For all the flair players and Champions League winners to have arrived at Stoke under Mark Hughes, it seems some things never change.
The likes of Kenwyne Jones and Rory Delap might have made way for Ibrahim Afellay and Xherdan Shaqiri in recent years, but old habits die hard.
Afellay and Charlie Adam were both sent off in the opening 32 minutes against a West Brom side managed by none other than former Stoke boss Tony Pulis.
2 – The last team to be reduced to nine men before half-time in a Premier League game were Stoke City, v Newcastle in December 2013. Pattern
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 29, 2015
Clearly the irony wasn’t lost on those following the game.
Stoke paying tribute to Tony Pulis in the right manner. Lovely to see.
— Adam Brandon (@AdamBrandon84) August 29, 2015
Pulis meanwhile bringing the best out of Stoke again.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) August 29, 2015
Though maybe there was another reason for the bad-tempered start…
New Stoke clearly watched Newcastle's impression of old Stoke and got all sentiMENTAL.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) August 29, 2015
