11 from 27 looks more possible than impossible.

[ted1965]

What a roller coaster ride we have been on since last May, promotion to the big time was accompanied by many experts congratulating us on our achievements and immediately informing us we’d be down by Christmas just like Derby. Now I don’t think many believed it would be that bad but most accepted a long hard season ahead and one which could end in ultimate disappointment.

Though with 9 games to go we’re not only still in with a every chance of survival but have 5 very winnable home games left. Those 5 games can bring us the 11 points we desperately need to have another crack at the Premiership next season. Though we also have some reasonably winnable away games if only we can look beyond replaying the Alamo from the first whistle in each of them until it’s been breached and we are having to attack.

The manager continues to be a mixture of inspiration ad exasperation. At home we’re a match for virtually anyone in fact only Chelsea have looked comfortable against us at the Brit this season all others have found us difficult to handle and despite a few lethargic performances against Fulham and Hull for the most part we have had much to cheer. The victories against Arsenal, Bolton, Sunderland, Tottenham, Villa, Manchester City and of course the annual 3 points from the Baggies will long live in the memories. With just 5 games left at home only Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton have left with three points. That for me is quite a record for a side considered by many as certainties for the drop. If you look at those facts then there is no reason at all why we can’t win at least 3 of the remaining 5 games Middlesboro, Blackburn and Newcastle offer us real opportunities, of course it wont be easy and certainly shouldn’t be taken for granted but if you were offered those three games plus West Ham and Wigan to gain 11 points to survive who wouldn’t have bitten off the forearm as well as the hands of the he who offered.

The disappointing aspect of course has been our approach away from home and I do think if the worst happened that would leave the manager with a lot of questions to answer the fact we are still waiting for our first away win isn’t really the issue for most it’s the lack of actual intent we have shown in so many games. The fact when we have actually taken a game on we have performed well that has left such a feeling of what might have been. Though with 4 away games left of which 2 are more than winnable against Hull and the Baggies and faltering Fulham who will have little to play for when we meet them surely the approach must change. While winning any game at this level is never easy these three away games would also be pretty high on anyone’s wish list over the closing games. I would be hopeful of 5 points from those 3 games if the manager can just leave aside his defensive mentality from the off. We have the players now who are capable of winning such games if allowed to express themselves as they are at home.

So while we desperately need three points against Middlesboro, yes the dreaded must win game if we do overcome this obstacle not only would we put 2 games between ourselves and them but surely the boost of such a result would mean gaining 8 points from 24 with our remaining fixtures is more than just wishful thinking. It’s a really a nail biting, stomach churning excitement that every one of the next 810 minutes we have left in this season will never be forgotten what a difference it makes compared to so many dead end seasons over the last few decades I wouldn’t swap it for anything no matter how nerve wracking it is.

Go on Stoke we can do it but please 4 points away from home would take some of that must win pressure off our remaining home games.

[sage]

Great post! GOARRRRN STOKE!

[Stephen Frys' Ring]

Obviously got somewhere to go eh Ted as that was a post it note for you ;D

Well said though,i did the predictor thingy,honestly, last night and we got 2 wins 5 draws and 2 defeats = 11pts,safe in 14th on 40pts

Heres hoping

[Lakeland Potter]

I agree, Ted. As you say, to my mind the odds are IN FAVOUR of us getting the points we need given the games we have to play. We have five winnable home games (that isn't to say we will win them all or that we need to win them all) and two of the away games (Baggies and Hull) look to be games where we have at least a decent chance of breaking our duck and getting an away win.

I fancy us to get 12 points or more from the remaining games and probably a few more.

[assessornum1]

We need to win away, we will, at some point fail at home. (hope not)

[cousindupree]

Our points ratio at home so far this season suggests that if we maintain our home form we should get 9pts leaving us needing a couple of draws away from the Brit..which is a worry.
As we would be very disappointed if we only got 9pts from the 5 at home it does mean that I would be happy to wager a small bet on us staying up.....frighteningly though it could all look very different at 5pm on saturday!! Christ football really can screw you up.....Goaaarn Stoke

[Block 25]

Great post as ever from you ted, even if it was a little bit on the short side.

