'Work to do in attack for Stoke City'
· Yahoo Sports
Stoke did what they had to do against an Oldham side that acquitted themselves well throughout in their Carabao Cup tie.
Visit mwafrika.life for more information.
Viktor Johansson made several good saves behind a back four still coming together as a unit following Luke Graham's arrival to replace Ashley Phillips and in the absence of injured Junior Tchamadeu and Aaron Cresswell.
The midfield has seen three new arrivals and remains a work in progress too, but this game - and pre-season before it - has served to further demonstrate what Stoke need to do in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.
While they need another full-back, the club's main priority is surely to reconfigure and retool its attack.
Currently, the squad looks built for a 4-3-3 with two number eights rather than two deep-lying players and a 10.
Eric Bocat already inverts from left back, and with centre-half Ben Wilmot playing out of position at right-back, it looks from the outside like that base formation would allow Wilmot to tuck in and Stoke to build with a back three.
The Potters could then push Bocat or the two eights on to attack in a fashionable 3-2-5, while still defending in their usual 4-4-2 with everyone bar Wilmot in their favoured positions.
But Mark Robins seems keen to stick with last season's shape which leaves him looking for answers to last season's questions.
Is Bae Jun-ho the answer in terms of creativity or can a buyer be found for him? Will Sorba Thomas attract a big offer that necessitates a sale? And can any of the club's recognised strikers be relied upon to score consistently?
There are question marks over the future of almost every attacking player at the club for one reason or another and Stoke will need to let some go to free up space in their squad before making any more than one or two additions.
The defence and midfield look like they're coming together but there's still work to do at the other end of the pitch with the Championship season just a week away.