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Don’t ever let anyone tell you Stoke City fans aren’t a passionate lot who love their club and their players. Due to an outpouring of support on the recent Premier League Footballer of the Week, I feel it necessary to give Mr. Fuller and the proud people of Stoke their full amount of credit that’s rightfully owed to them.
Listed as only an option in the poll that awards the top footballers of the week on EPL Talk, the Jamaican International Ricardo Fuller, having only played some 25 minutes during Saturday’s 1-0 away win, received by far the most votes in a landslide of support. Some 370+ mad Potters let their collective voices be heard as they refused to go quietly into a night that saw players from top 4 or potential top 4 clubs awarded the accolades.
If you haven’t seen it yet, Ricardo Fuller scored a solo goal to rival any of the other goals scored this past weekend or this past season for that matter. Having sat on the Stoke bench for the majority of the match, Fuller was introduced to a 0-0 game in the 67th minute. Stoke boss Tony Pulis looked the brilliant tactician as his second half substitution scored the only goal of the game with in two minutes of his introduction.
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<li>Then the Villain, Now the Hero</li>
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Having been sent off in the same fixture last season for slapping his own team mate Andy Griffin, this time, Fuller emerged the conquer. When Fuller received a long ball at the edge of the West Ham box, he had it all to do. With the ball at his feet, Fuller ran straight at West Ham defender Manuel Da Costa before turning him inside out and cutting inside towards goal.
Once he had skinned one West Ham defender, he pulled the same trick on England International Matthew Upson by continuing his run towards goal and cutting inside again thus losing the on-rushing Upson in the process. Fuller’s brilliance was in avoiding not one, but two defenders and then creating the space he needed for an unobstructed, close range blast upon the helpless Robert Green in the West Ham goal.
1-0 to the Potters and a happy Stoke City claimed three points when the match looked set for a 0-0 draw. Stoke City currently sit 11th in the Barclays Premier League table with a game in hand. If they were to win the vital extra game, Tony Pulis could realistically see his well organized, tough to break down side finish in the top ten after finishing a modest 12th last season upon their return to the top-flight.
Stoke City have fantastic support home and away. To view their matches on TV is to witness one of the loudest and most passionate grounds in all of England. They love their club and they love their players. If you don’t agree with them, well, fine. Just be prepared to hear about it in the form of immense support from the fans and supporters of Stoke City.

Ricardo Fuller Wonder Goal Secures 3 Points for Stoke City - World Soccer Talk

Ricardo Fuller Wonder Goal Secures 3 Points for Stoke City

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I’m happy Guus is not as thrilled about Chelsea’s 1-0 win as I am.
A bit of a side bar before I get into the news tonight. Chelsea are extremely lucky they are a goal to the good heading into their Champions League second leg. For starters, I don’t believe Didier Drogba’s goal should have counted. Frank Lampard was actively offside, and when Drogba and Lampard are both teeing up to shoot, sorry the referee has to throw the flag up.
Then there are the two obvious penalties that should have been called on both Petr Cech and Michael Ballack. Then the icing on the cake, the man in the middle completely blows the last kick of the game. Alex did get the last touch and the referee didn’t seem to care.
Guus Hiddink has every right to not be happy with Chelsea’s performance Wednesday night against Juventus. Yes the first half went by fine, but Chelsea mentally checked out in the second half. Guus was the first to <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1155784/Unhappy-coach-Hiddink-lays-underachieving-Chelsea-stars.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">admit that</a>. He isn’t satisfied with a one goal advantage heading into the second leg, but that’s understandable knowing the task at hand heading to Italy. Being complacent on an away European night could result in their ultimate undoing.
If preparing for Real Madrid wasn’t enough, having reports over your head <a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/bookies-suspend-betting-on-benitez-leaving-liverpool/4674" target="_blank">about your job</a> added to the difficult task Rafa had in front of him Wednesday night. The <a href="http:\/\/www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11945_4972446,00.html" target="_blank">first denials</a> about Rafa leaving hit my RSS feeder at 9:34 Wednesday morning, but nothing concrete from the ownership at Anfield.
Liverpool will be happy with their 1-0 victory. For starters they got that cliched away goal and got a road shut out. That is Rafa Benitez at his best. Every time Rafa has been under the gun, an European night has always given him comfort. Even his post match press conference was a happy place as he <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1155781/Rafa-stay-Benitez-pledge-Liverpool-rock-Bernabeu.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">committed his future</a> to Liverpool. We’ll see come this summer.
Other Stories 
For those wondering, Middlesbrough are in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup after a <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1155783/Middlesbrough-2-West-Ham-0-Downing-delight-Boro-march-on.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">2-0 win</a> over West Ham United. Now Gareth, can you get that result in league play?
And <a href="http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/hull-hope-cup-will-kickstart-stalling-league-form-1632186.html" target="_blank">Phil Brown</a> is hoping that an FA Cup win Thursday night will kick start Hull City’s dead form.
More FA Cup talk as Roy Hodgson is warning Manchester United that Fulham <a href="http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/hodgson-insists-that-fulham-can-shock-united-1632185.html" target="_blank">won’t be laying down</a>. The problem is, it’s Manchester United. Even if you don’t lay down you may end up rolled over.
So Kolo Toure <a href="http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/4807281/Kolo-Toure-yellow-card-most-embarrassing-moment-of-Arsenal-career.html" target="_blank">didn’t know the rule</a> about not coming onto the pitch until the referee said so once play resumed? Along with a new ritual, maybe a look at the laws of the game wouldn’t hurt.
Martin O’Neill has added his two cents into the <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1155620/Aston-Villa-manager-ONeill-triggers-pitch-battle-Moscow.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">artificial pitch</a> debate. Of course he had to use the Champions League Final jab in his comments.
So another Premier League player has been arrested. This time it was Stoke City’s <a href="http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1155059/Stoke-striker-Fuller-arrested-Staffordshire-police-driving-offence.html?ITO=1490" target="_blank">Ricardo Fuller</a>. What driving offense (or offenses) could it take to be brought in for questioning.
And finally, Tony Mowbray intends to use loan signing <a href="http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/menseguez-to-make-impact-from-bench-says-mowbray-1632179.html" target="_blank">Juan Carlos Menseguez</a> as a super sub for that extra spark off the bench. West Brom could use one from the start as well.

Not a Happy Guus While Rafa's Going No Where,  - World Soccer Talk

Not a Happy Guus While Rafa's Going No Where,

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Ricardo Fuller Wonder Goal Secures 3 Points for Stoke City

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Not a Happy Guus While Rafa's Going No Where,