Stoke City will be without striker Sam Gallagher for the forthcoming three-game week after the hamstring injury he suffered in the goalless draw at Swansea City prior to the international break. Gallagher arrived from Blackburn Rovers in the summer but was struck down by a calf problem which delayed his debut.
Unavailable to Steven Schumacher prior to his sacking, Gallagher was handed his long-awaited debut by Narcis Pelach, from the bench, in the defeat at Middlesbrough, and he got the nod to start as the Potters trounced Portsmouth 6-1 at the beginning of this month - he scored his first goal for the club that night to complement the four of Tom Cannon.
The pair looked like striking up an attacking partnership which was burgeoning as Stoke headed to Swansea last time out, but he limped off the pitch towards the end of the stalemate and hasn't trained during the break. Indeed the club still aren't entirely sure of the severity of the issue but Pelach is aware he'll not have Gallagher at all for the coming games.
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"We lost Sam, which is a blow for us," Pelach said, ahead of the welcoming of Norwich City to the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday (3pm kick off). "The impact that he had in the last two games, we could see what he brought to the team. It's a pity we don't have him, he's not going to play any of these three games. We need to assess him more and see what it is. We need more opinions.
"I think in ten days' time we are going to be able to say exactly what it is. It's a moment for other players to step up, to step in and to show that they can do good for the team. I expect them to do it. Our squad is really young, which has advantages but of course it's a blow to lose Sam - I'm not going to lie.
"He's a great pro, and very important for our style. It's going to be harder [without him] but it is what it is. We will try and improve and give chances to other players. Other players need to step up. All of us need to give a little bit more."
Stoke are still without long-term absentee Ben Pearson, as well as Lynden Gooch and Bosun Lawal. Pelach added of the trio: "No news. We need to wait more for all of them. I am waiting to have them as soon as possible because they are valuable for what we want to do."
In brighter news, Stoke's various internationals have all returned unscathed from their escapades around the world during this break; Bae Junho, Jordan Thompson, Andrew Moran, Lewis Koumas, Viktor Johansson and Million Manhoef were among those away and unavailable to Pelach during the break in which his own coaching roll-out continued with the personnel who remained at Clayton Wood.
The Spaniard has been able to catch up with those who have since returned to Stoke and has been heartened by the attitudes of all, who are keen on hitting the ground running and picking up where the squad left off, in promising fashion, before the break.
"They're all good to go," Pelach confirmed. "Some of them played more, some of them played less, but they're all good. The most important thing was when I sat down with them was that they said they wanted to be here. They'd been away with their countries but their head is thinking about being in Stoke, about the next game. They're willing to be here and that is really nice to hear."
