Engine room is key to all successful football teams

HERE have been massive changes at Stoke City this summer and it's good to see. The squad looks much stronger and we will hopefully see more competition for places over the next few months and, beyond that, less turnover in players than we've had in the last few years.

- By Mike Pejic

There are shirts there for the taking and a successful team will be able to look back at the end of the season and have players who have made the number one spot their own.

I won't be surprised if Mark Robins makes a couple of changes next time out against Birmingham.

You don't always have to change a losing team, just like you don't have to always keep a winning team you pick the right players on merit for the job at hand - but a little dip in performance level against West Brom will have given the manager food for thought.

It's going to be interesting and I would say most players are under a good level of pressure to deliver. It should get the best out of them - and if it doesn't, then you know who you need to change in the next transfer window.

I think the West Brom game was lost in central midfield. We had seen a great display with discipline and balance to win at Southampton, thriving on the counterattack, but you still need to be solid even in a home match. If it ends up 0-0, it ends up 0-0, just make sure you don't give anything away first and foremost.