TEAMtalk's delighted Insider Mark Holmes gives his latest thoughts on Stoke's Premier League survival chances following their win over Bolton.

I've been reading through my 'City sum-up' articles from earlier in the season and have decided I'm something of a visionary. I backed West Brom for the drop from the summer, questioned Liverpool's title credentials in September and tipped Arsenal to miss out on a top-four spot in November.

I also said numerous times from very early on that Stoke would finish 15th or higher. It remains to be seen whether I will be proved correct on that count, or any of the others, but those who derided me at the time have been somewhat quietened, particularly after Wednesday night's 2-0 win over Bolton lifted us to...you've guessed it, 15th.

There's a long way to go yet and no-one connected with the club should be resting on their laurels any time soon, but there is a growing feeling even among the usually so anti-Stoke media that survival is there for the taking.

I always felt our kind run-in would save us - games against Middlesbrough, West Brom, Newcastle, Blackburn and Hull still remain - but Tony Pulis and his players do not need any favours from the fixture list.

It took time for the club to find its feet following promotion but everything about the club now screams Premier League. The crowd has long been regarded the league's best but the squad probably wasn't quite up to scratch before the January business and the manager took a while to get comfortable at the top table.

But he certainly looks at home now - as proved by his tactics, mentality and substitutions over the last two games. The brilliant comeback at Aston Villa was inspired by a half-time change in formation and the introduction of Ricardo Fuller and Glenn Whelan, while Wednesday's win over Bolton was down to a spot-on XI and substitutions made at exactly the right time.

Recalling Whelan to the starting line-up proved a particularly good decision as he built well on his terrific half-hour at Villa Park and added a fresh dimension to a midfield that has at times looked one-paced with two anchormen in the centre.

Whelan developed a reputation as a creative, goalscoring midfielder while at Sheffield Wednesday but his forays forward have largely been curbed since his switch into a more defensive-minded Stoke side.

The Irishman was finally given licence to attack at Villa, though, and a lightbulb obviously went off in Pulis' head that afternoon as he handed out freedom to the same player against Bolton.

That resulted in Whelan's best 90 minutes in a Potters shirt and a midfield quartet that's priority was to attack, rather than defend, resulting in a lively performance going forward. Pulis has been criticised for a negative approach in the past but there has been no sign of that over the past week and long may it continue.

As I've already mentioned, Stoke's squad was not quite as strong as their rivals' before the New Year but the likes of Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Portsmouth may well now look to the Britannia Stadium with a bit of envy.

The fact that Henri Camara and Stephen Kelly cannot get into the team speaks volumes, and the omission of record signing Dave Kitson and club captain Andy Griffin from the squad altogether points to the strength in depth Pulis now boasts.

That proves how far the club has come in short space of time, but also suggests they probably now should stay up. In fact I'd be extremely let-down if Stoke went down with the players now at their disposal.

The win over Bolton proved what the Potters can achieve. The Trotters are an established Premier League side and Potters fans will not need reminding the one that taught us such a cruel lesson on the opening day.

However, it was a very different story on Wednesday night and to see them well beaten was extremely satisfying. The difficult Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander were admirably dealt with at the back, their robust midfield was out-battled and out-played, and the usually unflappable Gary Cahill was given a torrid time at the back.

Thomas Sorensen's exceptional handling and alertness in the Stoke goal ensured a relatively comfortable clean sheet, Ryan Shawcross and Abdoulaye Faye were terrific at the back, Whelan ran the midfield with Liam Lawrence, and Beattie was his ever-potent self before Fuller brought even more problems with his pace.

Salif Diao and Mama Sidibe endured off-evenings but they were soon replaced by Pulis, now showing the sort of ruthlessness needed in the Premier League. That leaves me in the unusual situation of not having anything negative to say about the performance, manager, players or squad in general and that is a pretty unusual situation to find yourself in as a Stoke fan.

Perhaps I should start supporting the Baggies for a few weeks to get my fix of moaning! Joking apart, us Stokies should be wearing our shirts with pride at the moment and dishing out a bit of stick to those that were so quick to give it to us not so long ago. Enjoy it while it lasts I say!

Now, in my new self-appointed role as TEAMtalk's visionary I will make the following prediction - West Brom, Hull and Newcastle will be relegated. The future is bright, the future is Red and White.