Playing Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium is one of the Premier League’s toughest tests. Willian and Chelsea, though, are fully aware of this.
Chelsea travel to the bet365 Stadium on Saturday afternoon for a tough Premier League clash. The Potters have a formidable reputation and they have added some skill and entertainment moving forward too. Speaking ahead of the game, Willian stated that the Blues will be especially careful.
"It is always difficult to play Stoke. This game is about physicality and fighting, we know our quality with the ball, but without the ball we have to fight against them. – via Sky Sports"
Joking aside, playing away at Stoke is one of the toughest games for any Premier League side. Against the top teams, they seem to find an extra gear and desire to make life particularly difficult. They have already beaten Arsenal at home this season, while they held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw.
The Potters first earned their reputation under the stewardship of Tony Pulis. They are not afraid to put in a crunching tackle and frustrate the opposition. Under Mark Hughes, they have brought in talent like Jese, providing them with a potent threat down the other end.
Chelsea cannot just plan for Stoke’s physicality, they must also be aware of the counter-attacking threat.
It is in games like this that the Blues will miss Diego Costa. The striker would fight back against the physicality, helping Chelsea get the better of Stoke. Even if he would not register on the scoresheet, his presence would help the team create more opportunities.
This season, Antonio Conte will have to figure out a different way to get around Stoke. Alvaro Morata does not provide the same muscle, while the loss of Nemanja Matic also means a lack of physical presence in midfield. Tiemoue Bakayoko is not quite a like-for-like replacement.
The Blues will need to be at their best to breakdown Stoke and come away with three points. They will need to be sharp and clinical, taking whatever chances they get. Both Arsenal and United were stung by an inability to finish some decent opportunities to score.
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