TEAMtalk's Insider Mark Holmes has grilled Glenn Whelan on his best position, his early season frustration and Stoke's survival chances.

Whelan has found himself in and out of the Stoke team this season but he was the hero at Villa Park on Sunday, coming off the bench to net a superb stoppage-time winner in a vital 2-2 draw with the Villans.

Whelan was thrown on with the Potters trailing and told by boss Tony Pulis to bomb forward in a bid to rescue something from the game. He did that to great effect, first hitting the post with a shot from outside the area before firing home a sweet volley in the 91st minute.

Whelan is usually given a deeper role in the midfield but, although the Irishman admits he likes to get forward, he says he is happy to play in whatever role Pulis gives him.

He said: "Ask any player and they'll tell you they want to get as many goals as they can and I'm no different. If you get forward more than obviously you've got a better chance of scoring so in that way maybe I would prefer playing further forward.

"Everyone wants to get forward and score goals but we've got a way of playing and a structure to the team so if I want to play I have to keep doing what the manager wants and I'm more than happy to do that.

"Every team and every manager has a certain way of playing and you have to adapt to that. When I come to Stoke I knew how they were playing and had to adapt but I think I've done that now.

"On Sunday we were losing so I was given that bit of freedom to get forward and it was great for me to get a goal and the team to get a result where nobody expected us to.

"The goal is up there with one of my best, especially with it being my first Premier League goal, but it was more important to get the result that can hopefully spur us on. Hopefully at the end of the season the goal will turn out to be my most important."

Whelan started Stoke's opening-day defeat to Bolton but he did not even feature in another league game until the end of October in a 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.

He has spent more time in the team than out of it since then, but Amdy Faye has been preferred in the last two games. However, the former Sheffield Wednesday star has got no complaints and now hopes he will be recalled against Bolton.

He said: "Every player wants to play in as many games as they can so when you get a chance you want to do something that really helps the lads and I was fortunate enough to do that on Sunday.

"Being dropped after the first game was tough to take but it's just one of those things that happen in football and you have to get over it. Hopefully I've put that behind me now.

"I don't moan anyway because we have a lot of midfielders who are decent enough to play. It was always going to be difficult because the manager bought in a lot of players, but when you're not in the team you need to get you head down, work hard and then hopefully prove something when you do get your chance.

"Overall my season has been ok. Obviously I'd like to have played more games but I've enjoyed it when I've been playing. I've got back into the team and been getting the games recently so I'm more than pleased."

Stoke will be keen to stop Bolton doing the double over them on Wednesday night and Whelan admits revenge is in the players' minds following their disappointing defeat on the opening day.

However he has warned the Trotters to expect a very different test this time around, adding: "Bolton have come on leaps and bounds this season and pulled away from the relegation zone with some great results.

"They did us over at the beginning of the season but hopefully we can do the same to them when they come to the Britannia.

"Everything was still up in arms on the first day and we were all given a wake-up call about how the Premier League works because we were 3-0 down in such a short space of time.

"We knew then how well we'd have to play to stay in this league and we've not done too badly. We've realy improved and kicked on since that game and been unfortunate with a couple of results. We maybe wouldn't be in the situation we are if if wasn't for them."

Meanwhile Whelan has hailed the impact January signing James Beattie has had on the side.

"I think he's going to be our new right winger with that cross he put in for Ryan (Shawcross) on Sunday," he joked. "But seriously he's come in, scored goalds and made them too so he's been a great asset.

"He's played a lot of games and scored a lot of goals in the Premier League so his experience has helped a lot of the lads. Everyone knows the attributes he brings to the team."