2JK7NNK The Stadium of Light, Vaux Brewery Way, Sheepfolds, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom
The key to Stoke City’s ascent up the Championship standings may lie with this player.
Because they had added players who were good on paper to their roster throughout the summer, the Potters entered the season feeling optimistic.
But for whatever reason, Stoke’s season hasn’t started well; victories have been interspersed with losses, and then there’s been a string of dreadful outings.
However, Alex Neil’s team has defeated Leeds United in their most recent league victory, marking the first time they have accomplished this feat this season.
Ki-Jana Hoever, a defender who has been playing well for the team all season, was instrumental in that victory on Wednesday night.
Can Stoke City’s win over Leeds United be a catalyst for the season?
As previously said, the Potters’ season has been up and down. However, their victory over Sunderland last weekend was extremely important because they had been experiencing bad luck. They were relieved.
However, things took a turn for the better on Wednesday night when Stoke defeated Leeds United, who were vying for promotion, 1-0.
The Potters had a bit of luck at times, especially when Patrick Bamford missed a penalty, but they managed to win and are now just four points outside of the play-off spots.
While all of Stoke’s players performed admirably against Leeds, Ki-Jana Hoever once again distinguished himself—as he has done for the majority of the season.
| Championship Table (As it stands October 26th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 17 | Stoke City | 13 | -4 | 16 |
| 18 | Plymouth Argyle | 13 | 2 | 15 |
| 19 | Swansea City | 13 | 1 | 15 |
| 20 | Coventry City | 13 | 1 | 15 |
| 21 | Huddersfield Town | 13 | -10 | 14 |
| 22 | Rotherham United | 12 | -10 | 9 |
| 23 | QPR | 13 | -15 | 8 |
| 24 | Sheffield Wednesday | 13 | -17 | 3 |
Why can Ki-Jana Hoever lead Stoke City to success this season?
The full-back was signed by Stoke on a loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, a Premier League team, during the summer.
The defender, who is said to be paid somewhat over £40,000 per week, has started nine of the ten Championship games in which he has been eligible to play and is gradually establishing himself as this team’s right-back.
This season, he has shown promise. Against Watford and Bristol City, he has picked up assists in addition to scoring on his debut against Rotherham United.
But he may have played his best Stoke jersey game on Wednesday night. According to WhoScored.com, Hoever had two tackles, two interceptions, three clearances, and one block in that contest.
He proceeded to execute 37 passes, of which 67.6% were accurate. He also recorded four crucial passes in that particular game. In addition, he executed three crosses and two dribbles, which is a record for him this season. It was his greatest match rating to date, with an overall of 8.00 from WhoScored.com.
Stoke and Neil can only be happy by the 21-year-old’s fantastic performance on Wednesday night.
The defender is displaying his Premier League class, and if he continues in that vein, he may play a significant role in Stoke’s ascent up the Championship rankings.
Although it is evident that he cannot do the task alone, Stoke’s defense will undoubtedly improve under his leadership, and he will probably score more goals in the process.
After Wednesday, Hoever has the right to believe he is now Stoke’s first-choice right-back, and Neil needs to decide on a defense. Thus, there’s no reason the Potters can’t keep moving up the ladder with performances like that from him and the squad.
