Stoke City v Chelsea Match Thread

http://tinyurl.com/3dcpguv One of the best articles on Stoke i've ever read. Great read.

FORGET the popular slur that Stoke are a one-trick pony, with long-throw expert Rory Delap their only *weapon.

And forget the jibe that you need boxing gloves as well as shinpads at the Britannia Stadium.

Above all, though, forget the *far-fetched notion that Cheslea can win the title this season.

Because on a day of high drama in the Premier League, Stoke delivered the fatal blow to Chelsea’s over-blown hopes of catching Manchester United, who dramatically won at West Ham earlier in the day.

And the Potters did it with a display that shattered every stereotype chucked at them since they *bustled their way back into the big time.

Sure, boss Tony Pulis makes certain they maximise their strengths at set- pieces but Stoke matched the Blues for football yesterday, no question. And they should have won.

A point was no good to Carlo Ancelotti, who declared before the game that his stars have to be perfect if they are to run down United’s title lead.

But today that lead stands at a *whopping 11 points and Ancelotti conceded that even a game in hand will not do Chelsea any good. The main concern now for the Italian is to lift his players for Wednesday’s titanic collision with Sir Alex Ferguson’s stars in their Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.

Because, make no mistake, this was the day Chelsea’s title dream died.

“We have no fear!” screamed the front-page headline on Stoke’s *programme – and, boy, were they right. This was an heroic display by Pulis’ stars and clear evidence why the Premier League is more competitive than ever.

Stoke’s pulsating second-half *performance was as good as you will see from a so-called small club against a top-four side like Chelsea. But for the brilliance of Petr Cech, Ancelotti’s men would have lost.

Four times after the break, as Stoke boldly pressed for a winner, Cech made fabulous saves. He pushed the ball on to the bar from Marc Wilson’s free-kick and a Robert Huth header, and used his feet to deny Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington.

In the end, honours were even but the moral victory was Stoke’s.

Chelsea must have felt deflated after watching United storm back at Upton Park as they went through their *pre-match warm-up routine. The big screen showing United’s remarkable revival was just a few yards away as they did their stretching and drills,

Just in case they had not grasped the magnitude of losing a golden *opportunity to close the gap further on United, the stadium announcer made sure in a bid to give Stoke’s stars an added lift.

It proved a morale-sapping blow for Chelsea, who knew there was no margin for error in the title battle.

But Stoke delivered another kick in the teeth with just seven minutes gone.

Huth had already served notice of a tricky afternoon ahead with a first-minute header that went narrowly over when he played a decisive role in the opening goal.

The German defender played the ball forward, Jonathan Walters beat David Luiz to the punch and sped into the space vacated by missing right-back Jose Bosingwa.

Walters raced towards the box, cut inside Michael Essien in the area and cracked a low drive inside Cech’s right-hand post for his eighth goal of the season.

But, as United showed at Upton Park, top teams do not buckle, however damaging the blow. Chelsea responded instantly and only a flying one-handed stop by Asmir Begovic stopped Ashley Cole’s header from an Essien cross sneaking in.

Stoke braced themselves as they knew their *ability to hold on would be tested – and they were right. The Blues *powered forward and the pressure told after 32 minutes.

Nicolas Anelka caressed a floated ball into the box and Didier Drogba stole a yard on Danny Higginbotham, attacked the space and sent a diving header soaring past Begovic.

After the break, Drogba clipped a post with a smart effort and his *impressive display means he looks a cert to start against United ahead of Fernando Torres, who arrived as a 61st-minute sub but did nothing.

Winner

Stoke looked likelier to grab a *winner and, deep into injury time, City sub Fuller almost squeezed home a last-gasp header from Etherington’s cross but the ball drifted wide.

A delighted Pulis said: “We had the chances to win it but you have to hand it to Chelsea.

“They have a massive Champions League game against United but their attitude was first-class.”

 

John Terry said this to Matty after the game: 'You've been different class this season.' Nice of him but he's still horrid little scumbag.

 

"He shoots little kids, Ashley Cole, he shoots little kids"
Thought that was brilliant, even the steward in front of me was having a laugh at that one.

Sgt, is that the tackle on Whelan that they got a free kick from?

 

I taped the match on Football First, as it was the main game, watched the first half this morning before I went to work, and it was actually on Pennant in the first half on the right wing. I must admit I cannot remember it.

 

So the aftermath was obviously as we now know 1-1. Surprised but delighted of course! Great game, one of our bests?

 

Great result........let's hope TP keeps the same team for Spurs,our confidence must be sky high now so let's not change anything.please!!!!!.

 

Best this season. Arguably our best since promotion.

 

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.u...-support/article-3404926-detail/article.html?

I love this man, in a purely manly way of course

MAN-of-the-Match Jon Walters said the electric atmosphere inside the Britannia Stadium inspired Stoke's terrific display against double-winners Chelsea.

City had to settle for a 1-1 draw after Walters' eighth-minute opener was cancelled out by a Didier Drogba goal on 33 minutes, but either side could have won a thriller.

Walters said City's support was a huge help as Stoke had the better of the second half.

He explained: "The fans here are first class and have been all through the season.


"Having played here as an opposition player, I know this is not a place the opposition want to come to.

"The atmosphere the fans generate definitely makes a difference. You don't get used to it and, having all the fans behind you definitely adds to the game.

"We might play in bigger stadiums which aren't always full, but it's always full here.

"They are great fans and great people in Stoke, and they get right behind us."

Walters's ninth of the season, which makes him City's top scorer, is a contender for Stoke's goal of the season.

The £3m forward robbed £23m Chelsea defender David Luiz on the half-way line before sprinting down the left, cutting inside and slamming the ball low past Petr Cech.

He said: "I looked up to cross it first, but there were two players on Kenwyne, so I came back inside and managed to keep my composure to put it in the net.

"I am always happy to chip in with a goal, it doesn't matter who it is against."

While Walters has scored three goal in his last seven games, strike-partner Jones hasn't netted in his last 13 appearances.

However, Walters maintains goals will come for the £9m striker who gave Luiz and England captain John Terry no rest all afternoon.

Walters added: "He is adding in other parts in a match. I think he won every header and he was a right handful.

"He is an important target man for us and does a lot for us.

"Earlier in the season sometimes I wasn't getting the goals, but was still contributing to the game. Everyone will chip in."

Walters said Stoke were disappointed with their first-half performance after Chelsea had deservedly levelled.

He added: "At half-time the manager told us not to sit off them as much. He told us to have a right good go.

"We did sit back in the first half, but Chelsea are great players with great movement.

"But in the second half we really took the game to them and were unfortunate not to come away with the win.

"We want to get safe, push on, and hopefully finish in the top 10."

Meanwhile, Walters said he had no complaints about his second-half booking after a foul on Terry.

The Stoke man only seemed to get booked after furious complaints by the Chelsea skipper, but Walters said: "It was a booking. It was a little bit of a late one."

 

http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2330948,00.html? - Article on Higgy's injury