The Potters host Rovers in tomorrow's lunchtime kick-off having been defeated in their previous four Barclays Premier League games, and last three in all competitions at the Britannia Stadium.

Those stats make for disappointing reading, particularly given that the Staffordshire outfit made such an encouraging start to the season, being beaten only twice in their opening 16 fixtures.

Stoke have been quite the success story in recent years, winning promotion to the top flight in 2008, finishing comfortably in mid-table in each campaign since and reaching last season's FA Cup final, which saw them qualify for this term's Europa League.

All of that has been achieved under the management of Pulis, who today emphasised that it has not been plain sailing for the entire journey.

The Welshman has encountered tricky spells with the Potters before and is not about to get carried away about this one.

"There have been occasions in the Premier League where we have had bad patches and bad runs," Pulis said.

"It has happened before, and I think the biggest thing in management is just making sure you approach things in the same manner.

"I'm no different to what I was when we got to Wembley last year.

"You look at what we have done this year - we have played eight games in Europe and we are unbeaten. If we had won on Saturday (they lost 3-2 at home to QPR) we would have been in the top 10 of the Premier League.

"You have to make sure you stay level-headed and get on with it.

"It's strange really - people keep saying this is a big game, or that is a big game.

"They are all big games, and if we win, brilliant. If we lose, it's still not the end of the world - and people try to make out that it is the end of the world."

Nonetheless, having seen the side concede 14 goals in four league games, Pulis is looking for a solid display at the back against Blackburn.

"We need to sort things out - we need to get some clean sheets," Pulis said.

"We need to work together as a team - it's not just the back four, it's everybody together.

"I think in the games that we've played at home, we've looked as if we are potent enough to score goals, but when you score two goals at home (as against QPR), you expect to win a game of football, not lose it."

Pulis has confirmed that Thomas Sorensen will keep his place in goal after coming into the starting line-up last weekend as a replacement for Asmir Begovic, who was at fault for two of the goals in the 5-0 loss at Bolton on November 6.

"I'll stick with Thomas, I think he did well," Pulis said.

"Begovic is only a young kid and he's played 40-odd games in the Premier League for us.

"He has been outstanding, and yet he's had a bad spell in respect of making one or two decisions that have cost us some goals.

"It is a position that is very damning. If you make a mistake there and it costs you, it usually costs you a goal.

"But he's such a good lad and if you work with him, you realise how ambitious he is and how much he wants to improve. He is a massive asset for this football club."

Meanwhile, Pulis is considering an appeal against his £10,000 fine imposed for comments made about referee Lee Probert last month.

The Potters boss was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association following his criticism of the official after the 2-1 Carling Cup exit at home to Liverpool.

Pulis denied the charge but after a personal hearing, an independent regulatory commission ruled against him.

Having requested further information about the decision, he is now pondering his next move.

"The letter came yesterday, so we are looking at it," Pulis said.

"The one thing I'll say is that I've been involved in nearly 800 league games and I've never been up for a charge before, not one.

"To be fined the amount I have, I find it difficult to take."