STOKE VS CHELSEA: BUILD UP

The blues have gone on a great run and we are looking for 3 points at the britannia stadium on Saturday. Stoke are strong at home and are coming off a 4-0 VICTORY against newcastle united. We can't under estimate them and it will be a tough battle against the Potters. With only 3 players out with injury, John Obi Mikel, Yossi Benayoun, and Alex we look a strong side. Yossi and Alex are getting back to match fitness and will add even more choices for our gaffer Carlo. If he wants any, with Malouda, Anelka, Drogba, Torres, Lampard and Essien its going to be hard for Yossi to get any Prem starts this season. Alex has his own competition with David Luiz arriving in the January transfer window. As for Stoke, a great win against Newcastle shows that they are looking forward to going head to head with Bolton in the FA Cup Semi-Final at the Reebok. This is my predicted team:

                                                                    Cech
 
Cole                                 Luiz                           Terry                                   Ivanovic


                                 Essien                            Lampard


  Malouda                                     Torres                          Kalou



Identical to the one that defeated City at the bridge, I liked the partnership between Kalou and Torres with Malouda and Cole driving down the left. Luiz and Terry are rock solid in defence and are looking for another clean sheet.

The Stoke City Team1GKAsmir Begović3DFDanny Higginbotham4DFRobert Huth5DFDanny Collins6MFGlenn Whelan8MFTom Soares9FWKenwyne Jones10FWRicardo Fuller11FWMamady Sidibe12MFMarc Wilson14MFDanny Pugh15MFSalif Diao16MFJermaine Pennant17DFRyan Shawcross (captain)