Chelsea Conquer Obstinate Stoke

Who would have thought that the best goal in a Chelsea match this season would end up being scored by a Stoke City player?! Well, you can do nothing other than raise your glass or tip your hat in maximum respect for Charlie Adam's exquisite and audacious long-range shot which flew over the halfway line and over the despairing reach of the suitably embarrassed Thibaut Courtois, just before half time.

It's easy to point the finger at the big Belgian who was almsot outside his own penalty area when the freak incident took place. However, Chelsea had been laying siege to Stoke's penalty area [with little effect] and so no goal threat appeared imminent from the visitors, so it was hardly necessary to stand on your own goal-line. Anyhow, big TC will know better the next time! Perhaps it was a blessing that the goal came when it did. It meant that Mourinho was required to insert a rocket up the backsides of his misfiring troops at the interval, rather than indulge in mutual back-slapping which would scarcely have been warranted, given that Chelsea owed their lead to a, shock horror, penalty! Otherwise, the Blues were not creating clear chances for themselves. Remy had one or two speculative efforts while our best opening fell to Oscar who tamely failed to even ask questions of the goalkeeper. Jose looked disgusted, and I share his dismay. I've said it already and I will repeat it: Oscar is a waste of space, a luxury player who blows more cold than hot. Give me the industrious though clumsy Ramires any day.

In the event, JM felt the need to bring on Costa and inject some urgency into the proceedings. Regrettably, this gamble backfired as the striker succumbed soon after to a recurrence of his hamstring woes, leaving him now sidelined presumably for the battles against ManUre and Arsenic, which loom on the April horizon. Peculiarly, the manager took Remy off after the centre forward had been in the right place at the right time to sidefoot home the winner. Presumably, the cautious one felt that he dare not risk losing Remy to injury for the forthcoming London derbies and assorted obstacles thereafter.

I was able to study this match a bit more than previous ones and here is my twopence worth. Chelsea were not struggling. They deserved to win, but confronted with a resolute opposition, the team found little space in a congested final third. Sometimes, a team will resort to lumping balls into the penalty area to break the impasse, but to their credit, Chelsea insisted on passing their way into the Stoke penalty area. Our performance wasn't that bad, but it did lack a bit of precision and again highlights our deficiencies against well-organised, bus-parking defences. Quite frankly, Stoke are perfectly entitled to pack their defensive third. God knows, Chelsea have been known to do likewise in certain tedious European outings.

In the end, what separated the wheat from the chaff was yet another virtuoso performance from the incomparable Eden Hazard. The Belgian wizard has long since become Chelsea's most important player. Take him out of the equation and I would fear the worst. I am already fearful that this team has gone stale and will not successfully defend any possible Championship success next year. Hazard is worth his weight in gold to the league leaders. I am also baffled as to how he isn't a certainty for the player of the year award, as the inferior Harry Kane [a Johnny-come-lately this season] appears to be touted as the likely frontrunner.

Anyhow, Crystal Palace demonstrated their party trick by defeating a 'bigger club' yet again on Monday night, thereby delivering the knockout blow to Manchester Mercenaries' chances. We all kind of suspected that Manchester Wannabes were in decline and their puny surrender in south London kind of confirmed this. However, can Arsenil emerge from seemingly nowhere [or even ManUre] and pip Chelsea to the Premiership chequered flag? Well, Chelsea still don't convince me. We have the small matter of a visit to the in-form neighbours of QPR lying ahead of us on Sunday afternoon. Nothing less than a win will persuade me that Chelsea are champions-elect. Failing that, the Blues will surely continue to stagger towards the finishing line. Remember: the Premiership is a marathon and not a sprint. Are Chelsea about to emulate the efforts of Crisp at the 1973 Grand National? Let's hope not.

CHELSEA 2 Stoke City 1; half time: 1-1. Saturday 4th April 2015.

CHELSEA goal scorers: Hazard [penalty]; Remy

CHELSEA team: Courtois, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Matic, Willian, Fabregas, Oscar, Remy, Hazard. Used substitutes: Costa; Drogba; Cuadrado.

CHELSEA LEADING SCORERS:

Costa - 20 goals

Hazard - 17 goals

Oscar and Remy - 7 goals

Drogba, Ivanovic, and Terry - 6 goals

Schurrle - 5 goals

Fabregas and Willian - 4 goals

Cahill, Matic and Ramires - 3 goals

Zouma - 2 goals