Liam Delap played a full 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 4-0 defeat to Watford on Saturday, failing to register a shot on target, whip in an accurate cross or create a chance.
The 19-year-old was making his seventh consecutive start in the Championship, getting the nod alongside Dwight Gayle, but he’s not yet having the desired impact at the Britannia Stadium.
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Peter Smith of StokeonTrentLive gave Delap a player rating of 6/10 and noted that he made a lot of changes himself due to the poor service, so it wasn’t his worst showing for the Potters. But with Delap failing to score or make an assist in his seventh outing for Stoke, he’s certainly struggling overall.
After bagging 11 goals from 17 games for Man City’s U18s and then notching 35 goals from 36 games for the U21s, Delap was expected to hit the ground running on loan. But he’s finding the Championship difficult and Stoke have been guilty of spuring chances on a regular basis.
The Potters have scored just 11 goals from as many games this season – only six sides have netted fewer. Stoke are fourth in the table for shots (13.5 per game), however, so Delap and co need better finishing.
Delap has had 13 shots from seven appearances, hitting the target only twice, so his technique and decision-making need work. It was a controversial decision to loan Delap out over the summer, but his form at Stoke shows it was the right decision by City not to keep him.
In other news, Pep Guardiola could rest Erling Haaland v Copenhagen, Julian Alvarez may replace him
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