‘I hate’ – Championship pundits outline ‘key’ worrying Stoke City factors in relegation battle
‘I hate’ – Championship pundits outline ‘key’ worrying Stoke City factors in relegation battle
Things are getting nervy down at the bottom, and the likes of Cardiff City, Stoke City, and Hull City are all looking over their shoulders now after resurgent Derby County and Luton Town picked up recent wins.
While Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Burnley scrap for the title in the final run-in at the top of the league, and a handful of play-off contenders try to squeeze into what is essentially two remaining spots, the relegation issue could be the most nerve-wracking and interesting battle of them all.
There are some signs of life at Stoke City — through stunning Lewis Baker goals and crucial wins against Blackburn Rovers and the like — under Mark Robins’ tutelage, with the ex-Coventry City boss hoping to maintain their Championship status.
Robins will demand changes at Stoke over the coming years and hope to emulate the good work he did at Coventry, but his current focus is on the final eight-game relegation run-in, which is one of the hardest at the bottom of the division.
EFL experts have worrying Stoke City verdict amid growing relegation fears
Ali Maxwell and George Elek of the Not The Top 20 podcast have had their say on the run-in for each side, but they have particular concerns regarding a couple of factors for Robins and Stoke.
Maxwell said: “Now, I hate Stoke’s fixtures. They’ve got two in the top eight — and that’s the top two, they’ve got three in the middle eight, and then three in the bottom eight.
“Of which, two are away at Cardiff and Derby, and one is at home to Luton. They’re also playing at home to [Sheffield] Wednesday and QPR, who I think are awkward at best opponents. They’re also away to Preston.”
However, Elek had more to be worried about. He added: “As you say, Stoke’s fixtures are the one that really intrigue me. I’m pretty sure Mark Robins will be delighted that they have to play Luton, Cardiff, and Derby.
“It gives them the potential to basically keep their destiny in their own hands and ensure that, against those sides, they can pick up three points.
“Which means they’re not even looking at their phone to check their opposition’s score — they’ll know there and then what’s happened. Whether or not it comes to pass that that is a good thing we’ll have to see.
“Because, right now, they are playing badly. There’s no obvious reason to see then turn it around. The thing that worries me — and we talk about profiles of manager you want to lead you into these situations — is this is a ridiculously young Stoke side.
“And whether they have the experience to navigate their way out of this, I am not entirely sure.”
Maxwell concluded: “Stoke, obviously, another club with absolutely no designs on getting relegated whatsoever. But who can’t drag themselves enough above it. And it’s just the level of fear, I think, that can cause problems in these last games.
“And can cause the team to find it more difficult than others. I think Derby will get above one of Stoke or Cardiff or Oxford United — but I don’t know which one. And I think Cardiff against Stoke could be the key fixture here.”
Stoke City’s trending league positions have to be a concern
Stoke have fallen a long way from the days of Peter Crouch and Tony Pulis making life difficult for Arsenal and the like in the Premier League. The likes of Nathan Jones — now at Charlton Athletic, and Narcis Pelach earlier this season, are a damning indictment of a lack of joined-up thinking for the Potters.
They are two of seven permanent managers over the last seven seasons, with numerous caretakers in between as well. The coherency in terms of what style of play and game model to stick with has led to messy recruitment and disappointing league finishes for a side who could and should be so much more than they are.
In many ways it feels as though they are circling the drain currently. But, if and when survival is obtained, Robins has a massive job on his hands to turn things around this summer, with eight players currently out of contract, but also five loan players returning to their parent clubs; but there’s no better man to do so in terms of seeing through a rebuild.
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