egyptian international won 23 of the 29 challenges he contested in that match, the majority being against the French full-back. Clichy was dominated in the air and his poor clearance allowed the prolific Darren Bent to capitalise. He was additionally beaten resoundingly in the air by Brunt when Scott Carson’s goal kicks were dispersed to the right channel. On the opposite flank his colleague Bacary Sanga was equally inept, allowing Thomas to surge past him and assist the in form Odemwingie.

The team have indisputably missed the presence of Thomas Vermaelen, who as a left footed centre-back can offer aerial protection to Clichy. New signings Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny have demonstrated their capabilities but are still getting used to each other’s style. The latter failed to apply pressure on Jara on Saturday although his shot should have been effortlessly stopped. Significance may additionally be placed on the continuing absence of Cesc Fagregas. Is his presence now as crucial as Gerrard’s for Liverpool or Rooney’s for Manchester United? Nevertheless if the defence can operate coherently, communicate and deny opponents time on the ball, the goalkeeping dilemma may take care of itself. There will be no tougher test of that defensive strength than at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

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Mario Balotelli has been charged with violent contact following his stamp on Scott Parker. The Italian striker is in hot water with the FA as Howard Webb claimed that he would have issued him with a red card had he seen the incident. Manchester City have a big decision to make as to whether they appeal the decision, because if they were it would subsequently free up Balotelli to play in the Carling Cup semi final second leg at Anfield. Failure will obvious see the ban increased, as City found out to their cost with Vincent Kompany a few weeks back.

Harry Redknapp is answering charges over £587k that was paid into a secret bank account named after his dog and his age. The Taxman is investigating three deposits into the ‘Rosie47’ account, during his time as manager at West Ham and Portsmouth – Daily Telegraph

Mario Balotelli has been charged with violent contact for his stamp on Tottenham’s Scott Parker. Howard Webb claimed he didn’t see the incident in his referee’s report, which meant the FA could take retrospective action – Daily Telegraph

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has come out in support of Arsene Wenger; following the barrage of abuse he received by the Arsenal faithful. The substitution of the young winger is what caused the unrest among the Gunners’ support, but Chamberlain has full respect for his manager and believes he makes the right decisions in the best interests of the club – Guardian

Chris Smalling believes that Manchester City will crumble in the coming weeks as the title race heats up. Smalling reckons that if United keep racking up the wins then the pressure will hit City – Guardian

Lucas Leiva remains upbeat as he returned to Liverpool following his operation and a period of recuperation in Brazil. The Reds enforcer is positive that his surgery was a success and that he is ahead of schedule with his recovery – Independent

Queens Park Rangers may force Anton Ferdinand to shake the hand of John Terry ahead of this weekend’s clash in the FA Cup. The FA are keen to make sure that the game passes without incident and will speak with both clubs in advance to ensure that the players act responsibly – Daily Mail

Tottenham are plotting a move to sign Mauro Zarate in a loan deal from Lazio. The Argentine striker is out of favour in Rome and his agent Barry McIntosh has suggested Spurs are one of many clubs interested in bringing him back to English football – Daily Mail

Peter Crouch is facing the prospect of a three-match ban following his attempted ‘eye gouging’ incident at the Britannia Stadium – Mirror

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Liverpool are reportedly in talks to snap up Real Madrid’s Esteban Granero. The Spanish midfielder is out of favour at the Bernabeu and Kenny Dalglish is apparently keen to secure a short term loan deal – Mirror

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