Chapter 866： Fight, my warriors!

In the history of the Premier League, Stoke City is not a team worth mentioning.

Although it has a long history second only to Notts County, in the first ten years of the Premier League, it has always been in the second level of the League and later the British Championship, and even the third level of league competition.

In 2002, Stoke City welcomed Tony Pulis.

At that time, Stoke City had just been promoted from the third tier into the League. Under Pulis’s guidance, Stoke City played steadily and was always in the middle of the League. However, due to the contradiction with the new boss, Pooley Si angrily resigned, and it was not until a year later that former owner Coates returned to take charge of the team before he invited Pulis back.

This time, Pulis spent two years to bring Stoke City to the British championship and runner-up, and successfully promoted to the Premier League.

From the relegation in 1985 to the return in 2008, Stoke City took 23 years.

This is also the first time Tony Pulis has coached a Premier League team.

Almost without being favored by anyone, Stoke City won twelfth in the Premier League that season and successfully relegated.

Ranked eleventh last season, and temporarily ranked eighth this season.

Tony Pulis led Stoke City, breaking a world in the Premier League.

In the three years of the Premier League, Stoke City earned himself a nickname, City of the Sky.

The origin of this nickname is mainly due to the play style of the Stoke City team coached by Pulis.

Do you know which team has the highest average height among the 20 Premier League teams this season?

Which team has the heaviest average weight?

Yes, congratulations, you are right.

Stoke City!

With an average height of 1.87 meters and an average weight of close to 82 kilograms, Stoke City has become the most special one among the 20 teams in the Premier League, which can be called the unique landscape of the Premier League.

In this team of Pulis, there is no complicated tactics, no fine ball control, and no imaginative cooperation. They don't need all of this at all. They have returned the football tactics to the most primitive traditional play.

This is also the tradition of English football, with long passes.

With one hand, and their excellent foul ball throwing grenade tactics, Stoke City currently ranks eighth in the Premier League.

Even Ferguson feels incredible, thinking that Tony Pulis's team is the most unique scenery in the Premier League.

"Their footballs are always flying in the sky, and it seems that they don't need to land at all to be sent to the goal!"

Therefore, Pulis' team won the nickname, City of the Sky.

Manchester City is the team with the shortest average height in the Premier League, similar to Arsenal, and Manchester City's tactical play is to control the ball at the foot and penetrate the opponent's defense through passing and coordination.

This is completely opposite to Stoke City.

The tallest and shortest in the Premier League, the long pass and the penetration of the pass, coupled with Ferguson's arching fire before the game, made Stoke City's away game against Manchester City become extremely eye-catching.

Who is better?

This battle is related to the ownership of the Premier League championship this season, and it also determines the arrival of the first Premier League championship in Manchester City's history. Therefore, on the night of the game, the Etihad Stadium was full of seats, and even a large number of fans gathered outside the stadium. .

They couldn't buy tickets for admission, so they could only stay outside and listen to the movement inside.

…

Before the game, the visiting team's locker room.

Tony Pulis looked at the Stoke City players in front of him.

Central defender Shawcross is 1.91 meters tall, Collins and Wilson are both over 1.85 meters, even the favorite Wilkinson has reached 1.8 meters, plus midfielders who are generally more than 1.8 meters tall.

After scanning for a while, Tony Pulis felt a little relieved.

Facing Su Dong, shorter height is not safe.

That Chinese is like a monster!

Sometimes he even wondered whether Su Dong was a biochemical person researched in the laboratory of the Chinese military?

Otherwise, how could he be so perfect?

Thinking of this, Tony Pulis smiled and shook his head, throwing off the nonsense idea.

"Everyone, this is our penultimate game of the season. The opponent is Manchester City, which is aiming for the championship, and we are still on the road. But I believe that Etihad fans can't scare us!"

Tony Pulis is making the final mobilization before the game.

"Ryan, have you heard Sir Ferguson's call? Manchester United tonight needs you more than ever before!"

Tony Pulis looked at the defender Ryan Shawcross.

Shawcross was born in Manchester United's youth training and used to be one of the first team players, but after being loaned to Antwerp, Belgium, he was sent to Stoke City. It has always been Shawcross's wish to return to Manchester United.

Ferguson is also his godfather!

At this moment, hearing the encouragement of Tony Pulis, the fierce Shawcross eyes flashed sharply.

"He don't think about passing me tonight! Don't think about it once!"

