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Post by ted1965 on Mar 29, 2008 21:08:24 GMT
I am left wondering if those were the 10 minutes that may have changed the outcome of a season, yes of course I know nothing is decided by 10 minutes of one Saturday afternoon but did we finally see the luck run out today. Now before anyone starts saying I am saying we’re lucky, no I am pointing out we have been poor of late and yes better today but had the luck of other sides running through quick sand at the same time and so it didn’t cost us anything in the way of points lost.
There was a moment today when we were top of the league and two points clear with 10 minutes to go, Brazil were losing, Bristol were drawing and the only ones making progress were ourselves and in form Hull. The from nowhere the picture changed and a game we should have won comfortably on chances created changed as Wednesday grabbed an equalizer and from out of the blue Bristol grab an late winner and worse still Brazil fight back and win deep into injury time for the second time in a few weeks. That allied to their two games in hand leave us precariously placed with 5 games remaining and in honesty we need wins now. At the moment Hull look unstoppable, they have real momentum and that is vital at this stage of a season. The momentum for has stalled and we’re treading water and we desperately need a win or we really will be looking at the lottery called the play offs.
I agree at the start of the season that would have been more than acceptable, not so sure it will be now or that we would enter them with any real conviction of winning them. The fact we’re hardly a great cup side doesn’t help.
There is also the uncertainty that the play offs bring, the stalling of plans for the following season as you can’t even consider what your budget will be until you know which league you’re going to be playing in. Those four weeks while exciting for supporters and yes certainly can be financially rewarding to the clubs involved though in reality only if you reach the final and then if you win. There is no more demoralizing feeling than losing in the semi finals or final of such a shoot out as a play off, can still feel the pain of those games with Gillingham and Walsall and this would be worse. Though of course we did reach the Championship by the play offs.
The fact that we have been top for so long now and certainly been in command of our own destiny for that period of time and managed by one means or another to throw points away and now we may need to win our remaining games to finish in the top two. The problem with that at this moment in time we can’t seem to buy a win.
I still believe we can go up automatically, we have three of our remaining games at home and while the two away games aren’t easy, they are certainly not ones that should frighten the current squad of players.
It’s time to move Griffin, either he plays left back or he needs to be sat on the bench because he is not good enough as a right back, he lacks confidence in that position and is 30% better at left back and always has been. I don’t understand the thinking of the manager sometimes, he surely understands and has seen the difference in playing Griffin on the right and the left, he is a left back with a right foot and he should play there or not at all. He certainly isn’t good enough should we go up on either flank, he lacks pace to cope at the highest level and that has been proved at three clubs now.
There were good signs today, though we badly need to hold on to a lead and take more chances as it seems we are incapable of keeping a clean sheet more often than not.
I am still hopeful and still believe we have what it takes to win automatic promotion but it’s becoming harder to say it with real confidence as each game ticks by and we don’t gain those three points.
It was always going to happen that if we kept slipping up that others wouldn’t do so as well, today those last 10 minutes of Saturday March the 29 may just come back to haunt us, though I hope it’s the actual kick up the backside we require. I have wondered for a few weeks now if the players has become a little complacent, almost like it’s okay nobody else is making headway either so we’re still top and we can continue to believe all is going to be fine. Well now we’re second, yes still very much in the promotion positions but now we have to take this into our hands and understand we can’t rely on others to hand it to us by their mistakes.
I have said it many times you have to win promotion, you can’t expect others to hand it to you. We have 5 games to make history, 5 cup finals that could change the face of this club for the next decade or 8 games that could leave us all bald, no fingernails, heart palpitations and left asking how did it all go wrong. I know which I want.
COME ON YOU POTTERS.
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Post by ChrisKamarasPerm on Mar 29, 2008 21:10:47 GMT
Not sure griff is 30% better at left back, what stats you looking at?
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Post by potters11 on Mar 29, 2008 21:16:34 GMT
Great post Ted. My dad whom was listening to the game at home, said to me when I got back from the match, that, that 10 minute spell was very much the same feeling he had when Andy Hessenthaler scored that 94th minute goal for Gillingham in the play-off first leg at the Britannia. It could be vital as you say, but we have 5 cup games, left so onwards and upwards and bring on Palace.
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Post by jarhead on Mar 29, 2008 21:29:34 GMT
pandas.
did you watch many games last season.
the record breaking clean sheets as we had a defence in natural position's ie
Hoefkens Doobs Higgy Griffin
Griffin was a massive part of that and gave commanding performances.
2nd loan stint when not fit not that spectacular but very decent because he was comfortable at left-back and not now playing as a right-back that he has played since he came back months ago which has made the whole defence shaky.
thats the managers fault not Griffs
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Post by kidcrewbob on Mar 29, 2008 22:31:54 GMT
Spot-on Ted - reflects almost EXACTLY the thoughts (and indeed the agony) as we stood in Leppings Lane & realised that Bristol AND West Brom had in fact both won....... felt almost fated........ My feeling before today was that we can afford 2 draws and NO losses in this 6 match run-in (to gain auto) - we've had one draw.... over to you lads.... I still think this is all in the mind of out players - no so much complacency but some crazy fear factor of some sort - they just don't seem to believe that they can do it..... even Ameobi seemed reluctant to have shot in the 2nd half - and Creswell's sitter - like you say, we may look back on 29/3/08 and wonder what might have been had he accepted the gift....... Yes I am a miserable tw4t........ but trying to keep the faith (got Coventry tickets!!!)  |
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Post by Davef on Mar 29, 2008 23:43:10 GMT
Ten games ago it was win four and we'd be up. Then it was eight, then six... now it's four out of five. Sorry to say, but I really fear the worse. Our season is now hinging on Ricardo Fuller returning to the team in great form and pray to god that happens, but there's no guarantee. I haven't felt this low about a regular Stoke league fixture since Chester beat us in at home in 91/92. It just felt like a defeat today, especially when news reached us that Brazil and Bristol City had scored last minute winners.  |
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Post by Olgrligm on Mar 29, 2008 23:45:36 GMT
I agree, especially about Griffin. I've said since he got here that he should play on the left with Wilkinson at right back. Maybe he was more comfortable with Hoefkens there. Maybe he wants to keep Pugh on the left hand side, although it would have seemed more logical pre-Pearson to play Pugh on the left of midfield and put Griffin at left back. Baffling.
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Post by Adster on Mar 29, 2008 23:46:26 GMT
ted, a very thought provoking post  |
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Post by mermaidsal on Mar 30, 2008 0:14:29 GMT
Yet again I agree, ted, great post. Everything's in our hands now - nothing less than total commitment and sheer quality are going to do it though. Pulling that off with so many new faces would be pretty bloody miraculous looked at objectively. So maybe what I'm realistically hoping for is that we turn it around enough to go into the play-offs with form and confidence regained.
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Post by stokemark on Mar 30, 2008 0:26:00 GMT
After our recent run, 4 wins out of 5 seems a mighty big ask IMHO
Ive said before though that todays result in isolation wasnt terrible - Home draws with Burnley and Blackpool coupled with the QPR and Preston defeats are why we are now left hoping against hope that things will take a turn for the better.
Sal makes a great point re: new faces and whilst we look stronger on paper it may prove too late for automatic so lets hope we can go into the few games / play offs regaining some semblence of form.
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