mental strength+ability+consistency=promotion

[ted1965]

So tomorrow night with a fair wind behind us should see Stoke ascend the top of the championship mountain. That sight of Stoke top with just 13 games to go, tomorrow night will be one of the toughest games of the season in my opinion.

The first reason, well Scunthorpe are fighting for every point as all teams struggling do at this time of the year, there’s something about the final run of games that galvanizes sides who have struggled for form all season, it’s like the last chance saloon and they seem to find 25 percent extra from somewhere. That alone would make this a tough game but there are other factors which make this one of the toughest games of the season.

The fact that we have we flattered to deceive in these types of games so many times in the past always makes you have the jitters about this type of game. As someone said it’s a classic banana skin game for any side near the top. This will be a test of how far we have come in 12 months, remembering Barnsley, Southend and Luton from last year. Those games will be brought up I am sure by many should we slip up tomorrow night.

The final factor and the one which in my opinion is the real barrier to overcome is the desire to gain top spot, we have been tucked in behind all season and while we have been just off the top this is our chance to take control of our own destiny, the chance to shape the rest of the season. I know the others will have a game in hand but if we can follow up with victory over Ipswich then we could actually have some breathing space but the hardest part may actually be getting there.

I honestly believe if we win tomorrow night, which I think we will somehow, it might be nerve jangling again but there’s a spirit about this side, there’s a feeling of destiny for this season that just makes me believe we are destined to go up automatically usually as a Stoke fan when you see a light at the end of the tunnel you know it’s the express coming to clean you out but this just feels different.

So tomorrow could actually decide where our season goes, yes of course a slip up would still leave us handily placed and plenty of games to take top tow spots but the psychology of failing might play on the minds of the players, though a win and sitting top against all the odds and expectations at the start of this season would be a massive psychological boost for us and I believe a psychological blow to our rivals. The side who are by far the most consistent, hardest to play against and if we can add mental toughness to the mixture it will send shivers down our far less consistent rivals, never underestimate the effect of the psychological effect. There is very little between the sides at the top, if we can prove mentally tougher that will tip the balance in our favour.

Come on Stoke, you have made such progress now time to take your place at the top of the league and stay there, like any good racehorse shadow the field till you see the final straight and then kick on to victory.

Come on your mighty Potters this is our time take it, love it, drink from the cup of tiumph it’s been a long time coming lets live every minute.

[Rory's Towel Boy]

very good read and very true

just imagine what psychological effect it will have on our opponents when they see, unexpectedly, stoke sitting at the top of the football league tree

[Deleted]

Every game from now until the end of the season could be viewed as a potential banana skin. Whether it’s a team fighting for survival, a team fighting for promotion or a mid-table team with nothing to lose, all games could be viewed as difficult.

If we have aspirations of getting promotion then tomorrow at home is a game we should be winning. Having said that, if we don’t win it’s not the end of the world, it’s just a minor set-back.

[Kelkerstokie]

Great read Mr Ted.

The mental side of the game must increase massivly towards the end of the season. I'm sure we have a great balance of experience in the squad to help the younger players through.

[JoeinOz]

Much of the psychology is fear motivated. Players often feel pressure at being top and being the team everyone wants to beat. Good teams enjoy that situation. I saw Liverpool get off their team bus at Stoke once. The confidence and focus on their faces as they stepped off and walked into the ground was in itself soemthing to see. Single file heads high there to do a job. At that stage they were European Champions and strolling to another league title. They knew we'd have loved to get one over on them....and they loved it. And they beat us 5-1 There demeanour was such that they had won that game before they had got off the bus. Thats the level of application and pride we need to aspire to.

Arrogance. Discipline. Psychology

[Hiram]

and arrrrrd work

[apb1]

mental ability consistency ability

AND luck

I know it evens itself out

I know the more you practice the luckier you get

BUT there is always an 'Oulare's arse moment'.

[liverpooladam]

good post ted. travelling down from liverpool tomorrow afternoon for the game even bringing the missus who is a die hard red to the game! getting excited now, come on you potters! I do feel its our season this year. As I say to everyone up here if we go up we will probably get relegated, but we will be 50 million better off and by god we will have a good time, it will be a party all season!

so come on fellow stokies, some like me who were against pulis, and slowly I am beginning to like the bloke, lets all share the same dream, the same vision and get stoke city back into top flight football!

[Pretty Little Boother]

And plenty of beer and singing.

[Nonum]

usually as a Stoke fan when you see a light at the end of the tunnel you know it’s the express coming to clean you out but this just feels different

Classic PMSL

[ted1965]

;D ;D have some Karma Boother how could I forget beer and singing

[luke45]

good post ted,

tommorow has all the signs of the banana skin and the downward spiral for us that we have seen in thr past at this time.....

However i feel we such a stronger side physically and mentally and when we fall a goal behind in games, we seem to be driven on more to get back into it and seem to more often, than past history has shown.

The side may not be ten times better than previous sides, but i think at long last the belief is there from everyone at the club, and i think the lads will be really determined to make that automatic spot, which we are more than capable of.

Goooaarrnnn Stoke

Karma for ted

[fullerlegend]

couldn't be arsed read that.
but looks true;)

[mermaidsal]

ted, I'm sounding like a stuck record but yet again you really put my feelings into words. Keep them coming and let's hope we can just quietly deliver the goods tomorrow.

[ianrb1]

I think what TP has assembled now is a team who desperately want to succeed and work for each other. He has always been able to put together hard working teams and garner great team spirit but now we finally have quality to go with that.

I think it will be tough tomorrow night because Scunthorpe will come for a draw, they won't be as cavalier as Southampton but I feel if we can get an early goal we can go on to beat them 2-0.

[jeffers]

These games are the bread and butter if you want to get anywhere in this league, let alone win it. The meat being the Watfords and West Broms.

I think the lads are focused, we let it slip a bit v Southampton but kept their heads for the win. Theres no need for motivation, being top of the league come the end of the night is all they need.

[hanibal7]

I think in all fairness ted,every game will get harder and harder in the run up to the end of season.
Tomorrow is 3 games in 6days and there has to be a couple of players with little niggly pulls and twinges,and stiffnes.to beat scunny we need more heart than skill,we need more strenght than finese,and a 1-0 horrible,dirty win is what we need to keep the players focused and a good rest can be followed up with a brilliant sexy win against ipswich.

be patient stokies and watch a hoofball 1-0 win and who gives a shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit about that.

come on you potters
be with you in thailand 2-45am sat morning.