www.whydelilah.co.uk/news/12_Jan_2009/Sorensen%3A+Gerrard+effort+too+close+for+comfort.htmlSTOKE keeper Thomas Sorensen admits he wasn’t quite as cool as he looked as he watched Steven Gerrard’s shot go past him in the final moments of City’s hard-earned draw.
Stoke had more chances to win it over the 90 minutes, but Gerrard appeared to have scored one of his legendary late winners when he raced on to Fernando Torres’s header and hooked the ball past the helpless keeper.
However, the ball hit the post as Stoke held on to the point their performance deserved.
Sorensen said: “To be fair, I thought it was going wide. But I have to say, in the last couple of yards, there was a little bit of doubt that crept in my mind.
“I thought I knew where I was in the goal, so then you have an idea it’s going wide, but it was closer than I thought it was going to be.”
Sorensen made a smart save to deny Dirk Kuyt in the first half, but was nowhere near as busy as he had been at Anfield in September when Stoke had to defend non-stop in a far more one-sided game.
This time City took the game to the league leaders and would have won had Dave Kitson put away two chances, Rory Delap not hit the bar or Glenn Whelan not curled a free-kick inches wide.
“It is really a bit disappointing because we had the best chances,” said Sorensen.
“They had one in the first and one in the second, so we kept them to that. But it is just one of those days when you have to feel a bit disappointed. When you have chances like that against a top team, you have to take one.
“I felt fairly comfortable. The people in front of me worked really hard, so it was more of a shouting game for me than actually making saves.
“But that is equally important to keep them on their toes and make sure that they pick up the runs and everything else. I thought we controlled it so credit to them.”
The result means only Chelsea, Everton and – narrowly – Manchester United have beaten Stoke in City’s 11 Premier League games at the Britannia Stadium.
Sorensen added: “I spoke to a few of their players afterwards and they were impressed and realise how difficult it is here.
“I spoke to Reina about the throw-ins and he was scared out of his skin. It is difficult, especially when you have the towels out because Rory can really throw it. Dave Kitson had a header from one which nearly went in so it is a great weapon.
“Their players were impressed by the pressure and the crowd and the way we play. We have a certain style. We are very direct, physical and well organised and I thought they found it difficult.
“The teams that are coming here for the rest of the season will get the same treatment and hopefully we can turn a few draws into wins.
“Hopefully we will get a few players back, and maybe one or two more in, so things are looking up.”
