Narcis Pelach summons players to address haunting Stoke City problem

Stoke City manager Narcis Pelach reacts as Hull City equalise with a Kasey Palmer penalty.
-Credit: (Image: Nick Potts)


Narcis Pelach is gathering Stoke City players on Saturday morning to go through the kind of reaction to a bad moment that has become all too familiar to supporters over recent times.

Stoke had been leading 1-0 against Hull at half-time on Friday night but a contested penalty decision - Bachir Belloumi was offside before he was fouled by Eric Bocat - sparked a collapse. A second goal was gifted with a sloppy pass out from the back and the new head coach admitted that his side had lost its composure when it became three.

"I saw a lot of frustration," said Pelach. "When something bad happens to the team like a goal against I saw the team losing composure because we were fine defending the space, organised, solid. Ok, you can have the ball in front of us.

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"But then after the goal, I saw the team take a knock mentally and that's something we have to address quickly. We have to talk because one thing is to play with emotion and energy and try to build something in that direction, but another is to lose control. We have to find the balance."

Asked how he can tackle it, he added: "We have to make them conscious about it. We have to talk. I will only look from two days ago but it's my job.

"I don't think the game was that bad. It's difficult to come here and say that after we've lost 3-1 at home. The first and second goals we gave them the chance because it was our mistake. We should have just played wide with the ball. Then the third one is because our heads are not in the right place. We have to get better, we have to be much more composed and readdress that."

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