Much has been written in the last few days about players changing addresses but in the English top flight we are currently experiencing an unprecedented time with the amount of changes in the dugout. Incredibly, 15 of the current 20 bosses in charge of Premier League teams did not have their current position at the end of the 2011-12 season. To put it a different way, 75 per cent of them have been in their job for fifteen months or less and only 25 per cent of the current crop of managers have been in charge for more than one full season heading into this campaign. Despite high-profile changes coming at many of the big clubs, it is hard to think of a change that has prompted so much talk of a new style than the one made by Stoke City owner Peter Coates this summer. The decision to relieve former manager Tony Pulis of his job was a polarizing one, with many believing the Welshman had overachieved by keeping Stoke in the Premier League for five successive seasons. During his time in the top flight, Pulis was known for bringing a physical, long ball style, one that was far from fashionable in a world where everyone now wants to copy Barcelona. However, it is not a fun sport if all teams play the same so there was nothing wrong with being brave enough to try something different at Stoke, provided it remained successful. Over the last five seasons Stoke never finished below 14th but last season the Potters showed no signs of improvement and in fact posted their worst ever points total (42), goals scored (34) and total wins (9) during their five year run in the Premier League. After a net spend of close to 80 million pounds during that time (more than the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham) it was apparent that Coates felt his team wasnt getting better when they should have been. Those fully behind Pulis and his style didnt change their tune when he was replaced with what seemed an underwhelming choice in Mark Hughes, who was sacked last November after a shambolic time as Queens Park Rangers manager. Hughes, though, jumped at the chance to manage in the Premier League again and knew from the moment he took charge the mandate in terms of his style, announcing: "It will take time, on occasions we will make mistakes but if we want to play in a certain way then thats what we have to do." It is important to note that Hughes, despite having once played at Barcelona, is no Pep Guardiola when it comes to possession-based tactics. In fact, when in charge at Blackburn he guided Rovers to a 0-0 draw at Arsenal in an FA Cup match and afterwards spoke about what Cesc Fabregas said to him as he left the field. "When we shook hands at the end, the young man asked me a question which I thought was disrespectful. He asked me if I had played for Barcelona and when I said yes, he shook his head as if in disbelief. Then he said, Well, that wasnt Barcelona football." No one will expect Hughes to bring that style of football to the Britannia but with strong, physical, players, lacking overall technical quality, it could be easy for him to fall closer to the ways Pulis adopted, but its clear he and the Stoke board feel very strongly things need to change. Early signs from the opening three weeks of the season suggest they already have. A narrow opening day loss at Liverpool showed a different Stoke, cheered on by the away supporters signing "Were Stoke City, were passing the ball." Overall the team attempted 120 more passes than the game at Anfield last season, while their pass completion (81 per cent) was not only better than the 67 per cent in 2012-13, but better than all 19 away matches last season, by some distance. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) A poor first half home display against Crystal Palace followed but in the second half Stoke came from behind to win 2-1. Afterwards, Hughes admitted the team was in transition: "We need to play better and we will. We have a group of players who are coming to terms with how we can play, and on other days we will be more fluid." One of those other days was Saturday at West Ham. The game was decided by a piece of individual brilliance by Jermaine Pennant from a direct free kick, but despite winning a game via a set-piece this was nothing like a team seen under Pulis. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) Once again more passes were attempted and completed (78 per cent to 69 per cent) to the corresponding fixture last season but for those watching the game it was more than apparent , without checking the stats, just how comfortable Stoke were when in possession. Post match Hughes reflected: "Ive got a group of really solid professionals who understand what it takes to win Premier League games and, maybe in the past, they havent been given enough credit for the ability that they have. Maybe I am allowing them an opportunity to show people what good players they actually are." One of those players is central midfielder Steven NZonzi. Bought to the Premier League by current West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, while at Blackburn, the Frenchman tormented his old boss with an outstanding performance at Upton Park. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) The 24-year-old flourished in a midfield three alongside Marc Wilson and Charlie Adam, treasuring the ball in deep areas by finding outlets close-by (rather than lumping it forward) and occasionally surging forward past West Hams outnumbered midfield duo of Mark Noble and Mohamed Diame. It was close to being a complete performance from NZonzi, who was equally impressive without the ball than he was with it. