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Post by aworldofmyown on Feb 13, 2012 7:24:04 GMT
The return of Begovic and Huth for this one
Bego Wilko Huth ShawX Wilson Pennant Whitehead Whelan Etherington Crouch Jerome
Sorenson, Shotton, Upson, Fuller, Walters, Delap, Palacios
is it 7 or 5 subs in the Euro's, can't remember
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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 13, 2012 10:51:04 GMT
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has warned his players they will have to step up a class as they face Valencia in the Europa League.
The 54-year-old continued his preparations for the last-32 clash by travelling to Spain to watch Valencia as they cruised past Sporting Gijon with a convincing 4-0 victory.
Pulis' Stoke have failed to win any of their last five Premier League outings and the manager recognises that his side must raise their game if they are to compete with their Spanish opponents.
Welshman Pulis, who started his second spell at the Britannia Stadium in 2006, admits he has done a lot of research for Thursday's encounter and acknowledges the threat posed by the third-placed Primera Liga side. Class
"I spoke to Rafa Benitez about Valencia and he's scared me to death," he said.
"They're a step up in class from anyone we've faced so far in the Europa League, so Thursday night is going to be a special occasion for everyone at Stoke.
"It's a 28,000 sell-out and we really need our supporters to get behind the team.
"I will move one or two of the squad around as I've done in previous European games and I just hope the players respond to the challenge and do themselves justice."
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Post by Chairman Meow on Feb 13, 2012 10:54:21 GMT
Goooooooooooarn Stoke!
I hate you, you're fucking shit.
But I love you, stop ruining my weekends.
We'll beat Valencia.
If we're not wank.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2012 11:12:08 GMT
I'm so fucking fired up for this now. Thursday night can't come quick enough. If you come away from this one with a voice, you've let Stoke City down.
GOARN YOU SHITTERS. Let's turn this wankfest round.
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 11:42:47 GMT
"he's scared me to death"I look forward to a really defensive and negative performance then
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Post by MysticalDescent on Feb 13, 2012 11:52:45 GMT
Palacios won't play two games in one week and I think we'd be absolutely mental not to start Delap. For one, I actually rate him as a midfielder and I really didn't like the massive gaps that the midfield two on Saturday left behind them. Dempsey had all the time in the world to pick his spot and shoot, when either Whelan, Palacios or Jones (that Mama role isn't dead yet!) should have been there. The other thing is that we're going to get very few scraps against Valencia, so we need every little attacking threat at our disposal. Even if we played Etherington and Pennant, it's unlikely that we'd create too much from open play, so we need every single throw-in inside the opposition half to be launched into the opposition box. Valencia are allegedly poor at defending set pieces and it'll be like nothing they've ever faced before, so why not? I think I'd have Whitehead alongside him. The Delap-Whitehead partnership seems to work wonders in games like this (see Liverpool at home) and I think it'll be important to have a mobile player with good stamina in the team. I suspect the manager will go with Jerome and Crouch, but I think I'd have Jones and Fuller up front, with Jones playing deep and Fuller playing up top. Fuller remains our best chance of creating something from open play and is our best winner of set pieces. If he's not up to 90 minutes, give him an hour to show what he can do, please Tony. As for the defence, no fucking about, just put our best back four out. Begovic
Wilkinson Huth Shawcross Wilson
Pennant Delap Whitehead Etherington
Jones
Fuller
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Post by MysticalDescent on Feb 13, 2012 12:01:52 GMT
Cheers, it's been too long since I last came here.
