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Post by lordb on Jan 15, 2021 23:23:07 GMT
Hard to choose
Shaqiri collection of outrageous goals will live long in the memory.
If only we had had Nzonzi with Bojan, Shaqiri and Arnie.
Even the supporting cast, Ireland,Affellay, Adam were bloody good players.
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Post by a on Jan 15, 2021 23:31:22 GMT
No debate.
Mad Marko Arnautovic.
Unplayable at times and had the skill to back up that arrogance.
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Post by lordb on Jan 15, 2021 23:41:07 GMT
No debate. Mad Marko Arnautovic. Unplayable at times and had the skill to back up that arrogance. He missed too many chances to be clearly better than the others
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Post by a on Jan 15, 2021 23:42:39 GMT
No debate. Mad Marko Arnautovic. Unplayable at times and had the skill to back up that arrogance. He missed too many chances to be clearly better than the others Still the best we had imo. Loved nzonzi and bojan and shaq but arnie for me is the pick of the bunch. The way he’d just casually bring the ball down then burst past players was a joy to watch
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Post by Vadiation_Ribe on Jan 15, 2021 23:49:34 GMT
I know what you mean, but Arnie was/is a super player. As much as I loved Bojan, I'd choose Arnie. He was of course a super player I'm just a bitter bastard! There's one thing worse than your hot missus leaving you for a better looking fella and that's your missus leaving you for an equally ugly bastard with more mental parents! I'll never forgive the twat. Still N'Zonzi and Bojan for me. Bojan is the only player that ever took my breath away in all my time watching Stoke. Those early days he was on a different planet to what anyone under 45 had seen at Stoke. I think Bojan was better for a longer period, including after that injury. Arnautovic was only really consistently great for one season, and even that season he started out of favour. And Bojan was just generally loveable as well as being a fantastic player. It's wonderful we have so many players from that era to discuss. Johnson and Affelay probably wouldn't be considered the best by anyone, but when we were at our best, they played a big part in that. I don't think I'll ever see the like at Stoke again, however successful O'Neill is, and I think he will be.
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Jan 16, 2021 7:11:26 GMT
Bojan. It'll be tough to displace him as my favourite ever. Then Zonz, then Arnie.
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Post by s7oke on Jan 16, 2021 7:15:20 GMT
Bojan
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Post by clarkeda on Jan 16, 2021 7:33:17 GMT
He missed too many chances to be clearly better than the others Still the best we had imo. Loved nzonzi and bojan and shaq but arnie for me is the pick of the bunch. The way he’d just casually bring the ball down then burst past players was a joy to watch I don’t think we will see anyone with a better first touch than Arnie. Watching I’m bring down those long diagonals on the tip of his toe was a joy to watch, and incredibly underrated.
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Post by Gabrielzakuaniandjuliet on Jan 16, 2021 7:46:57 GMT
There was a handful of games where Bojan could have been mistaken for David Silva. Over a longer period of time, Nzonzi
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Post by s7oke on Jan 16, 2021 7:55:09 GMT
Still the best we had imo. Loved nzonzi and bojan and shaq but arnie for me is the pick of the bunch. The way he’d just casually bring the ball down then burst past players was a joy to watch I don’t think we will see anyone with a better first touch than Arnie. Watching I’m bring down those long diagonals on the tip of his toe was a joy to watch, and incredibly underrated. Personally think crouch had a better touch than arnautovic
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Post by clarkeda on Jan 16, 2021 8:02:19 GMT
I don’t think we will see anyone with a better first touch than Arnie. Watching I’m bring down those long diagonals on the tip of his toe was a joy to watch, and incredibly underrated. Personally think crouch had a better touch than arnautovic In not convinced, crouch is surprisingly good with his feet though, I’ll give you that. Something we under utilised for a long time.
