Stoke City

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Championship match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City.

Here are some of your comments:

Wolves fans

Peter: While the win was comfortable enough against poor opposition, Wolves' defensive inadequacies would have been punished by a better side and should be a concern for new boss Cesar.

Sorba Thomas fired in a string of dangerous crosses from the left but Wolves failed to respond tactically to the threat by closing him down. A good start to the season from Wolves but sterner tests are on the way.

Mike: Another comfortable victory after the opening shock. Wolves had far too much in midfield and going forward for Stoke. If the defence can do their job and keep the opposition quiet, Wolves should have far too much for most teams in this league.

Rob: Finally, a game when they did themselves justice. Djiga, Lopez and Munetsi were better than I have ever seen them and a return to form for Gomes with his fine poaching was very welcome. Some glimmers of a return to form for Mane similarly, and it's needed for him as Chirewa and James are showing some great promise in their brief appearances.

Image source, Shutterstock

Stoke City fans

Richard: I'm getting tired of hearing how good they were in training - but come match day we get school boy errors at the back and they're plainly not fit!

Rob: Robins has to go I'm afraid. Nothing has changed since the disastrous end to last season, and the stats don't lie. The run of successive defeats is utterly embarrassing, and the excuses are becoming increasingly pathetic. This club urgently needs yet another change before it's too late.

Anthony: A poor side who struggle to play attacking football. The manager makes some strange choices and it will be his downfall and not before time. And Walters too. No idea how to run a football team.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke commentator

Image source, Shutterstock

When Stoke City made it clear their expectation was to compete for a play-off place this season, they will have known they would have to significantly close the gap in quality to teams like Wolves in order to succeed.

Individual errors were a major factor behind the size of the defeat at Molineux on Saturday, but a 4–1 scoreline was a chastening reminder of how much work they still have to do to compete with the best teams in the division. Much of that work will have to be done quickly if they are going to achieve their aim.

Stoke scored a great early goal through Sam Gallagher, and Sorba Thomas missed a couple of good chances, including one that could have made it 2-0, but familiar issues undid the Potters.

In each of their three league games so far this season, they have made errors at both ends of the pitch, faded significantly late in the game and seen substitutes struggle to make an impact despite having periods where they have looked competitive.

In the final days of the transfer window, they will need to add more quality and jettison some players who cannot contribute enough, while also trying to prepare for two huge home games in five days.

Those games need to return points and provide evidence Stoke are strong enough to perform consistently across an entire game and are learning from their mistakes.

Nobody is expecting them to show they are as good as Wolves in terms of squad depth and quality over the next week, but they do need to improve so that stated target does not look totally unrealistic by the end of game five.

Defeat for Stoke at Molineux on Saturday (12:30 BST) would see them lose their opening three games of a league season for the first time in 16 years.

Wolves were 3-1 winners at Preston last weekend to record their first away win in the league since April 2025 when they won at Manchester United.

• Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost each of their past three league games against Stoke City, with this set to be their first since April 2012 in the Premier League (lost 2-1 away).

• Stoke City have won two of their past four away league matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers (D1 L1), as many victories as across their prior 27 visits (D11 L14).

• Wolves could draw four home league games in succession for the first time since April 2016, while after drawing with Blackburn in their opener, they are trying to avoid failing to win either of their opening two home matches of a second tier campaign for just the third time this century after 2004-05 and 2015-16.

• After losing their opening two league games this season, Stoke will be hoping to avoid losing their opening three fixtures of a league campaign for the first time since 2010-11 in the Premier League which included a 2-1 away loss to Wolves.

• Wolves' Adam Armstrong has only played more league games in his career without scoring against Fulham (11) than Stoke City (10 apps).

Stoke City have told Hull City they want at least £10m for Wales international winger Sorba Thomas, 27, but the Potters are also discussing a potential swap deal involving Canadian attacker Liam Millar, 26. (Sky Sports), external

For more EFL transfer news and rumours, read Thursday's full gossip column here.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Despite a good start from Hull, Stoke spent much of the first half in the ascendancy and deserved to take the lead through a well worked goal from Robert Bozenik, but conceding just before half-time robbed them of their momentum and they didn't ever really get it back.

