Stoke City need to add more quality - Tony Pulis

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has watched his side lose their last three matches

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has admitted that he needs to add quality to his squad in the January transfer window.

Pulis strengthened in January last season, signing Matthew Etherington and James Beattie, and he told BBC Radio Stoke he wants to do the same again.

"We need a bit more quality in front of goal. We've lost our touch," he said.

"We've been looking for someone to control the midfield for us for a long time. Those players are difficult to get hold of, but we are looking."

Stoke were deep in relegation trouble at the turn of the year.

But the arrivals of Etherington from West Ham and Beattie from Sheffield United helped to galvanise the club and pushed them to a final position of 12th in the Premier League.

The Potters' 1-0 defeat by Birmingham was the third time in succession that Stoke have been beaten without scoring a goal.

Their last victory came against bottom club Portsmouth on 22 November.

Pulis continued: "It's important we bring the right ones in, because we need to have the spirit that these players have got.

"They could have dropped their heads after the Villa and Manchester City games, but they've had a right go and it's so disappointing that they haven't got their just rewards."

Stoke face non-league York in the third round of the FA Cup at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.