The Potters have won two and lost two from their opening four Sky Bet Championship games, and thrashed Middlesbrough 5-0 to book a place in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
We caught up with the Stoke Sentinel’s Potters reporter Pete Smith to get the lowdown on this weekend’s visitors.
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How has the start of the season been for the Potters?
I think we’ll probably be in a better position to answer that question as everything settles down now the transfer window has closed. The last couple of weeks of the market were important in terms of first team exits and arrivals. But the mood is pretty optimistic.
There have been encouraging moments, like a solid opening day win over Coventry, but it was the last two results going into the international break that really lifted the mood. The youngest team Stoke have ever fielded won 5-0 at Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup and then backed that up by winning 1-0 at Plymouth in the league.
No one is getting carried away but there’s hopefully a decent, young and pretty balanced squad that has taken shape. All eyes on what happens next.
What were the main incomings and outgoings during the summer window?
Tyrese Campbell, Josh Laurent, Ryan Mmaee, Lewis Baker and Daniel Johnson were all around the starting XI last season and have now left.
There have been 10 signings in all, and they should all impact the first team. Viktor Johansson is a long-awaited keeper of Stoke’s own after relying on loans recently, Eric Bocat has made an impression at left back, Andrew Moran looks an exciting prospect in midfield and there was fierce competition to sign striker Tom Cannon on deadline day.
The midfield department has been reshaped too and it will be interesting to see how Bosun Lawal and Tatsuki Seko settle in over the next few months.
Ben Gibson and Ashley Phillips are additions at different ends of the career spectrum at centre half, and we’re still waiting to see Sam Gallagher, who joined from Blackburn but picked up an injury in pre-season.
What’s the formation and playing style likely to be under Steven Schumacher?
Schumacher has tinkered with wing backs on occasion, but Plan A has generally been 4-3-3 and probably with a more direct attitude than he employed at Plymouth.
He’s got a lot of pace and skill in the team now and he’ll try to bring them into play as quickly as possible. He’s got wingers who like to cut inside and shoot, and hopefully in Cannon, a centre forward who will try to break the defensive line as aggressively and frequently as possible.
Who are the key players to watch out for?
Cannon is on standby to make his debut this weekend so that should be fun. Million Manhoef is a left-footed right winger who is tricky to stop when he’s in full flow at this level. He’s been away with Netherlands Under-21s this week and done well. Bae Jun-ho is a super footballer, just turned 21 and already broken into the South Korea fold.
Lewis Koumas is an 18-year-old on loan from Liverpool. He made his first start for Wales in the international break and big things are expected in the short and long-term.