The Premier League visitors weren't great, they'd made eleven changes but missed several chances in a poor spectacle of a second half before sneaking through on penalties.

The big positives for Stoke came in the form of minutes for players who have been on the fringes of things so far and an impressive debut from teenager Laurence Giani.

The 18-year-old full back kept things simple in the early stages before growing in confidence and showing more of the ability that's earned him international honours with Italy at youth level.

He looked strong enough and calm enough to provide a realistic option in a problem position for Stoke due to injuries and has been training with and around the first team for some time.

The likes of Djibril Soumare, Ben Pearson and Bozenik will benefit from the game time they got against Hull but attention will quickly turn to what feels like a far bigger game at Wolves in the league.

Stoke travel to Molineux searching for a first Championship point of the season in a campaign that needs a big performance and result to give it the kick start they need.

The latest episode of BBC Radio Stoke's A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast is out now.

Lucas Yeomans, Matt Sandoz and former Stoke City striker Louis Moult discuss Stoke's defeat at Southampton plus transfer talk for the final week of the window.

Listen above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Stoke City can turn around their disappointing start to the Championship season and climb the table, says new signing Ben Johnson.

The 26-year-old full-back joined the Potters from Ipswich Town last week on a season-long loan and made his debut in a 3-1 loss at Southampton on Saturday.

Stoke have lost both their opening games but Johnson, who won promotion with Ipswich last season, believes fortunes can change quickly.

"We're in a tough league - last year at Ipswich we didn't win in the first three games and we're in the situation here," Johnson told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Last season we didn't play great in a lot of the games, it was a grind with teams making it difficult for us to play and teams will do the same here.

"Results will change, we're going to go a goal down or a goal up and it's how we manage the games - once we get a lot of the lads back from injury that will make a big difference to the squad and the confidence of everyone."

The defender was the second Ipswich player to move to Stoke last week with striker George Hirst signing for an undisclosed fee and Johnson believes he will prove his worth.

"I've known him for a couple of years now - he was fantastic last season in his contribution in getting Ipswich promoted and he's an excellent signing for Stoke so let's hope we can get him up and running as soon as possible because he's not really had a pre-season," he added.

Listen to more Stoke City interviews and content on BBC Sounds.

Stoke City have rejected a bid from Hull City for winger Sorba Thomas. The Potters have turned down an offer in the region of £7m for the 27-year-old Welsh international. (Hull Live), external

Find more of Tuesday's EFL gossip here.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City boss Mark Robins was frustrated with the quality of his substitutes in their loss to Southampton on Saturday, but former Potters defender Gareth Owen thinks the starting XI also needs to take some responsibility.

"I'd also look at the starters because some of the changes he [Robins] probably didn't want to make," Owen told BBC Radio Stoke.

"He didn't want to take Eric Bocat off, he didn't want to disrupt that back four, but because he was flagging from a physical perspective, he felt he needed to do that.

"The circumstances for Stoke are a couple of players missed pre-season, two new players coming in haven't been the priority players at Ipswich so they have to get back up to speed, look how many games Sam Gallagher played last year, how many games Ben Gibson played last year.

"The club have come out and said they get better over the course of the season but you don't want to give yourself too much to do. Certainly on the basis of that last 30 minutes, you definitely saw a difference in the physicality of the players."

Listen to the full reaction below or on BBC Sounds here.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's match between Southampton and Stoke City.

Here are some of your comments:

Southampton fans

Michael: With so much uncertainty hanging around thanks to the FA and subsequent player transfers, it's doubly hard for Southampton to make progress at the moment.

So a win like this is vital. A testament to Tonda Eckert's coaching skills and his players' ability to overcome such a devastating end to last season.

We stand by the Saints full of pride.

Peter: Phew! A bit lucky! Was at the game on Saturday. Thought we looked very rusty. However, glad to get the result. We need to improve!

Adam: Good win but need players in, especially in defence and midfield.

Image source, Shutterstock

Stoke City fans

Mark: Bad game management yet again from Mark Robins, we were holding our own until he decides to change it. It went downhill from there.

There are people at our club that seriously need to take a long hard look at themselves.

