Source: Team_Talk
Pulis: Whitehead goal long overdue
Stoke manager Tony Pulis believes Dean Whitehead's winning goal against Birmingham last night was long overdue.[LNB] Whitehead struck the winner five minutes from time in the Potters' dramatic 3-2 victory over Blues at the Britannia Stadium, bundling the ball home after Matthew Etherington's cross had slipped through the legs of Scott Dann.[LNB]It was the first time he had scored for Stoke in the Premier League, having joined them from Sunderland in the summer of 2009, and Pulis was thrilled Whitehead finally broke his duck - although he felt it should have happened sooner.[LNB]"It's about time that Dean scored!" Pulis said.[LNB]"If you are really being critical, he could have four or five goals already this season.[LNB]"He's been in there and just missed chances or things haven't dropped for him, so I am so pleased he has scored."[LNB]Pulis' side took a deserved first-half lead through Robert Huth and looked home and dry when Ricardo Fuller's delightful effort doubled their advantage in the 71st minute.[LNB]But Birmingham, as they had on Saturday against West Ham, swiftly erased the two-goal deficit thanks to substitute Keith Fahey and Cameron Jerome to set up a tense finale.[LNB]Whitehead then had the final word as the Potters secured their first points since October 2.[LNB]They went into the contest on the back of a five-game losing streak - including four league fixtures and a Carling Cup defeat at West Ham - and Pulis admitted there was great relief among the players after referee Mark Clattenburg blew for full time last night.[LNB]"I think people don't realise that in our last five games, we have played four away from home and the one we had at home was against Manchester United, so it has been a tough run for us," Pulis said.[LNB]"When you are on a run like this you need a result and it's important that the players stick together and you see it through.[LNB]"There was relief in the dressing room afterwards. It will take a massive weight off their shoulders."[LNB]Birmingham manager Alex McLeish had mixed emotions after his team staged an impressive comeback for the second successive game, only for a defensive lapse to leave them empty-handed and sliding to 17th place in the table.[LNB]"It was bittersweet," McLeish said.[LNB]"The fightback was brilliant and we had shots on goal. Craig Gardner was beginning to make an impact.[LNB]"I thought we were definitely going to win it, that we had that momentum.[LNB]"A free-kick stopped our momentum, but to lose it from there was very poor. But that is why we are where we are in the table - because we have lost too many goals in that kind of manner this season.[LNB]"There have been own goals and some decisions against us penalty-wise, but there have been a lot of sloppy goals.[LNB]"Last year we were getting shut-outs and not making mistakes, but this season we have made some errors which have cost us.[LNB]"A few weeks ago Stoke were seventh in the league, then found themselves behind us and now go above us by a point, so there is still a lot to play for. But we have got to cut out the silly goals."
