Stoke City visited the Columbus Crew last week to open their three-game tour of the U.S. | Getty Images
Sporting Kansas City’s last international friendly of the 2012 season comes tomorrow when English Premier League club Stoke City FC visits LIVESTRONG Sporting Park (tickets on sale here).
After a 2-1 loss to the Columbus Crew and a 1-0 victory over Orlando City SC, Stoke City wraps up a three-game pre-season tour of the United States in preparation for their fifth straight season in England’s top flight. Stoke City earned promotion to the 20-team Premier League in 2008, ending a 23-year spell outside of England’s top division. Since then, they have finished no lower than 14th in perhaps the best domestic league in the world.
The club has been particularly strong at home, amassing a 34-19-23 all-time record against Premier League competition at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke City’s participation in the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League was their first appearance in a European competition since the 1974-75 UEFA Cup.
Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has several players with international experience at his disposal. Striker Peter Crouch has earned 42 caps for the English national team and scored 14 times in his first season with Stoke City last year. The 6-foot-7 Crouch, known for his long, wiry frame and aerial prowess, has played for six other EPL clubs in his career, including Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur. His stunning volley against eventual league champion Manchester City last year was named EPL Goal of the Season.
Irish international forward Jonathan Walters had a breakout campaign in 2011-12, scoring 11 goals and starting every Premier League match for the Potters. Fellow strikers Cameron Jerome and Kenwyne Jones (a Trinidad and Tobago international) chipped in an additional 14 goals combined.
In the midfield, Matthew Etherington has led his team in assists for three consecutive seasons, while Rory Delap has earned a reputation for his dangerous long throw-ins. Pacey winger Jermaine Pennant, who began his career at Arsenal FC and Liverpool, was second on the team with six assists in 2011-12.
Since joining the Premier League in 2008, Stoke City’s strong suit has been their defense. The Potters feature two strong, 6-foot-3 central defenders in Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth. Shawcross began his professional career at Manchester United and featured for England at the U-21 level, while Huth developed in Chelsea FC’s youth system and has 19 caps for Germany. Backup centerback Matthew Upson played for England until 2010 and scored his country's lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Germany in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Considering the club’s impressive size in defense and attack, there is little surprise that Stoke City are set piece specialists. In fact, 21 of their 34 league goals in 2011-12 came from set plays, by far the highest ratio in the EPL.
Pulis is currently trying to sign Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron, who would be Stoke City’s first notable signing of the summer. Stoke City has reportedly reached an agreement with Houston for the 27-year-old, but FIFA has yet to sanction the transfer while both sides await a hearing for the necessary work permit.
