Yeah He's Good But Can He Do it on a Cold Rainy Night at Stoke

This topic contains 5 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by  Mancity Jim 8 years, 4 months ago.

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  • #702535
    hatters
    hatters
    Participant
    • :

    The old cliché always does my head in. Most EPL followers hold the view that it is the toughest league in the world and the other leagues are simply a walkover for a select few clubs.

    Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG?? Couldn’t be bothered, they play in easy leagues. Messi, Neymar, Lewandowski?? Would they really look that good on a cold, wet, windy night at Stoke on Trent?? No ways, they’re all prancing weaklings anyways.

    I have always held the view that these elite club and their players would easily adapt to the EPL through sheer class and skill level but here is what Gerard Pique has to say about it:

    “I think that if Barcelona or Real Madrid goes to the Premier League then the first year of playing there, there is no chance of winning it. I think this is because if you go to Stoke, or other types of teams, then it will be really tough.”

    He goes on to make a vice versa comparison about Chelsea or Manchester United doing the same in Spain but this statement got me thinking anyways.

    Suarez, Di Maria, Schweinsteiger, Ronaldo – all these players have also mentioned that the difficulty level is higher in the EPL. This is also illustrated by the fact that Real Madrid and Barcelona have always been happy to spend top dollar on the best EPL players (Bale, Modric, Suarez, Ronaldo) and the results have been more than spectacular while buying players from Spain seems to hold an element of risk. Di Maria was a disaster, Pedro has a lot of work to do to adapt, Ozil took a while to truly adjust while Sanchez is the outlier with his brilliant performances from the go.

    Many have used this same cliché as an argument against Messi in the ol “Messi vs Ronaldo” debate as well.

    Can they do it on a cold rainy night at Stoke??

    #702610

    Manthistle
    Participant
    • :

    I think the cold rainy night at the Britannia statements are made for two reasons, that being the British weather compared to the continent and the tough direct style of football employed by Stoke.

    I don’t know a great deal about foreign leagues but there probably isn’t a Pulis’s Stoke equivalent in other leagues and Stoke were renowned for being tough to play against at home.

    Many players have come from Spain and done well here though. Mainly players at City like silva, Aguero and toure.

    #702619

    SensibleS7
    Spectator
    • :

    Hernan Crespo’s done it in the last decade for Chelsea under Jose’s first spell and a fantastic player – world class.

    And of course, Lui.

    I appreciate Stoke needing a change in Manager, but Pulis you have to say deserved credit during his tenure.

    In the 1990s, Selhurst Park under Wimbledon was a Banana Skin for a lot of those teams who went in thinking it would be 2nd gear and an easy ride.

    I played football when I was a kid, and one trait I quickly adopted was that you give it your all no matter who the opposition is and show 100& professionalism.

    #702622

    SensibleS7
    Spectator
    • :

    Hatters, Lionel Messi would be able to cope in the Premier League perfectly fine mate. He just needs to trust himself.

    It’s a shame where I’m sitting, the league at the mo doesn’t quite have that compliment in someone on another level.

    #702679
    hatters
    hatters
    Participant
    • :

    I think Messi would walk it in this league. He’s one of the greatest players of all time. End of. Sometimes though, one finds that the flair players from Spain might not adjust.

    #703156

    Mancity Jim
    Moderator
    • :

    The premiership is also a harder league as proper tackles are allowed, although that is also gradually dissapearing from our game, with more European influence. Flair players just dont get the protection over here like they do on the continent.

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