Sunderland 1-1 Stoke City

A game of two halves, both of them dire. First half Stoke did press well and Jon Walters opened the scoring after nine minutes. With Sunderland down to ten men we attacked…of silly me, it’s Pulis away so we sat back and sure enough in the second half Sunderland equalised. They very nearly grabbed all three points after a late attempt by Danny Rose.

So we have 41pts which should be enough now, although never underestimate the Wigan end of season escape. Surely one season their luck will run out?

It will be an interesting summer that’s for sure with Pulis all but certain to stay on. However, changes in the backroom mean no John Rudge and possible Chief Scout Lyndsey Parsons could be on his way out too. Player wise we have several out of contract and I can only see perhaps Dean Whitehead getting a new contract offer.

It will be bye bye then to Jermaine Pennant, Matthew Lund, Carlo Nash, Big Mama Sidibe, Michael Owen, Matthew Upson plus I am sure Sorenson and/or Begovic will depart too, along with Wilson Palacios if we can get a buyer.

QPR 0-2 Stoke City

A nervy away win but a vital three points, that all but relegates QPR. Peter Crouch opened the scoring and Jonathan Walters got the second from the penalty spot. Sadly Marc Wilson went off injured with his hamstring again and may miss the Norwich game and beyond. Need another win/three points from the remaining four games – come on Stoke!

Elsewhere Port Vale got promoted, well done to them and they will need to keep hold of Tom Pope & hope he can score at a higher level. Brentford may also be going up in a very tight finish in Division One, a play-off place is guaranteed.

Sad to hear of the passing of former player Paul Ware. Enjoyed watching him playing and he thrived in the Lou Macari years. Sad loss and only 42, no age at all. RIP

Stoke City 1-3 Aston Villa

Oh dear…an awful performance against a team who should the sort of fight and resilience we should have had. Kenwyne Jones started to the delight of many supporters and Etherington started, although was subbed at half-time. Sadly his best days seem behind him now and his old wing partner Jermaine Pennant doesn’t even make the bench. When we needed goals strange to have Michael Owen on the bench, yet again not used.

We are  now in a relegation battle with 34 points on the board (only 5 points this year to date!) and I can only see 4 points maximum from our remaining six games:

Man Utd (H) loss

QPR (A) loss

Norwich (H) win

Sunderland (A) loss

Tottenham (H) draw

Southampton (A) loss

Hope 38 points is enough, although worst case I’d say 35 points with a draw against Norwich and five more defeats.

Whatever happens, so long Pulis and thanks for all the memories…

Michael Owen retires and Pulis considers his options…

Been a long time since an update as my enthusiasm for watching Stoke has waned like many other fellow Stoke fans. We have the worst form for 2013 in the Premier League and even though we currently have 34pts we are not safe yet. Last weekend’s ‘thrilling’ nil nil draw with West Brom at home highlighted that we lack finishing despite having three strikers on the pitch for most of the game.

Off the pitch the press have been reporting on the growing fan discontent, although despite the ‘Daily Mail’ report it seems Pulis isn’t going. Mind you come the summer this could be a different story as he may ‘consider his options’ and leave under his own steam. If he does stay two definate summer departures are Michael Owen who announced his retirement from football at the end of this season. Hopefully he will get another run out for us. A strange signing and I guess it spoke volumes that we were the only Premier League club to show any solid interest in signing him last summer.

Jermaine Pennant looks to have kicked his last ball for Stoke as he is out of contract at the end of season and he doesn’t even feature in the match day squad. A cracking player if he is on form but his off the field antics let him down at every club he has been at.

Dave Kemp is off on a eastern European scouting mission this weekend. Fans still recall with misty eyes the last signing we made based on his scouting…Diego Arismendi!

Fulham 1-0 Stoke City

I bet Sky loved having the live rights to this feast of mediocrity… Fulham deserved to win and as for us we really need to change something. Come the summer Tony Pulis should perhaps go or get a more assertive assistant manager a la Peter Reid. The current incumbent Dave Kemp is only really remembered for bringing us Diego Arismendi, who disappeared as quietly as he came. Still newboy Brek Shea got a chance as Etherington went off injured early on. Oh and Michael Owen was injured again, a real mystery of a signing as he’s hardly played and there is talk we are looking at the possibility of offering him another year!

Something isn’t right at Stoke at the moment as certain players aren’t firing on all six; we have Jermaine Pennant kicking his heels seemingly never to play for us again; players all playing in positions they are not used too, although to be fair that is a Pulis tradition!

Matthew Brunt is on loan at Southend Utd and can look forward to a Wembley trip with them, whilst Mama Sidibe has joined Tranmere on loan.

West Ham at home and lose this one & the fans could really turn on Pulis & co.

Stoke City 2-1 Reading

Stoke took a two goal lead thanks to a Huth bullet header and another superb Cameron Jerome strike, although it was close as Reading are the comeback kings and a sloppy conceded goal nearly saw them snatch a point.

We have 33pts and not far from the magical 40pts safety barrier, although this season it could be lower around the 33-34pts mark. A weekend off now as we play Fulham away on Saturday 22nd Feb with a 12:45pm KO.

Brek Shea has his work permit and looks like a cross between a surfer and the Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins! He’s a big lad as well and once fully up to fitness should be a good signing based on his footballing career to date.

We still have one spare spot in our current 25 man squad in case Pulis can land another player on a free transfer. Not much out there though, although Salif Diao is still listed as a free agent. Can he play left back

Arsenal 1-0 Stoke City

We held out to the 78th minute and due to our lack of defenders on the bench we has three strikers come on as subs! Michael Owen may face some FA action for appearing to his Arteta, otherwise we were defending and attacking on the odd break.

All is not well though for us as Pulis seemed downbeat in post-match interviews over the lack of transfer action. It does seems slightly reckless to let our defensive cover – Matthew Upson - leave on loan and not replace him. Also we are edging nearer the bottom, just seven points away now and it makes the Reading home game next week a massive one. Mind you on Reading’s current form expect us to take a 1-0 lead into the 80th minute and they come back to win 2-1.

Transfer deadline day saw us sign the very promising and highly rated goalkeeper Jack Butland, who was loaned back to Birmingham for the rest of the season. His arrival would seem to indicate Begovic is off in the summer, most likely to Man Utd. We could also see Sorenson leave as he is after regular first team football. The other new boy is US international Brek Shea (cue tabloid Redy Brek puns) who plays on the left wing and could be our left back in a month or so once he is ‘Pulis fit’.

Leaving on loan for the rest of the season were Matthew Upson (Brighton) and Rory Delap (Barnsley). Looks to be Delap’s last time at Stoke as he is out of contract in the summer unless we offer him a coaching role. A latter day Stoke legend and hopefully we can keep him at the club in some capacity.