Why Did Narcís Pelach Make This Decision Against Derby County?

It was quite a curious match in terms of the decisions Narcís Pelach made, yet the outcome was still positive for Stoke City as they faced Derby County. The team was in desperate need of three points after a series of draws and losses in the EFL Championship, which had placed them in a rather unfavorable position on the league table.

This game against Derby County presented the perfect opportunity for Stoke City to secure the victory and add some much-needed points. The team achieved a 2-1 win, with goals from Tom Cannon and Ben Gibson, which was a strong result and showcased a bit more scoring efficiency—a good sign for the season ahead. With a long road still to go, Stoke City hopes to continue improving and delivering the best results possible.

READ MORE: His First Goal of the Season and a Victory for Stoke City

Only One Meaningful Substitution in 90 Minutes by Narcís Pelach

As we observed during the match against Derby County, Narcís Pelach made a total of three substitutions, yet only one of them had a real impact on the game. The first significant change occurred in the 56th minute, when Lewis Koumas came on to replace Tatsuki Seko. The other two substitutions, however, came right at the end of the match and were defensive moves aimed at closing out the game.

André Vidigal and Eric Bocat came on, but each only played for about two minutes. This left many fans wondering why there wasn’t more rotation during this match, especially as several players on the bench were eager to get game time.

This decision by Pelach is interesting to analyze because he has talented players in reserve, such as the young Sol Sidibé, who hasn’t seen any minutes for several games, and a strong and reliable striker like Niall Ennis, who also hasn’t been given any recent playing time. Pelach appeared quite comfortable with his starting lineup in this game, as evidenced by his limited use of substitutions. Aside from Koumas, who played 34 minutes, the other substitutes didn’t have any noteworthy impact on the match.

This approach raises some concerns for Stoke City, as keeping all players in rhythm is essential for such a long season. By mainly relying on his starters, Pelach risks leaving his bench players out of match shape, which could affect the team’s depth in the future.