Stoke City: Match tactics versus Portsmouth

CASE FOR THE DEFENCE

STOKE'S enforced reshuffle at the back should be relatively seamless.

Andy Wilkinson always promises a minimum 7 out of 10 at right-back anyway, while Robert Huth has always preferred centre-half to full-back.

The only unknown, of course, is the understanding between Huth and Ryan Shawcross following the break-up of Stoke's customary central defensive hub because of Abdoulaye Faye's one-match suspension.

At least Stoke caught a sighter of Portsmouth's likely front pairing when their second string were laid to waste in their Carling Cup exit at Fratton Park last month.

Aruna Dindane's pace, if not his control, was an evident feature, while the previously unknown Frederic Piquionne was the real stand-out performer.

His two goals were due reward for his strength in the air and his ability on the ground during his most telling transition yet from squad to first-team player.

MIDFIELD BATTLE

TONY Pulis admits he has a couple of big decisions to make here in light of Liam Lawrence and Glenn Whelan's international service with Ireland.

Ordinarily, you would fancy Whelan to line up in central midfield and Lawrence to regain his right-wing berth on home territory.

Both players have clearly expended much emotional and physical effort over the past week, however, and their club manager must weigh up the odds of gambling on either of them from the first whistle.

Keeping them in reserve would leave the likes of Rory Delap and Salif Diao on the starting grid tomorrow.

Pompey prefer to play a midfield diamond to utilise the talents stripped bare, well almost, by the summer exodus of so many leading players.

Michael Brown provides the bite and aggression as the defensive tip of that diamond, while Yebda is to his right, Jamie O'Hara to his left and Kevin Boateng further upfield.

Yebda is expected to feature, despite turning out for Algeria in their World Cup play-off win over Egypt on Wednesday, as Aaron Mokoena now appears out of favour with manager and fans alike.

CUTTING EDGE

TUNCAY edges ever nearer that first Premier League start, but not this weekend you suspect.

James Beattie is still nursing himself along, but should be fit to resume up front with Ricardo Fuller.

Fuller is still searching for that first league goal of the season and, given his injury-ravaged misery at Portsmouth once upon a time, what better time to open his account?

Much will be expected from Stoke's man-of-the-moment, Matthew Etherington, and he now seems to possess the confidence to carry that kind of burden.

There is the little matter of David James to beat on Sunday, but his ability to mix the erratic with the brilliant always keeps strikers on their toes.

Three successive clean sheets suggested Pompey had sorted things out at the back, but then came a sticky showing at Blackburn last time out when a vulnerability at set pieces was fatally exposed during their 3-1 defeat at Ewood.