Jon Walters

[Noelys Guitar]

I was half-hoping Kenwynne Jones' injury would be a bit more serious. With Beattie leaving, Walters would have been able to slot straight in to the centre forward's position at Stoke.

I'm sure I read that Pulis said Walters would be starting on the right wing for Stoke with Jones up front. And Pulis seemed to imply that Walters would switch with Fuller depending on how the Fuller, Jones partnership was working. So it might well be Jones, Walters and Fuller in that order. And Stoke are "bustlers" central.

[Stuttgart88]

I'm sure I read that Pulis said Walters would be starting on the right wing for Stoke with Jones up front.

Yeah, what I saw trying to say that with Jones out Walters would play centrally which I guess is where most of us would like to see him play. Strange that he'd pick walters RHM over Lawrence though - Lawrence is more accomplished in that position. At least he'll be starting I suppose.

[irishfan86]

Not trying to be pedantic Stutts, but Lawrence has been demoted to second-choice right mid for a while now...behind our friend Rory.

Probably the one thing Lawrence doesn't have that Pulis seems to like (well, what manager doesn't?) is pace. Walters is actually pretty quick when he gets going and is like you have pointed out a vicious header of the ball.

I think Walters's best position is actually on the right of a 4-2-3-1 or the right of a 4-3-3 if you know what I mean. I think he's better running at defenders than running in behind them.

[Stuttgart88]

I knew LL hadn't figured for a while - I'm also surprised that Delap is ahead of LL for the RHM position!

[irishfan86]

I'm pretty sure Pulis picks his three best midfielders/wide players in their natural positions, and then wherever there's a gap, whether that be out wide or in the middle, Delap plays.

Good times.

[drummerboy]

Hats off to Jonathan Walters. I remember him making a few substitute appearances for Bolton in the Premership before being released and playing in he bottom tier of the Football League with Hull. He has persevered and rebuilt his career. Now he is back in the Premiership his efforts would be topped off with an international cap.

[irishfan86]

I think he can definitely give us something a bit different. I think we're fairly confident in our wide options at this stage, but the first sub striker spot is definitely an area where nobody has really staked a claim.

[TrapAPony]

Should be given a chance for us especially when the likes of Cillian Sheridan has.

[tetsujin1979]

Sheridan was given a chance because he could fill a specific role, a central striker as back up to Doyle. He played the same role for the U21's, an the U19s before that. Walters hasn't been involved with the Irish setup since the B game in Scotland, which probably affected his chances of a call up.
Notice how many of the players Trapattoni has called into the squad had been involved with the U21's and U19's in recent years (Green and then-Premiership regular Andrews apart)

[irishfan86]

If Walters breaks into Stoke's starting XI I'd be fairly confident that he'll at least make the squad at some point during the campaign.

Andy Reid is the only Premiership regular that I can think of that Trap has completely left in the wilderness.

EDIT: I suppose Ward might fall under that category as well.

[Brendan 82]

Looks like this is the next guy that people will start whinging and moaning about when he is not called up. A la Keith Fahey, Chris MaCann, Owen Garvan, etc..

[backstothewall]

I can see no reason to call this guy up because he has gone from being one of the better players at Ipswich to one of the squad players at Stoke. If he wasn't good enough last week, and I can't remember too many people shouting his name from the rooftops, what makes him any better now? All he has done is move house

Lets see him play a few games first.

[irishfan86]

In fairness I remember a few of us talking about him for the past couple of seasons. Nobody demanding his inclusion, but simply stating he would provide a good option.

I was one of those and I still would like to see him given a chance. If his moving house helps him get that opportunity, then great.

[Stuttgart88]

In fairness I remember a few of us talking about him for the past couple of seasons. Nobody demanding his inclusion, but simply stating he would provide a good option.

I was one of those and I still would like to see him given a chance. If his moving house helps him get that opportunity, then great.

Well said. I was another & like you I'm not demanding anything, but there is absolutely nobody staking a reasonable claim to be back up to Doyle at the moment so I think he's got every chance of getting a call up if he does OK at Stoke.

[backstothewall]

In fairness I remember a few of us talking about him for the past couple of seasons. Nobody demanding his inclusion, but simply stating he would provide a good option.

I was one of those and I still would like to see him given a chance. If his moving house helps him get that opportunity, then great.

and I'm not saying he shouldn't get a chance, just that at the minute he is behind Keane, Doyle, Keogh, Stokes, Sheridan, Best and Folan. If he puts in a few decent performances in the EPL, he will go up that list quickly, all I am saying is that simply getting a transfer to Stoke doesn't demonstrate that he should be in the squad, but it certainly gives him a chance to demonstrate that.

[Closed Account]

Born on the same day as me, I think today is the first day its dawned on me I'm not going to be a professional footballer

[Razors left peg]

Born on the same day as me, I think today is the first day its dawned on me I'm not going to be a professional footballer

Ya never know, after Man Utd paid 7 million for a fella that played in the homeless world cup anything is possible.... tellin myself that keeps me goin anyway

[tetsujin1979]

Ya never know, after Man Utd paid 7 million for a fella that played in the homeless world cup anything is possible.... tellin myself that keeps me goin anyway

just on that....from the twitter feed of Daniel Taylor (Guardian journalist): http://twitter.com/DTguardian/status/21596494294

Hearing that Bebe has been decidedly unimpressive in first few MUFC training sessions . .

[SkStu]

1649: Controversy at Stoke. A corner is headed goalwards and after Heurelho Gomes saves underneath his crossbar, Jon Walters heads in from close range. Peter Crouch's frame gets in the way, but A) It looks like it hits his arm and B) It looks like the whole ball is over the line. Been here before...

too bad - a debut goal wouldve been a great start.

[EastTerracer]

too bad - a debut goal wouldve been a great start.

Watching it here in the US it certainly looked over the line but, even then, the ball came back off Crouch's arm so it should have been a penalty at the very least. Tough luck on Stoke and on Walters.