Dean Ashton believes that Stoke City lack pace to compliment the more experienced players in their squad.

Stoke are embarking on a poor run of form at the moment, winning only one of their last 12 games in the Sky Bet Championship.

Three defeats and eight draws in that period of time have seen the Potters drop to ninth, six points off the play-off places.

Stoke have scored only nine goals in their last 12 games, too, with Dean Ashton pointing out their lack of pace in the squad.

Tyrese Campbell offers plenty of pace and threat whenever he plays, but the forward is currently out injured and has been since the start of December.

Michael O'Neill brought in the likes of Steven Fletcher and John Obi Mikel in the summer, adding experience to the squad alongside the likes of James Chester and Joe Allen.

Speaking on EFL on Quest, Ashton said: "They’ve got the experience, Obi-Mikel, Fletcher up top, and Joe Allen in midfield, they just need pace alongside them. They had it in Campbell but obviously he’s injured. That’s what they’re lacking."

The Verdict

I do agree with these comments in some ways.

They do lack a bit of energy and pace in central midfield, and Obi Mikel and Allen are hardly the quickest, most creative players in the world.

They have plenty of pace out wide in Rabbi Matondo, Jack Clarke and Jacob Brown, though, so perhaps they should have added a younger player to their midfield in January.

Stoke need a win from somewhere to life morale and spirits, but with a trip to Norwich on the horizon, it doesn't get any easier.