Minggu, 11 November 2012

Pulis content as Stoke beat R's

Pulis: Result mattered more than performance

The Potters' win was only the second they have registered in their 11 Premier League games this season, and in 17 including the end of last term.

QPR were the better team for long periods of Saturday's contest and Pulis had no hesitation in rating his side's display as one of their poorest of the campaign.

Overall, though, he was delighted simply to have three more points in the bag.

"I think the most important thing was to win the game," said Pulis, whose team moved up to 12th in the table on 12 points.

"I think we have played better in the previous 10 games than how we did (against QPR).

"But the longer you go without winning a game, you get nervous, uptight and a little bit edgy.

"I thought our supporters were brilliant - they could have been edgy as well, but they were very good - and the result was more important than the performance.

"We are very, very pleased that we have got the win."

He added: "Hopefull y that will be a little bit of a monkey off the players' shoulders and it will give us that little bit of confidence to step up again."

Pulis has said he feels his team are playing the best football this term that he has seen from them since their promotion to the top-flight in 2008, and was keen after the QPR match to emphasise how happy he was with their home record for the campaign so far, which also shows draws against Arsenal, Manchester City and Sunderland and a victory over Swansea.

"That is 11 games now, and five at home," Pulis said.

"Our home form has been fantastic so far and we have four clean sheets from those.

"We have played Arsenal and Man City, as well as tough games against Sunderland and QPR. So the return at home has been very good."

Charlie Adam netted the decisive goal on Saturday, slamming the ball home in the 52nd minute when QPR allowed it to bounce through to him from Jon Walters' flick-on.

It was Adam's fir st goal since his summer move from Liverpool, and asked about the midfielder, Pulis said: "I am pleased.

"We have moved him around a little bit, trying to get him into positions where he will score or create chances for us, and thank goodness he has come up with a goal for us."

While Adam's finish brought relief for Stoke, QPR boss Mark Hughes was left rueing the profligacy of his side as the wait for their first victory of the season continued.

With the winless Rs bottom of the table on just four points after 11 games, five points adrift of safety, the pressure is mounting on Hughes, who has described next Saturday's clash with second-bottom Southampton at Loftus Road as "huge".

Asked if it was a must-win match, Hughes said: "Yes, it is a huge game.

"It was always going to be in fairness, just by virtue of where we are in the league.

"We have to make sure this week that we build up to it correctly in terms of our preparation, which I thought we did really well this week, as we always do.

"We understood exactly the problems we were going to face (against Stoke) and we will do the same leading into the Southampton game and make sure we get three points."

Hughes had been satisfied with his team's performance in many ways, suggesting the defensive lapse for the goal was one of very few in the game, but stressed that they had to make the most of their chances.

Writing on his Twitter account, QPR owner Tony Fernandes - who has publicly backed Hughes over the past few weeks and was watching from the stands on Saturday - made it clear in his assessment that next weekend's match against the Saints was "must win".

Fernandes said: "We got to cut out errors. One error cost us and we got to take our chances.

"Team played as planned. Must win next win (sic). No panic. Table is compressed.

"Defense was awful now fairly solid. Midfield strong. Got to score now."

He adde d: "Love everything about QPR. Nothing comes easy but the pain will be worth in (sic).

"We are in for the long run. We live and learn. Doing our best."

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