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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 13, 2012 15:54:27 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 Really..? How very knobbish of them...
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Post by Chairman Meow on Feb 13, 2012 15:55:14 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 Speedy cunt.
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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 13, 2012 15:58:05 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. Seems so, because in the same banner, right hand corner.. Presented by ;D
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Post by Donkey on Feb 13, 2012 16:30:40 GMT
Piatti, Banega and Soldado are quite scary players. Diego Alves is an excellent keeper too.
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Post by aworldofmyown on Feb 13, 2012 21:10:46 GMT
"he's scared me to death"I look forward to a really defensive and negative performance then shit, the return of salif ?
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 21:17:03 GMT
"he's scared me to death"I look forward to a really defensive and negative performance then shit, the return of salif ? He hasn't played for a while because he's having ten clones created especially for the Valencia games
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Post by MysticalDescent on Feb 13, 2012 21:34:48 GMT
shit, the return of salif ? He hasn't played for a while because he's having ten clones created especially for the Valencia games Only ten? We need a full squad of 18.
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Post by aworldofmyown on Feb 13, 2012 21:40:39 GMT
apparently the home leg is still a week away www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2605396,00.html Tickets Still Available For Home Leg Posted on: Mon 13 Feb 2012 STOKE CITY'S eagerly-anticipated Europa League tie against Valencia is now just a week away . . . and they still have plenty of tickets remaining for the big occasion at the Britannia Stadium.
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Post by SuperRickyFuller on Feb 13, 2012 21:50:18 GMT
He hasn't played for a while because he's having ten clones created especially for the Valencia games Only ten? We need a full squad of 18. No need for subs MD, they're fit enough for the full 90 minutes ;D
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Post by Donkey on Feb 13, 2012 21:51:45 GMT
apparently the home leg is still a week away www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2605396,00.html Tickets Still Available For Home Leg Posted on: Mon 13 Feb 2012 STOKE CITY'S eagerly-anticipated Europa League tie against Valencia is now just a week away . . . and they still have plenty of tickets remaining for the big occasion at the Britannia Stadium. Worst. Website. Ever.
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Post by Dharma Bum on Feb 13, 2012 22:01:59 GMT
apparently the home leg is still a week away www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2605396,00.html Tickets Still Available For Home Leg Posted on: Mon 13 Feb 2012 STOKE CITY'S eagerly-anticipated Europa League tie against Valencia is now just a week away . . . and they still have plenty of tickets remaining for the big occasion at the Britannia Stadium. Worst. Website. Ever. You're being a bit harsh, aren't you? Uncs keeps everything on here working with no problems.
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Post by Captain Lockheed on Feb 13, 2012 22:22:05 GMT
apparently the home leg is still a week away www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2605396,00.html Tickets Still Available For Home Leg Posted on: Mon 13 Feb 2012 STOKE CITY'S eagerly-anticipated Europa League tie against Valencia is now just a week away . . . and they still have plenty of tickets remaining for the big occasion at the Britannia Stadium. Just tried to get a couple of tickets on SCFC Direct for mates. Theres a few on the front 6 or 7 rows in the south stand but only odd ones dotted about everywhere else. Obviously the away section is shaded out and are not for sale but the whole family area is shaded the same with none for sale. Whats the deal there then ? :shifty:
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Post by Donkey on Feb 13, 2012 22:38:59 GMT
Not all tickets are sold online.
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Post by Captain Lockheed on Feb 13, 2012 22:47:26 GMT
I didnt know that Donks, does that apply to league games too ?
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Post by PoisonedMonkey on Feb 13, 2012 22:53:23 GMT
We will absolutely destroy them.
And take a 0-0 draw over to Spain.
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Post by Dharma Bum on Feb 13, 2012 23:01:16 GMT
I didnt know that Donks, does that apply to league games too ? You can't sit in the family stand if you don't have kids under a certain age with you. (Or if you're on the register.)
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Post by The Swahili Bastardizers on Feb 14, 2012 13:50:09 GMT
Stoke v Valencia: Matchday Magazine Preivew
IN THE build-up to this Thursday`s hotly-anticipated Europa League tie, Potters Matchday Magazine wanted to speak to me about their Spanish rivals. The following interview appears in the Stoke City official matchday programme and we`ve been given permission to share it with you here, with many thanks to interviewer and Potters Matchday Magazine editor Mark Mothershaw
MARK MOTHERSHAW: Firstly Guillem, as the man who arguably knows more than most about Spanish football, could you give us a bit of a lowdown on Valencia. Everybody here in England knows them as Spain`s third best team, but that isn`t too bad an accolade, is it, considering Barcelona and Real Madrid are the top two!
GUILLEM BALAGUE: Not at all, Valencia are a very good football club with fantastic history, and a very good record in most competitions. It is hard for them to really challenge the big two at the moment, but you have to give them credit because they are always there breathing down their necks. I had a conversation with Jose Mourinho after a Real Madrid game recently, and he said how remarkable it is that Valencia are always up there challenging every season despite having to sell their best players to bring in money. If Mourinho says that, then who is anybody to argue with him!
In terms of financial stability, is it fair to say that Valencia have endured something of a difficult time? The likes of David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata have all left the Club in recent years to bring in funds!
