Liverpool loanee impresses in 6-1 win – despite only completing 3 passes!

Though he only completed three passes in over an hour on Wednesday, Liverpool loanee Lewis Koumas played a key role in Stoke’s 6-1 thrashing of Portsmouth.

Koumas has taken up a regular starting spot at Stoke this season, maintaining his importance despite a change of manager early in the campaign.

The 19-year-old made his 10th appearance for the Potters and his eighth start – three of those coming under current boss Narcis Pelach – as they took on Portsmouth in the Championship in midweek.

Taking up his place on the right wing, the youngster came up against a former teaMMAte in Harvey Blair, who left Liverpool for Portsmouth in a deal worth £300,000 over the summer.

It was a strange night for Koumas, who played his part in an emphatic 6-1 win but, per FotMob, only completed three of his five attempted passes (60%) in 65 minutes.

That would suggest that the teenager was barely involved – having touched the ball just 21 times, the fewest of any Stoke player to the start – but those watching on have insisted otherwise.

Journalist Peter Smith of the Stoke Sentinel gave Koumas an eight-out-of-10 rating, explaining that he provided “a lot of energy up and down the right wing.”

“[He] looked gutted by the Portsmouth goal but his attacking play overshadowed that,” Smith added.

Striker Tommy Cannon scored four of Stoke’s goals, with one each from his support man Sam Gallagher and midfielder Andrew Moran, but the Wizards of Drivel podcast noted Koumas’ importance on Twitter:

Cannon and Gallagher rightfully getting the credit but they will only work if Bae, Koumas and Moran get the chance to buzz around them like they did tonight. Fine work going forward. It’s not brute force 4-4-2, nor is it tiki taka. It’s Stokalona, baby*

— The Wizards of Drivel // Stoke City Podcast (@wizardsofdrivel) October 2, 2024

Interestingly, most of Koumas’ best work came off the ball and in the buildup, winning six of his eight ground duels – the joint-most of any player – and two of his three attempted tackles – also the joint-most.

Substitute Andre Vidigal (0.37) was the only Stoke player to come away with a higher value of expected assists, indicating that Koumas (0.33) was incisive in possession despite only making three passes.

Cannon (six) was the only player to fire more shots on goal than the Liverpool loanee (three), though the latter failed to hit the target with any of his efforts.

Koumas is already a firm favourite among Stoke fans and having translated his importance to a new system under a different manager it stands him in good stead for the rest of the campaign.

There are high hopes for him back at Anfield, with it likely that he is given an opportunity under Arne Slot next summer.