This ruthless look made even the surrounding teammates shudder.

This is a cruel role that can tackle Arsenal midfielder Ramsey's leg in the game!

Tony Pulis was very satisfied with Shawcross’s fierceness. After encouraging and nodded, he turned to look at the team’s Norwegian center John Carew. The latter became aware of the head coach’s eyes. With a solemn expression.

At 1.96 meters tall and 31 years old, John Carew is not the main player of the Stoke City team. He even just returned from his injury not long ago, but tonight, facing Manchester City, Tony Pulis still treats him Put it in the starting lineup.

He knows John Carew, even though the Norwegian only moved from Aston Villa to Stoke this season.

"John, I know, you have never let go, you have always wanted to prove yourself, now the opportunity is here! Defeating him, breaking Manchester City's goal in front of him, prove that you are not inferior to him!"

These words of Tony Pulis seemed to touch a certain point in John Carew's heart, causing him to ignite a raging fire, and immediately the whole person became high-spirited.

In the eyes of many people, John Carew is just a Premier League center forward. He does not score many goals, has a low reputation, and often fails to play the main force. He just has a burly body and is used by many people to follow him. Compare Su Dong.

This is what John Carew hates most.

Because he was in Valencia that year, it was because of Su Dong that he completely lost his position and was swept out by Benitez.

John Carew will never forget, when the people in Valencia told him that the team must make room for Su Dong.

It was also from the time he left Valencia that John Carew's career went downhill until now.

He hates being compared with Su Dong. The more he compares, the more he hates and the hotter he feels.

Tony Pulis saw through his mind, so let him start, hoping that he can release the beast in his heart as much as possible and break Manchester City's goal.

"Everyone!"

Tony Pulis stood among all the players and attracted their attention.

"We are not a strong team, we do not have any big-name players, and even our rankings are only in the middle. We are always so inconspicuous, no one pays attention, no one pays attention, we are like the heroes in the movie, no one The first passerby who will care."

"I know that you have had enough of all this, and you are also eager to appear on the headlines of major newspapers like those stars. Now, I tell you, the opportunity is here!"

Tony Pulis's mobilization was really inflammatory. He easily ignited everyone in the locker room and became excited.

"Get out of this locker room, walk on this stadium, and kill the team in front of you that is about to win the Premier League championship. Then you, everyone present, will become the headlines of the major media around the world tomorrow. Enjoy unprecedented attention, and you will become the focus of most attention!"

"Fight, my warriors! Unleash the beast in your heart and devour our opponent!"

...

...

Manchester City is also doing enough preparations for the home game against Stoke City.

Ferguson's arching fire before the game did not affect the Manchester City coaching staff's preparations.

For defeating Stoke City, Manchester City are full of confidence.

But in the game, from the moment the whistle sounded, everyone in UU Read Manchester City, even the fans in the stands, felt the difference in Stoke City tonight.

They are just as if they are going to fight for it, don't want to die, take a full-court press against Manchester City, not allowing Manchester City to easily take the ball and control the ball.

Relying on their excellent physical confrontation and height advantage, they kept making fouls on the court, constantly interrupting Manchester City's passing rhythm, and constantly disrupting Manchester City's offensive line, causing the game to be interrupted again and again.

Stoke City is a very smart team. They know how to use the referee's law enforcement standards and let their fouls drift between winning and disallowing cards. This makes Manchester City players have nothing to do with them.

Although it is at home, despite a week of rest, when Manchester City encounters such a completely desperate opponent, they will be really helpless for a while.

As long as Stoke City catches a chance, gets close, and makes a physical contact, Manchester City players will immediately turn their backs.

Physically, the gap between Manchester City and Stoke City is still very obvious.

Tony Pulis's team is nicknamed City of the Sky and is good at long passes. This style of play has a low success rate but a fast pace.

He played a long pass with a steal, and grabbed it after a long pass made a mistake. The pace of the whole game was pulled very quickly, like a wild horse that had run off. No matter how Manchester City pulled it, they couldn't slow down the rhythm.

Stoke City really has nothing to pursue, but they are happy to beat the team that is about to win the championship on the away game, and even snipe the local team that is about to win the championship.

Nothing else, just to let the whole world see them and let all the fans know them.

This is more attractive than anything else for a team that has been struggling in the low-level leagues for a long time and has been mixing with mid-lower teams for a long time.