Yes, it has been difficult for the Club, nobody can deny that, but they are dealing with it all in a very intelligent manner, and that is why they continue to remain as one of the real forces in Spanish football. When they lose a big player, they manage to bounce back and remain in a similar sort of position, whereas if you look at Arsenal for example, they really feel the affects of losing their star players. I think it is down to the fact that the manager is a Club man, and understands what the situation is. He improves players who are already in the squad, and in recent years has proven to be very shrewd with the players he has brought into the Club. Obviously, he would love more money for more players, just like any manager would, but he see`s the bigger picture. Both he and Manuel Llorente, who is the Chief Executive, are very clever with how they work with finances. They run a tight ship, but it is a great combination. They have found the finances now to continue the development of their new 70,000 stadium. That will be a foundation for the Club to build upon, to one day really go head-to-head with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
I think Roberto Soldado has been the guy on everybody`s lips this season with his goalscoring exploits, do you expect him to have a big say on proceedings over the two legs of the tie?
He needs more tests in my opinion. He has to do it more consistently on the European stage and go on to prove himself on the international stage before he can be described as a top player. He has had a good Champions League campaign this year; scoring five goals in six games, and now he needs to build upon that in the Europa League. He gives us the impression that he could be an international quality striker, but to do that he has to come into these sort of games and shine. That is a test he may not have had before, so I am looking forward to seeing how he does against Stoke. He is very confident now with the goals he has been scoring, and this could be a huge week for him, because I have a feeling that he may get a call up into the Spanish team for the first time in a number of years. He has performed extremely well domestically for Valencia, now he has to take these chances and prove to everyone that he can do it on a different stage.
What is the manager`s philosophy Guillem? From what I have seen of them on television they certainly look to get the ball down on the ground when Ever Banega features, but revert to a more direct approach when he is absent!
For me, Ever Banega is a crucial player for Valenica, but against Stoke, certainly in the first leg, it is going to take an almighty team effort to go out there and get the job done. I have been thinking about how they will approach the game and I`m still not certain what they will do. My gut feeling is that they will stick with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Albelda in the middle alongside Ever. They will both have a huge job to do, but I feel they will be able to shine more at the Mestella, when they have the space on the pitch to be clever with their moves. The wingers will be crucial too, and they will need to come inside, rather than just staying out by the byline. They need to find inside channels from passes from the midfield, and Ever will be key to that.
`Los Che` will undoubtedly be everybody`s favourites going into this tie, but do you think they will relish a trip to the Britannia Stadium on a cold, and possibly snowy Thursday evening?
There is this saying that Messi wouldn`t do what he does on a wet Wednesday in Stoke, I`m not too sure about that. But, let`s see what Valencia can do! To be honest, the more I think about the game, the more I think that they are going to struggle. The first leg though at Stoke will just be the first leg; I am certain that nothing will be won or lost in this game. With the way that Stoke play, they will definitely make life very hard for Valencia at the Britannia Stadium. There won`t be any space for the players to move around the pitch, they will be pressured every time they have the ball, and that should make it an interesting match up. Stoke will be happy to absorb pressure and try to catch Valencia on the break; that is exactly what Valencia don`t like. I can`t see them winning this game; maybe a 1-1 draw, as I think both sides will score.
I think it is fair to say that both legs will be stark in contrast!
Definitely, they will be two totally different games. That is what makes this tie so intriguing. For Stoke, they have nothing really to lose, whereas Valencia have a lot of expectations to do well in this competition. They are really playing with the pressure to win the tie and Stoke are there to make an impact; and for me that is a big difference. It is a huge mental test for the Valencia players. They all seem to be up for it, but we will see when the match gets underway at the Britannia Stadium. Like I said earlier though, this is just the first leg, the fit half if you like. The tie will be decided at the Mestella and that is an advantage for Valencia for sure.
I know you have links with the City of Liverpool, and in particular Liverpool Football Club. How big an impact on the tie do you feel the two former Reds could be in this encounter at the Britannia Stadium tonight - Jermaine Pennant and Peter Crouch?
Potentially, they could have a very big impact, of course. It`s no secret that one of the weaknesses of the current Valencia team is in defending set-pieces. They will have to be very aware of that, and also, if they do concede from a set-piece, then they will have to stand strong and not fall victim to the intimidating atmosphere, and everything that comes with playing against Stoke.
Speaking of the Britannia Stadium, I am led to believe that you will be making the trip over here for the game? I certainly hope you have packed your scarf and gloves!
To be honest, as soon as the draw was made and this tie came out, I planned to be there for it. There is something about this tie, and it is really special. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it is one of the best ties of the season in any competition. I have been speaking to the guys at Valencia and they are really looking forward to the game. I even think Gaizka Mendieta will be coming over with me for the game. It has caught the imagination of supporters over in Spain too. Oh, and don`t worry, I was at a place which was minus five the other day, so I will be prepared for the game!
You are normally pretty spot on with your pre-match predictions, so I await your answer to this question with baited breathe! Who will come out on top this evening, and who do you feel will secure a spot in the last 16 of the competition?
It will be tight tonight; very tight. I think it will be 1-1, with Valencia going to the Mestella and winning the tie. They will have the spaces there to play their game and I think that will be the defining factor in the game. It isn`t going to be easy though, not at all. Stoke are a good side, and people may be dismissive of how they play and say it is a style of the past, but I don`t agree with that. I have no problem with it at all. It makes for these kind of intriguing matches, like we have here tonight. Every Club can play however they want. It is down to the finances of the Club, the players they have, the manager in charge and the culture of the fans. You do what you do to maximise what you have, and having spoken to other players about Stoke, nobody enjoys playing against them... which is a good thing I would think!
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Post by Ninjadmin on Feb 15, 2012 10:29:02 GMT
Balenthia.
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Post by One-Two on Feb 15, 2012 10:56:42 GMT
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Post by One-Two on Feb 15, 2012 10:58:34 GMT
Piatti, Banega and Soldado are quite scary players. Diego Alves is an excellent keeper too. Luckily for us, he went to the "Gomes School of Dealing with Set Plays"
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