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Join Date: Feb 2010
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My Team: Manchester United
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Chelsea 2-0 Stoke City
The scoreline may not read as emphatically as Chelsea’s previous two results but make no mistake, the Premier League champions effortlessly strolled to victory.
Stoke City were on the receiving end of a Stamford Bridge drubbing last season and although Carlo Ancelotti’s side failed to replicate the 7-0 massacre, the manner in which they picked up the three points was remarkably similar.
Despite the defeat, Tony Pulis’ men admirably resisted what has increasingly become the inevitable for longer than previous cannon fodder – namely West Bromich Albion and Wigan Athletic.
Frank Lampard was partly to blame for the delay in proceedings after his tame penalty, which was won by Florent Malouda after being brought down by Ryan Shawcross, was comfortably saved in the ninth minute by Thomas Sorensen.
The home crowd were subjected to a familiar 30 minutes of attack versus defence as the home side enjoyed comfortable spells of possession and the visitors appeared happy to showcase their rigid organisation.
Evidently, Pulis has taken Arsene Wenger’s recent comments about using ‘rugby’ tactics with a pinch of salt, as the Potters deployed a similar mentality against the Premier League champions. Didier Drogba bore the brunt of a few strong challenges in the opening 45 minutes.
The Stoke resistance was finally breached after the half-hour mark as Malouda continued his fine form from last term and notched his fourth goal of the season.
The subdued Stoke attack rendered John Terry redundant in the heart of Chelsea’s defence, and the centre-back ventured forward, pounced on a poor clearance, and slipped an incisive ball through to the France international who finished well.
Ashley Cole was also deemed surplus to defensive requirements and he frequently tormented former Chelsea man Robert Huth at right-back. The 29-year-old almost put his team two goals in front but his spectacular left-footed volley cannoned off the crossbar.
Chelsea picked up where they left off after the half-time interval. After another passage of fluid movement, Nicolas Anelka found space to stand up a cross that was a perfect height for Drogba, but the Ivorian managed to head straight into Sorensen’s hands.
As the match progressed, restlessness spread amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful as they were not seeing their side bulldoze through the visitors in the manner they have grown accustomed to.
Stoke promptly fired a warning shot at the hosts in the 68th minute as Glenn Whelan found space outside the Chelsea box but his thumping drive rattled the crossbar instead of rippling Petr Cech’s net.
A moment of madness settled the tie as Sorensen rushed from his goal to bring down Nicolas Anelka in the box. Lampard was substituted then after an uncharacteristically subdued performance and Drogba stepped up to send the Stoke goalkeeper the wrong way.
New signing Ramires was greeted with a debut cheer after entering the fray as a substitute but the midfielder had little opportunity to showcase his talent to the expectant crowd, other than his ability to keep the Blues ticking over with a series of short passes.
A cause for concern for Ancelotti was his hobbling captain, Terry, whose over-zealous challenge on Matthew Etherington midway through the second half appeared to damage the centre-back.
Substitute Salomon Kalou had an opportunity to make it three near the full-time whistle after dribbling through the Stoke defence, but his shot was comfortably saved by Sorensen. But by then, the points had been wrapped up and another routine victory was complete.
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