Stoke City: Narcis Pelach has found surprise solution to issue that plagued Steven Schumacher

Stoke City look to have shored up their defence in recent games, and one selection decision certainly paid off for Narcis Pelach in their 0-0 draw against Swansea City last time out.

The Potters have not been known for their defensive stability in recent times, particularly under old boss Steven Schumacher, as they lost by three or more goals on four occasions in the nine months that he was in charge.

As a result, Spainard Pelach has had to make sure that they are not as leaky at the back, and while it has taken a bit of time for his new ideas to bed in, their goalless deadlock in South Wales definitely showed signs of progress, and reinforced the fact that Pelach looks to have found a solution in a position that troubled Schumacher in the early stages of this term.

Ben Wilmot was the Potters’ starting right-back against Swansea as Stoke kept their first clean sheet in six outings, as he also was against Portsmouth when Stoke conceded just once to a break-away goal and hit six in return.

Wilmot has been preferred to Junior Tchamadeu in those last two games, and has stepped up impressively ahead of the 20-year-old, so should be the first-choice at right-back now for the foreseeable future as a result of his performances.