Chelsea visit Stoke: Score predictions with Eden Hazard missing
Chelsea travel to Stoke City without Eden Hazard in their squad. Will the Blues be able to overcome a notoriously difficult assignment?
A cold, rainy afternoon in Stoke. It may not be exactly that, but this away fixture is still one of the toughest the Premier League has to offer. Without Eden Hazard, can Chelsea come away with three points?
Scott Brant: 2-1. With so much talk about Pogba being paid £290k a week and little Kante only being paid £110k a week, the Chelsea man consistently outperforms him. N’Golo will come out and have his best match yet, which is hard to believe. Scoring in back to back matches, and bossing the midfield with his twin N’Bolo.
Travis Tyler: 4-0. Stoke have got two types of results against teams in the top six this season: low scoring draws or losses by at least two goals (with four goals conceded happening against all but Arsenal). An awful first half where nothing exciting happens will lead to an open second half with the Blues showing everyone how it should be done in a cold/wet/cliched Stoke.
Andre Carlisle: 1-0, Stoke. The darkness sent the tiny demon of disaster to deal with Jose and United via a temporarily intransigent referee. Now, it’s Stoke’s turn. Though it won’t be cold, likely won’t be rainy either, and certainly won’t be a Wednesday night, Chelsea have to be prepared for a stubborn defense. Ancient moons lend your power and all that, I expect players missing through injury and a cozy mid-table place in mid-March to precipitate a lowering of Stoke’s guard. Pedro gets scoring again and N’Golo makes it two goals in two, Diego inadvertently nudges the ball over the line with his ass hair. 3-0 Blues.
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Daniel McClue: 6-1. Absolute chaos ensues on a tepid March afternoon in Stoke. The Potters score after just 6 minutes, before Costa gets the equaliser in the 22nd. Stoke completely lose their heads and have 2 players sent off in the first half. Conte injects ruthlessness into his side and Hazard/Willian, Pedro, Alonso, Moses and Chalobah all score in the second. Conte comes out for the post-match press conference with a Mourinho mask on and proclaims “it’s hard to defend with 6 when you’re too busy scoring 6 at the other end”.
Barrett Rouen: 2-1. Chelsea may struggle should a reportedly injured Moses feel any effect as no member of the team can really fill in at his level on that side. They still come out winners however because of the gap in overall quality between them and Stoke.
Ben Croft: 2-0. It will be a tough game but I fancy us to put on a professional display and take a step closer to the title. Costa with at least one.
Brendan McDonnell: Since I live in Portland now…cold rainy nights are no laughing matter friends! Stoke City’s form recently has been, ummmm, <shrug emoji>. They got steam-rolled by Spurs and the Fighting Klopps but held Manchester x2 to draws. After an emotional win on Monday, I sense more of the latter out of our Blues. Their eyes are totally focused on April.