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Gentleman’s Agreement could save Stoke City

By Duncan Kwok

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Geoff Cameron of Stoke City runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Bet365 Stadium on July 25, 2018 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Geoff Cameron of Stoke City runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Bet365 Stadium on July 25, 2018 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) /
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Geoff Cameron will not play in QPR’s clash with Stoke City after it was revealed that the two clubs had a gentleman’s agreement which prohibits Cameron from playing against his parent club. Stoke City just might be saved by the gentleman’s agreement.

Geoff Cameron has been a crucial player for QPR at the heart of midfield providing cover for the back four and allowing Massimo Luongo to make his trademark runs from deep. However, with him being unavailable and QPR not having many ball-winning midfielders in their squad, this could play into Stoke City’s hand. Should Steve McClaren use his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation without a defensive midfielder it could mean it would be easier to penetrate a defence that could rival Stoke’s in terms of leakiness.

If McClaren deliberately changes formation just to cover up for this deficiency of not having a ball-winning midfielder available, that might help Stoke City even more. QPR are clearly running on fire with their current formation, a change if formation could lead to mistakes, not able to create chances and losing cohesion as a whole.

Stoke City must grasp this opportunity instead of Allen and Etebo just passing to each other or Butland, Williams and Shawcross just playing keep the ball, now is the time to really make a statement against a team that has lost one of its most influential players, ironically a Stoke City man and really show thta Stoke does have the killer instinct. Should Etebo play against QPR, it would be great if he pushed on and show that talent that was clearly evident at the World Cup.

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This gentleman’s agreement might be the only good piece of work that Scholes and Cartwright have done in their time at Stoke City, Rowett mustn’t waste it.