From Hero to Villain in Stoke City's Defeat to Hull City

Expectations were high for Narcis Pelach’s debut, and although the match started with Stoke City taking the lead, we saw a team that wasn’t fully focused on the pitch. The game began with a goal in the 30th minute from Ben Wilmot, who initially appeared to be the savior. However, as the match went on, his performance declined, and unfortunately, it wasn’t his best game.

Stoke City ended up losing this match, with Narcis Pelach's debut overshadowed by a team lacking ambition and a clear game plan during the 90 minutes.

READ MORE: Stoke City 1-3 Hull City | Poor Debut for Narcis Pelach

Ben Wilmot: One goal and one own goal vs Hull City

Throughout the match, Stoke City’s central defender, Ben Wilmot, played the entire game as Narcis Pelach entrusted him with a starting role. Wilmot had a significant influence on Stoke City's play from the back.

He registered 52 touches and completed 77% of his passes—34 out of 44 attempted passes—making him a key player in The Potters’ play.

Wilmot also scored in the 30th minute with a brilliant assist from Bae Jun-ho. However, despite his goal, Stoke City struggled to find their rhythm, and the remainder of the game was dominated by Hull City, who showed the desire to win as the visiting team.

So much so that Hull City equalized in the 63rd minute and then went on to lead 3-1. The final blow came in the 79th minute when Ben Wilmot scored an own goal, crushing Stoke City's hopes of leveling the match, and possibly winning it. Unfortunately, the game ended in a defeat for Stoke City.

Now, the team must focus on recovering from this difficult moment in the EFL Championship and work on fixing their defensive errors and improving their attacking strategy. We hope to see improvements in their next game against Middlesbrough on September 28, with a week of recovery and preparation ahead. Stoke City will aim to show their best version, especially with the competitive squad The Potters have for this season.