Luck in front of goal seems to have been scarce this season and if Cameron Jerome's winner on Monday is anything to go by it would appear that luck is now moving to the other end of the pitch aswell.
The season started well, we easily put Burnley to the sword, looked comfortable defeating Sunderland, and Chelsea needed a 1023rd minute winner to defeat us. Of course all those games were at home but our away form, so bad at the start of last season, appeared to be improved. After Liverpool got revenge for us keeping two clean sheets against them last season. one goal would have seen them win the league, by battering us 4-0 we picked up well and should have defeated Birmingham at St.Andrews, having to settle for a goalless draw, before a last minute penalty denied us victory at the Reebok and a superb Leon Osman strike pegged us back at Everton as we impressed in these away games.
We disappointingly surrendered at home to Manchester United prior to that trip to Goodison but fought back to firstly beat West Ham, thanks to James Beattie's only goals of the season, and then a fine away day win, the only one in the league so far, at Tottenham. It was only the second time Stoke had ever won at Spurs and came when, after a resolute defensive display, substitute Glenn Whelan curled a beauty into the top corner in the final minutes.
That saw the Potters 9th and just three points off a Champions League place whilst being an encouraging seven points off the bottom three. This would, however, have been the high point as, after being thrashed 4-0 at Portsmouth to bow out of the Carling Cup following wins over Leyton Orient and Blackpool, they threw away a 2-0 half time lead at home to Wolves, ex-Potter Jody Craddock netting twice to draw the sides level and then again threw away a half time lead to lose at Hull, succumbing to an injury time Vennegoor of Hesselink strike. That was only the fourth league loss of the season but after an unconvincing win over Pompey, courtesy of Ricardo Fuller's only league goal so far, the Potters have failed to win since, losing four of the six games to Arsenal, Villa, Man City and Birmingham and only scoring in the 2-2 draw with Wigan.
There is worry but also hope and obvious weaknesses can now be addressed during this upcoming transfer window to hopefully help the Potters into mid table obscurity.