On the face of it a two-nil defeat to Chelsea might not seem a bad result, certainly no disgrace, or an embarrassment. But this was a very comfortable win for Chelsea achieved in second gear with the bare minimum of effort. There was a sense that if Stoke had somehow put the ball in the net, the Blues would have stepped up a gear, brushed the impudent newcomers aside and notched a few more themselves. 
The visitors were superior in every department, as one might expect, but the disappointing aspect is that Stoke’s cause was not helped by the team selection and the one dimensional approach of the manager.
Since the first couple of matches of the season I have opined that Stoke’s reliance on the Rory Delap throw, and the tactic of pressuring of opponents down the channels to obtain throw-ins was both limited and worrying. The lack of real creativity, pace, and the ability to supply other quality deliveries into the opponent’s penalty area leaves Stoke rather short of goal scoring opportunities. This was not addressed on transfer deadline day either. The only threat has come from the Delap exocet or the flash of brilliance from Fuller. It was therefore rather troubling to find that Delap was ruled out by a hamstring injury, and Fuller was on the bench. Dave Kitson and Mamady Sidibe were to start up front, while striker Richard Cresswell was asked to deputise in left midfield. This arrangement worked in the Championship, but it is highly questionable that Stoke will get away with this approach in the Premiership.
The atmosphere was magnificent again as the teams took to the pitch, the Stoke fans providing their part of the bargain when it came to making the Britannia Stadium an intimidating pace to visit. But as the game got under way the Stoke team seemed to give their visitors too much respect and Chelsea were soon comfortably into their stride. 
Michael Ballack was involved twice early on, sending a dipping shot from thirty yards that Thomas Sorensen tipped over, and the German international forced a Sorensen into a smart save with a header from the resulting corner. Stoke were in more trouble on 13 minutes after Seyi Olofinjana lost out in a midfield tussle allowing Frank Lampard the opportunity to send in a sublime chip through for the unmarked Didier Drogba. The striker controlled the ball beautifully and seemed certain to score, but his attempted prod to Sorensen’s left was blocked by the keeper’s outstretched leg. Chelsea maintained possession with ease during the first half, patiently building with sharp passing and movement, probing Stoke for weaknesses and a potential opening. It had all the characteristics of a training game for the visitors, with Stoke offering little in the way of a threat.
Indeed behind me in the stands Stoke fans were getting impatient with the efforts of Dave Kitson, questioning his work rate and desire. Up to press this season Kitson has been one of one Stoke’s most hard working players, unfortunately the system utilised by the manager had seen him out of position and contributing more in midfield and defence than in front of goal. Against Chelsea he was up front but deprived of anything resembling service, other than hopeful balls forward for him to chase or battle in vain against a strong top quality rearguard. There were signs that he was beginning to get disillusioned with his lot, not surprising to be fair, and until Stoke find a way of supplying quality balls into the box, they will not get the most from their £5.5m striker. Kitson did earn a corner on 34 minutes which Sidibe eventually got a head to at the near post, but his tame effort from a tight angle would not squeeze past Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. Stoke were given a lesson in finishing moments later when Chelsea swept up the field with a string of intricate passes to open up Stoke’s defences down the home side’s left. 
Lampard played a delightful ball over the defence and Jose Bosingwa had kept pace with the attack to chest down the pass and fire home from an angle with Griffin helplessly getting the final touch. It was a deserved lead and was comfortably taken into half time with Stoke offering little other than eager chasing as Chelsea seemed to have plenty of time on the ball as they continued to move it around at will.
HT Stoke City 0 Chelsea 1 and Pulis left the field rightly scratching his head
The half time break saw Stoke and Chelsea legend Alan Hudson draw the lottery tickets, and Stoke also needed to pull something special out of the hat if they were to turn the game around. However the game was almost put beyond them in the 47th minute. 
A Lampard shot was steered wide by a Stoke foot and from the resulting corner the immense Abdoulaye Faye collected the ball safely and advanced seemingly untroubled out of the box. Unfortunately his sloppy pass was picked off by Florent Malouda and he fired in a shot from the edge of the area that Sorensen did well to tip on to the bar. Kitson was substituted on 53 minutes and replaced by Ricardo Fuller. Clearly this introduction sparked Stoke into life, giving them fresh impetus and more of threat. Stoke’s tempo had been increased and Chelsea started to look less comfortable and knew they were now in a battle. But for all of Stoke’s extra belief and the encouragement from the passionate crowd, the only real moment of note they produced was a powerful header from Leon Cort at a corner which Mikel nodded clear on the line. Fuller curled a shot high over the bar on 69 minutes, and while Stoke were enjoying a period of dominance the cutting edge was lacking, and they ultimately paid as Chelsea killed off the game with a second goal.
There appeared little menace on 75 minutes when Bosingwa swung in a routine ball from the right wing, but Cort slipped while attempting to chest down to Faye, who also slipped for good measure, teeing up the waiting substitute Nicolas Anelka to finish hard and low into the far corner from about 12 yards. 
This ended any Stoke hope, and the play swung back to a confident Chelsea. An Anelka run eventually set up Ballack for a shot just wide on 79 minutes, then an unmarked Lampard should have done better than softly shoot into Sorensen’s arms from 12 yards on 83 minutes while Stoke’s defence was dozing during another good move. Michael Tonge (who replaced a disappointing Liam Lawrence on 64 minutes) managed a shot from 20 yards in the last minute of normal time, but it flew well over the Chelsea bar.
The final whistle went to end what was in the main a comfortable victory for Chelsea who were in total control apart from a spell in the second half when Fuller’s introduction lifted Stoke and injected much need confidence and pace. However I got the impression that Chelsea could have easily stepped up a level if needed should Stoke have grabbed a goal. Typical spirit and hard work from Stoke, but an impotent as an attacking force without Delap and Fuller on the pitch. Stoke need to find alternative ways of creating scoring opportunities if their stay in the top flight is to last longer than this season.
FT Stoke City 0 Chelsea 2 – and Pulis has a bit of thinking to do.
The evening was spent in the company of Stoke fanzine message board legends at a curry house in Dresden. The post mortem of the game was carried out over a decent feed and with plenty of gallows humour.
