After the 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the last game, Mark Hughes’ side suffered their third defeat in four games, lying rock bottom in the Premier League standing. The Potters have been totally woeful in their displays so far, scoring the least number of goals (2) and conceding the maximum (10). After having a good last season, Stoke were expected to be one of the clubs who will be able to keep up their momentum just like West Ham but both the teams have disappointed so far.
With the level of competition rising to unprecedented levels in the league, Mark Hughes has very little time to get his team’s act together. Let’s take a look at three things which the Welsh manager needs to do to change the current situation at the Bet365 Stadium.
Get His Formation Right
Stoke do have some players with real quality in their squad but in the present system, they are not being able to fully express themselves. The wide areas are being worked with any kind of sync with the central spaces allowing a disconnect with the midfield and the attack which has resulted in the poor showing from an attacking perspective.
Sort Out His Defence
The biggest problem by far for the Welshman has been his defence. It must be noted that the defence has been below par for the club since last season despite their 9th place finish. Goalkeeper Jack Butland’s heroics saved plenty of points for the club and since the custodian got injured, The Potters have leaked 29 goals in 11 league games.
The defenders seem to lack the communication between them as there was a lot of uncertainty regarding their responsibilities related to marking the opposition. While, for new signing Bruno Martins Indi, it can be understandable considering he will need a little more time to get set with his teammates, Ryan Shawcross’ inability to get things under control is a big concern for the manager and the fans. The frequency with which the fullbacks were caught out of position is frightening considering they are relatively slow. These things should not be happening at all. Giannelli Imbula needs to provide a lot more to cover to his backline also.
Improve The Attitude Of The Players
Mark Hughes’ biggest challenge will be to improve the carefree attitude of some of his players who seem to focus more on their individual interests rather than the collective one. The club has added players like Allen and Bony in the summer who can prove to be the difference makers but the players should prioritise the team’s collective interests rather than try to cover their own selves in glory.
Unlocking the meanest defences of the League is done best when the forward players link up with one another. Having scored just twice despite some impressive technical players in their squad is simply unacceptable and Hughes needs to work on that.
