Can we still do it, you bet your life we can

[ted1965]

Oh well we should never have been relying on other sides to do us favours so last night as disappointing as it was isn’t a huge surprise. So a pox on the shack of dingle and the hovels of Michael Parkinson, it’s now in the boots of our players and the mindset of our manager and finally in the hearts and desires of the best supporters in this wide world.

It’s time now where we can’t afford anymore slips, we can’t attempt to defend what we have or where a point is going to be a good result. That option is no longer open for us. It’s completely win or bust time and we need to just go for it.

There’s no more room for caution or team tactics, this is the time when the manager, players and yes supporters have to throw caution to the wind and leave not one ounce of energy, not one drop of sweat in the changing rooms. We as supporters can leave not one song unsung, one cheer un-cheered.

There will be no excuse for only turning up in the second half like we did in the last two games, thankfully it didn’t cost us against Coventry like it did against Crystal Palace just a few days before. If we want promotion we now have to take it, it’s not going to be handed to us anymore as had looked the case for so long.

There has to be a win or bust attitude amongst everyone from now on, we need three wins and even that no longer guarantees us success, though we know for sure anymore dropped points is likely to be terminal at this late stage to our hopes of automatic promotion. We now have to win our games and yes hope for mistakes from Brazil and Hull, though that is not in our remit we can only win our last three games and hope it’s enough.

Though the pressure now reverts to Hull, this is going to be new territory for them, the expectation levels will be raised and they like us a few weeks ago can almost taste the big time. Though they have only three games to slip up in, it also means if we win our three they have no time to recover from a mistake. The media will once more ignore us, they will now assume it’s over after all the boys from Brazil are where they should be according to the experts and their focus will be on Hull, never been outside of the bottom three leagues in their history, so the attention will be firmly on them. I am hoping that like a deer caught in the headlights they will freeze and that we take full advantage of them like a runaway truck and just wipe them out.

If the worst happens and even three wins aren’t enough, it would at least send us into the play offs as the in form side, though with passion, pride and the will to attack from start to end we shouldn’t need those.

It’s time for the manager to just tell the players, it’s in your hands now, show everyone how much you want it. There can be no sitting back, every goal from here in could be vital, don’t waste a moment the best form of defence is attack and we need to do so at every opportunity. This is the moment when we can seize the initiative while the attention of the media is elsewhere.

There will be so many now writing us off, declaring us play off bound and that we have blown it, now it’s time for players, manager and supporters alike to shove their words down their throats with three rip roaring performances that can propel this club into the Premiership. That can only happen in my opinion with three wins, three performances of controlled attacking football and players showing a will to win, a desire to succeed and no fear of failure.

The manager has proved he’s better than many including myself had imagined but true greatness can only come with promotion and for that he needs to just send the players out with a no fear of failure message now. No looking for excuses before or after the games, we need positive mental attitude now and excuses are merely reasons for failure.

I had begun to think we’d blown it, that we would be in the play offs and with only a reasonable chance of success in them. I now believe we can win automatic promotion, with no logical reason for it.

So many younger supporters have not had my good fortune and seen those red and white shirts taking the field against the best in the land, the players and manager need to give them that next season. It would stir an whole new generation of supporters, allow them to say yes I have seen Stoke in the Premiership, seen them against the best in the land and hopefully see them competing and beating the best in the land as so many of us older supporters have done.

It made me think back to when I was young, seeing us beating Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and so on. There was no finer sight than seeing the ball moved like poetry over the green and many times muddy blades of grass of the Vic and the noise from throngs of delirious Potters as the mighty were vanquished again and again. We had everything in that side, all the ingredients you need to run through brick walls for the cause, the kind of balanced midfield that had creativity, steel and so much heart and will to win and most of all forwards with flair and the ability to convert that beautiful football into the goals to slay the mighty.

Now we stand on the brink again, so close you can almost touch it, taste it and surely if there’s any justice in the World three wins and the waiting will finally be over.

GO ON YOU MIGHTY RED AND WHITES.

[Danstoke82]

Excellent words as per usual Ted!!

GOARNNNNN STOKE!!

[kidcrewbob]

Great post Ted - straight from the heart...

Like yourself, I believe it is in our own hands despite last night's results as I do not think that Hull can get straight 3 wins. If they do, then they arguably deserve it - but I just cannot see it. Like you say Bristol is a nailed-on must-win, as is Colchester and Leicester. Indeed, I would suspect that the odds on us getting 3 wins are shorter than Hull.....

That said, I remain deeply rueful that we screwed-up against Palace (and only took draws off Wednesday, Burnely, Blackpool & a ten-man Watford!!) and can't help thinking what could have been by now - but there's no point, it's gone and we have to take que sera sera.......

I is likely that this will all come down to 2 weeks on Sunday, with auto promotion, playoffs & the last relegation spot all to be be determined....