Yahoo News Stoke City identity growing as Steven Schumacher bids for best streak in 16-and-a-half years
Niall Ennis took encouragement from more than just the scoreline as Stoke City started their season with a win over Coventry.
Ennis is hoping to come into the starting XI tonight at Carlisle in the Carabao Cup first round (7.30pm). There would be a big break in the middle but Stoke are going for a fifth straight win in all competitions for the first time since February 2008 – and potentially a fifth straight clean sheet too.
The 25-year-old striker sees this little run as a platform as what Stoke can do as a united team that is finding an identity with aggression and high-intensity, particularly at home.
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He said: “I felt the clean sheet for the goalie, for Vik (Viktor Johansson), the defence and everyone on the pitch showed we were good as a unit and we got into a lot of good positions to get goals, which is a good sign as well. We had the chances and the more we gel as a team, the more the chances get put away. There were good signs and we should improve on that too.
“Especially at home we want to show teams that it’s a tough place to play. I felt we did that. We started strongly and it’s just about building off that, not easing into a game and earning the right for how we want to play in our ground.
“The gaffer had us solid towards the end of the season and we saw the results. With the pre-season and everyone knows how we want to play, I feel it’s only going to get better.”
Ennis made his introduction to the season as a second-half substitute, soon followed by Lewis Baker, who scored the winner. Coventry had been building pressure after the break and the instructions from the manager had been clear.
“I felt like we were dropping deeper so the message to me was to help hold the ball, help us get further up the pitch again,” said Ennis. “When you’re dropping deeper they can build up pressure. So it was just a simple task of getting it back into their half, stretching the pitch and making it stick up front.
“It’s the best way to start a season, with a win, and we’ve got this cup game now so hopefully we can get a win then too. It’s thick and fast to start the season but if you had a choice of a match or training it’s a match every time so we’ll take them as they come.”
It was Emre Tezgel who got the nod to start, his first for Stoke, and there are high hopes for his long-term future.
Ennis said: “Emre’s a good player, I’ve seen it from the first day of pre-season. He’s a good guy as well, off the pitch. He takes the gaffer’s instructions well and he’s a good striker. He’s come through the academy and it’s good for the fans too.”
Next it’s up the M6 for Carlisle, who Stoke haven’t played in a competitive match since meeting in what is now the Championship back in 1986. They were beaten 4-1 at Gillingham on Saturday but nothing will be taken for granted.
Ennis said: “I’ve been in cup games when I’ve been in the team that isn’t expected to get a result and we’ve managed to get one so I know you can’t relax from the other perspective. It’s about preparing right. We’ve got a good team that takes every game seriously and good staff members who will keep us grounded and focused to get into the next round.”
