PA PhotosKenwyne Jones

Since Stoke's return to the top flight there have been two established teams they haven't been able to beat: Manchester United and Chelsea. Saturday sees the arrival of the latter amidst a growing storm of discontent against 'insert latest Chelsea manager name here'.

- Pulis coy over Jones future

The Blues and their fans will be reeling from their midweek loss to the Swans and arrive in the midlands with an increasing resentment of the club's hierarchy, currently manifested by friend of the Potters, Rafa Benitez. Pulis won't do his friend any favours on Saturday and will sense that this game gives the club their best chance of getting a first victory over the Blues to end a 37 year hoodoo (NB. I hate those stats. Stoke were in different leagues for over 30 years of that!)

The Potters fans on the other hand, will be in good spirits and fine voice as they cheer the men in red and white ever closer to a year-long unbeaten home run; just two games to not lose. They will, however, be wondering exactly what the manager's intentions are up front over the coming weeks. Pulis has been talking up Michael Owen and Peter Crouch recently, appearing to pave the way for Kenwyne Jones' exit.

I'm hoping we will see Jones feature as he has proven to be the best striker Stoke have, he is also a player that the returning Terry will be hoping to avoid on his comeback from injury. Having endured a bruising encounter with the powerful Trinidadian during his time at Sunderland, Terry had this to say;

"Jones was fantastic. He is a very good player. (He is) very hard working and probably the best in the air in the entire Premier League. He really is that good."

"All the lads are talking about him afterwards. How well he did and how impressive he was."

A ringing endorsement from Terry, a proven Premier League goal scorer and the perfect spearhead for a Pulis side will therefore be none the wiser as to why his manager is ready to let him go so readily, and I'm guessing many of the Potters faithful will be feeling the same.

But as they say, football is a funny old game and these things can change very quickly so this fan will be keeping his fingers crossed that the only door Jones is shown is the one to the boardroom to sign a new deal, with 18 months left on his current one, this is the dilemma Pulis is facing.

Given the impact Jones has had on not just results, but the team as a whole by providing an athletic, powerful fulcrum to Stoke's previously static attack simply cannot be ignored by Pulis. But there is another party here too and no-one but he knows how the last year has been personally and professionally, having been dropped as top scorer with no chance of a meaningful return to the first team.

Let's hope the manager sees sense and the player gets the assurances he needs to continue at the club. What better way to prompt that than beating Chelsea for the first time in nine meetings (there, that's a much better stat!)

Vis Unita Fortior

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Email