Having already come up against Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers, the Black Cats will have to deal with yet another in-your-face style opponent this weekend.

Stoke City make no apologies for their brash up and at 'em method of playing the beautiful game, and if it's what keeps them in the top flight then I guess there's no reason why they should.

But I have to say the prospect of sitting through 90 minutes of Rory Delap's long throw or balls coming down with snow on them, isn't really whetting my appetite ahead of the clash.

It's not that I see myself as some sort of super footballing snob or that I think we are above such tactics, after all, we've hardly got a reputation for our samba-style sexy football.

And we've often been guilty of over-relying on the long ball up to Kenwyne Jones in the past.

Like I say, if it's what works for them, then who am I to tell them to change it? And even if I did, why should they listen?

It's just that for me, it takes some of the fun and entertainment away from the match.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a good blood and thunder type of game or if tackles are flying in.

But last weekend the niggles, the delaying tactics and cynical fouling of Rovers made for an awful game to watch.

Not that we pulled up any trees ourselves as we struggled against a side clearly set up to out-muscle opponents rather than outplay them.

Of course, I'm not saying that Stoke will turn in an identikit performance, nor do I expect them to clock up as many fouls as Sam Allardyce's men.

I just hope that when the game kicks off tomorrow afternoon we get to see some good football from both teams – football played where it should be (on the grass).

Away from what may or may not happen on the field, there's plenty of talking about comings and goings on the transfer front.

The transfer window closes on Tuesday, and you can expect plenty more will he or won't he style musings before then.

As things begin to gather pace it seems like Grant Leadbitter, Carlos Edwards, and possibly Daryl Murphy could be set to join their old boss Roy Keane at Ipswich Town.

On the arrivals front we are still waiting for John Mensah's visa to be stamped, while Steve Bruce admitted we have made an enquiry for Hull City centre-back Michael Turner.

Stoke haven't exactly been inactive either and by tomorrow they could have signed Middlesbrough duo Robert Huth and Tuncay Sanli.

Sanli is, of course, something of a playmaker, so maybe, just maybe, City are about to change their style.