Abdoulaye Faye feels Stoke are still capable of clinching a top-half finish this season.

The Potters achieved that feat last term, in their debut Premier League season, to silence those pundits who had tipped them for the drop.

The aim now to build on that impressive showing and establish the club as a top-flight mainstay.

Tony Pulis' side remain on course to repeat their 2008/09 effort, with a steady start to the current campaign seeing them to ninth place in the table.

Stoke were disappointed to see a two-goal lead slip against Wolves on Saturday, in a 2-2 draw at the Britannia Stadium, but Senegalese centre-half Faye insists spirits remain high in the Potters camp.

"I am disappointed with the result," he said after a Jody Craddock brace rescued Mick McCarthy's men.

"Last year we scored from many set-pieces but now we have a problem.

"I need to work hard at them, it is important.

"But our ambition is still to finish in the top 10."