Alex Neil’s side have had a rocky start to the season, and the Potters are sitting at the bottom half of the league table with seven points from eight games.

 

Stoke suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth on Wednesday in the EFL Cup fixture, which extended their winless run to five games.

 

 

 

However, Neil pointed out that Stoke’s players carried out their roles very well and claimed that his side limited Andoni Iraola’s Premier League outfit.

 

Neil admitted that his team have to improve themselves at managing games in different moments and stressed that he has no doubt that Stoke will get better.

 

 

“I thought the organisation of the team today was really good”, Neil said on Stoke’s media.

 

“I thought they understood the role and carried it out really well.

 

 

“We limited a good Premier League team to very little in the game, so it is just the little moments.

 

“Just now, we need to make sure that we try to do a bit better and manage the game a bit better, understand when the importance of the game at crucial times maybe to slow the tempo down just to get ourselves back into the match.

 

“I am hoping that will come; the more obviously the lads play together.

 

“We are going to improve; there is absolutely no doubt about that.

 

“There are too many signs for not to improve.”

 

Stoke are set to take on Nigel Pearson’s Bristol City on Saturday at Ashton Gate and it remains to be seen whether the Potters will be able to end their winless run against the Robins.