This is a thread for our upcoming opening Premier League game of the season against Chelsea. Please post things to do with the match on this thread. Torres is out for Chelsea due to an injury picked up playing for Spain. Sturridge is suspended.
Sgt - at least this thread should be a pleasant change from debating/arguing about transfer speculation. I had heard on the news this morning that Torres would miss Chelsea's opening PL game. Unfortunately I had forgotten they were playing us. The Torres of last year would have posed little threat IMO. However the new man is in charge of Chelsea so it will be interesting to see how they perform. Is Walters definately out for Stoke? That would be a blow with our current lack of strikers but if we can defend as solidly as we did agains Split we could hold them for a draw. That's my prediction anyway.
Apparently Drogba has been back to his old self in pre-season which is definitely bad news for us. He was always better able to play against us than Torres. Lampard is only just recovering from a throat infection and Essien is obviously out which is good. That Lukaku guy has been billed as the new Drogba which doesn't sound too good for us. I think with our current lack of strikers a draw would be a great result.
Andre Villas-Boas: ""Stoke away, one of the magnificent teams of the Premier League." Pennant went off limping in training today so looks doubtful he'll play
Do not know if i can say this( without a ban) but **** It we are all Stokies. We are going too get ****ing hammered by Chelsea, are we bollocks We have signed nobody? Yes we ****ing have, 2 ENGLAND INTERNATIONALS FOR **** ALL The prem is over ****ing 38 games, not 1 ****ING GAME AGAINST CHELSEA. Players WILL SIGN FOR STOKE CITY, & not the panic **** players we signed when we first came up. Have Faith
Yeah I think we might lose this one but as Huth says its a marathon not a sprint. We started really badly last season and recovered well. First season we stuggled to begin with but finished strong while those around us fell apart. Btw, Torres is fit to start now according to Sky Sports.
All ready and raring to go Stoke's first Premier League game of the season. Would love to get a point but I think Chelsea will win 2-0 sadly
13:30 Premier League: Stoke City FC - Chelsea FC Watch here!! http://p2ptvhd.blogspot.com/ or go directly to streams http://p2ptvhd.umfor...et/h9-chelsea-1 - Zonein EN (HQ) http://p2ptvhd.umfor...t/h11-chelsea-2 - Zonein EN http://p2ptvhd.umfor...t/h13-chelsea-3 - CastAmp EN http://p2ptvhd.umfor...t/h15-chelsea-4 - Veetle PT http://p2ptvhd.umfor...t/h17-chelsea-5 - CastAmp EN
Well done lads.Whatever anybody says Tony Pulis is a great manager.To get them lads fired up as he does says it all!!
Great point that is. Very pleased with the lads today. We were marginally better in the first half, they were the better side in the 2nd so a draw is probably the right result. Thought everyone played their bit today. Begovic was superb, as were Ryan, Huth, Delap and Glenn but Man of the Match for me was Woodgate. He was absolutely immense. Well done Stoke, great result
Sgt WHY is your glass always half empty? Fantastic pt and WELL done T.P. and the lads. IF we can keep playing like that who know's how far we can go with a few player's coming in. Great start to the season
Huth, ever thought of changing your name to Asterisk! Great game today and happy to get a share of the spoils.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...tml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas described the pushing and shoving by Stoke's players as "out of this world" after beginning his managerial career in the Barclays Premier League with a goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium. It was a frustrating debut for the 33-year-old Portuguese, who saw his side take control of the game in the second half without managing to break the deadlock. Referee Mark Halsey turned down three concerted penalty appeals by Chelsea but it was the degree of physical contact in both boxes that vexed Villas-Boas. He said: "A point I want to make when you are playing difficult games like this one is the amount of pushing and grabbing in the box, because it's out of this world. "We are okay to deal with Stoke's set plays and we were competent enough to avoid the dangers they cause. We know the amount of goals they score with these set plays. But I think there's a limit to the pushing and grabbing, it makes it impossible." Villas-Boas believes extra attention should be paid by referees to the issue and thinks the idea of additional officials is one that should be looked at. He said: "Referees say these are the sort of details they are going to be aware of. It's difficult because they have to be aware of a number of situations but in this case maybe the referee needs some extra help. "But there are no excuses because we were competent enough to defend those set plays, but it's a pity that it was happening." The former Porto manager was not happy with the result but praised his side for the way they changed the game in the second half, and believes there are positive signs heading into the home matches against West Brom and Norwich. Villas-Boas said: "I can't be pleased with a point but it's one of the most difficult grounds to play at. For our title challenge I would say one point at Stoke is not bad. "It's not the greatest start to the Premier League of course, but we are happy we raised the level of the game in the second half. "Unfortunately for us the goal didn't happen. We were close and we had the possession we wanted and we played in their half, the game looked more in our control, but I'm happy we were able to raise our level. "It means against these kind of teams you are able to find space and create opportunities. Now we have to raise our game again for the two home games we have." The first half saw few chances created by either side, with Chelsea generally handling Stoke's corners and long throws well but struggling at the other end. Fernando Torres, preferred to Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka as the lone frontman, looked lively and caused Stoke problems all afternoon but could not provide the breakthrough. In the second half Chelsea seized control but found Potters keeper Asmir Begovic in fine form, with the Bosnian tipping over John Obi Mikel's stinging volley and then diverting Anelka's shot onto the bar. Stoke boss Tony Pulis admitted his side were second best in the second half and expects to see Chelsea challenging for the top honours again this season. He said: "The first half I thought we gave as good as we got then second half they got a foothold in the game and it was there for everybody to see they quality they've got and the depth they've got, when you see Anelka, Drogba and (Yossi) Benayoun coming off the bench. "They've got the squad to do well, they'll be in the top three again this year." The point came at a price for Pulis, though, with Matthew Etherington set for an X-ray this evening on a damaged shoulder while Rory Delap was also forced off with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
