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MOTD: Stoke City 0-2 Chelsea – Three Thoughts

By on December 22, 2014

Chelsea not shying away from dirty work anymore
Jose Mourinho’s teams have always been known to do the dirty work for a win. His signature style employs a counter-attacking style of very physical football, however, his team last season was not one to sit back and defend. Last season, his first in his second term at Chelsea, he was given a very creative, flowing, attacking side to work with they lacked a physical aspect. So that season, when they faced Stoke City in December, they were outmuscled by Stoke’s long ball physical game. This time around, however, Chelsea were prepared.

The signings Mourinho made last summer were distinctly very big and physical players, so today Chelsea were prepared to match Stoke’s game. Mourinho played Cesc Fabregas as a No10 in order to fit two defensive midfield rocks in John Obi Mikel and Nemanja Matic into his side, a very defensive option, and when Stoke applied their physical game Chelsea didn’t buckle. They fought back, and let Stoke have the ball, as to beat then in their own game on the break. The Blues’ first goal less than a minute in came from a corner.

Mourinho’s side didn’t shy away when in possession either, and perhaps the killer aspect about their side is their seamless mix of physical and creative prowess.

Stoke a little awkward in transition out of direct football
This season has been a new experience for Stoke City in the sense that the feeling of change has gone around the club. For all the fuss they had been given about playing a very direct brand of the game, under Mark Hughes they have started to become a more possession oriented side. All of this is true, but The Potters are still in a transition period, and today, Hughes played them in ye’ old physical game again. However, that rendered the likes of Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic, both brought in to help improve their new brand of football, largely in-effective. Peter Crouch saw the majority of Stoke’s few chances from the air; Stoke weren’t as good in their old clothes and struggled to break into their new.

Thibaut Courtois’ makes his case for EPL’s best goalkeeper
For everybody amazed at David De Gea’s recent shot stopping, they’ll then pause to think of what Chelsea’s Thinaut Courtois actually does, considering Chelsea allow very few decent shots. Today, in a very physical match, was a brilliant example. Courtois’ dominates his box much more than De Gea, a skill uncanny for a goalkeeper only twenty-two years of age. Countless times Courtois’ snuffed Stoke’s most dangerous channel to goal – from crosses – by coming out and collecting them himself. His height and aerial ability makes him perfectly suited for the task, and actually saves him from having to make saves in the first place, a skill which he does rely heavily on his 6’6” frame to deal with.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.