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 12:03:20 GMT
Palacios won't play two games in one week and I think we'd be absolutely mental not to start Delap. For one, I actually rate him as a midfielder and I really didn't like the massive gaps that the midfield two on Saturday left behind them. Dempsey had all the time in the world to pick his spot and shoot, when either Whelan, Palacios or Jones (that Mama role isn't dead yet!) should have been there. The other thing is that we're going to get very few scraps against Valencia, so we need every little attacking threat at our disposal. Even if we played Etherington and Pennant, it's unlikely that we'd create too much from open play, so we need every single throw-in inside the opposition half to be launched into the opposition box. Valencia are allegedly poor at defending set pieces and it'll be like nothing they've ever faced before, so why not? I think I'd have Whitehead alongside him. The Delap-Whitehead partnership seems to work wonders in games like this (see Liverpool at home) and I think it'll be important to have a mobile player with good stamina in the team. I suspect the manager will go with Jerome and Crouch, but I think I'd have Jones and Fuller up front, with Jones playing deep and Fuller playing up top. Fuller remains our best chance of creating something from open play and is our best winner of set pieces. If he's not up to 90 minutes, give him an hour to show what he can do, please Tony. As for the defence, no fucking about, just put our best back four out. Begovic
Wilkinson Huth Shawcross Wilson
Pennant Delap Whitehead Etherington
Jones
Fuller I'd love to see that starting eleven but I just can't see it happening I'm hoping we really stifle their midfield and just bombard them in the air, from throw ins and set plays. I think that's the only realistic way to beat them seeing as every European team we've played have looked comical when defending our set plays I also think we need to win by two clear goals to give us a chance at Mestalla. Preferably a 2-0 win, a clean sheet will give us a huge advantage to go over there and hold on for dear life
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Post by MysticalDescent on Feb 13, 2012 12:15:28 GMT
Palacios won't play two games in one week and I think we'd be absolutely mental not to start Delap. For one, I actually rate him as a midfielder and I really didn't like the massive gaps that the midfield two on Saturday left behind them. Dempsey had all the time in the world to pick his spot and shoot, when either Whelan, Palacios or Jones (that Mama role isn't dead yet!) should have been there. The other thing is that we're going to get very few scraps against Valencia, so we need every little attacking threat at our disposal. Even if we played Etherington and Pennant, it's unlikely that we'd create too much from open play, so we need every single throw-in inside the opposition half to be launched into the opposition box. Valencia are allegedly poor at defending set pieces and it'll be like nothing they've ever faced before, so why not? I think I'd have Whitehead alongside him. The Delap-Whitehead partnership seems to work wonders in games like this (see Liverpool at home) and I think it'll be important to have a mobile player with good stamina in the team. I suspect the manager will go with Jerome and Crouch, but I think I'd have Jones and Fuller up front, with Jones playing deep and Fuller playing up top. Fuller remains our best chance of creating something from open play and is our best winner of set pieces. If he's not up to 90 minutes, give him an hour to show what he can do, please Tony. As for the defence, no fucking about, just put our best back four out. Begovic
Wilkinson Huth Shawcross Wilson
Pennant Delap Whitehead Etherington
Jones
Fuller I'd love to see that starting eleven but I just can't see it happening I'm hoping we really stifle their midfield and just bombard them in the air, from throw ins and set plays. I think that's the only realistic way to beat them seeing as every European team we've played have looked comical when defending our set plays I also think we need to win by two clear goals to give us a chance at Mestalla. Preferably a 2-0 win, a clean sheet will give us a huge advantage to go over there and hold on for dear life I'd forgotten about Tel Aviv's defending until you just mentioned them. Possibly the funniest thing I've seen for years.I think world records would have been broken if Jerome hadn't been sent off. I think I agree about us needing to win by two clear goals. The question is, do we have that in us? I don't think we've beaten a top team in this country by two clear goals yet, either at home or away. In fact, the pattern is usually a narrow defeat or draw at home and comfortable defeat away. Then again, I know literally nothing about Valencia's team, so maybe it's a completely different proposition.
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Post by Dharma Bum on Feb 13, 2012 12:26:08 GMT
Really hope that he plays both wingers for this, although after reading; "scared to death", I'm not so sure. ;D
We may as well go for it- a 0-0 at the Brit would be a fantastic (and unlikely result) but would mean we'd probably get turned over at their's. Better to fucking blitzkrieg them and try and score a few.
