Closed Stoke City v Chelsea

[Kinol 337]

Some people seem to think that it will be a easy game. Dont forget that Stoke are unbeaten at home this season in the league...

[Jase 43,479]

I thought Mata had played there last season?

We played Stoke away in our first league game last season. Mata yet to join then. Only did so about 2-3 weeks later.

Some people seem to think that it will be a easy game. Dont forget that Stoke are unbeaten at home this season in the league...

Yeah and their last home league defeat was all the way back in February 2012.

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn7vQZZGmSE

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

This! According to me Oscar is a pure Nr 10, i dont get people who want him in the Pivot or Rafa who want him on the wing. He is the one in the Squad who has the most potential as a Nr 10, Not Mata and not Hazard.

Disagree, for me Hazard has the most potential on the number 10.

Hazard is a different type of number 10 then Mata/Oscar.

He doesn't drop deep as often as them. He stays high, trying to run between the lines, finding pockets of space to exploit.

He's plays more as a second striker rather then a distributor.

He needs a deep lying playmaker playing behind him though to find him in those tight spaces. ( and a striker who can hold on to the ball would be nice too)

Hazard is at his best when he's able to run at the central defence from a central position. Take the Swansea game for example.

The chances he created all came from him either running at pace towards the central defence or him already standing in front of the central defence.

If you want to get the best out of Hazard you have to play him in the nr 10 spot.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Anyone else just see the apparent lineup Rafa's employing tomorrow?

Martin Lipton tweeted "1 FB, 2 wingers, 2 in center, and 8 forwards."

Math doesn't add up but should be interesting.

Where will he get 8 forwards from?

[Corner 456]

We played Stoke away in our first league game last season. Mata yet to join then. Only did so about 2-3 weeks later.

Yeah and their last home league defeat was all the way back in February 2012.

Ah I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Pizy 18,926]

Where will he get 8 forwards from?

Great question.

Maybe this is the first instance where we'll see Ba and the waste man up front together?

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

[Sheva. 5,373]

Great question.

Maybe this is the first instance where we'll see Ba and the waste man up front together?

Perhaps, but Lipton was just spouting shit as usual. I bet it will be the normal formation, with 2 or 3 changes.

[Milan 17,958]

Anybody but Torres. I'm not having any big demands on the line-up. Well maybe Roman thinks the opposite but still, anybody but Torres.

Oh and play the players in their prefered posts. No Oscar on wing ffs.

[communicate 2,703]

Disagree, for me Hazard has the most potential on the number 10.

Hazard is a different type of number 10 then Mata/Oscar.

He doesn't drop deep as often as them. He stays high, trying to run between the lines, finding pockets of space to exploit.

He's plays more as a second striker rather then a distributor.

He needs a deep lying playmaker playing behind him though to find him in those tight spaces. ( and a striker who can hold on to the ball would be nice too)

Hazard is at his best when he's able to run at the central defence from a central position. Take the Swansea game for example.

The chances he created all came from him either running at pace towards the central defence or him already standing in front of the central defence.

If you want to get the best out of Hazard you have to play him in the nr 10 spot.

This is interesting because I thought his best position is on the left wing. Tbf I have never watched hazard play for lille before. I agree that he is not a distributor. He is more of a dribbler than a playmaker. But as long as mata is here. I think he will continue to play on the left

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

This is interesting because I thought his best position is on the left wing. Tbf I have never watched hazard play for lille before. I agree that he is not a distributor. He is more of a dribbler than a playmaker. But as long as mata is here. I think he will continue to play on the left

Well as we are now (without a DLP ) i would play Mata on the 10, Hazard on the LW but when we have a DLP we'd be able to control the pace of the game and would hav no need anymore for a distributor on the 10. So with a DLP i'd play Hazard on the 10 and Mata on the wing.

Hazard best position really is the number 10. Funny thing is that a lot of people forget that In the first 3 games where Hazard was great he was playing on the nr 10.

Not a coincidence.

[Jase 43,479]

Stoke away has a boring 0-0 draw written all over it. A 1-0 either way at most.

Indeed. Our last 4 games against Stoke have ended(latest to earliest) 1-0(w), 1-0(win), 0-0(d) and 1-1(d).

[Rmpr 8,977]

Indeed. Our last 4 games against Stoke have ended(latest to earliest) 1-0(w), 1-0(win), 0-0(d) and 1-1(d).

Stats?

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Everton also hadn't lost on Goodison Park until they met us. Stoke most certainly are no pushovers, but being that scared of them is odd.

True but this goes back to February and we're shite and usually play shite there..hopfully can change that but with Torres starting unless Rafa has some sort of realsation moment....

[Jase 43,479]

Stats?

Here's one:

Stoke are the only unbeaten side left at home this season in the Top 5 divisions in England and they last suffered home league defeat back in February 2012. Lost 1-0 to Sunderland then.

[didierforever 7,349]

u just know that iva is gonna score...

[Yeboii 1,844]

u just know that iva is gonna score...

Thats what is said about Torres before every game.

[Kojo 4,676]

You know what, fuck it, we will win this.

Get Demba Ba up front, we will fucking win this and show that shitface Torres that we don't need him. Get Lamps and all the others on and shit them.

[Billy. 2,742]

Thats what is said about Torres before every game.

yer true but the difference is brana can score lol