I just love that Liverpool is playing the bottom of the table, no win having TFC. I can only predict a clean sweep, even if Liverpool brought an academy reserve team of 18 and unders.
TFC's first win of the season, proving that they shouldn't be wasting their time in the MLS and should be North America's first team in the Prem because then they could spend as much money as they want because the stupid rules of the MLS wouldn't be hampering them.
I think you need to understand that because the Crew isn't playing one of the big 4 most Crew fans think they are somehow being put down, thus the Stoke is terrible comment. I would bet there are only a handful of Crew fans that can say they have watched a Stoke game or know where they finished in the table without looking it up first.
Once again, the reason why I think most people are disappointed is because they do know all about Stoke. Regardless of their league position, they are an ugly squad that play an ugly brand of soccer - they pride themselves on that. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that we get the opportunity to see an EPL squad in C-Bus, but c'mon, Stoke would probably be everyone's 17th pick if they had to choose who we'd play, not because we're ignorant (as you're implying), but because we're informed.
Somewhere in the bottom third I think...but I think it's towards the top. I can't remember if they or Fulham were higher. I know they were higher than Villa. I think the issue that most fans have (at least me, and that's what's important, right?) is that Stoke doesn't bring any excitement in terms of marketing. They are not a well known team outside of England. How long have they been in the premiership now? I honestly don't know, but my mind says "not long". Who are their key marketable "names" to the Columbus market? Premiership teams that we've had in previously all pretty much marketed themselves based on team name recognition. While I've never said they were bad or terrible from a quality standpoint, I'd agree that they're terrible from a marketing standpoint. Stoke won't bring in the casual MLS fan like Newcastle would or one of the other five or six names would. Anyone from places from 5 - 10 would have been golden. Obviously, top four would have been huge, but NEVER gonna happen. 11 - 15 is merely "meh" in most people's minds. I have several friends that are HUGE soccer fans, but Eurosnobby in the fact that "MLS is crap, so I'm not watching" point of view. They have ZERO interest in this game. ------------- Just looked it up, and apart from my comment about Fulham, I was pretty much spot on. Towards the top of the bottom third. #kindoflikeColumbusCrew
Miller high Life s&its on PBR there is a reason the brewery went t*ts up..because its garbage and even though a class of over tattooed trust-fund babes with sock hat got there mitts on it..its still garbage.
As far as publicity goes, maybe we can get adidas to make them some "Cleveland Stokers" throwback jerseys....
oh i understand now! i would say the same the other way around too. i heard you played newcastle last year. how did that go on? we are at a relatively similar level to newcastle to be honest (although we did beat them 4-0 last season ) but both of us have pushed on massively since then. i wouldnt be too disappointed if i were you. this will be a more fun game for you. top team fans are often cocky and a bit annoying. stoke fans will be a good laugh and are better fans anyway... they make ore noise and like to get drunk haha...
i think you may be surprised at how much the media influences how people see us. our football isnt that bad on many occasions. its just different. not really ugly. it's all about quick, skilful wingers.
Yeah, they're great fun the way they booed Aaron Ramsey when he was lying on the pitch with his leg snapped and every time he touched the ball this season.
i would agree with you on that. although we should be finishing about 9th or 10th. however being in europe has meant we have effectively played two seasons in the space of one and it has greatly effected our league position, and although now much more well known in europe we still arent as well known in the U.S.
I'm influenced by my two eyes and I've watched your lot play about 30 times over the past few seasons. To describe their style as "inelegant" would be a compliment. Yes, Etherington is a good winger, but there's not much skill around the rest of the squad. Stoke is good at what they do, but what they do is ugly as shit.
you need to stop listening to the media. every time any arsenal player touched the ball they were booed. in fact any opposition player who comes to the britannia is booed. it is all part of the atmosphere which many opposition players have cracked under over the years. ramsey was never singled out.
I watched the match. He was clearly getting booed on every touch, to the point that the match commentators felt compelled to mention how unsavory it was. EDIT - not sure why I'm picking a fight, honestly I'm glad Stoke are coming and I do plan on being in the crowd.
hopefully this summer we can add t0 our squad players such as jermaine defoe and improve our style. we do posses one of the most skilful players in the premiership though here are some of ricardo fullers best goals. he is magic.
its ok! haha.. its debate.. thats what these message boards are for. stoke fans started booing ramsey after arsenal fans gave abuse to a stoke player, as a way of getting back at arsenal. thats the way fans work in england! sorry about that particularly long post above by the way. i got a little carried away
Haha - yeah, Fuller was skilled. I was under the impression he was leaving the club, and why wouldn't he? With immense talents like Jon Walters and Cameron Jerome in front of him, and all.
i think he may sign a new contract. i spoke to him the other day down the training ground and he said he would love to stay. he played the other day and showed he hasnt lost it. jerome is an athlete disguised as a player. the fastest player you will ever see but has the touch of a giraffe and cant finish for crap. walters just runs... and runs.. and runs. mega fit... but not fit to lace fullers boots. we cant understand why the front pairing isnt crouch-fuller instead of crouch-walters.
Put me in the group that is not all that excited about seeing Stoke (although I will be there as well). I have seen Stoke play many games over the past few seasons and to describe them with skillful, tricky wingers makes me wonder if we are talking about the same Stoke. Love Tony Pulis because he has gotten results, improved the club, and generally seems like a fantastic manager. I think the ugly style of a few seasons ago was simply to ensure safety in the PL. Now that Tony has managed to really a fixture in the league hopefully they will start to show a little more eye pleasing soccer.
Hamm's is quite popular, but don't tell anyone. As for Stoke, please leave Jermaine Pennant in England...
I can live with teams like Stoke rolling in every summer as long as every fourth winter we get the Mexicans.
To the naysayers in general I would ask this: where do you think Stoke would finish in MLS? How does their fitness, technicality, squad depth and tactical effectiveness rate against MLS teams? I would say the comparison would be almost entirely in Stoke's favor. It's a difficult comparison to make, but not even the best MLS teams could say that Stoke is a clearly inferior opponent, especially in a one-off match. I completely agree that from a marketing perspective Stoke have a small profile, but anyone with a decent knowledge of the Premier League should be familiar with them by now. I think Pulis favors a physical, direct approach to the game. He'll never set the team up to play like Wigan or Norwich. But they still have some technical players.
he wont.. hes just been let off for a few crimes with an 8 week suspended jail sentence... so he will probably be there.