CHOULO19

Not talking about just yesterday, but in general, if you want to score, especially against a weaker team that will defend deep, you don't take off your holding midfielder because he is crucial to retrieve clearances and recycle the ball. In fact, Italian managers used to put in a midfielder in for a striker when they needed a goal because the key to scoring in those situations is to keep the pressure on by keeping the ball in the opposition half. This was evident yesterday. Once Jose brought on a striker for a midfielder and took off our holding midfielder we couldn't pin them back and put pressure on them and didn't really look like scoring.

^^ How many of you really believe that Jose is really going to make all those changes? What has he done this season to imply that he's one to make changes and rotate after a bad performance? From September onward, because tbf he did give chances to almost everyone in the first month, almost every single under-performer has been played the following match. I expect the exact same back 5 that played and 2-3 changes in the other 6 maybe.

I agree with the principle, but the issue is that our back 4 can't play a high-line. Garry Cahill is just laughable at offside traps, Iva's though better than Cahill is still prone to positioning errors at RB, JT just doesn't have the legs anymore and Azpi is being played out of position and is bound to have positional issues. But I agree the solution should not be to play the line so deep and leave a huge hole between the defense and midfield when Jose can simply play Ryan, switch Azpi to the right and throw Iva next to JT and he'd have a back four that can play high up the pitch well enough.

Well a RB is currently keeping Ryan out of the team despite him being the one who put in the best two performance at LB we had this season. In fact, Jose is willing to play Azpi three times a week till he is clearly exhausted than play a LB who is has proved that he is always dependable. If I were Patrick, I'd be looking to make this loan permanent.

He's still young and he's played all this season at CM, so that might become his permanent position.

5-2 for Vitesse. PVA on the score sheet!

Actually December 14th.

Had a really bad game, even when we were in complete control in the first half he made several dangerous mistakes. And his passing was way off from the start. Would like to see Iva or even Kalas against Steaua in his place in mid week since Luiz is still out.

Stoke were completely losing the midfield battle, especially in the first half. Though they did gain confidence after scoring the second, but they were helped a lot by us having a man less in midfield when we brought on Eto'o for Schurle and taking off Mikel who was a vital part of our press in the first half and at recycling possession. When we lost control over the midfield we never looked like scoring.

I get the thought behind the subs, I'm just saying that they obviously didn't work. We were much more in control of the game till we made those subs. Like I said, it's not a big deal, but it's a big part of why we lost today. You can't change that.

Got it wrong with the subs today. I think we would have won had he not brought Eto'o and Lampard on. Can't complain too much though, his subs have won us quit a lot of games this season. I just hope he doesn't blame it on the foul on Azpi like he did against WBA.

I'd love to see what Jose says after the match but it will probably be about the foul before the second goal. We were doing well despite a couple of mistakes at the back until he decides to bring on Eto'o and Lampard. Didn't even look like scoring afterwards. Ref was fucking shit as well.

I'd love to see what Jose says after the match but it will probably be about the foul before the second goal. We were doing well despite a couple of mistakes at the back until he decides to bring on Eto'o and Lampard. Didn't even look like scoring afterwards. Ref was fucking shit as well.

Great to see Shirley back in the lineup but surprised to see Torres after his performance against Sunderland. Anyway, COYB!

Match Preview Here

Worse. They're broadcasting Brighton vs Leicester, Leyton vs Walsal and Hartelpool vs Coventry instead of the Chelsea game! Are they fucking serious?!!!

