The Potters have continued in their inconsistent start to the season and are yet to find their best form so far. In the five Premier League matches played in October and November, they won twice, lost twice and drew once, not forgetting their Capital One Cup misfortune at home to Southampton. The mixed results have seen Stoke go up and down the table, but they are perched in 9th place at the moment.
Best starting XI
Best performer
Victor Moses. The on-loan Chelsea winger has continued to register good displays for his side in almost every single match. His direct pace and dribbling ability – only bettered by Eden Hazard – makes him a constant threat and fun to watch. Always looking to wreak havoc on the opposition, Moses will be key to his team’s fortunes this season. The rumor is that Stoke are keen to secure a permanent deal in January.
Most improved player
Bojan Kirkic. The 24-year-old Spaniard has endured a disappointing start to the season but he has shown signs of a renaissance in recent matches, especially against West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur where he put in man of the match performances. With the striker scoring his first Premier League goal at Spurs last Sunday, the expectation is that he can only get better in the coming weeks. Jon Walters also deserves a special mention after a massive improvement from him in the past few games.
Injury news
Mark Hughes’ side remain handicapped with several players on the treatment table. Peter Odemwingie is the major casualty and he will be out for an estimated seven months after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September. Other casualties include Robert Huth, Glen Whelan, Phil Bardsley, Marc Wilson and D Teixeira all of whom are expected to have returned to action by the end of the month.
Managerial progress
Hughes has not done a lot wrong so far this season and I think he’s still the right man to lead the team to prosper, despite a not-so-convincing start to their 2014-15 campaign. He just needs to get his side to finding that consistency going forward, but that remains to be seen especially with games against Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United on the horizon.
Weakness
Set-pieces. I mentioned this in my August-September report and apparently, nothing has changed since then. The Potters are the only team yet to score a league goal via a set-piece which shows how much the team has evolved since Mark Hughes came on the scene last year. Maybe they ought to get someone like Roy Delap in January.
January Transfer window needs
Stoke already have a fairly decent squad, especially going forward, so I see no reason to plunge into the January transfer market except if there’s another long-term injury.
Overall Team Rating (out of 5 stars): 2.5/5.
It’s been a decent season thus far for Stoke, who many would consider a top half team nowadays. With attacking talent on display and that typically resilient defense they should be aiming for yet another highly credible top 10 finish.
