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Soccer

Stoke's defensive record has been remarkable since Shawcross' return to the back four

"On the day we played 90 minutes down to ten men and in the whole 90 minutes we were awarded four...



Stoke's defensive record h...
Soccer

Stoke's defensive record has been remarkable since Shawcross' return to the back four

"On the day we played 90 minutes down to ten men and in the whole 90 minutes we were awarded four free-kicks in our favour".

That was Stoke City manager Mark Hughes as he spoke about how miffed he was by refereeing decisions  as he counts the cost of a contentious red card for his captain Ryan Shawcross during Saturday's 2-0 to Sunderland.

Shawcross was red carded on 47 minutes for a second bookable offence when he was adjudged to have brought down Duncan Watmore, despite getting some of the ball.

However, I bring up Shawcross as his impact since returning to the side has been exemplary.

The centre-back missed the first 10 games of the season through injury as a buoyant Stoke, who had made some eye-catching summer signings further up the pitch like Xherdan Shaqiri, conceded 12 goals in those first games without him.

In that time, they kept just two clean sheets.

Yet, in the four games since his return, they have kept three - including against Chelsea - and in fact the 28-year-old has not seen a goal go in on his watch yet as Sunderland's two goals on Saturday came in the final minutes, long after he had been sent down the tunnel by referee Mike Dean. 

There is no real difference in the average number of shots Stoke have allowed since his return to the back four. But among the regular centre-backs at the Britannia Stadium, he has made the most interceptions per match and is the best defender at the club this season when it comes to the fewest amount of times an opposition player has dribbled past him.

The 1m91 man leads centre-backs in terms of aerial balls won per match, marginally ahead of his current defensive partner Philipp Wollscheid.

In terms of the league though, it is fortunate that Shawcross will only be suspended for the Capital One Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday rather than a Premier League clash.

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