Stoke City won away at Cardiff in a match that saw the visitors finish with far less possession but emerge with the points following recent significant changes to the squad.
Ben Johnson scored an unlikely goal, chasing a lofted Robert Bozenik ball into the Cardiff box from an awkward angle with two defenders nearby. The goal proved decisive despite both sides creating clearer chances during the match.
Cardiff's Wastefulness
Cardiff were the more dominant side, particularly in the second half. They scored once through Joel Colwill but hit the woodwork three times and missed several presentable opportunities. Cardiff finished with an Expected Goals (xG) figure of 2.93, reflecting the number of chances they created.
Stoke's xG was 0.75, with much of that coming from a George Hirst chance when he ran through on goal but did not force a convincing save from Nathan Trott.
Stoke's Adjustment Period
Stoke finished with 29% possession and struggled to get up the pitch as the game progressed, dropping deep and failing to apply consistent pressure on the ball. When they did have the ball, they wasted possession too frequently.
The side has undergone major changes late in the transfer window and adopted a new tactical approach using a back three. The squad has barely trained together under this new system.
Despite appearing disorganised at times and not fully adapting to the new way of playing, Stoke have picked up seven points from the past nine available. The team now has significantly more talent in the squad than it did weeks earlier and has shown the ability to create chances and maintain work rate and commitment during matches, with clear scope for improvement as they continue to adjust.