Passing Game - The Stoke Way

J - Journalist

MB - Mike Bassett

J - Welcome to Stoke, Mike! How excited are you to be here at the Potters?

MB - In a word, very. There's been a lot of stick for Stoke over the last couple of years, a lot of it unjustified. I want this criticism gone from the club, although that may be a challenge; football fans are traditionally very stubborn. That's what I'm most excited about, really, the challenge. It might be difficult to get Stoke City to the heights they can reach, but I'm more than prepared to give it a go.

J - You've not had a managerial job for six years now. How do you know you're still capable of the successes you had at Norwich and with England?

MB - I've still been working in football during that time, even if it's not been too obvious. I've worked with the last few England managers, and I like to study other professional managers, to see how they do their jobs, so I feel I'm still ready to take on a club side, and that's what I'm doing here. I believe I still have what it takes to be a successful manager now, regardless of what some critics believe.

J - Is it true you're going to try and change the whole way Stoke play?

MB - Not all of it, no. There's some aspects of their play which I really like, and which work well, which is why Stoke have been in the Premier League since 2008. Those elements, I will be looking to keep. However, I am going to try and implement a different playing style, hopefully more attractive than the long-ball style that was used under Pulis. We have the players to be able to play this style, and it's just a matter of persuading them to do so, during pre-season.

J - Do you share Mark Hughes' concerns over the transfer budget, which is why he departed?

MB - Not at all, no. Mark Hughes improved the squad a fair bit in his short time yet, and from what little I've seen of it, the only real improvement that could be needed in defensive midfield, and I have more than enough money available to buy a sufficient player to fill my early worries. Apart from that, I'm happy with the squad as it is.

J - Where do you think you'll be able to lead your Stoke team to this season?

MB - I couldn't possibly tell you. There's so many factors that could influence it, and you can never truly predict where someone will finish, as this is football, and nothing is certain. However, I feel we have the players to be able to finish in a comfortable mid-table place, and then build on that next summer, to hopefully get higher up the table. If you offered it to me now, I'd certainly take a mid-table finish by May.

Mervmeister: You might see some unexpected transfers...

I really like the way this has been done so far,a lot of detail in each post.

LFC: Thanks mate

4-4-2

A 4-4-2 that emulates the style of play emulated by Arrigo Sacchi in his time as a manager. It encourages a high level of pressing, and limits the space between the different lines of the team, in order to make sure areas don't get isolated by a lack of support.

4-2-3-1

A 4-2-3-1, which is slightly more attacking than the 4-4-2 just talked about. It emulates Liverpool's style of play in their dominant spell in the 70s and 80s, and will helps us out when we're struggling on the pitch. However, it will be a backup behind the 4-4-2.

4-5-1

This formation will allow us to flood the midfield in tough games, and limit the damage done, and maybe even cause a surprise or two. Whilst it will be good going forward, it could have defensive issues, and for that reason, it will be a backup alongside the 4-2-3-1 formation.

eventually found your story lol, i kept bypassing this as i had no clue that you would go Stoke ;p, anyway been a great start, looking forward to seeing what kinda players your looking at signing, id aim for the FA Cup or Capital One Cup in ths first season, as that would mark a great season and a top half finish

MarkKolatowicz: Excuses, excuses thanks, you'll see my new signings over the next couple of days hopefully, although I'm sure there's one whom you won't like

Good luck with this Ben! Would be nice to see the forward line reinforced.

Pauker: Thanks Jeremy you might do

36-year-old Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen has left Stoke City to join newly-promoted French side AS Monaco for a fee of around £650k, after four years with the Potters. This departure is the first action of Mike Bassett's reign, and leaves Asmir Begovic as the first-choice goalkeeper for Stoke.

Sorensen was the first-choice goalkeeper at the Potters for his first two years at the club, making 69 league appearances between 2008 and 2010, although the rise to prominence of Bosnian international Asmir Begovic started to limit the Dane's game-time, and as he nears the end of his career, he's decided to move on and try to get some last games in before he retires.

Much of the talk was about whether new manager Mike Bassett would elect to use Begovic or Sorensen now that he has been appointed as the successor to Mark Hughes. Whilst Begovic is generally believed to have more ability, Sorensen has much more experience in England, having been here since 1998, with Sunderland, Aston Villa and Stoke. However, it is clear who is Bassett's preferred starter, and Sorensen was quickly transfer-listed, and snapped up by Monaco.

Sorensen's departure has opened the door for Jack Butland, Stoke's new signing from Birmingham City, to make a run and challenge Asmir Begovic. Butland is thought of as one of the brightest young prospects in England in the modern day, and as a possible future England number one, ahead of the established Joe Hart. However, had Sorensen remained at the club, it would prevent Butland from challenging the current first-choice.

With Mark Hughes leaving the club last week over a dispute over transfer budgets, it makes sense that Bassett would try to sell before he buys in order to provide him with more money to bring in new players, so that's what he's set about doing. There's also rumours that Wilson Palacios, Glenn Whelan, Kenwyne Jones and Cameron Jerome have been transfer-listed by the Potters in an effort to get the high wages off the wage bill, and allow for new players to come in. This move comes on the same day as Belgian midfielder Florent Cuvelier has moved out on loan for the season to newly-promoted Bournemouth, as Mike Bassett starts to put his stamp on the club.

Still a good fee for a 36 year old

wellsy1498: I know, I'm well happy with it!

Stoke City have completed their first signing under Mike Bassett, completing the £1.7m deal for Celtic's Swedish international Mikael Lustig, as the new Stoke manager looks to improve his defence and secure a mid-table finish for the Potters this season. The 25-year-old has impressed whilst playing for the Bhoys, and has won a move to the Premier League after six months in the Scottish Premier League.

Andy Wilkinson has been the undisputed first-choice at right-back for Stoke City since their promotion-winning season of 2007-08, although now that Mike Bassett has come in and looks set to play a different style of play to Tony Pulis, he may not still feel Wilkinson is part of his plans, even though he is about to reach his prime as a player. The 27-year-old could now look to leave the club, considering he has a replacement in Lustig.

The Swede is thought to be more technically gifted than his predecessor Wilkinson, and this could be an indication that even in the early days of his tenure as Stoke City manager, Mike Bassett is looking to change the type of player at the club, and make them play a more attractive style of football. This is a positive sign, especially for the critics who believed Stoke were purely a long-ball team.

Mikael Lustig also brings a different kind of experience to the Stoke City squad. Whilst players like Matt Etherington and Ryan Shawcross have failed to win any caps for their national teams so far, Lustig has won 26 caps for Sweden, to add him to internationals such as Peter Crouch and Wilson Palacios. This international experience could help Stoke at times, as Lustig has played against some of the world's best players, most recently at Euro 2012.

Stoke City have reportedly paid £1.3 million upfront, and another £400k is to be paid in installments over the next year, in order to soften the impact on Stoke's finances. Lustig is thought to have signed a four-year deal at the Potteries, on £16k per week, and will wear the number 22 shirt for the club.

Good start! A lot of effort being thrown into this in typical Blue fashion and that is much appreciated when it comes to reading. Keep it up

P-KIDDY: Thanks mate! I'll try