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'We've gone down in glory' - Tony Pulis refuses to criticise Stoke team as they miss out on Europa League Group E top spot
The Potters boss claimed his side looked like they hadn't played together for a while, but found positives in the 3-1 defeat at Besiktas as the progressed to the last 32
14 Dec 2011 23:26:00
By George Hawes-Gatt
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis praised his side for progressing to the Europa League last 32 despite a final group game defeat to Besiktas.
The Potters went ahead throuh Ricardo Fuller and were heading for top spot in Group E, but the game changed when Matthew Upson was shown red for bringing down Hugo Almeida in the box on 59 minutes, Fernandes scoring the resulting penalty.
Besiktas then went on to take the lead in the 74th minute thanks to Mustafe Pektemek before an angled strike by Edu confirmed the win eight minutes later.
"It was a really good performance," Pulis told reporters. "The first quarter of an hour we were a little bit on the back foot, we looked like a team who hadn't played together for a while.
"Then the goal went in and we looked very comfortable. For all their possession in the first half, we had the three best chances with the goal, the one that Cameron [Jerome] had when he was played through and when Ric [Fuller] hit the post. We've gone down with a bit of glory today."
The Potters went ahead throuh Ricardo Fuller and were heading for top spot in Group E, but the game changed when Matthew Upson was shown red for bringing down Hugo Almeida in the box on 59 minutes, Fernandes scoring the resulting penalty.
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Besiktas then went on to take the lead in the 74th minute thanks to Mustafe Pektemek before an angled strike by Edu confirmed the win eight minutes later.
"It was a really good performance," Pulis told reporters. "The first quarter of an hour we were a little bit on the back foot, we looked like a team who hadn't played together for a while.
"Then the goal went in and we looked very comfortable. For all their possession in the first half, we had the three best chances with the goal, the one that Cameron [Jerome] had when he was played through and when Ric [Fuller] hit the post. We've gone down with a bit of glory today."
Tony Pulis saw his side lose 3-1 to Besiktas in Istanbul on Wednesday night and finish in second place in Group E behind Besiktas.
It was the Potters first Europa League defeat this season, but Stoke had already qualified and knew a draw would be enough to remain top of the group. Although only taking fifteen players with him to Turkey, Pulis was delighted to see his side take the lead through Ricardo Fuller’s deflected shot in the 29th minute.
Having gone in ahead at half-time, things turned for the worse in the second half when Manuel Fernandes netted a 59th-minute penalty after Matthew Upson was shown red for bringing down Hugo Almeida in the box.
Besiktas then went on to take the lead in the 74th minute thanks to Mustafe Pektemek before an angled strike by Edu confirmed the win eight minutes laters.
The result meant that both teams qualify for the knockout stages, with the other game in the group between Dynamo Kiev and Macc Tel-Aviv producing a 3-3 draw.
Despite being beaten, the Stoke manager remained optimistic especially considering that he had left his best XI at home.
"It was a really good performance. The first quarter of an hour we were a little bit on the back foot, we looked like a team who hadn't played together for a while.
"Then the goal went in and we looked very comfortable. For all their possession in the first half, we had the three best chances with the goal, the one that Cameron (Jerome) had when he was played through and when Ric (Fuller) hit the post. We've gone down with a bit of glory today."
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