Stoke City second-half starts problem as pundits put Tommy Simkin in spotlight

CommentsSportopinionPeter Smith Stoke City reporter10:16, 11 Mar 2026Stoke City ended up sharing six goals with Ipswich on a night that was furiously windy, entertaining, exhausting, frustrating, exciting and pretty much everything in between. Here are the talking points from the bet365 Stadium.

It was a good combination in that first half of Ipswich dithering and Stoke being primed to press. There was a real urgency from players led by Bae Junho and Tomas Rigo to get around opponents high up the pitch while Ash Phillips and Maksym Talovierov weren’t giving Ivan Azon any space to turn when he took the ball in as their outlet.

Talovierov was aggressive to win the ball back for the first goal, Rigo aggressive to force a slip for the second. Then there was ruthless play respectively from Million Manhoef and Junho, the kind of direct, positive thinking they have to try to sustain.

When they are in that kind of mood as they were in for the first half it looks like what Robins would call a proper Stoke team. It’s something for supporters to really get behind and enjoy. Up and at ‘em with fight plus skill.

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Stoke haven’t been able to reproduce excellent first halves at home against Leicester, Middlesbrough and Hull in the second over the last couple of months – and they’ve conceded seven goals in the first 10 minutes of second halves in their last 10 home matches.

There must be a few factors behind that, including Ipswich looking like one of the best attacking sides in the division when they returned following the break. Perhaps it’s not entirely a coincidence that run has coincided with Stoke’s injury woes.

Robins said: “When you look at their changes it makes a big difference. We just haven’t got that at the moment.

“It feels like I’m bleating about it. I’m not trying to make excuses but I’m trying to give you reasons for things and give you an understanding of what life is like for me at this moment in time.

“They are giving everything, absolutely everything, so it is very difficult to be too critical.

“Lads have got to play in the team. Ben Pearson was ill who probably would have played in this game, Steven (Nzonzi) can’t keep going so we had two midfield players who came in and did really well,

“Junho did really well. He got his goal and if he can continue to do things like that then he’s going to be a really good player for us. He has to keep making the right decisions more often than not. But he was one who started to look a little bit leggy in the second half. Rigo the same.

“It has an impact. Ipswich changed the midfield – they have got that ability to do it and not weaken it. More combative. Three-two up, trying to see the game out. Credit to the lads they have stuck in and done really well so it’s not all negative. There are a lot of positives in that performance.

“To draw 3-3 at the end of it you can look at it two ways. Yes, disappointing but if you had given me that before the game I might have just said, ‘Yeah ok, I’ll take that.’”

Tommy Simkin has shown glimpses of his potential since being thrown into the deep end on New Year’s Day but there have been challenges too – and if you’re having a tough night as a keeper it can be unforgiving. He could definitely do with help from the fellas in front of him.

Curtis Davies, watching the third goal back for Sky Sports, said: “(George Hirst) should never get between the two defenders first and foremost. Talovierov has to take some responsibility. He steps up when Ashley Phillips stays behind and they get it wrong.

“But once he’s in, it’s not a hard finish. He kicks straight towards the keeper and unfortunately for Simkin he tries to go with his hand when it’s by his foot and it goes under him.

“Keepers want to save everything with their hands when if he just moves a foot to the left he saves it. It’s quite a distance, he can see it all the way but what keepers want to do now is get down and save it. Unfortunately it’s gone under him.”

Milan Smit has just turned 23 and he admits the difference in intensity in the Championship from the Dutch league has been eye opening.

But it was a nice striker’s finish for his first and a striker who accepted responsibility for the second, tapping in a penalty in front of the Boothen End.

“That’s from someone who hadn’t really got going at Stoke yet until today,” added Davies. “Maybe that was his moment. He had a bit of confidence from his goal and was just waiting for his next opportunity, which fell from the penalty spot. He said he was the calmest man in the ground, I’m not sure I believe him, but he’s come across as confident anyway.”

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