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Post by scfc75 on Jan 16, 2021 8:13:49 GMT
Bojan. The way he played November, December and January showed why he was dubbed the next Messi at Barcelona. He could have returned to them in that form and fitted in place with no issue. Naturally talented and his injury denied us a proper Stoke legend I feel. I’d argue his best spell was after his injury, the following winter when we had that run including wins against Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and the 4-3 at Everton.
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Post by J-Roar on Jan 16, 2021 8:41:10 GMT
Personally think crouch had a better touch than arnautovic In not convinced, crouch is surprisingly good with his feet though, I’ll give you that. Something we under utilised for a long time. And surprisingly poor in the air.
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Post by Goonie on Jan 16, 2021 8:48:23 GMT
Arnautovic
On his day unplayable.
Appeared laconic, even lethargic, deceptively slow but was incredibly strong, fast, aggressive and held the Stoke DNA in his new era Crazy Gang attitude. Loved to play up to the crowd. The most skillful player I've seen in a Stoke shirt since 1980's onward.
One example, though the game escapes me, saw a dreadfully misplaced cross-field ball come towards him on the right-wing arrive nearly head height and nearly 2 yards in front of him. He lunged forward with his right leg , making contact with his outstretched toes and brought the ball down under his complete control before it went out of play and then jockeyed and jinked past his man with a lightening burst of speed to head toward the byeline to cross the ball.
If his finishing and attitude had been better he would of rivalled Ibrahimovic
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Post by clarkeda on Jan 16, 2021 8:53:09 GMT
In not convinced, crouch is surprisingly good with his feet though, I’ll give you that. Something we under utilised for a long time. And surprisingly poor in the air. I agree, didn’t want to say it though and come across all Bayern though! Considering he’s scored the most headed goals in the PL!
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Post by mattythestokie on Jan 16, 2021 8:55:38 GMT
Hard to choose Shaqiri collection of outrageous goals will live long in the memory. If only we had had Nzonzi with Bojan, Shaqiri and Arnie. Even the supporting cast, Ireland,Affellay, Adam were bloody good players. I’m glad you mentioned Ireland. I strangely really liked him. He really was a perfect fit for that attacking midfield role during his time here. I don’t like this ‘we never replaced Nzonzi argument’. It’s the same way that Barcelona aren’t going to replace Messi. He was far superior than any player that we could possibly get in my opinion. He was that good. We were lucky enough to watch him play in Stoke colours.
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Post by tosh on Jan 16, 2021 8:57:29 GMT
In not convinced, crouch is surprisingly good with his feet though, I’ll give you that. Something we under utilised for a long time. And surprisingly poor in the air. .....and yet holds the all time record for headed goals in the Premier League? - (53 - ahead of Shearer 48)!
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Post by chuffedstokie on Jan 16, 2021 9:06:55 GMT
What lordb said.
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Post by fca47 on Jan 16, 2021 9:19:20 GMT
Pre injury, Bojan by a mile.
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Post by RF10 on Jan 16, 2021 9:23:50 GMT
Bojan. The way he played November, December and January showed why he was dubbed the next Messi at Barcelona. He could have returned to them in that form and fitted in place with no issue. Naturally talented and his injury denied us a proper Stoke legend I feel. I’d argue his best spell was after his injury, the following winter when we had that run including wins against Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and the 4-3 at Everton. I don't buy all the he wasn't same player after injury as like you have said he clearly still had it. It's more a case of his continued form from the initial spell which I referred to and continuing it through the remainder of that season. If that happened I think there's a possibility he wouldn't of been with us the following season anyway as he looked capable of playing for any team during that spell.
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Post by supersimonstainrod on Jan 16, 2021 9:34:21 GMT
N'zonzi;So composed on the ball,secured decent possession for the forwards and also bought them time and space.Had a genuine streak of devilment,if things cut up rough.
How many other midfielders marked Yaya Touré out of a game at a time when he was cutting a swathe through Premier League sides on a weekly basis?
