Who Should Take The Blame?

My last post was about Stoke's poor away form. 

I'd like to announce that our form has got better since then, but I would be lying. Stoke's last three matches (including yesterday) is L-L-L. 

One of those loses were at home, against West Ham. 

West Ham, beating us at our fortress. Something's not right, something doesn't add up. There is blame to dish out and it must fall to someone. After the West Ham match, the blame was fired in Pulis' direction. 

The sound of boos and sarcastic cheers echoed around The Brit at the end of the 90 minutes. 

In the post match press conference he was asked what he thought of the fans turning against him and questioning his decisions.

Well those that do question him/turn against him/boo him are not very sensible according to Pulis. 

This is not how you win your fans around. Take note wannabe football managers. 

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So, yesterday happened. Another away loss. 

At one point, I thought all 3 points were ours. Jonny Walters put his penalty in the bottom left hand corner, as cool as you'd like. I'll admit I haven't been that nervous for a penalty for a long time. This is the man that has missed his last 2 penalties. 

Obviously I was ecstatic that the goal went it, I was ecstatic for Jonny Walters. I was ecstatic for the 600 fans who turned up to St James' Park. 

But then, Glenn Whelan gave away a free kick in a dangerous area. Cabaye steps up, and sweetly knocks it into the top corner. Begovic had no chance, whether Steven Taylor was putting him off or not, Cabaye nailed it. 

Back to 1-1. Whelan knew he was in the wrong. And if I was Pulis, I would have swapped him for Charlie Adam long before then. Surely now was the time to bring Charlie Adam on?

Nope! We parked the bus! 

We sat back for the remainder of the game, not pushing forward, sloppy passes, more Whelan errors, more shouting from Pulis 'GO ON JON, GO ON JON, CHASE HIM DOWN JON'. 

In the 90th minute Charlie Adam was ready to come on, 5 seconds later he was sitting back down in his seat. 

I honestly don't know why that happened, and I'm pretty sure Charlie Adam and Tony Pulis didn't know what was going on. I honestly believe Pulis was more than happy to walk away with the point rather than try and get the 3. 

In the 93rd minute, another defensive error by the centre back who's not a centre back cost us the game, as Cisse was played onside and he neatly slotted in the winner. 

So where does the blame lie? Is it with the manager for his poor substitutions/lack of the 'correct' substitutions? Playing the players in unfamiliar positions? Playing the wrong formation and sitting too defensively rather than go for the win?

Or is it with the players? Should they be passing more fluidly rather than route 1 football? Should they be aiming to score, and going for the win?

Or maybe, are we just not good enough?