Stoke: Keep calm and carry on

I despair that we're here again going on about yet another poor refereeing decision which has cost us a goal.

Lee Probert's second half decision to not award a goal to Tuncay as Probert said that he pushed Baines to get the ball into the back of the net has been met with surprise from most pundits and commentators, but Stoke must look to their own performance for the reason that they lost their third consecutive league match on Saturday.

Tony Pulis has often been quoted as saying that 'you can't lose a game if you don't concede a goal' and that seems to have been the Potters' main failing this season. Our only clean sheet this season was at the Brit against Blackburn - coincidently our last win. It doesn't matter how many refereeing decisions don't go our way at the front - it's down to the team to ensure that they don't concede at the back and Everton's winner was a classic error with Abdoulaye Faye failing to effectively clear the ball which then directly led to the goal.

It's slightly too early to start pressing any alarm buttons, but three defeats on the bounce, including the Carling Cup exit in midweek, will do little to lift the gloom and we've still got a tricky trip to Sunderland next weekend to get through before we can get back to the relative comfort of the Brit and the visit of Birmingham in just over a week.

Sunderland's 5-1 thrashing at the hands of their local rivals earlier today will be seen by some to spell trouble for the Potters, but I'd like to think that Kenwyne Jones' return to his former club will spice up the match and that we'll be just as keen to make amends.

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