Stoke City

Stoke City won their first match under new head coach Narcis Pelach and what a win it was.

The Potters beat Portsmouth 6-1 with striker Tom Cannon scoring four goals.

In the latest episode of BBC Radio Stoke's 'A Cold Wet Tuesday Night' podcast, Lucas Yeomans and George Weaver (aka Potterlytics) discuss the impact of Pelach's changes and Cannon's big night.

"6-1 is such a rare scoreline, Stoke haven't had six sitters, there are a few where the goalkeeper will be looking at himself. They pounced on the chances that they got."

Listen to the full episode here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Stoke City will look to end a three game winless run in the Championship when they face Portsmouth at the bet365 Stadium on Wednesday night.

• Stoke City have won both of their last two league games against Portsmouth, and will be looking to win three in succession for the first time since April 1963.

• Portsmouth have failed to win any of their last six away league games against Stoke City (D2 L4) since a 2-0 victory in February 1995.

• Stoke have lost both of their last two home league games, last losing three in a row in October 2023.

• Portsmouth have only won three of their last 30 away games in the Championship (D10 L17), and are winless on the road this season (D2 L1).

• Stoke have only won one of their last eight league meetings with newly promoted opponents (D2 L5), a 3-0 win over Plymouth in April last season. At home, the Potters have failed to score in six of their last seven against promoted sides (W1 D1 L5).

The result leaves them fifth from bottom of the division before a home game against second from bottom Portsmouth on Wednesday evening (19:45 BST).

In the latest episode of BBC Radio Stoke's 'A Cold Wet Tuesday Night' podcast, Lucas Yeomans, George Weaver and Dana Malt (Boro Breakdown) discussed the Potters defeat and the way forward under head coach Narcis Pelach.

"I think there is going to be a backlash or something approaching a backlash about the way we were playing on the ball. It was clear by 10 minutes in we were quite happy to keep the ball at the back and be very very patient.

"I thought off the ball we were appalling"

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Stoke City's head coach Narcis Pelach will be looking for his first win in charge at Middlesbrough on Saturday, how confident are you that the Potters will come back with three points?

Lucas Yeomans is back with Praise and Grumble on BBC Radio Stoke at 18:00 BST where you can discuss anything you like about Stoke City.

Call the show to give your thoughts on 0800 121 8080 and listen live here.

Stoke City head to Middlesbrough looking end their Championship losing streak.

The Potters have lost back to back league games and new head coach Narcis Pelach is hoping for his first win in charge.

BBC Radio Stoke's Stoke City commentator, Sohail Sahi, names the team he would pick to take on Boro at the Riverside Stadium.

Listen here for the build-up to Saturday's match from 14:00 (BST) on BBC Radio Stoke.

Head coach Narcís Pèlach takes Stoke City to Middlesbrough for his first away game as the Potters new boss.

Here's a look at some of the key stats between the two teams.

• Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last eight home league games against Stoke City (W5 D2), though that sole defeat did come last season during a 2-0 loss at the Riverside Stadium.

• Stoke City produced a league double over Middlesbrough last season and will be looking to win three successive league matches against Boro for the first time since September 1958 (run of four).

• Middlesbrough have won only one of their last five league games (D2 L2), though have lost only one of their last nine league games at home (W5 D3).

• Stoke have lost four of their last five league games (W1), while away from home the Potters have suffered seven defeats from their previous 12 league matches (W4 D1)

• Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney has completed more progressive passes than any other Championship player this season (48), while only three players have more secondary chances created than his nine.

The Stoke City head coach Narcís Pèlach has been explaining what he expects from his squad of players.

Pèlach was appointed last week but lost his first game in charge at home to Hull City.

He told BBC Radio Stoke what his players will need to do if they are to have a successful season.

It's been a week since Narcís Pèlach was appointed Stoke City's new head coach and you've been letting us know your thoughts about the decision and direction of the football club. Here are just some of the comments you've sent.

Craig - We have sacked a manager with a promotion and a title on his CV, for a coach with no managerial experience from a club below us at the time of his appointment. We all thought we were in a period of stability and were prepared to accept incremental gains. This is madness and I can't see it ending well.

Leo - I think Schumacher was a good manager and the team aren’t going to fight for promotion if they change the staff once a year. As well as this, Laurent and Baker have left the club leaving a hole in the midfield. We have Burger and some others but we need somebody to come in and carry us. We do have great players but we need to be fighting for play-offs.

Paul - Nothing will change, Walter's is just a yes-man and will be John Coates scapegoat. Best football we played was under Mark Hughes.

Gary - I fear the worst, I thought Schumacher was doing ok and things would improve.

Ian - Stoke are in very dangerous place. We will just keep slipping down the leagues. We need a experience manager.

