Lambert is ‘gutted’ after defeat seals Stoke’s fate
STOKE manager Paul Lambert admitted he was ‘gutted for everybody at the club’ after the club’s ten-year stay in the Premier League came to an end after defeat at home to Crystal Palace.
The Scot did, however, back the club to ‘rebuild and be really strong’ after the penultimate game of the season.
Stoke had led through Xherdan Shaqiri’s 43rd-minute free-kick, but James McArthur equalised in the 68th minute and Patrick van Aanholt scored Palace’s winner with four minutes left.
Lambert, who replaced the sacked Mark Hughes in January, said: ‘I’m gutted for everybody at the football club; the supporters, everybody.
‘It is a brilliant club and it will rebuild and be really strong, no two ways about it.
‘I thought (in) the first half of the game, we were well in it and got a really top, top goal.
‘Second half, we never got going. We’ve had leads and didn’t see them out in the last few games.’
In their previous home match against Burnley, Stoke drew 1-1 after taking the lead, and they did the same at West Ham in the fixture before that.
Asked why they had not been able to hang on to leads, Lambert, whose side have failed to win in 13 matches, said: ‘I think people being anxious and worrying about what might happen.
‘But it’s not three games — you go way back to July, August time. That is when your season starts, and if you don’t start right and don’t get a grip of it, you end up in trouble and I think that is what has happened.’
Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross, who inadvertently teed up Van Aanholt, told Sky Sports: ‘Ultimately it’s down to the players. We’ve not been good enough all season.
‘Since the gaffer has come in, we’ve had a right go in every game. For whatever reason, we’ve not got the goals we’ve needed and that’s cost us.
‘It’s massively disappointing but it’s a great club and we’ll be back.’