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Post by Vadiation_Ribe on Jan 16, 2021 12:14:57 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 Crouch had a great touch, but Arnautovic's is one of the best I've seen at any club. 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)! His height advantage meant he never had to try too hard in the air. I'd say he was good but not great - Shearer was better. Also, how many headed goals did Shearer score before it became the Premier League?
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Post by staffordstokiemad1 on Jan 16, 2021 12:35:53 GMT
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 I agree with all of that mate, lacked quality but made up for it in other areas.
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Post by oslostokie1 on Jan 16, 2021 13:01:41 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! They absolutely do. It was players like Whelan, Walters and Shawcross who represented the "Stoke" and Bojan, Arnie and Shaq who represented the"alona". It went to pot when we lost that blend
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Post by Olgrligm on Jan 16, 2021 13:07:41 GMT
N’Zonzi. We never have and never will replace him. Our best footballer in the last decade by a mile, but gone by the Stokelona period, which was really just the second quarter of the following season. Our best player in that time was, in my opinion, Ryan Shawcross. We didn't concede a single goal when he was on the pitch in the first half of the season, and the season completely collapsed when he did his back away at Leicester. We went from barely conceding a goal to three consecutive 3-0 defeats in the blink of an eye.
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Post by thicknthin on Jan 16, 2021 13:13:34 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 Man City. His debut game
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Post by Vadiation_Ribe on Jan 16, 2021 13:21:38 GMT
N’Zonzi. We never have and never will replace him. Our best footballer in the last decade by a mile, but gone by the Stokelona period, which was really just the second quarter of the following season. Our best player in that time was, in my opinion, Ryan Shawcross. We didn't concede a single goal when he was on the pitch in the first half of the season, and the season completely collapsed when he did his back away at Leicester. We went from barely conceding a goal to three consecutive 3-0 defeats in the blink of an eye. Crikey - when I said I thought Shawcross' injury in that match led to the downfall of Bojan, I hadn't remembered things changed so quickly.
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Post by Gary Hackett on Jan 16, 2021 13:40:29 GMT
N'Zonzi by a country mile followed by Arnie once he'd got into his stride looking for a move in his final season.
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Post by Olgrligm on Jan 16, 2021 13:54:41 GMT
Our best footballer in the last decade by a mile, but gone by the Stokelona period, which was really just the second quarter of the following season. Our best player in that time was, in my opinion, Ryan Shawcross. We didn't concede a single goal when he was on the pitch in the first half of the season, and the season completely collapsed when he did his back away at Leicester. We went from barely conceding a goal to three consecutive 3-0 defeats in the blink of an eye. Crikey - when I said I thought Shawcross' injury in that match led to the downfall of Bojan, I hadn't remembered things changed so quickly. Yeah, that moment on the 23rd of January was the beginning of the end for Hughes. The three consecutive 3-0s that followed ushered in the era of four goal hammering. 9 days later we splurged £18,000,000 on Gianelli Imbula as the N'Zonzi replacement. At new year we were two points off a European spot and six points off fourth. Leicester won the league that year with a squad that was comparable to ours on paper. Finishing 9th was a real failure and possibly cost us Arnie.
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Post by toppercorner on Jan 16, 2021 13:58:00 GMT
Bojan, only just ahead of Nzonzi (for me)
The most naturally gifted player i have personally seen at Stoke. Effortless and sublime.
Free agent now too. I'd just get him back home to Stoke where he belongs.
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jan 16, 2021 14:01:35 GMT
Bojan, only just ahead of Nzonzi (for me) The most naturally gifted player i have personally seen at Stoke. Effortless and sublime. Free agent now too. I'd just get him back home to Stoke where he belongs. Don't get me wrong I love the guy, but very much a luxury and fitted us perfectly during that short period. I am not sure how he would get on in the Championship with less protection from referee's!
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Post by toppercorner on Jan 16, 2021 14:05:38 GMT
Bojan, only just ahead of Nzonzi (for me) The most naturally gifted player i have personally seen at Stoke. Effortless and sublime. Free agent now too. I'd just get him back home to Stoke where he belongs. Don't get me wrong I love the guy, but very much a luxury and fitted us perfectly during that short period. I am not sure how he would get on in the Championship with less protection from referee's! he was tougher than everyone gives him credit for. I think he'd spend less time on the floor compared to Powell. Who, coincidentally, is out of contract this summer if i'm right? No brainer for me, get Bojan back, let powell go in the summer. win win.
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jan 16, 2021 14:13:50 GMT
Don't get me wrong I love the guy, but very much a luxury and fitted us perfectly during that short period. I am not sure how he would get on in the Championship with less protection from referee's! he was tougher than everyone gives him credit for. I think he'd spend less time on the floor compared to Powell. Who, coincidentally, is out of contract this summer if i'm right? No brainer for me, get Bojan back, let powell go in the summer. win win. Maybe I am misremembering and even stereotyping a bit. Early in his career with us he was in an out of the team a lot and I remember watching a League Cup game where he was getting pushed off the ball and bullied out of possession very easily and thought he would never make it. He did make a concerted effort to bulk up a bit and came back stronger.
