Stoke City suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, a result manager Mark Robins blamed on his side's recurring errors. The loss leaves the Potters still searching for their first win of the new Championship season, having finished 17th last term with 55 points from 46 games.
Robins was left frustrated after seeing his team take an early lead through Sam Gallagher, only to collapse. Two quick goals from Rodrigo Gomes turned the game before the break, a penalty extended Wolves' lead, and Jordan James added a late fourth. Sorba Thomas missed two good opportunities for Stoke, compounding their problems. The manager's comments were reported by The Sentinel this week.
Mark Robins pinpointed a specific moment that changed the game's momentum. He said his team started brilliantly and scored a brilliant goal, but a mistake by Eric Bocat, who lost possession in a dangerous area, led directly to Wolves' equaliser. "We score brilliant goals and then contrive to shoot ourselves in the foot," Robins stated. He believes that error shifted the game and his side never recovered their early composure.
Robins described the penalty decision that made it 3-1 as 'very soft', but he refused to let that obscure the broader issue. He stated this was the second week in a row where Stoke had been the main cause of their own defeat. "That’s a really bad habit," the manager warned. He acknowledged Wolves are a strong squad likely to finish near the top, but insisted Stoke could have given them a competitive match if they had built on their positive start.
The opening two away fixtures of the campaign were at Southampton and Wolves, two sides Robins considers among the toughest they will face all season. He said these matches have served as a brutal reminder of how errors are punished at this level. The manager brought in players during the summer who were supposed to add physicality, win tackles, and provide quality. While he sees some of that quality emerging, the lessons out of possession have not been learned quickly enough.
Stoke's defensive record last season saw them concede 56 goals while scoring 51, finishing with a negative goal difference. The need for greater resilience is clear. Robins said there were good signs in the performance against Wolves, but failing to capitalise on a good start or take clear chances is proving expensive. The gap to the top is already significant, with the Potters ending last season 40 points behind champions Coventry.
The immediate focus turns to halting this poor run. Stoke City have not won a game this season and Robins accepts this needs to change quickly. Their next opportunity comes at home against Norwich City, who are currently 9th in the table, on September 1st.
Adding to the challenge, Stoke will be without several players for that match. The current injury list includes Aaron Cresswell, Ato Ampah, Junior Tchamadeu, and Lamine Cissé. Robins will need to find solutions from within his squad to address the defensive lapses and find a winning formula. The team's current league position and recent form, which ended last season with a run of LLLLD, underscores the urgency of the situation. Supporters can track the team's progress in the standings as the season develops.