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) The system introduced by Hughes is one that gives players like NZonzi the freedom of the park, putting trust in them to go forward and make a difference in the final third while still being able to be responsible towards their defensive duties. The results so far have been remarkable; with the midfielder contributing much more to Stokes attacking play than he did last season. (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) (photo: fourfourtwo.com - Click For Larger Image) Despite many believing Stokes approach under Pulis was not broken and didnt need to be fixed, in the last two seasons the Potters scored a putrid 28 goals from open play. Fourteen teams scored more than that just last season. It is clear Stoke need to become more comfortable with the ball while not compromising the defensive unit that has kept them in this league and, so far, Hughes seems to have found a balance. He certainly has found happy players receptive to his ways. Said Pennant: "Were getting the ball down and showing what we can do, which is a lot different to last season and the years before that. Weve got the players to do it, and this was probably one of our best away performances since Ive been here." Striker Kenwyne Jones added: ""Before we wouldnt have come here and played like that, actually dominating the home team and trying to win the game. Wed have played for percentages and hoped that something would come off. "It is a different approach to take the game to West Ham. Weve had the players to do that for quite a while, but you know its a different philosophy now and things are going well." NZonzi, whose transfer request earlier this summer was rejected by the club, also looks like a man transformed under Hughes. "Until you work with players on a daily basis you can underestimate their talent," Hughes said of his midfielder. "I was one who maybe didnt put Steven into the bracket of a top Premier League player. He still has faults that he has to work on, he understands that, but the way we play will bring the best out of him." Looks like the players are not the only ones discovering new things at Stoke. Danny Jersey . The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be. Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Roses absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday. Miguel Monteiro Portugal Jersey . But when it was all over they had wasted another lead, seen another pitcher flame out on the mound and lost their fourth straight at home. http://www.soccerportugalshop.com/world ... -jersey/.5 million contract, according to a person familiar with the deal. Hatcher agreed to terms Thursday, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been signed. Portugal Soccer Jersey . - The Green Bay Packers got back to work on Friday without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Tiago Mendes Jersey .DeMarco Murray got his 20th carry late in the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, not long after Dez Bryant made his final catch of the day.Sure enough, a 44-17 win over Washington didnt change Dallas post-season position.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - By the time Tiger Woods made the turn in the opening round of a year that means so much for so many reasons, he had already stubbed one chip and bladed another. Things had gotten so bad that he twice took to using the putter from well off the green, lest he mess up his day even more.He hadnt given up, though, and neither had the fans, who swarmed loudly around the Phoenix Open in record numbers. As he walked the gauntlet between the nines, they pleaded with Woods to do something, anything, to make both his day and theirs a little better.You got this, Tiger! one yelled. Go get em on the back nine! another shouted out.Two brilliant shots that brought back memories of the Tiger of old helped Woods do just that Thursday. They also helped him avert the kind of disaster that might have been felt by the Woods camp long after the PGA Tour leaves the Arizona desert.The 2-over 73 wasnt exactly what Woods had in mind when he decided to begin his year with a trip to a tournament he hasnt played in 14 years. Not on an overcast day where there were low scores to be had on TPC Scottsdale.But it could have been worse, much worse. And for that Woods could be happy, despite a short game that looked more like it belonged to a tourist playing the course, not the greatest player of his era.If he needed something to convince himself he could still play after injuries and yet another swing change, he could hang his hat on playing the last six holes in 3-under par.Its not the first time I have gone through this, Woods said. It takes time. Its just a frustrating thing where I just need to get through competitive rounds. I need to get rounds under my belt and get a feel for it.Its also not the first time Woods has expressed similar thoughts. Anyone who has followed Woods in recent years has heard him say the same kind of things about trusting his swing, and working his way through the rust, but its now been a long seven years since he last won a major championship.And whether Woods will allow himself to believe it or not, his latest problems might be tougher to fix than a missing tooth.Driving the ball sideways is one thing, and Woods did hit it wayward a few times Thursdayy in only his second competitive tournament in six months.dddddddddddd But resorting to hit chips with a 4-iron because you dont trust yourself with a wedge in hand is almost unheard of in the top echelon of professional golf.Im just having a hard time finding the bottom, Woods said. Because of my old pattern, I was so steep on it, that I have a new grind on my wedge and sometimes its hard to trust. This is a similar grind I used to use back in the early 2000s, but its a different grind. Some of my shots were into the green with tight pins, and either Ill flop it or bump it, one of the two. I chose to bump it.Got that? There will be a quiz at the Masters, where tentative chippers dont last long around tightly mown collection areas and undulating greens.If this was an unusual place for Woods to begin his season, it wasnt altogether unfamiliar. He was here under much different circumstances in 2001, where he was coming off three major championship wins in a row and getting ready to go for the Tiger Slam in the Masters.He opened with a 65 that year, but that wasnt the big story. It came in the second round when a remarkable streak of shooting par or better over 52 straight rounds came to an end when Woods struggled to a 73.Few believed what they saw that day, and Woods would go on to win the Masters for his fourth straight major. Hes now won 14 of them, the last coming at Torrey Pines in 2008.Contrast that to this year when the 73 marked the fifth consecutive round on the PGA Tour that Woods hasnt broken par. It was also the first time he opened a year with a score over par since turning pro nearly two decades ago.An iron shot to tap-in eagle on the par-5 13th might give him some hope of better times ahead. So will the drive to 20 feet on the par-4 17th hole.But on this day the only thing resembling the Tiger Woods of old were the huge galleries following him at all times, on a day when an estimated record crowd of 118,461 came out to watch his season debut.If nothing else, Tiger Woods still knows how to draw a crowd.____Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '