http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/story-18730360-detail/story.html?#axzz2QkcvZXQS EVEN at our Premier League best we struggled to get anything out of our games against Manchester United, so a positive outcome to Sundayâs clash was always unlikely given our wretched run of form. A tenacious, fighting display would have been nice, but we didnât really get that. The champions-elect won without ever getting out of second gear. Thatâs not to say the Potters didnât try, but there was clearly a spark missing. It was as if the players didnât believe in themselves or what they were doing. For their part, the supporters stayed solidly behind their team, even though there was an unmistakable feeling of gloom around the Britannia Stadium. This mood was undoubtedly intensified by Sunderlandâs emphatic win at Newcastle, which removed any last lingering doubts from those still in denial that we are now involved in a very desperate battle to beat the drop. Whether or not we will survive remains to be seen, but we are running out of games to salvage our Premier status. After claiming just one point and two goals from our last seven games, we have to start producing results now. Make no mistake, any continuation of our present form will condemn us to a return to the Football League. So with United behind us, our attention turns to the trip to QPR this Saturday. Harry Redknappâs team know they are down, even if they are not publicly admitting it, so we have to take the fight to them. This is no time for Tony Pulis to be meek, we have to go to Loftus Road to win the match. Setting up for a 0-0 draw and then losing 1-0 is the sort of approach which has played such a large part in our current predicament, and why we have such a shockingly poor away record. We have to be bolder than that this time. Fortune favours the brave. Quite simply, it is our next three fixtures of QPR away, Norwich at home and Sunderland away which will quite probably decide our fate. Itâs true we still have Spurs and Southampton to come after then, but if we mess up the first three then we may find ourselves in a position where our destiny is out of our own hands by the time of the last couple of games. We cannot allow that to happen. We cannot let ourselves get into a situation where we need results from elsewhere to save us. Itâs almost incredible to believe where we are right now. At the weekend, Pulis said we are paying the price for having not secured enough points earlier in the season, but that doesnât make any sense. At the end of December we were on 29 points and looking set for a top-10 finish. It is our form since then â one win and five points from our last 14 league games â which has got us where we are now. It is our continual failure to create chances and score goals which has condemned us to this desperate battle. If there is anything about events prior to this run which need to be looked at, it was the lack of action to address the problems we brought into this campaign â the playing of so many players out of position, the lack of cover in some areas, the lack of creativity and goals. Not only does our midfield not create chances, they donât score goals either. Stephen Nzonzi and Glenn Whelan do not have a goal between them this season, from a combined 59 league appearances. Dean Whitehead has just one and Charlie Adam has two, but neither of them came while he was playing as a central midfielder. Matty Etherington hasnât scored, Jermaine Pennant, pictured, hasnât played and only Michael Kightlyâs tally of three goals from his occasional appearances lends any respectability from the supposedly creative part of our team. The immediate issue now though isnât what has happened and the mistakes weâve made, but what weâre going to do about the mess weâre in. We have five games left â a fistful of matches in which we have to snap out of the near catatonic state weâve been in if we want to avoid disaster. And we have to start doing it on Saturday. QPR have just two wins and 12 goals to their name at Loftus Road all season. They are on a paltry 24 points. They are down there for a good reason. And letâs forget the notion we âneed some breaksâ, âluckâ or âsomething to drop for usâ. That is self-pity, the talk of a losing team. If you want wins and points then you go out and grab them. It may be one of the oldest cliches in the book, but you really do make your own luck, and itâs about time we started doing that instead of waiting for âsomething to dropâ. That attitude will get us nowhere. The supporters believe in their players but they, in turn, have to believe in themselves. Likewise, our manager has to show the courage to go to Loftus Road looking for a positive result. Nothing is so far gone that it canât be retrieved, but we are running out of games.
A lot of people have been saying the same before the season started, and when can we recall a season when we have finished strong, we all ways go out with a whimper. Its been a long time since we won the last match of a season. Can any one tell me who we beat on the last day of a season and when it was, cheers.
I think our last positive resulst was a draw with Leicester in the championship which got us promoted and relegated them?
yes,i know that but most times we get stuffed. So it was in the championship we last won the last match, I can remember when we won the last match of the season at the old Victoria ground. 2.1 against we all-ways beat west brom.
Crazy That same game vs West Brom was our last home game EVER at the Old Vic too! Honestly can not remember another last day victory though.
In 1898 versus Old Blurtonians XI. 1 -0 penalty in 14th minute of injury time. If my memory serves me well, it was Walters that scored it, second attempt I think.
Nay lad, the goalie was a veteran of the Boer War and he had no arms and no legs. He saved the first attempt but it was the centre backs Mum who encroached into the penalty area. For goodness sake JM - yer nowt but a johnny-come-lately glory hunter !!
My Great Grandfather may well have played in goal for Stoke that day Nicky! John Dutton Benton. He also served in the said war and retired in 1908.
I have already posted the team on another thread !!!!! mmmm we aint going for it we are trying to keep a clean sheet again I hope it works ffs We are running out of ideas Come on TP let the reins loose
