Stoke Fan View: No goal in last six away fills me with little confidence

We’re too slow.

Against West Ham there was something that we lacked in abundance. That something was pace. The slow style of play has consistently resulted in boring, drab and miserable performances by Stoke. A lack of any real intensity is really making the last few weeks painful to absorb as a fan.

It’s mind boggling, to why Hughes hasn’t given some of our more direct running midfielders a chance to show teams we’re not just one dimensional and have something else to offer other than slow build up play which is far too predictable. Offensively wise away from home our lack of a goal in the previous six confirm that.

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I feel like a broken record but where are players like Imbula and Ngoy? Why are we going into each away game with a lack of any real pace which in the Premier League is a recipe for disaster. Teams like Bournemouth who are good on the ball will find it all too easy tomorrow if we don’t give them a reasonable threat on the break.

Imbula last year really excelled in the particular game last year, scoring a magnificent volley from 25 yards out in the process. It would be huge boost to us if Hughes showed some faith in the man he forked a club record fee out for.

Be quick to close them down

Bournemouth technically wise are a great side who play some really good passing football. We can’t allow them to go out there and manipulate the tempo of the game, we’ve got to in and around them from the very first minute. Doing all this would push them into mistakes, allowing us to benefit in the attacking third.

During this abysmal spell away from home, we’ve shown teams way too much respect and continued to stand off and let them control the pattern of the game. I hope in training the coaching staff have drilled it into them, that pressing is compulsory against teams who like to move the ball quickly.

Bournemouth could easily run riot if we don’t stop the flow of passing, so I hope we start quick and set the tone for this match.

Is Berahino still worthy of a starting place?

Despite improvements in his performances and all round general play, it must be demoralising for our strikers to see a striker who hasn’t scored in his first eleven games at the club continue to start.

Against West Ham last week he showed a few glimpses he was becoming good, however he’s missed some really clear cut chances during this poor spell of his and Stokes and with nothing to show for his work it’s probably right for a change in the team.

As someone who is a huge advocate of youth, I’d love to see Ngoy start but would also consider Mame Diouf who’s chances have been few and fair between this year. We need an injection of a pace as I said above, these two players can certainly offer us that pacey outlet.