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Stoke City Watch

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Updated: January 16, 2012

Valencia’s Europa League opponents visited Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday.

Stoke City earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday. In a game they were expected to lose, Stoke were comfortable throughout the game and were rarely tested by a Liverpool side who produced a poor performance.

Holland striker Dirk Kuyt put a free header wide from 12 yards late in the second half, which was the only real chance they had. Thomas Sorensen in the goal for Stoke had a relatively comfortable afternoon, which is usually rare for opposition goalkeepers at Anfield.

Defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Ryan Shawcross were fantastic throughout and they have created a really good partnership this season together.

But Stoke didn’t offer much as an attacking threat in this particular match as they were satisfied with earning the point. Peter Crouch up front hardly got a touch of the ball in the whole 90 minutes.

Stoke rely heavily on getting their goals from set-pieces and they are very dangerous from them, Valencia need to make sure they do not give them any cheap free-kicks or corners, because with their aerial threat they will punish you.

Many of their goals also come via long throws, their midfielder Rory Delap is a specialist with long throws, they are practically crosses into the box.

A word of warning for Valencia, do not put many crosses into the box, because Stoke are fantastic at defending crosses, they have tall defenders who enjoy heading the ball away and Liverpool continously put crosses in which were easily dealt with.

If Valencia play their usual passing style and keep possession well, they will trouble Stoke City. But it will be a difficult tie for Los Che, Stoke will not be easy to beat.

Next week Stoke play at home against West Bromwich Albion.

  • moe

    if we cant beat stoke then la liga is doomed

    • Fadi

      Yes, I will never believe Stock City players have better technical abilities than Valencia players. They may just have better physique.

      • http://www.facebook.com/ Cheyanna

        The honesty of your posting shines tohurgh

  • Cile

    Not too much to see. It’s possible to lose to them since Valencia tends to get frustrated against an opposition that’s happy to sit back and go on an occassional counter. And Stoke not only specialise in that but they’re also far more physical than what Valencia’s used to in La Liga. They’re a classic english side, not something I’d want to see Valencia play against.

  • Richie

    Well, guys. Let us  be a little positive here. I know Stoke from the way they play in the Barclay’s Premier league, and the Europa League. They are a team that can lose with a  5 goal margin when they want to and they should not be a threat to us if the team will really be organised.

  • Valencia

    we must win against stoke

  • Cile

    A bit off-topic but Abidal’s signed a new contract with Barcelona. Could this mean Alba’s set to stay put?

    • Moe

      I think it depends on adrianos season for barca

  • tariqsaleh

    We’ve got to be realistic, every Valencia player has a price and if Barcelona come calling, then they are very likely to leave if we get a good offer. At the moment if Barca decide they want J.Alba, firstly he wouldn’t turn them down and secondly we would find it hard to reject an offer of 15 million or more, that’s the reality.
    Alba has been excellent this season but if we get 15 million or more, it would be a great deal for Valencia because he can be replaced, possibly by Guardado who will be a great free transfer. What do you guys think?

    • Jafar

      We need to start to build a team around the best player we have and he is one of them so I prefer to keep him.
      If we continue to sell player we will be become weaker and weaker even if we don’t have to sell any more, of course if he wants to leave we can/shouldn’t try to keep him but even though it’s difficult to keep players when bigger teams are asking for them but we have to try everything to try and keep them.
      He has still not responded so it’s either that he really wants it or he finds it ridiculous and it’s not true(yet). Either way we aren’t going to sell him now and we could get more in the summer and by that time we might find a replacement who could turn out to be better.
      I want to keep him like everyone else but if he wants to go than we can’t force him to stay.  

  • Atso

    Alba got clause of 9 mil. I think :/
    btw Emery got this !! (NOT)?!

  • tariqsaleh

    9 mil?! Really? now if he leaves for that price then we will be robbed, I guess that’s why Valencia are so keen to give him a new contract, maybe to increase the release clause

  • Cile

    A new contract would mean he’s tied long-term rather than increasing a release clause.

  • Paul Powner

    We (Stoke) have many fans purchasing tickets online from Valencia. Do we need a Spanish ID card to collect those tickets in Valencia?