Stoke City return home to host promotion hopefuls Bristol City at the bet365 Stadium and Mark Robins has a near-full squad to pick from
Mark Robins is preparing Stoke City for a home match against Bristol City.(Image: Trevor Wilkinson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Mark Robins will be weighing up one or two changes to his Stoke City starting XI as he heads into another busy week before the international break.
Stoke, in fifth, host fourth-placed Bristol City on Saturday (3pm) before heading to Gary Rowett’s Oxford United on Tuesday and then returning to the bet365 Stadium to take on leaders Coventry City on Saturday, November 8.
Junior Tchamadeu is back available after serving a one-match suspension and is likely to come straight back in despite an impressive performance from centre-half Maksym Talovierov as a stand-in right-back as Stoke won 1-0 at Portsmouth.
Tomas Rigo and Tatsuki Seko are options to be recalled in central midfield too, which could see either Bae Junho or Lewis Baker then utilised as a number 10 – or Robins could go with the same Ben Pearson-Baker-Junho midfield trio that he used at Fratton Park.
Robins has been fairly consistent with his selection so far this season and eight players have featured in at least 11 of the 12 Championship matches.
There are others who have had to be more patient, such as Jamie Donley (four substitute appearances); Lamine Cisse, Eric Bocat and Robert Bozenik, who have each made just two starts; and Steven Nzonzi and Talovierov.
Robins insists the door is open to break into his plans but a player has to be ready to take their chance.
He said: “You’re going to lose players through suspension and injury, which we already have done and all teams are facing that. You’re going to have to use the squad and once thing is for sure: players need to be ready to go because that certainty is there – they are going to be used.
“If, for any reason, they haven’t been 100 per cent in it and mentally they have come off it a bit, there is no chance for them. There is no chance.
“You can see it when players come into the team. I’m generalising rather than pinpointing specific individuals. They can’t hit the level and then, eventually, will come out of the team for whatever reason. They have to be on it.
“That’s difficult for them because sometimes their expectations of themselves and where they feel they need to be or want to be or should be has an impact on them mentally and they come off it, whether that’s two per cent, five per cent of 20 per cent or whether they just throw the towel in. That happens as well and you see it.
“But you’re a squad, you’re a team and you’re together and it’s why everyone needs to be strong and ready for whenever they are going to be used because it is guaranteed they will be used.”
Ashley Phillips needed to be patient too through the first few weeks but he has seized his opportunity since coming into the defence in late September and has started every game since then.
Robins said: “That’s it. There are 11 spaces, one goalkeeper and 10 outfield, and you’ve got to be ready for whatever comes. Things are thrown up all the time and if you’re ready for that and you go in, your chance is there whether you’re a young player, senior experienced player, new player or have come from abroad or whatever, you have to be ready to go and show you are competent to deliver in a highly competitive environment. That takes all of your effort, concentration, determination.
“It’s brilliant. We’re in a great environment every day. Come to work, work hard and get your rewards from doing that.”
Predicted Stoke team vs Bristol City: Johansson, Tchamadeu, Cresswell, Phillips, WIlmot, Pearson, Baker, Junho, Manhoef, Thomas, Mubama.
How should Stoke line up? Click HERE to join the debate
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