It’s hard to remember Stoke stringing four or five passes together in their recent games with Newcastle and Aston Villa – and yet they managed to come away with three points in each match.

When the opposition dominated possession for long periods and went a goal up, you wondered how long Stoke could continue playing in their dogged fashion and get away with it.

At one time in their clash with the Magpies at St James’ Park, the home side had 76% of the ball but it’s Stoke’s percentage game that continues to get them out of trouble.

 

Their unlikely smash and grab wins at home to Villa and in the North east may seem like Stoke’s opponents throwing it away, but for Tony Pulis, it will be clear vindication for his style.

That’s not to say gifted players don’t exist within Stoke’s ranks – the likes of Dean Whitehead, Tuncay and Kenwyne Jones aren’t exactly shy of receiving the ball into feet.

But the expansive game will usually play second fiddle to the direct approach.

For a lot of people it’s not the way they like to see the game played – Arsene Wenger recently lambasted them for turning the game into rugby – but that’s probably stretching it. Basketball might have been a more appropriate description, particularly when Delap is on the pitch.

But love them or loathe them – there is one thing to be taken from their two fine victories in the league this season - if Stoke are behind and being totally outplayed, they’re never out of it. And that’s a hallmark any side would love to have.

Another vital player for them is Ricardo Fuller and the club face an anxious wait to see how serious his shoulder injury picked up on Tyneside turns out.

A worst case scenario would be a dislocated shoulder, which would see the Jamaican international ruled out for a handful of games.