Stoke City winger Michael Kightly has revealed that he wants to be deployed in a more attacking role for the club this season.

The 26-year-old, who joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer, has been given a defensive wide position in the early stages of the season.

"I am having to play a bit more defensive than I would like, but we have had a tough start with our games and sometimes you have to do that for the team," he told Sky Sports News.

"We've played top sides at home and played at Wigan where they play a different system. Hopefully, against the so-called lesser teams at home we can be a bit more free-flowing and attacking.

"When the big clubs come, you know you aren't going to have as much possession and their full-backs play advanced, so if you don't track them back they will punish you. You are thinking about their full-back and stopping him scoring rather than thinking of getting past him to create a goal."

Stoke have drawn their opening four league games of the season.