Insight from Mark Robins behind Sorba Thomas’s flying form at Stoke City
Mark Robins and Sorba Thomas share a laugh after the latter starred in a 3-0 win for Stoke over Charlton.(Image: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Mark Robins wants Sorba Thomas to embrace being a leader in the Stoke City changing room as he tries to build on a stellar start.
Thomas has scored six, set up another five and forced an own goal in his first 17 games since joining Stoke in the summer, emerging as a key figure to help them sit second in the Championship ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Hull (12.30pm).
He helped himself to two in Tuesday night’s 3-0 whipping of Charlton and he has sent in substantially more crosses than anyone else in the division.
Robins said: “He’s been fantastic hasn’t he? Long may it continue. He’s started off really well, 17 games in and then we’ve got a run of games coming off, really good games coming up. He’s started off with quality but for him and for us we want him to keep growing and actually being a leader.
“He’s becoming a leader in the dressing room at the club and that’s good to see.”
Thomas has sent over 133 crosses so far this season, 16 more than the next highest player in the division, Hull’s Ryan Giles. Aaron Cresswell (62) is 24th on that list.
He is ninth on the top scorers chart and fourth in terms of assists – but he is on four bookings too and has to avoid a fifth in the next two matches to make sure he doesn’t get an automatic one-match ban. The yellow card amnesty is after the 19th game, which is away at Sheffield United.
Next up is another test against Hull and trying to deliver for the home crowd.
Robins has regularly made the point that he wants Stoke supporters to have fun and make sure they are looking forward to matches again, which he hoped was the case on Tuesday.
“I thought it was really good, right from the outset,” he said.
“We are in early, we meet at the training ground for a pre-match meal and meetings and as soon as we meet up you can tell that everyone is together, everyone is focused.
“When you then come here and the atmosphere is like it is, that rubs off on everybody. They did a great job with the light show, the music and all the things that go along with it make it the experience that it is for everybody. That includes us, that includes the players, that includes yourselves, you all notice it and go away feeling a little bit different than you would have done.”
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