This season at Stoke City, Ben Pearson has had difficulty getting regular playing time.
The midfielder became a fixture in Alex Neil’s lineup after first joining the Potters in the January transfer window of the previous season. He then signed a permanent deal in the summer.
But since Steven Schumacher took over as manager in December, he has only made nine appearances for the team, with just three of those coming from starts (all statistics sourced from Fbref).
His position with the team is now under more scrutiny following his red card in last week’s 1-0 loss to Leeds United.
Although the 29-year-old’s contract with Stoke runs through the summer of 2027, if Schumacher stays in charge, he may leave this summer.
Ben Pearson’s future at Stoke verdict
FLW’s Stoke fan pundit Ben Rowley believes that Pearson had actually played quite well against Leeds prior to his sending off.
However, he is sceptical that the midfielder is someone that can thrive under Schumacher’s style of play.
“I don’t think that Ben Pearson is Steven Schumacher’s type of midfield player,” Rowley told Football League World.
“Even Wouter Burger playing in the number six role at the moment, he’s very progressive in his play and much more mobile.
“I just don’t think Pearson fits that bill.
“Having said that, when he came on against Leeds in that second half, I thought he did really well.
“He applied the manager’s instructions to the letter, breaking up play and making some good chances.
“Other than getting himself a red card unnecessarily for two petulant fouls.
“It depends on whether Schumacher thinks he can trust him, and whether he thinks he can work Pearson into this Stoke team going forward.
“He has admitted recently that he is playing a little bit more conservatively than he’d like, so I do doubt his future here.
“I do think he will probably leave in the summer, but there is a good player in there, and if Schumacher can get the best out of him then that’s only to Stoke’s benefit.”
Stoke City league position
| Championship Table (As it stands March 11th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 17 | Plymouth Argyle | 37 | -7 | 41 |
| 18 | Blackburn Rovers | 37 | -13 | 41 |
| 19 | Stoke City | 37 | -15 | 41 |
| 20 | QPR | 37 | -14 | 39 |
| 21 | Birmingham City | 36 | -15 | 39 |
| 22 | Huddersfield Town | 37 | -19 | 38 |
| 23 | Sheffield Wednesday | 37 | -25 | 38 |
| 24 | Rotherham United | 37 | -47 | 19 |
Stoke find themselves embroiled in a battle against relegation at the bottom of the Championship table at the moment.
The Potters currently sit 19th in the standings, just three points clear of the drop zone.
Victory over Pearson’s former side Preston North End last weekend helped move the team out of the bottom three.
Next up for Schumacher’s side is a home game against Norwich City on 16 March.
Pearson’s red card highlights Stoke struggles
Pearson needed a positive performance when he came off the bench against Leeds, but the red card only serves to highlight how much he has struggled of late.
These concerns over his tactical fit under Schumacher do indicate that his future could be away from Stoke in the long-run.
The manager has come under pressure, but he should survive to the end of the season if he can keep the team above the relegation zone.
And if Schumacher is the man to bring the club forward, then it is difficult to see him doing so with Pearson being a major part of the first team squad.
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