Venue Chelsea travel to Stoke to face to face Mark Hughes’ Potters at the Britania Stadium in the 15th round of the English Premiere League on Saturday, December 7th at 15:00 UK time. About The Game The Blues will be looking to continue their good run in the league and make it 4 consecutive wins and 3 consecutive away wins in a row for the first time in 2013. The game can prove particularly important as Arsenal will be hosting Everton the next day. The last time Chelsea traveled to the Britania Stadium, Jonathan Walters was the unlikely here when he scored two own goals before Hazard sealed a 4-0 win with a long range rocket. And Chelsea will be looking for Eden for inspiration again on Saturday after he put in one of the performances of the season on Wednesday and singlehandedly destroyed the Black Cats defenses. If Eden was the positive on Wednesday, the downside to that win at Sunderland was the three goals that Chelsea conceded from set pieces. Despite that all three were due to individual mistakes rather than collective marking issues, Jose Mourinho will know that his team cannot afford to be making those mistakes, especially against a side like Stoke who are renowned for their aerial abilities. About The Opposition Just three days after getting a vital but nervy 4-3 win against Gus Poyet’s Sunderland, the Blues will be facing a side managed by another ex-blue: Mark Hughes. Sparky, who spent 3 seasons at the Bridge scoring 25 goals in 98 matches, took on mission impossible this season of trying to get Stoke, a side known for their reliance on long balls and set pieces under his countryman Tony Pulis, to actually play some modern football. And while both the team and the manager received a lot of praise early on in the season for the new adopted style, the goals have recently dried up and Hughes and his passing style of football has come under a lot of criticism. In a weird-funny coincidence, Stoke are currently sitting 14th in the league with 14 points from 14 matches. And despite their poor away form, The Potters are still one of the toughest team to beat at home. Only Manchester City have conceded less goals at home than Stoke City’s 3. So the affair on Saturday might very well end up a cagey 1-0 win for either side. Key Players This hasn’t been a season of great individual performances from Stoke, but one man who has really stood out was goal keeper Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian has been in fantastic form for the Potters between the sticks and has singlehandedly kept them in many games this season. The most influential outfield player for Stoke, however, has arguably been Steven N’Zonzi. The Frenchman has been the dictator of play in the team and usually has the most touches and passes among his teammates. Jose might want to consider applying the same tactics he did against Sunderland’s Ki by playing Willian centrally to press and man mark him, especially if Hughes opts to play the 4-1-4-1 he used against Cardiff (not that that worked too well). Team News Jose Mourinho confirmed in his PC on Friday that Samuel Eto’o will be back for this match while Luiz is still out with that knee injury. Oscar who missed the Sunderland game faces a late fitness test. On the other hand, Stoke will be missing ex-Blue Robert Huth for the rest of the calendar year, while Pieters faces a late fitness test according to Physioroom. Expected Lineups Both managers have made lots of changes in both personnel and formations lately, so…erm…I’ll leave the “Expected Lineups” to you. Stats and Facts provided by StatsZone: -Stoke City have scored just three goals in 10 Barclays Premier League games against Chelsea, failing to net in the last four in a row. -Chelsea have won 10 and lost none of the last 12 meetings with the Potters in all competitions. -Chelsea inflicted Stoke’s heaviest ever Premier League defeat - 0-7 in April 2010. -The Blues also inflicted Mark Hughes’ heaviest ever Premier League defeat as a coach, with a 1-6 result when he was at QPR in April 2012. -Hughes has enjoyed just two wins and endured 10 defeats in his 15 matches as an opposition coach against his former club Chelsea. -Demba Ba has scored four Premier League goals against Stoke; only against West Brom (6) has he been more prolific. -In this fixture last season, Jonathan Walters scored two own goals and missed a penalty in a 0-4 defeat. -Chelsea will attempt to score 3+ goals in three successive Premier League away games for the first time since August 2009 and only the third time in the competition. -Eden Hazard has scored three and assisted two more in his last four Premier League games. -Frank Lampard (145) and John Terry (34) are the only current Chelsea players to have scored more goals for the club in the Premier League than Stoke boss Mark Hughes (25). Match Odds According to SkyBet: Stoke win 5/1 Draw 16/5 Chelsea win 8/15 Coverage UK: BBC One US: NBC Sports India: Start Sports Middle East: This game will NOT be available live on Al Jazeera. You can see if/where the game is available in your country here. Click Here To View Article

Not as tough as Juve or Dortmund, though..

Happy Birthday CLL

This is a funny coincidence: Stoke are currently 14th in the league with 14 points from 14 matches

Pat Nevin talking (mostly) about Eden's performance vs Sunderland: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x183jok_analyse-that-pat-sunderland_sport

No direct quotes but the Telegraph claiming that his agent is trying to get the club to agree to letting him leave in Jan: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10500208/Kevin-de-Bruyne-keen-to-leave-Chelsea-in-January.html

I didn't say he was on a different plant, I just think that Messi still well ahead of everyone else. I get it that people want variety and excitement in the award, but to my eyes, Messi is the best footballer of his generation. It is as simple as that.

Well I disagree. Granted that Ronaldo is a better Athlete, I think no one is even close to Messi as a footballer. His dribbling skills, his technique, his finishing with his left foot..etc

No I think he deserves to be in the top 3 with his recent performances especially in the qulaifiers, but I still think he's miles off Messi, as is any other footballer on the planet.