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Stoke City injury news ahead of Blackburn Rovers as Narcis Pelach makes promise
Ben Wilmot and Michael Rose are being assessed today following illness in hope they can be declared available for Stoke City's mid-week trip to Blackburn Rovers.
The defenders both missed a 2-1 win over Derby County on Saturday after picking up a bug late last week but they have not yet been ruled out of action for Ewood Park on Wednesday night (7.45pm) - and if they do not make that, they will almost certainly be back for a home game against Millwall on Saturday (12.30pm).
The update comes as Narcis Pelach promises that he will only select players when they are truly 100 per cent fit after illness, no matter their status in the squad.
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He said: “They’re being assessed this morning so I cannot tell you now if they’re going to be available or not. They could be both available or they could be both out. I think if they’re out today they will be available for the next one but you never know with illness, it depends and you have to be right to play. It’s not just a case of feeling better, you have to be right to play.
“I’m not going to throw any player onto the football pitch if they’re not 100 per cent. I don’t care about who we are talking about. It could be the most experienced player or the most talented one, there are 11 players who go onto the football pitch and they have to be right to fight. If they’re 99 per cent I’m not going to play them.
“So we’re going to have this training session and see and then I will decide.”
Bosun Lawal is starting running this week as he makes a big step forwards following a back injury picked up in his medical when he signed from Celtic in the summer. Lynden Gooch is expected to be back from a knee injury towards the end of this month while Ben Pearson (hamstring) still has a long road ahead. Sam Gallagher (hamstring) is hoping to make strides through the November international break.
Stoke didn't pick up any other injuries against Derby but Pelach is likely to utilise his squad as he navigates a third three-game week in succession.
He said: “I’m a coach who believes in togetherness, I believe in a team rather than individuals. My way of managing this part of the game is, I don’t want to say rotations. It’s rotations if you earn the right for being rotated and being part of that, if you perform. I believe in game plans against different teams, opponents, so I’m going to try to play the best players for this game.
“Of course it means that we may change players – maybe more, maybe less for Blackburn or for Millwall, we will see. But I am looking forward to using the squad because I really felt that against Southampton that players made a step in the right direction and it’s important for me to be fair.”
