Lightweight Stoke outmuscled by Derby
BBC Radio Stoke's Mark Elliott reflects on the lack of physicality in Stoke's squad and the role it played in their defeat to Derby.
[Getty Images] Stoke were outmuscled at Derby in a way that highlighted the gap in physicality between the Potters and most of the teams chasing promotion. Not every team in the Championship needs to be as direct as Derby but no team can afford to be as lightweight and lacking in power and athleticism as Stoke were. It's not the first time over the past two seasons that Stoke have been bullied to defeat.
They put out a young team, particularly defensively and couldn't impose themselves physically at either end of the pitch. After the game, the manager Mark Robins questioned his team's "fight", which suggests that he's ready to move on from some players this summer. When they turn to the transfer market in a few weeks, adding power and physicality - particularly to the spine of the team - has to be a priority.
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