Stoke City: Jun-Ho Bae reveal shows where he really impressed v Portsmouth.

Jun-Ho Bae of Stoke City may not have scored four goals against Portsmouth on Wednesday night, but he was one of the most impressive players on show at the bet365 Stadium.

The Potters defeated Pompey 6-1, marking Narcis Pelach’s first win in control of the club. It took the Spaniards three efforts to score three points, but they did so emphatically.

Following defeats to Hull City and Middlesbrough, Stoke replied by smashing their visitors, with Andrew Moran and Sam Gallagher scoring their first goals in red and white since their summer move from Blackburn Rovers. Tom Cannon, on loan from Leicester City, stole the show, scoring four goals.

Prior to Wednesday’s thumping of Portsmouth, Stoke had had a rough start under Pelach, with two losses in two games. Although it is still early days for him, there may be several performances similar to their game against Middlesbrough before we witness more dramatic triumphs like this on a regular basis.

In any case, this should be a very encouraging performance for supporters, as it shows what the team’s potential may be if everything starts to click at the top end of the pitch. Prior to the game, they had only four league goals, but they more than quadrupled that total after defeating the freshly promoted team.

Stoke City’s potential for attack

Stoke have a promising young group, particularly in attack. Cannon, Lewis Koumas, and Million Manhoef are all fascinating players to root for, but one in particular sticks out from the throng at the bet365 Stadium.

After earning a reputation for recruiting players that fit into a more physical style of play in recent years, the Potters have seen a rebirth of sorts in the previous couple of summer windows, with Bae Jun-Ho among them.

Last summer, he was bought from South Korean club Daejeon Hana Citizen for a reported amount of £2 million. During his debut season with the Championship side, he scored twice and provided six assists across all competitions.

The South Korean international had glimpses of brilliance in 2023/24, but there is clearly much more to come from the 21-year-old. This season, he has already contributed three assists to Stoke’s 10-goal league total, indicating significant growth.

Fulham wanted to sign him in the summer due to his potential, but his manager, Steven Schumacher, refused to allow him leave.

He made it clear to all interested parties that the offensive midfielder was not for sale, which appears to have been the correct move for both Bae and Stoke, who are reaping the benefits thus far. His two assists on Wednesday were outstanding, but they only scratch the surface of his continuous brilliance throughout the night as a thorn in Portsmouth’s side.

Jun-Ho Bae’s impressive performance for Stoke versus Portsmouth