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 12:34:16 GMT
I'd love to see that starting eleven but I just can't see it happening I'm hoping we really stifle their midfield and just bombard them in the air, from throw ins and set plays. I think that's the only realistic way to beat them seeing as every European team we've played have looked comical when defending our set plays I also think we need to win by two clear goals to give us a chance at Mestalla. Preferably a 2-0 win, a clean sheet will give us a huge advantage to go over there and hold on for dear life I'd forgotten about Tel Aviv's defending until you just mentioned them. Possibly the funniest thing I've seen for years.I think world records would have been broken if Jerome hadn't been sent off. I think I agree about us needing to win by two clear goals. The question is, do we have that in us? I don't think we've beaten a top team in this country by two clear goals yet, either at home or away. In fact, the pattern is usually a narrow defeat or draw at home and comfortable defeat away. Then again, I know literally nothing about Valencia's team, so maybe it's a completely different proposition. Bit weird wasn't it? Pissing ourselves laughing at a teams complete ineptitude to play football ;D I think if we play like we all know we can play, with two wingers and our set plays work wonders, we've definitely got two goals minimum within us against them. It seems like European teams haven't got a clue on how to defend a corner
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Post by Donkey on Feb 13, 2012 13:29:44 GMT
I'd love to see that starting eleven but I just can't see it happening I'm hoping we really stifle their midfield and just bombard them in the air, from throw ins and set plays. I think that's the only realistic way to beat them seeing as every European team we've played have looked comical when defending our set plays I also think we need to win by two clear goals to give us a chance at Mestalla. Preferably a 2-0 win, a clean sheet will give us a huge advantage to go over there and hold on for dear life I'd forgotten about Tel Aviv's defending until you just mentioned them. Possibly the funniest thing I've seen for years.I think world records would have been broken if Jerome hadn't been sent off. I think I agree about us needing to win by two clear goals. The question is, do we have that in us? I don't think we've beaten a top team in this country by two clear goals yet, either at home or away. In fact, the pattern is usually a narrow defeat or draw at home and comfortable defeat away. Then again, I know literally nothing about Valencia's team, so maybe it's a completely different proposition. We beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Brit once didn't we? Whitehead scored.
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Post by Dharma Bum on Feb 13, 2012 13:54:58 GMT
I'd forgotten about Tel Aviv's defending until you just mentioned them. Possibly the funniest thing I've seen for years.I think world records would have been broken if Jerome hadn't been sent off. I think I agree about us needing to win by two clear goals. The question is, do we have that in us? I don't think we've beaten a top team in this country by two clear goals yet, either at home or away. In fact, the pattern is usually a narrow defeat or draw at home and comfortable defeat away. Then again, I know literally nothing about Valencia's team, so maybe it's a completely different proposition. We beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Brit once didn't we? Whitehead scored. *Twice
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Post by Nyron Nonceworthy on Feb 13, 2012 14:20:06 GMT
Both proper wingers and either Fuller or Jerome up front is an absolute must. Sadly, I can still see Walters being shoe-horned in somewhere to accomodate him. I like SJW but he's been shit since November.
Bego Wilkinson Huth Shawcross Wilson Pennant Delap Whitehead* Etherington Crouch Jerome
*Or Whelan. Don't really know what Pulis' thinking is with the CM partnership at the moment. It's been rotatastic. Can't see Palacios starting though.
Does Albelda still play for them? If so, he's usually good for a sending off.
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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 13, 2012 14:41:40 GMT
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 15:38:23 GMT
That midfield is a bit good..
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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 13, 2012 15:44:44 GMT
Just looks fucking brilliant, that's it really...
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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 13, 2012 15:49:42 GMT
UEFA's very own Europa League site has a preview of the match which is to be played at Stoke Stadium, I shit you not..
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 15:51:34 GMT
UEFA's very own Europa League site has a preview of the match which is to be played at Stoke Stadium, I shit you not.. It's been like that all year Gaz. Something to do with UEFA advertisement rules, something bizarre like that
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Post by Chairman Meow on Feb 13, 2012 15:52:26 GMT
UEFA's very own Europa League site has a preview of the match which is to be played at Stoke Stadium, I shit you not.. It's actually called Stoke Stadium in Europa, sponsor names aren't allowed unless they are obviously UEFA approved sponsors.
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