The game has started, time for the Blues to take the first step towards winning back the Premier League:
Stoke: Begovic, Huth, Shawcross, Woodgate, Wilson, Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington, Jones, Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Collins, Pugh, Diao, Whitehead, Wilkinson, Shotton.
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou, Torres, Malouda. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Benayoun, Drogba, Ferreira, McEachran, Anelka.
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Today’s display against Stoke was another clear indication of the need for Chelsea to recruit creativity. The problem that got Chelsea last year still exists. Chelsea needs players that have the ability to break through resolute defences. Here they need players whose technique is unpredictable. These are those players with an extraordinary ability to deceive defenders with a drop of the shoulder or an allusive back pass that sends all concerned the wrong way. Only a few players do this really well and they are costly. We are talking of guys in the calibre of Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar. Modric is a needed playmaker and I hope he makes the move, but he is not a player with the deceptive ability we are talking about. I think Chelsea would do well to make Neymar and Santos and offer that they cannot refuse.