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Post by lordb on Jan 16, 2021 14:16:05 GMT
Don't get me wrong I love the guy, but very much a luxury and fitted us perfectly during that short period. I am not sure how he would get on in the Championship with less protection from referee's! he was tougher than everyone gives him credit for. I think he'd spend less time on the floor compared to Powell. Who, coincidentally, is out of contract this summer if i'm right? No brainer for me, get Bojan back, let powell go in the summer. win win. Powell has another year
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Post by Vadiation_Ribe on Jan 16, 2021 14:21:10 GMT
Bojan, only just ahead of Nzonzi (for me) The most naturally gifted player i have personally seen at Stoke. Effortless and sublime. Free agent now too. I'd just get him back home to Stoke where he belongs. Please don't tell me Bojan's a free agent. I'll be having dreams again. Don't get me wrong I love the guy, but very much a luxury and fitted us perfectly during that short period. I am not sure how he would get on in the Championship with less protection from referee's! he was tougher than everyone gives him credit for. I think he'd spend less time on the floor compared to Powell. Who, coincidentally, is out of contract this summer if i'm right? No brainer for me, get Bojan back, let powell go in the summer. win win. Apparently Powell has signed for an extra year, but I can't remember where I heard that.
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Post by jwhpotter on Jan 16, 2021 14:25:08 GMT
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Post by PotterLog on Jan 16, 2021 16:13:13 GMT
Not to come across too contrarian but Arnie’s skills are being a bit overstated here. Capable of a supreme first touch, yes, but perfectly capable of shinning it 30 yards too far as well. In his first few games it was almost comical how poor his touch and final ball were (trying too hard probably). Shooting the same, he couldn’t hit the thing straight sometimes.
The best technical footballer we’ve had at the club since the 70s is Bojan and there really shouldn’t be any debate about that.
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Post by redwhite on Jan 16, 2021 16:52:54 GMT
At their peaks: 1. Bojan, 2. Nzonzi, 3. Arnie
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Post by mtrstudent on Jan 16, 2021 17:17:54 GMT
The thought of Stokealona and Whelan don't belong in tandem! They absolutely do. It was players like Whelan, Walters and Shawcross who represented the "Stoke" and Bojan, Arnie and Shaq who represented the"alona". It went to pot when we lost that blend I liked Crouch's podcast where he's describing Pulis' training between his "ham'n'eggers" who get put through the grinder every week and his "tip tap charlies" up top.
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Post by J-Roar on Jan 16, 2021 17:31:09 GMT
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)! Considering his height advantage it's not surprising.
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Post by onefatcopper on Jan 16, 2021 18:22:53 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! No Whelan, No Stokealona, you need a flame to start a fire 🔥
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Post by basingstokie on Jan 16, 2021 18:31:30 GMT
N'Zonzi is the biggest miss
But for a couple of years we had Arnautovic, Bojan & Shaqiri upfront for us
Unbelievable Jeff
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Post by Staying up for Grandadstokey on Jan 16, 2021 20:12:19 GMT
A honourable mention for Marc Muniesa , who on his day was a top class defender, such a pity that injuries meant that we saw to little of him . Another who took our club and fans to his heart and the feeling was mutual. N'Zonzi was a Rolls Royce of a player and for me just pips Bojan and Arnie.
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Post by whatsashig on Jan 16, 2021 20:23:41 GMT
Nzonzi, how casual and effortless he could play had a bit of cantona about him. The last few games he played for us was majestic
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Post by cr4zyd4ve on Jan 16, 2021 20:24:28 GMT
A honourable mention for Marc Muniesa , who on his day was a top class defender, such a pity that injuries meant that we saw to little of him . Another who took our club and fans to his heart and the feeling was mutual. N'Zonzi was a Rolls Royce of a player and for me just pips Bojan and Arnie. Just prompted me to look up the Marc Muniesa chant on the old youtube, great times!!
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Post by marrer on Jan 16, 2021 23:18:59 GMT
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Post by longdistancekiddie on Jan 16, 2021 23:25:03 GMT
Arnie.
And he kept us in the prem in his last season here
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Post by viewfromthecrowsnest on Jan 16, 2021 23:27:14 GMT
Bojan. He was the Prodigal son from Barcelona. The Catalans rated him massively. I will never fully understand why he chose to play for Stoke, After Roma, Ajax, AC Milan, then us.
Once he settled in, after that magnificent solo goal against spuds, there was simply no looking back, and then THAT home game against Arsenal, he just simply tore them apart.
Arnie and Shaq were brilliant but Bojan was the heartbeat. I never forget the way I felt after he did his knee in on that horrible frozen pitch in the cup. It just seems like the Stardust vanished in an instant...
People might think we’re a dull club, but with him we were capable of real magic, real bloody magic...
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Post by PotterLog on Jan 17, 2021 0:50:13 GMT
Bojan. He was the Prodigal son from Barcelona. The Catalans rated him massively. I will never fully understand why he chose to play for Stoke, After Roma, Ajax, AC Milan, then us. Once he settled in, after that magnificent solo goal against spuds, there was simply no looking back, and then THAT home game against Arsenal, he just simply tore them apart. Arnie and Shaq were brilliant but Bojan was the heartbeat. I never forget the way I felt after he did his knee in on that horrible frozen pitch in the cup. It just seems like the Stardust vanished in an instant... People might think we’re a dull club, but with him we were capable of real magic, real bloody magic... They still love him in Barcelona.. It was common to see “when are you coming back?” posts on his Instagram from Barca fans, when he was playing for Stoke. Bizarre really.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Jan 17, 2021 2:01:29 GMT
Fonz Bojan Arnie Muniesa Moses Odenwingie Shaq
Absolute class. Proper footballers.
And a shout for Shawcross too. It was always and still is bollocks that Shawcross can’t pass. He’s very good with the ball and Hughes bought the absolute best out in him.
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Post by longdistancekiddie on Jan 17, 2021 2:41:10 GMT
Fonz Bojan Arnie Muniesa Moses Odenwingie Shaq Absolute class. Proper footballers. And a shout for Shawcross too. It was always and still is bollocks that Shawcross can’t pass. He’s very good with the ball and Hughes bought the absolute best out in him. Footballers and then you mention Shawcross in the same sentence as, 😂😂
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