New Stoke City manager Paul Lambert has inherited the worst defence in the Premier League.
New manager Paul Lambert has told The Stoke Sentinel that he plans to make Stoke City more “aggressive” in defence in order to stop them leaking goals.
And the Scotsman is looking to long-standing captain Ryan Shawcross to be the inspirational leader who dictates Stoke’s defensive transformation on the pitch.
The Potters have conceded 50 goals in 23 Premier League matches this season – comfortably the worst record in the division and the main reason that they are 18th in the table.
This fragility is fairly new to a Stoke side who have previously had a repuatation for giving nothing away and being difficult to beat, particularly under former boss Tony Pulis.
Shawcross is one of the few players who are left from the Pulis era, and the 30-year-old defender could rediscover his best form if encouraged to rediscover that hostile streak.
Mark Hughes signed Kevin Wimmer, Bruno Martins Indi and Kurt Zouma, on loan in the summer, but Lambert insists that Shawcross remains “vital” to shoring Stoke up at the back.
Lambert told The Stoke Sentinel: “You look at Ryan, he’s a tower of strength, a big lad and a really good talker. I know he’s had his injuries, but he trained this morning a little bit and my first impression is he’s a really good guy. I know he’s been the captain as well, but any player is important to me and this club for these 15 games, and he’s vital to us.
“We can’t keep conceding the goals we are conceding. It puts too much pressure on everybody and at the same time we have to score goals to take pressure off the back lads. We have to be more resolute in what we are doing, stronger and more aggressive with it, and if you do that we will be fine.”
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