Three Things We Learned From Stoke City’s Opening Defeat Under New Manager

This week has been turbulent at Stoke City, as many were shocked to learn that Steven Schumacher

had been fired from his position as manager at the bet365 Stadium.

After earning his coaching chops at teams like Huddersfield Town and Norwich City,

Spaniard Narcis Pelach was quickly promoted to his first managerial position.

His mission is to turn around a side that has been in freefall since dropping back to the second division in 2018.

 

The 36-year-old’s stint got off to a rough start Friday night as they lost 3-1 to Hull City,

who had never won before. There were some benefits to be had regardless of the outcome,

so it wasn’t entirely negative despite the score. Three lessons were gained from the game, as follows:

 

They Look More Creative And Flexible

Based only on this game, it appears that players are encouraged to express themselves

and that creativity is emphasized more from an attacking perspective.

They outperformed their opponents in take-ons and shot-creating actions,

and their players showed evident confidence when they had the ball and encouraged movement.

 

The team’s young attacking players will probably benefit from this, even though they still have a lot to learn.

In the first half, there were multiple opportunities to score, but poor choices were made by players like Million Manhoef,

who frequently opted to shoot rather than pass. Even if Stoke is attacking well,

this needs to change if they want to be more effective in front of the prison.

 

Pelach is showing some tactical flexibility, but he must exercise caution in not making too many adjustments.

They began the game arranged in a traditional 4-2-3-1 and stayed in that configuration until Ben Wilmot’s first goal.

Following the goal, they changed positions in response to Hull’s actions,

implementing several different out-of-possession strategies.

 

It was difficult at times to tell what they were trying to do, going from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 and back again at different stages.

Although this flexibility is a positive thing, they still need to improve on it because they were plainly

in need of additional time to become strategically accustomed to the shift as it coincided with their collapse.

 

Set Pieces Will Play A Big Part

There are still traces of the beloved old Stoke, even if the team has changed over the past few years and appears

to be continuing under a manager who draws influence from players like Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola.

Direct, occasionally physical, and retaliatory. And lastly, after much too long,

maybe a squad that makes complete use of set pieces.

 

At last, a Stoke team that not only appears capable of winning, but will also make use of set pieces,

much as they did under Tony Pulis. The fact that the first goal of the Pelach era came from a corner

—their first since April—seemed appropriate in a way, even though it is an odd record for a team like Stoke.

 

Pelach has consistently emphasized the value of set pieces in his career thus far,

and it’s evident that he has taken advice from Carlos Corberan, the head of West Bromwich Albion and a former mentor.

Pelach is thought to have been the mastermind behind the set-piece successes that his fellow Spaniard,

who was at Huddersfield at the time, has become well-known for.

 

While their opposition aren’t exactly known for their ability to defend corners,

they were a constant threat from dead-ball situations.

This could mark a return to the most successful Stoke sides of the early 2010s,

but it’s unlikely that they will be as solely reliant on set-pieces. Pelach has spoken of wanting a versatile team,

and given his influences such as Bielsa and Guardiola, as well as his Spanish nationality,

it looks as if they will be a European-style team with a sprinkling of English directness as well as classic Stoke tactics.

 

They Are A Work In Progress

It’s crucial to remember that Pelach would never be able to resolve this team’s problems quickly,

and that any significant adjustments would require time. Pelach is undoubtedly a project appointment,

as the Stoke management believes he is the right person to guide them in the long run.

 

Although the first half went well, the second half brought to light the squad’s “work in progress”

status and the reality that they were a team adjusting to a new, inexperienced boss.

In the second half, Hull started the game with a different team than Stoke since Tim Walter

had substituted Liam Millar for his starting lineup.

 

Millar had a real positive impact and was key to the Tigers’ comeback,

with Stoke looking like they had the stuffing knocked out of them.

You could tell this was a young team with a manager taking charge of his first ever game;

they were unable to respond to the changes and adapt in-game,

but this will likely change as squad and manager learn.

 

Furthermore, they appeared to tire easily and never had a chance to recover after Kasey Palmer’s equalizer.

The Potters were second best in a second half where Hull simply outclassed them under tired eyes,

and the second and third goals came soon after, leaving them looking defeated.

Pelach will instill in the team the belief that, under the new method,

they will eventually build endurance and be able to finish games stronger as they advance.

Even though it’s obvious that this is a teething problem, they have time to work it out,

and although it won’t be fixed right away, it can be readily fixed.