Ethan Galbraith has spoken openly about the mood inside Stoke City's dressing room as the club continue to search for their first Championship win of the campaign, insisting the players are committed to correcting a difficult start.

The midfielder, speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, acknowledged that results have fallen short of expectations but struck a determined tone rather than a despondent one. "We're working hard to put things right," Galbraith said, a phrase that captures both the frustration and the resolve inside the camp at the bet365 Stadium.

A slow start that demands answers

Stoke have endured a testing opening to the season. Mark Robins's side lost 3-1 at Southampton and suffered a heavy defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, results that left them without a Championship victory as August drew to a close. The errors that have crept into their performances have been a consistent theme in Robins's own post-match assessments, with the manager pointing to individual mistakes at key moments as the primary reason points have slipped away.

Galbraith's interview does not sidestep that reality. The Northern Ireland international is candid that the squad know they have not yet delivered, but he frames the conversation around what the group can control: their work rate in training and their attitude heading into each fixture.

What the squad must fix

For Stoke, the issue is not one of effort but of execution. Games against Wolves and Southampton showed a side that can compete for stretches but then concedes cheaply, gifting opponents the foothold they need. Robins has said as much publicly, and Galbraith's comments align with that honest self-assessment.

The midfielder's role in midfield gives him a clear view of where the team loses shape. Getting the balance right between pressing high and holding a defensive structure has proven difficult in the early weeks, and until Stoke find that consistency, clean sheets will be hard to come by.

Reinforcements already in place

The club did not wait passively for results to improve. Stoke brought in defender Ben Johnson on a season-long loan before the window closed and secured striker George Hirst on a three-year deal, moves that signal a clear intention to strengthen the squad and give Robins more options as the schedule intensifies.

Those additions take time to bed in. Hirst, in particular, will need matches to build an understanding with teammates, and Johnson's arrival at the back addresses a position that had looked vulnerable. Galbraith's presence in central midfield as an established figure gives the newer players a reference point in terms of standards and work ethic.

The road ahead

The Championship is unforgiving at the best of times, and a winless start places immediate pressure on Stoke to respond. However, the division's own unpredictability means that a run of results can quickly shift a club's standing; the gap between a difficult early run and genuine mid-table stability can be bridged inside a fortnight.

What matters now is whether the attitude Galbraith describes translates onto the pitch. Words about hard work carry weight only when they produce moments: a clean sheet held, a set piece converted, a lead protected rather than squandered. Robins will demand that the training ground application Galbraith references becomes visible in the next ninety minutes Stoke play.

For a club with genuine quality in the squad and a manager who has clear ideas about how he wants to play, the early-season struggles feel correctable. Galbraith's message is essentially that the players agree, and that the belief inside the group remains intact despite the points tally. Whether the Championship's relentless fixture list gives them the time to prove it is a different question entirely.

Frequently asked

Why have Stoke City struggled at the start of the season?
Stoke have conceded goals through individual errors in their opening Championship fixtures, losing to both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton, and are yet to record a win in the division this campaign.
What has Ethan Galbraith said about Stoke's poor form?
Speaking to BBC Radio Stoke, Galbraith acknowledged the difficult start but insisted the squad are working hard to put things right and secure their first Championship victory of the season.
Who has Stoke City signed ahead of their Championship campaign?
Stoke brought in defender Ben Johnson on a season-long loan and signed striker George Hirst on a three-year deal before the transfer window closed.