Better display, but we’re not helping ourselves at times

THAT couldn’t have contrasted more with the performance against Ipswich in any way, could it? A pulsating game, especially in the second half, with Stoke holding the upper hand overall against an opponent who had been on fire for the previous month. But – and it is a big but – crucially the actual result also contrasted somewhat. Last week the majority of Stokies, including yours truly, bemoaned the performance but welcomed the result. This time around that was a much better performance – possibly the best this season, although Derby is right up there too – but we picked up a single point at Villa Park, not three. This has been a major theme this season, in fact for the whole year. To misquote the Queen, 2018 has been Stoke City’s annus pointus droppus. Draws have become our main currency. They also cost us our Premier League status. Think Brighton (Charlie Adam’s late penalty, painful though it may be), Leicester (Jack Butland’s ‘slip of the hands’), West Ham (injurytime leveller) and Burnley (led, but pegged back once again) during Paul Lambert’s reign. And this season they have stunted our progress under new manager Gary Rowett. We have now drawn 10 of our first 22 games. And in our current unbeaten run of nine, six of them have been draws. If we had won just three of those 10 stalemates we would now be sitting just above Middlesbrough in the play-offs, level on points with fourth-placed Sheffield United. Part of this ever-burgeoning list of draws is undoubtedly down to the mentality of ‘must not lose’. While that can be seen as positive, it results too often in clinging on, falling back to protect a lead and then dropping late points. Wouldn’t a slightly more positive approach to winning matches bear fruit? Is it any coincidence that of our draws this season alone only three (at Sheffield United, Rotherham and Preston) have seen Stoke come from behind to level? The rest (and vast majority) have seen the opposition finish the stronger. Of our four most recent draws, all have seen the opponents hit back late on. So, what’s causing this? Is it fitness, mentality or even tactical instructions? As far as I can see there isn’t one over-riding factor, but both Rowett and Lambert have fought to try to turn around a malaise at the club which undoubtedly set in under Mark Hughes. It’s interesting that one of the first thing Hughes’ successor at Southampton has done is halt the ‘holiday camp’ training regime which had been entrenched there. That he has set a new record for becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked by two different clubs in the same calendar year probably tells you all you need to know. Without doubt Hughes’ 2018 has been even worse than Stoke’s, although he has the comfort of two huge compensation packages to see him through the festive period and help him forget his personal year of hell. So, does 2018 go down in the annals of Stoke City history as one of the worst years in the club’s existence because of a manager that left after just two games of the new year? Or does that give first Lambert and now Rowett an easy ride? Ultimately they have to take responsibility for results under their tenure. But – and it is a big but – what we need to see now as Gary Rowett enters the second six months of his reign is a more positive mentality. There simply is no excuse for our squad not to be turning some of these draws into the victories. That is our manager’s task. We will find out whether he can complete the turnaround. As yet it is work in progress, but the promise of a much better 2019 will keep the festive period being edge-of-your-seat interesting for every Stokie.