Chelsea 2-0 Stoke. Alex shines in Chelsea win & Villa in the Semi's.
In what could of proved to be a difficult tie today Chelsea eased past Stoke with goals from Frank Lampard and John Terry. It was a game tha...
https://www.chelseadaft.org/2010/03/chelsea-2-0-stoke-alex-shines-in.html
In what could of proved to be a difficult tie today Chelsea eased past Stoke with goals from Frank Lampard and John Terry. It was a game that would test Chelsea up against the Rory Delap long throw and you have to say overall Chelsea dealt with it professionally and did well. Apart from a slight blip in the first half that led to Jon Obi Mikel clearing off of the line after a half clearance fell to Whitehead, Chelsea looked comfortable until the closing stages when the un-worked Hilario saved with his feet from Ricardo Fuller at his near post.
I was pleased to see Alex and Ferriera come into the side at Centre Back and Left back and they both had great games and provided a much better balance to our defence. Alex was outstanding and deservedly so, won the Man of the Match award from the TV Panel covering the game.
Our midfield three consisted of Mikel who had another sound game and this time played the full match to provide late stability in front of our defence, Frank Lampard who did the simple things well, scored a great goal and set up JT with his from a corner and Malouda, who was busy all game and offered us width on the left and have to say worked well with Ferreira.
Up front once again was Didier through the middle with Kalou and Anelka either side. Drogba had an in and out game for me. At times was his usual threat but also drifted out of the game. Anelka played better today than in recent weeks in the same position. He had to clear chances that he dragged wide and on another day would of scored. Kalou had a busy game also, always posed a threat running at their defence and did well.
Apart from the clearance off the line, we coped with every single Delap throw and ball into the box from corners and although at times Hilario seems all over the place, he was never put under any pressure at all. Chelsea did really well today. We played well, attacked Stoke well and put in a professional performance. Lampard took his goal well. A half cleared cross fell to JT beyond the back post, he took a touch and teed it up for Lamps, who struck from 20 yards out with a deflection that flew past Sorensen.
Our second goal came from a Lampard corner. JT was forever in a battle at set plays with Robert Huth who made his return to Stamford Bridge as Captain of Stoke in the absence of Shawcross. As Lampard's corner came in JT lost Huth and headed towards goal. Once more another deflection took the ball past Sorensen and into the top corner. Chelsea 2-0 up and looking comfortable.
JT's celebration said it all as he lowered his Captains Armband to the fans to prove how much it means to him and he certainly enjoyed that one!.
As I have mentioned earlier, Hilario was called into action in injury time as Fuller spun in the box and shot low to the near post, Hilario had his angles right and made a great save with his foot low down. That was it really and Stoke will come away from the game feeling that they could of offered more of a threat today, but I believe that was down to the way we played and how solid we were defensively today. Alex in place of Carvalho is a question that we are all asking at the moment and put forward his case in impressive style today.
A great win and performance today and we move into our fourth Semi-Final in five years as we have been drawn against Aston Villa at Wembley. A chance for revenge for the defeat earlier in the season?.
COME ON YOU BLUE BOYS
CAREFREE & KTBFFH EVERYONE!
I was pleased to see Alex and Ferriera come into the side at Centre Back and Left back and they both had great games and provided a much better balance to our defence. Alex was outstanding and deservedly so, won the Man of the Match award from the TV Panel covering the game.
Our midfield three consisted of Mikel who had another sound game and this time played the full match to provide late stability in front of our defence, Frank Lampard who did the simple things well, scored a great goal and set up JT with his from a corner and Malouda, who was busy all game and offered us width on the left and have to say worked well with Ferreira.
Up front once again was Didier through the middle with Kalou and Anelka either side. Drogba had an in and out game for me. At times was his usual threat but also drifted out of the game. Anelka played better today than in recent weeks in the same position. He had to clear chances that he dragged wide and on another day would of scored. Kalou had a busy game also, always posed a threat running at their defence and did well.
Apart from the clearance off the line, we coped with every single Delap throw and ball into the box from corners and although at times Hilario seems all over the place, he was never put under any pressure at all. Chelsea did really well today. We played well, attacked Stoke well and put in a professional performance. Lampard took his goal well. A half cleared cross fell to JT beyond the back post, he took a touch and teed it up for Lamps, who struck from 20 yards out with a deflection that flew past Sorensen.
Our second goal came from a Lampard corner. JT was forever in a battle at set plays with Robert Huth who made his return to Stamford Bridge as Captain of Stoke in the absence of Shawcross. As Lampard's corner came in JT lost Huth and headed towards goal. Once more another deflection took the ball past Sorensen and into the top corner. Chelsea 2-0 up and looking comfortable.
JT's celebration said it all as he lowered his Captains Armband to the fans to prove how much it means to him and he certainly enjoyed that one!.
As I have mentioned earlier, Hilario was called into action in injury time as Fuller spun in the box and shot low to the near post, Hilario had his angles right and made a great save with his foot low down. That was it really and Stoke will come away from the game feeling that they could of offered more of a threat today, but I believe that was down to the way we played and how solid we were defensively today. Alex in place of Carvalho is a question that we are all asking at the moment and put forward his case in impressive style today.
A great win and performance today and we move into our fourth Semi-Final in five years as we have been drawn against Aston Villa at Wembley. A chance for revenge for the defeat earlier in the season?.
COME ON YOU BLUE BOYS
CAREFREE & KTBFFH EVERYONE!