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Post by dutchstokie on Jan 16, 2021 9:40:24 GMT
The bloke in my avatar on the right
Not the fat one on the left
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Post by mattythestokie on Jan 16, 2021 9:51:25 GMT
Bojan. The way he played November, December and January showed why he was dubbed the next Messi at Barcelona. He could have returned to them in that form and fitted in place with no issue. Naturally talented and his injury denied us a proper Stoke legend I feel. I’d argue his best spell was after his injury, the following winter when we had that run including wins against Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd and the 4-3 at Everton. The spell after his injury was most definitely with the support of Arnie and Shaq. His spell before the injury was solely down to him.
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Post by lordb on Jan 16, 2021 10:04:24 GMT
Still the best we had imo. Loved nzonzi and bojan and shaq but arnie for me is the pick of the bunch. The way he’d just casually bring the ball down then burst past players was a joy to watch I don’t think we will see anyone with a better first touch than Arnie. Watching I’m bring down those long diagonals on the tip of his toe was a joy to watch, and incredibly underrated. He was definitely the best at that. Did it over and over again, absolutely incredible
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Post by OldStokie on Jan 16, 2021 10:42:03 GMT
My heart says Bojan. Not only was he so beautiful to watch when he glided across the turf and performed his genius, but like Jimmy Greenhoff, he managed to worm his way into my heart like no other Stoke player has ever done. Just to see his name on the teamsheet made my day.
My head says N'Zonzi because at his supreme best he was the only player who has come close to producing the same skills as the great Alan Hudson. A giant of a player.
My pragmatic self chooses Arnie because his supreme skills and enigmatic performances left me star struck. The only other player who could match him that way was Peter Hoekstra. 'That' game Hoekstra played against Reading will always remain in my memory as one of the greatest ever performances by a Stoke player. Arnie almost replicated that a number of times.
OS.
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Post by bojanwonder on Jan 16, 2021 10:42:20 GMT
He's in my username. He's in my avatar. And he's the most exciting player I've watched at Stoke. Plus he loved the club, the fans, was always happy and was a well-mannered and respectful person. So proud he was part of our success!
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Post by supersimonstainrod on Jan 16, 2021 10:50:02 GMT
I don’t think we will see anyone with a better first touch than Arnie. Watching I’m bring down those long diagonals on the tip of his toe was a joy to watch, and incredibly underrated. He was definitely the best at that. Did it over and over again, absolutely incredible I can't think of Arnie's control without Pugsley's brilliant comment popping into my head: "Best first touch on a Stoke player i've ever seen,the boy could trap an Exocet missile..."
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Post by nott1 on Jan 16, 2021 11:00:16 GMT
Glenn Whealan, because without him doing the gritty and unnoticed work you wouldn’t have been able to witness the flair and sublime skills of the players who grabbed the headlines, he did his job without any fanfare and you where guaranteed the same level of consistency game after game. He showed his character by driving all his replacements away and has never been been properly replaced to too this day. The thought of Stokealona and Whelan don't belong in tandem!
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Post by supersimonstainrod on Jan 16, 2021 11:18:42 GMT
Glenn Whealan, because without him doing the gritty and unnoticed work you wouldn’t have been able to witness the flair and sublime skills of the players who grabbed the headlines, he did his job without any fanfare and you where guaranteed the same level of consistency game after game. He showed his character by driving all his replacements away and has never been been properly replaced to too this day. The thought of Stokealona and Whelan don't belong in tandem! Real Madrid fans used to harbour similar thoughts about Makélélé until they sold him..... (Not for one minute am I putting GW in the same class bracket as CM,before anyone starts! 😉)
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Post by foxysgloves on Jan 16, 2021 11:46:41 GMT
There is without doubt one that stands above the others John Walters You could literally see how frustrated Arnie used to get when he would tea it up for Walters and he would fluff it. Yeah but he probably appreciated Jon’s all action style, constant harassment of defenders, willingness to put his body (and head) on the line time after time, phenomenal ability to maintain incredible effort levels, outstanding character, diligence in following a game plan, ability to be disciplined in defence etc etc etc
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