Closed Stoke 3-2 Chelsea

[Special Juan 27,104]

I have learnt my lessons and stayed away from here in the last 12 hours.

It's a poor loss but all is not lost people, lets stay grounded and bounce back like Chelsea do. A season has lots of blips and it's how we react, lets not worry too much how Arsenal are doing, lets be positive about us and keep moving on.

All in this together lets not fall out and get angry.

CAREFREEEEE!!!!

[The only place to be 11,313]

Waited until today to respond because i was so fucked off. After thinking about it, i've come to the conclusion that these matches happen every season and we will be here many more times but i still believe we'll be top by Jan 1. I've also come to the conclusion that we need Lukaku back and we need to sell Ramires. I admire Rami's work rate but his ball distribution is awful and he's not the level of player we need now imo. We need a Yaya Toure.

I knew at half time that it was gonna go wrong because of the way we dominated the first half and conceded such a horrible goal to go in level. I had hope when Shirley made it 2-2 but they were much more in our faces in the 2nd half and we seemed a bit fragile against it.

The Arsenal away game in a couple of weeks is gonna be the biggest match of the season so far. Arsenal have a really tough next few games for a change. They will drop points very soon so we must now capitalise after yesterdays shocker.

It's not all bad.

I think I agree with what you say about Rami - his workrate is utterly phenomenal but I've always preferred players who can control the tempo of a game with the skill and vision rather than simply run around a lot.

He's capable of sublime pieces of skill but it's unreliable and in that position you need a metronomic presence like a Xavi or a Scholes who can make other players play at his speed rather than trying to keep up with them.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I can't believe the blame is being directed at Eto'o. Hahahahahaha.... Wake up people! It was a shit giveaway but Chelsea shipped 3 more goals to shoddy opposition. We are shipping WAY too many goals!

The problem the last two games and pretty much the whole season is our shit defense. We can't protect a lead and we are conceding far too many. Cech, Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic are playing way too much right now. Terry looked every bit like 33yr old yesterday and Cech.... Why does he just stand there on so many of the goal attempts???

Ramires needs a rest that much was obvious to me.

Nobody wants to hear it but Essien needs some game time. we are running guys into the ground and its not even midseason yet. Essien needs a game, Bertrand needs a chance, maybe give Ake a run out for Ramires at some point too.

[The Mak 4,459]

Vertonghen is probably the most over-rated CB i have ever seen in my life. The amount of times he gets caught on the wrong side of a striker is shocking, like against Villa when he had to resort to pulling a players short's down.

I said good, not great!

Like him or not, he's part of one of the more solid defences this season and he was bought for half of Luiz.

[remains of the day 564]

I've also come to the conclusion that we need Lukaku back and we need to sell Ramires. I admire Rami's work rate but his ball distribution is awful and he's not the level of player we need now imo. We need a Yaya Toure.

Ramires' distribution is normally a big problem and has personally been a point of frustration for me, but this season it's improved significantly. Yaya Toure has 3 assists, Ramires has 2 and both have created similar number of chances. So he can't be all that bad can he? The problem though is that he's basically played every single minute of every single game in the League and also in the CL bar one game - Basel at home. So in the 20 league & CL games we've played this season, he's only been rested once. It's ridiculous when you consider how hard he works. The guy must be tired and it's bound to have an effect on his performance. I really hope that Mourinho has a rotation plan for him starting January. It makes me uneasy that we're so reliant on him.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

I can't believe the blame is being directed at Eto'o. Hahahahahaha.... Wake up people! It was a shit giveaway but Chelsea shipped 3 more goals to shoddy opposition. We are shipping WAY too many goals!

We would have been second now if it wasn't for his terrible mistake. But that aside, he's lost the ball every time he touched it yesterday.

And this is the biggest mistake Jose made = bringing in Eto'o/not bringing in a classy striker

Ramires is a bloke I'll never blame for anything, he's one of those guys that always gives his best. This is what I respect no matter what.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

We would have been second now if it wasn't for his terrible mistake. But that aside, he's lost the ball every time he touched it yesterday.

And this is the biggest mistake Jose made = bringing in Eto'o/not bringing in a classy striker

Ramires is a bloke I'll never blame for anything, he's one of those guys that always gives his best. This is what I respect no matter what.

So much hilarity in one post.

[Tomo 21,681]

I said good, not great!

Like him or not, he's part of one of the more solid defences this season and he was bought for half of Luiz.

The reason that defense was so good at the start is because of the midfield protecting the shit out of them and Lloris, if AVB opens up that defense would get picked apart with ease.

[The Mak 4,459]

The reason that defense was so good at the start is because of the midfield protecting the shit out of them and Lloris, if AVB opens up that defense would get picked apart with ease.

I suppose we'll wait another while yet so!

[darrus 422]

Well, thank God for Deulofeu, actually today we've got another result going our way - as Everton didn't get enough to catch up, and 4-5 points difference is the same thing - 2 wins to overtake.

Now let's pray for City next weekend, let's pray our players wake up and I'm still ready to give a team and a coach time to sort things out.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Well, thank God for Deulofeu, actually today we've got another result going our way - as Everton didn't get enough to catch up, and 4-5 points difference is the same thing - 2 wins to overtake.

Now let's pray for City next weekend, let's pray our players wake up and I'm still ready to give a team and a coach time to sort things out.

We need to worry about ourselves right now. Top of the league isn't something we should be focussed on when we're shipping goals like we are.

[darrus 422]

We need to worry about ourselves right now. Top of the league isn't something we should be focussed on when we're shipping goals like we are.

That part can be fixed - not overnight, not next week, but specific work at training sessions will help to sort defensive mistakes out. And meanwhile it will be nice not to fall off the running for top spots, which we are managing now with help from other teams.

I suppose by April we'll get some sort of system that is working but needs additions here and here to turn it into winning side. And if we're still in the running by then, we'll have chances.

I'm prepared to write off this season completely as a build-up, but if we get something out of it, by our fabulous efforts or because others mess up more than we do - I won't disagree

[football highlights 0]

Stoke vs Chelsea 3-2 All Goals and Highlights Video Clips English Premier League 2013

Stoke won the match for their as usual physical play.

Stoke City vs Chelsea 3-2

[Spenzy2010 8]

Once again, Schurrle was injured.

I don't believe that, didn't see anything to suggest he was. Let's all be truthful to ourselves here mate.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

I don't believe that, didn't see anything to suggest he was. Let's all be truthful to ourselves here mate.

Lol whatever floats your boat

[Magic Lamps 11,452]

Just rewatched the game. We could ahve easily been 3-0 up before Stoke even came near our goal, but our finishing has been wasteful. So much for "Ramires being best finisher in the team". Lamps would have easily scored twice from the opportunities Ramires had in the first half.

[Special Juan 27,104]

That's it though, we find ourselves talking about finishing time and time again.

Whilst we still have scored a few over the past weeks it's terribly annoying how many guilt edge chances we miss, and some even that straight forward we aren't even making the keeper work.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

That's it though, we find ourselves talking about finishing time and time again.

Whilst we still have scored a few over the past weeks it's terribly annoying how many guilt edge chances we miss, and some even that straight forward we aren't even making the keeper work.

Thats what is even more frustrating