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Stoke City player ratings vs Burnley as big task looms for Narcis Pelach
Burnley were just too good for Stoke City in the second half as they found an extra gear to ease to their fourth win on the spin.
Stoke put in a shift against a side who have now kept 12 clean sheets in 18 games and are now part of that statistic for failing to find a way through a miserly defence. A first goal in the wrong direction always looked like game over. The breakthrough came early in the second half when Jay Rodriguez tapped home a Josh Laurent knock across the six-yard box and Josh Brownhill made the points sure with a penalty after Tatsuki Seko had fouled Josh Cullen.
Thus ends Stoke’s mini unbeaten run of five games and they head into a difficult and busy December tasked with finding a way to keep enough points ticking things over.
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Decent chances always seemed like they would be few and far between in a clash between two teams who haven’t made a habit of conceding from open play and so it proved – but Stoke had the bit between their teeth through a tactical first half.
Burnley went closest through Rodriguez, whose dipping header from a Luca Koleosho cross landed on the roof of the net as Viktor Johansson inadvertently took out Ben Gibson with a real clattering. Koleosho forced a low save by Johansson too after a run into the box from the left. But long rangers were not threatening. Josh Cullen’s ended up high in the Boothen End and Josh Laurent’s hopelessly bad effort is probably now being tracked by astronomers. Jeremy Sarmiento’s was gobbled up comfortably by the keeper.
Seko had a rare pop at the other end when he took one touch as a corner bounced his way at the edge of the box before cracking a shot that was deflected wide. Manhoef had a sighter when he dashed to the inside left to get on the end of a cut-back from Cannon, who had been released by Wouter Burger down a channel. Manhoef’s shot was blocked by Maxime Esteve's side.
Manhoef then drew defenders wide to make space for Tchamadeu to bluster inside and feed Cannon on the stretch, with a touch taking the striker into the six-yard box where he tried to beat James Trafford at the near post. The rebound didn’t fall especially kindly for Junho, who ended up trying a backheel that was cleared under the bar by CJ Egan-Riley.
The first goal, because it didn’t feel like there would be many, was so crucial and it was Burnley who got it early in the second half. Connor Roberts dinked a cross from the right to the back post and Laurent knocked it across the six-yard box past Johansson for Rodriguez to tap in.
A second pretty much confirmed the result. Seko waved a leg too loosely just inside the Stoke box and Josh Cullen didn’t need any invitation to see it as a chance to fly to the floor. Brownhill slammed the resultant penalty inside the left corner.
Here are the player ratings from the bet365 Stadium:
Johansson: Frustrated by Burnley’s opener as he was almost trying to be in two places at once. No penalty heroics this time. 6
Wilmot: Tried his luck with a fizzing long ranger. Couldn’t stop cross reaching Laurent for opener nor cut out Laurent’s pass across. 6
Phillips: Let Rodriguez sneak goal-side for the all-important opening goal as initial cross had gone over their heads. 6
Gibson: Played on after a clattering from Johansson. Ready to stick his body in the way when Stoke defended the box. 6
Tchamadeu: Full of enthusiasm with a licence to attack albeit a little bit rough around the edges. Tried to feed Cannon and work with Manhoef. 6
Bocat: Has fleeting show of skill but needs to impact the game more both defensively and offensively if he is to bump Stevens at left-back. 6
Seko: Hared around at times, made blocks, had a decent rare shot. But penalised for dangling a leg in his own area and giving Cullen the chance to dive into it. 6
Burger: Needs more than an occasional pass into the final third if Stoke are going to lean on him as a main man in midfield – and to show he can play 90 minutes. 5.5
Manhoef: The most likely creative talent and he did occasionally sneak past one man only to invariably be met by another. 6.5
Junho: Stoke need him to find a way to influence games against the best teams in the Championship. Ambitious backheel cleared off the line in first half. 5.5
Cannon: Some smart link-up play and needed a favourable bounce or two when he got into the area. Put in a big shift. 6.5
Substitutes
Moran (for Burger, 63): The game was slipping away from Stoke by the time he got on the pitch and he couldn’t turn tide. 5
Koumas (for Wilmot, 74): Couldn’t get on the ball to try to pull Stoke up the pitch. 5
Not used: Bonham, Gooch, Rose, Vidigal, Thompson, Sidibe, Tezgel
Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands) 3