What do you want to see from your team going forward? Let us know here, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Stoke City defender Marc Muniesa believes Narcis Pelach will get things right at the Championship club after he was appointed the club's new head coach.

Muniesa joined Stoke City from Barcelona in 2013 and quickly became a fan's favourite. The full-back went on to make more than 40 Premier League appearances scoring one goal.

The Catalonian began working with Pelach after leaving the Potteries and joining Girona in 2017.

"I know him personally from when he was coach at Girona. He did an amazing job with the young players and then he was our assistant in the first team.

"In my second year he was taking the tactics offensively and defensively, the connection he has with players is very good, he is crazy about football."

Muniesa said he always knew Pelach would be a head coach and that's what he said when he spoke to Stoke City's owner John Coates and Sporting Director Jon Walters.

"They [Coates and Walters] are taking the risk, but I already told them that he is the man and he will do a great job for Stoke.

"They will be a well organised team, tactically knowing what they need to do, how to attack and defend various situations and they will be passionate."

The 32-year-old told Pelach that the Stoke City supporters will back him if they see effort and commitment.

"I told him he'll have to try to connect with the team and then with the supporters. When you play at Stoke the other teams have to feel like they are going to war. The supporters can help you a lot.

"When you give everything on the pitch the people will love you. This is what the people of Stoke showed me during my four years there and they are still showing to me now."

Image source, BBC Sport

Former Stoke City defender and first team coach, Mike Pejic, is hoping new head coach Narcís Pèlach can get the best out of striker Tom Cannon.

Cannon has yet to score for the Potters since joining on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day.

Pèlach's first game in charge ended in a 3-1 home defeat to Hull City and Pejic believes there is plenty of work for the Catalan coach to do.

"The first half was good but the improvement they have got to do is in the back third," he said.

"But if that impulse isn't there to go and win the ball back then you have to change the players, if they are not capable of doing it. Or put them on again and let them do it for so long until you see that they can't do it or they're just not doing it. These are the decisions that will need to be made."

In terms of getting the most out of Tom Cannon, Pejic said Pèlach will need to work on the striker's positional play.

"He dropped far too deep against Hull City and then you have to ask him when Stoke win possession back to be in an attacking position.

"We have to start using him more because he was making runs when we were in that mid-third area. He was getting in behind defenders and we failed to pass to him. Off the ball he has to be in an advanced position and stay in that advanced position."

'Stoke City Night' on BBC Radio Stoke

Lucas Yeomans returns with Tuesday's Stoke City night on BBC Radio Stoke (18:00 BST)

He'll be discussing Narcís Pèlach's first game in charge and start looking ahead to the head coach's next match at Middlesbrough.

Also find out what fan's favourite Marc Muniesa told Pèlach about moving to Stoke.

Listen to the show here from 18:00 BST.

As Narcís Pèlach takes on his first full week of training at Stoke City you have been getting in touch with your views on the shake-up at the club.

The new Potters head coach is preparing for Saturday's match at Middlesbrough looking to bounce back from his debut defeat at home to Hull City.

This is how some of you are feeling about being a Stoke City fan right now:

Andrew - Stoke have taken a backward step. It's a man-manger that's required. There are plenty of managers out there, but will Stoke pay the wage? There must be something the board can sort in wages for the right manager

Alan - City's problem is they can't attract top class proven managers. I go back to the days of Tony Waddington, it was a different game then. Apart from limited success under Tony Pullis, they have lurched from one managerial crisis to another. I can't see anything changing.

Paul - Pretty soon the club’s hierarchy will run out of scapegoats and the real problem will become clear. Schumacher should have been given longer.

Steve - Very surprised to hear Schumacher was sacked, so early in the season. Thought he was doing okay. Now I am just hoping the new coach can sort this squad out, time will tell assuming he is given enough time.

Jeff - A house divided against itself will fall, this is true for any venture or club. A reality check is called for. Strength needs humility and willingness to stay the course. I’ve heard ‘Stoke belong in the Premier League,’ we’re no where near!

Mrs M - Lots of unanswered questions from Stoke regarding the sacking of Schumacher. Are there too many chiefs? You can’t manage a team if you’re getting interference from back room staff. This is not our Stoke anymore.

Are you feeling more confident after seeing how Narcís Pèlach wants his Stoke City team to play like? Let us know what you think here., external

Narcís Pèlach's first game in charge ended in a 3-1 home defeat for Stoke City.

'A Cold Wet Tuesday Night' podcast reacts to that game, the performance and what lies ahead for the Catalan coach.

Lucas and George, aka Potterlytics, are joined by Matt Watts from the 72cast.

Listen to the latest episode here.