Stoke City: Narcis Pelach must have close eye on Walsall developments | OneFootball

Nathan Lowe is proving to be a top talent after joining the Saddlers on loan for the 24/25 campaign

Narcis Pelach continues to search for the winning formula since taking over as Stoke City boss, with the Spaniard overseeing just one victory in his first six league matches in charge of the Potters.

That single win was an emphatic 6-1 success over Portsmouth earlier in the month, which dramatically alters City’s scoring record for the 24/25 campaign, which has seen them net just seven goals in the other ten matches of the season to date.

Despite having the likes of Tom Cannon, Niall Ennis and Sam Gallagher in their ranks, the Staffordshire outfit are yet to hit top gear in front of goal, which has contributed towards a run of just three league wins all season so far.

While his side have been struggling to find the back of the net, Pelach will have his eyes on a Stoke prospect who is causing mayhem in the fourth tier in the current campaign, with Nathan Lowe’s form for Walsall earning him plenty of plaudits to date.

Nathan Lowe’s form inspires Walsall’s magnificent early results

Having made 15 appearances for the Potters in all competitions last season, the decision was made for Lowe to join the Saddlers for the 24/25 season, with the 19-year-old given a chance to prove what he can do in the bottom rung of the EFL.

Despite netting on his first league start of the club in the previous season - with a late winner in a 3-2 success over Bristol City - then-City boss Steven Schumacher decided that the teenager was surplus to requirements for the year ahead, leaving Lowe eager to prove the doubters wrong as he made the move to the Midlands.

Evey since he made the move to the Bescot Stadium, the forward has been in inspired form, with Tuesday night’s strike against Carlisle United already his eighth goal of the season in all competitions, as Mat Sadler’s side continue to keep pace with the leading pack at the top of the fourth division.

Lowe has been paramount to everything that his temporary side have been doing right at the top end of the pitch, with a quick fire brace against Huddersfield Town seeing him get off the mark in terrific fashion earlier in the campaign.

A natural ability to be in the right place at the right time sees the striker popping up in goalscoring positions regularly, with his clinical nature in front of goal coming to the fore as he beds in around his new surroundings.

With his first three league goals all being one-touch finishes, Lowe is showcasing a honed finishing ability, leaving his teammates knowing they can rely on him when he is given the ball in dangerous positions.

The confidence is evidently oozing out of the teenager at this moment in time, with a cool finish from outside the penalty area giving his side an early advantage against Carlisle on Tuesday night, with his precision from an angle further outlining his sonar-like ability to find the route to goal.

This isn’t a striker who is just chipping in with goals once his teammates have done the hard work in earning an advantage in games, for Lowe has scored the opening goal for his side four times already this season, with his composure in front of goal so often the difference in breaking the deadlock.

That point is further proved when looking at the underlying numbers, with the odds currently in his favour when it comes to finding the back of the net, with a goal for every 1.82 shots on target this season.

Lowe's return is an unbelievable figure for a striker at any level, not least for someone so inexperienced, and one that could prove vital for the Saddlers in the season ahead, while Pelach keeps a close eye on proceedings from afar.

Narcis Pelach will relish the opportunity to unleash Nathan Lowe on Stoke City side

As Lowe continues to thrive in his first full season as a first-team player further down the pyramid, Pelach [pictured] must be buoyed by the opportunity to work with the teenager in the future.

With his pace, quick-thinking, and precise finishing all evident in recent weeks, the City academy graduate has already proven he has the qualities to play further up the pyramid when required, and could easily be unleashed in the Championship in years to come.

A January recall would soon a hasty move at this moment in time, with the teenager’s development likely be stunted by a return to the bet365 Stadium, given Cannon’s role as first-choice striker at this moment in time, but with Lowe improving week on week, there will be more than a few heads being turned in the Potteries as one of their own continues to flourish.

Having signed a contract until the summer of 2027 last year, City know they have a star in the making under their wing as it stands, and after failing with big money moves for forwards in the past, they could have a player ready to lead the line who cost nothing before too long.

With a full season under his belt at League Two level, Lowe can give Pelach plenty to think about in the months ahead, with both the Saddlers and the Potters benefitting from their summer deal.