Stoke played as they always play and Chelsea's new manager, whilst dealing with it reasonably well, was simply surprised just how rough it was out on the pitch for his players. I think a point away at Stoke in the first game of the season is perfectly OK, especially as many top sides will come away from the Britannia with nothing. I don't think Stoke play great football but that's for the opposition to deal with and find a way to counter it. For the record, I don't think any of the supposed penalty score shouts were justified, that's just the replay addicted press trying stir things up a bit. The ref gave nothing, to either side, and that's an end to it.
It is another one to add to the 'Stoke are too rough' whining manager group. Shall we instead discuss Lampard blatant dive, Terry's persistent Whining at the ref and a totally ineffective front line worth millions. Great result for Stoke, we are going in the right direction, on that display, Chelsea have a lot of ground to make up. No inventiveness by Lampard and company in the midfield. Oh how they could do with a home grown youngster like Cleverly. At least Lampard will be able to concentrate on trying to prolong his Chelsea career now that his inclusion in the England team has disappeared. Modric won't stand a chance either in that team of old-fellows. Interesting negativity espoused against people from other countries. The Football Premier League is the best of the best. And most players want to play in the EPL. In the EPL, anyone in the top 10 has a chance as demonstrated today by Stoke's side. Unlike most other league's(La Liga, Serie A) in which there are only two sides and the other 18 football teams left. In the first half it was some hard play, Stoke just couldn't keep up in the second, with an unfortunate injury to one of their best players. With most of the action coming in the second half, Chelsea still had trouble finding the net, and not due to lack of trying, but in reality Stoke's keeper showed up and showed up nicely tipping Mikel's and Anelka's above the bar, with many other good hands holding onto hard shots. Unfortunately Stoke's side did play dirty in the other box and show dramatically how they usually succeed in set plays, because of their constant attempt of blocking and pulling down the opposing side's keeper. I was constantly dismayed at these deliberate attempts, and there should have been some intense elbows to the ribs to these lackey players since the ref today seemed to run up and down the field with his eyes closed, but Cech is a gentleman it seems, and was able to deal with it with good backing from his side. It was a disappointment to drop 2 points, but it seems as if the start of the EPL showed how this will be an exciting season with most teams showing up with good performances. Maybe some says that Stoke City should leave the Premiership and join a rugby league, where their style of play would be better suited. It couldn't believe the amount of shirt pulling and pushing and shoving their defenders get up to. Huth was the worst offender. How anyone can pay to watch them play I don't know. Pulis the manager wants shooting. No doubt that they can rely on Mr Pulis to join those two outstanding members from the League of Gentlemen, Messers Barton and Pardow in stating this foreign practise must be firmly and emphatically stamped on before it effects further upright Englishmen like Mr Rooney & Mr Gerrard
I did watch the Kings Cup on Spanish TV Barcelona were played off the park by Real. Only saved by two good individual goals. As a team they could not keep the ball and their passing was abysmal. All the good team football came from Real. A good game, but please don't fall into the "more than a club" rubbish. They dive with the rest of them. Barcelona are the only football team that play like that, it is not a widely adopted template and Arsenal try it but it is tedious and not as effective when they do it. Watching Stoke is not like watching Wimbledon. Three years ago you would have had a point. Making a comment like that today, is simply perpetuating an obsolete stereotype without having checked the recent facts. You should ask Owen Coyle about Stoke being the Wimbledon of the north after what Stoke did to Bolton in the FA Cup semi-final. Chelsea are good. But were not good enough to beat Stoke today. And the individual battles between particularly Terry and Shawcross is not something you will see when Barcelona play Real Madrid. In many respects, that is a shame. Sport is about competition, determination toughness and skill and I saw plenty of it from both Stoke and Chelsea today. I do not like it when our Juliano Belletti took to fouling every five minutes. But the common assault that passes in Stoke for football was just laughable, if it wasn't so disgraceful. Chelsea may have many faults, and based on our play in this match, we didn't deserve to win. But at least we don't have to foul, grapple and cheat to stay up.
I saw plenty of fouling and grappling going on by both sets of centre backs. I think one of the most engaging things about this match was the physical battle between Terry and Shawcross. And while we are on about cheating does diving to try to win a penalty count as blatant cheating, or is that okay because all the big clubs and famous players do it? A bit of physicality has always been a part of the game. It is sad that it is being vilified while diving and simulation is being openly condoned. If you want to see sport like that, then go to a wrestling match. Behaviour like this by any team (and JT was reacting to Shawcross, for the record) is inexcusable and does not belong in football. And if you look carefully, Lampard had his foot trodden on, which is why it didn't look like the classic trip. Lampard diving is like Lib Dems keeping an election pledge it just doesn't happen. Sure there are players in Chelsea whose behaviour has made me cringe, but not Lampard.
