Stoke Manager Pelach Highlights Midfield as Key Area for Improvement

Stoke City manager Narcis Pelach has identified the midfield as a crucial area requiring enhancement for his team to secure more victories. The Potters have achieved only five wins in 22 Championship fixtures this season, placing them in the bottom six positions as the Christmas period approaches. Speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, Pelach stated, “We have to win more duels in the middle of the pitch, which we have lost a lot of in recent games. Not just duels but second balls as well.” He further explained the impact of injuries, saying, “We lost physicality here with injuries, with Bosun Lawal and Ben Pearson. We have players in the midfield that are technical but not that physical and this is why we’ve won less battles basically.” Ben Pearson recently experienced a setback in his recovery from a long-term hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Bosun Lawal, who had been sidelined from training due to back issues, traveled to Hillsborough on Saturday but remained an unused substitute. With injuries affecting the squad’s composition, Pelach suggested that addressing their midfield challenges might involve player recruitment. Pelach elaborated on this, adding, “We need to put on the pitch players who win more duels and if we don’t win enough, we will need to go in January and in the summer and find players who can.” He concluded by emphasizing the competitive nature of the league: “We talk about talent but you don’t see the talent. There’s a level of fight in the Championship that you have to meet and now at the minute, we need to improve this.”