David: Strange selection from the manager playing Ben Gibson and not Luke Graham, and also not bringing Million Manhoef on. Shows negativity from the manager instead of trying to win the game. The chance of winning was there but the negative substitutions worked against us, and then to throw the subs under the bus was poor. Please be more positive, Mr Robins.

Craig: Very lacklustre second half for Stoke. They fell to pieces.

Second league defeat in a row for Robins this season and an abysmal record since last January. I reckon he could well be sacked this week as a result.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke’s Stoke City Commentator

Image source, Getty Images

The glucose gels were being passed around not long after the hour mark as Stoke's players began to flag in the heat.

Up until then, they'd been the better side but fell away along with their energy levels against a Southampton team that kept the ball well and ran the legs from under the away side.

The Potters have rebuilt their medical department and changed how they work between games to try and avoid the number of injuries that ruined last season, and they hope to get stronger as the season goes on, but right now, they look a bit undercooked.

That means they need their substitutes to make an impact off the bench, but the manager, Mark Robins, was left questioning the attitude and motivation of the players he brought on after the game.

In both of their opening matches, opposition substitutes have been decisive, while Stoke's have struggled to affect the action.

Ben Johnson looks like a good addition to the squad, and George Hirst got valuable minutes under his belt as both made their debuts.

Stoke need a positive result pretty quickly though, to restore the optimism created by a summer of significant expenditure in the transfer market.

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Stoke City boss Mark Robins spoke to BBC Radio Stoke after defeat to Southampton at St Mary's.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

A new extra episode of BBC Radio Stoke's A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast is out now.

Join Lucas Yeomans and Ben Rowley as they discuss new signings and Southampton away.

Listen above or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Stoke boss Mark Robins insists there is no "doom and gloom" around the club following their opening-day home league defeat by Swansea City as he prepares his side for Saturday's trip to Southampton.

The 10-man Potters won 2-1 at St. Mary's a year ago - their third victory in their first three Championship matches last season.

They travel to the south coast having lost 2-1 at home to the Swans last weekend but Robins told BBC Radio Stoke the result has not had a negative effect on his squad,

"It's [the Southampton game] on the back of the defeat on Saturday and everything around you is doom and gloom - it isn't that," Robins said.

"You shake things off, we look back at what happened and what we maybe could have done better.

"We were in that game, I don't think we deserved to lose, we could and should have had three points from it with the chances that we had.

"So whilst you're not fluid or free flowing - they weren't either, they looked like they have a settled squad, a settled way of doing things and I thought we coped with that apart from two moments down the side that ended up costing us goals."

Robins has overseen a busy summer of ins and outs at the club, as well as changes in training and off the field to try to avoid a repeat of last season's injury crisis.

He said that transition will continue to develop on the pitch.

"There will be a way of getting players in the positions that they're really comfortable with and that takes a little bit of time," he said.

"[We've had] interesting conversations, when the work's getting done, things are sort of dripped in. You can see things happening in training that might mean certain differences to where people want to be or feel most comfortable on the pitch, where those partnerships start to be formed."

Robins is also confident last season's win at St. Mary's will give the players - especially those who were part of it - added belief when they take on the Saints.

"Obviously each season is different but we go down with the same aim. It's a great place to go and play your football and we look forward to it.

"You can have good memories of places and you can glean something from that and if you can do that, then brilliant.

"It's what we do now, it's what we do moving forwards that matters. The fact you've been somewhere and taken the points is a good experience.

"I think last season we ended up without the ball so much, so can we have the ball a little bit more? - which will impact the game in a positive way."

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City are being heavily linked with Ipswich Town striker George Hirst and Tractor Boys fans feel it could be a coup for the Championship side.

The Scotland international scored 11 goals in 42 games during Ipswich's promotion run last season, though he only netted three times in 26 appearances in their previous Premier League campaign after issues with his knee.

"No offence to Stoke but I was expecting him to rock up at one of the parachute teams, if I'm honest," Richard Woodward of the Blue Monday podcast, external told BBC Radio Stoke.

"I did think he has a role to play for Ipswich maybe but things have shifted a bit with Kieran McKenna moving on.

"I think the key thing for him is confidence. He struggled for consistent minutes but when he got in the team, when he was fit - and he has had a few injuries - I can't praise him enough."

Listen to the full analysis below or on BBC Sounds here.

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