I agree with everything you have wrote, our home games should be enough to see us safe and at the start of the season you would of offered me this position im sure i and most other stoke fans would have bitten your hand off.

I do hope we approach our away games with confidence, from what tp said after the everton game he does try and approach the games in a slightly positive manor perhaps it is the players with the mental block. We have away games remaining against baggies, dull and fulham that we can get points from if approached in the right manor.

Go on stoke i can not wait for saturday and when i wake up on sunday i will be counting the days to west brom!!

Is it me or does everything else pale into insignificance this season ? i cant stop thinking about our season and how many points we need!!

[Ddraigcoch]

Great post TED...I salute you ;D

[Danstoke82]

Top post Ted as per usual, I wish they would hire you to speak to the team before the match (inspirational speech and all that).

Keep them coming Ted, your a legend.

[Irish Stokie]

Well we have Boro, Blackburn and Newcastle at home and that IMO should be 9 points, we should also win at Brazil and get something from Hull away and then we still have West Ham and Wigan at home to get points out from. Pretty much every game is winnable with the exception of maybe the final game at the Emirates but i would hope that we have safety in the bag by then but we have never ever done things the easy way here and i wouldnt expect it to start now so q the following scenario:

We go to the Emirates 2 points clear of the relegation zone and with inferior goal difference and we have to sweat out 90 of the longest mins of our lives before we stay up!!!

[PotteringThrough]

Being Drunk and talking about this in the pub I actually said that I can't see anyone beating us - Arsenal Included. I have full faith that we will pick up a 4 wins and that should see us safe before the Arsenal game.

[Stephen Frys' Ring]

Mar 18, 2009 14:12:51 GMT PotteringThrough said:

Being Drunk and talking about this in the pub I actually said that I can't see anyone beating us - Arsenal Included. I have full faith that we will pick up a 4 wins and that should see us safe before the Arsenal game.

You're drunk already,at this time on a wednesday,well done fella i salute you ;D

[Claus_SCFC]

Im afraid 40 points won't be enough this season - 42,43 or 44 more likely. So five more wins please !

[Brookstokie]

I have just done the BBC predictor and I thought I was quite harsh to us, only 2 wins but 5 draws and got us to finish in 14th with 40pts above Sunderland, Newcastle and Pompey with Hull Boro and Brazil going down.

Hoping its all true!!!

PS I didnt do it so we just hit the 'magical 40 pts' either, it was a genuine gut feeling.

[th05]

;D ;D

[stokiemama14]

i want as many wiins as possible and am very confident we will get them but at least a point from every game is better than 0 imo and u no what i honestly and truthully believe we can get at least a point from every other remaining fixture
goarnn stoke i know u can do it

[beagriestache]

Lots of positivity here which is great.

I did the predictor thing and had us going down in 18th place with 36 points. That included losing to one of Boro, Newcastle or Blackburn at home and drawing one of the others, losing at WBA and drawing at Hull.

It is in our own hands though but there's so much pressure on our home form, you just worry if something cracks...

On the plus side, if we continue to take a point a game or thereabouts it's just possible we'll sneak to 38, 39 or 40 which might be enough. Redknapp reckons 37, 38 might be safe?

[offthewall]

yes, yep and I agree

I was one of those people who always assumed that all the clubs who came up would automatically come back down, I would love to be proved wrong. I have been feeling quite positive for a while now and just think that the club has come on so much in such a short time.

Credit is due to chairman, manager, players and fans for the fact that we are here, feeling positive.

It may go pear shaped from here on in, but we need to remember just how tough this task is.

[Miles Offside]

Great post, Ted.

And we're staying up.

[miffmister]

Just reading these makes my stomach turn, Fook knows what I'll be like Satdee. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNN STOKE!!!

[JoeinOz]

Of course it's achievable. Problem is we have had a tendecy to shoot ourselves in the foot.