the wingers are a crucial part of our game. thats why we need the quick , tricky wingers like pennant and etherington.
I'd rather play Swansea, a club that actually puts out an entertaining, talented squad. I have zero interest in watching Stoke any more than I have done, which is plenty for one lifetime, thank you.
I don't know how you are drawing a line between Stoke's style of play and where they would finish in MLS. Anyone would bet EPL teams would do really really well in MLS but that doesn't mean I want to watch them. Most fans want to see an entertaining game (still could be) with lots of attacking excitement, they want that buzz factor (Stoke doesn't bring it).
I surly do not know more than you when it comes to Stoke but I looked up the roster because maybe I was forgetting someone. Etherington, Pennant, and Shotton, are the only true wingers on the team. We must have different understanding of quick, and tricky.
Stoke like to get the ball forward and put the ball into the box - it's all about percentages. Their style while still "direct" has evolved season after season in the premier league - it has had to because once you get found out you struggle (see Blackpool). I will take their style over ours any day.
I honestly don't know what our style is. My main issue with us playing Stoke is outside of the truly hardcore fans it won't drive people to come see them. Now I know that casual fans only want to watch 15-20 of the biggest clubs in the world. However, it's a lot easier for me to convince someone to come watch Spurs, or Valencia than it will be to come see Stoke.
I am not sure what people are expecting to be honest. Columbus is not a "glamor" location for any teams. Players don't come here, and obviously it is hard to get teams to come here too. I am not sure if anyone is thinking that Stoke will draw in the crwds, and if they do they need their heads examined. I think Stoke are also playing Kansas. However, they are EPL, and they are a good team. I am happy with the choice (if there even was a choice). Just out of interest, what other European clubs are playing in the US this summer - Is there a list somewhere?
he got arrested and was in trouble ... thats why he wasnt starting. he is one of the most talented members of the squad though so should play a bigger part next season.
swansea are boring. they have no end product. at least stoke get in the opposition half every now and again. and without seeing us play how can you say our squad is not talented? i think the game is much different in america. more about entertainment than winning
Here is a thread on it https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/...dlies-march-2012-november-2012.1913788/page-4
You clearly have never watched an MLS game during the summer "heat" months. Entertainment is not a word associated with those games very often. As for Swansea vs Stoke. Give me Swansea every day of the week, Swansea lead the league in possession and tied on pass completion percentage. While that does not guarantee goals it would be an indicator of an open and passing game.
Take whatever the number of season ticket holders that we have and half it. There's your attendance for this yawner.
In your opinion, based on the arguments in this thread up until this point. In terms of prestige amongst soccer fans, and the appeal to the wider soccer community in Columbus is Stoke > Schalke, or the other way around? I am not talking about who would win if they played each other, I am talking more about the product marketing view point.
Schalke is in third place in the Bundesliga and is in the CL on a regular basis and has name players. OTOH, the EPL probably has a larger fanbase in the US than the Bundesliga. If we look at the European Football 2011-12 thread, for example, most of the time it's really an England thread. So I find it hard to say which is better for the average Columbus fan, but lean toward the EPL. For me, personally, I'd rather see Schalke. But I've been a BL fan most of my life (largely due to "Soccer Made in Germany" when I was a teen as well as growing up in a German neighborhood). But I'd play up the former Cleveland connection in my publicity too.
I'm not sure you can get a truly honest answer to that question on this board. I think a lot of people on the Crew BS board follow or are higher on Schalke than on Stoke. However, in the larger city scene, I still think an EPL team like Stoke would generate more interest than a Bundesliga team like Schalke just by virtue of the hot words "English" and "Premier League" over "German" and "Bundesliga."An individual Bundesliga team like Bayern, obviously, transcends those limitations.