Is this the way it will end for Carlo Ancelotti, with a bang and a whimper? The bang was Jonathan Walter’s first-half goal that put Chelsea on the back foot. The whimper was Chelsea’s second half performance, having got themselves back in the game thanks to Didier Drogba.
While this point at Stoke may not quite sound the death knell on Chelsea’s fast-diminishing title hopes, it is hard to see the champions recovering from this setback on a day when Manchester United showed once again the kind of resilience and never-say-die attitude that Chelsea singularly failed to at the Britannia.
For long periods, especially in the second half, Ancelotti’s side were neither effective nor entertaining. There had been an iota of possibility that Chelsea might win when Nicholas Anelka and Didier Drogba tuned into the same wavelength midway through the first half, but when Fernando Torres was brought on in place of the Frenchman on the hour mark, any cohesion, confidence and sustained threat the champions had showed to get themselves back into the game appeared to drain away.
It would be remiss not to mention Stoke’s part in the match. Their tenacity in the tackle and commitment to the cause were unstinting and their second-half performance might just have warranted more than the point they went away with.
Chelsea might have preferred to block out the events taking place at Old Trafford, but in the end they had no choice but to pay attention. The big screen that loomed above them as they warmed up at the Britannia Stadium beamed live pictures of Wayne Rooney’s hat-trick and United’s irrepressible comeback at Upton Park. It was a stark reminder that the champions’ hopes of retaining their title remain, more than ever in the hands of others.
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It was perhaps no surprise then, that Chelsea began the match lacking urgency and ideas. Indeed for much of the opening ten minutes, the champions lacked any kind of cohesion as Stoke tackled, battled, denied space and dominated territory and their uncomplicated, direct approach put Chelsea under serious duress.
Robert Huth provided an early warning shot, heading narrowly over from a Jermaine Pennant corner, before Stoke landed an altogether more decisive blow.
As Chelsea probed and pushed in search of rhythm, Stoke broke swiftly down their left. Glenn Whelan’s hopeful clearance popped up nicely for Jonathan Walters, who escaped David Luiz’s attentions all too easily on the halfway line. The Stoke forward drove on into the penalty area, stepping neatly inside Michael Essien’s desperate challenge, before firing a low shot beyond the grasp of Petr Cech.
The goal roused Chelsea from their slumber, as Stoke made do with cautious counter-attacks, hunting in pairs but playing with organisation and passion. Nevertheless, Chelsea gradually began to gain a foothold. Lampard stung the hands of Asmir Begovic with a hopeful volley from 25 yards, before Drogba fired over from 15 yards soon after.
Soon Anelka and Drogba were tuning into the same wavelength, threatening once before combining for the goal that brought Chelsea deservedly back on terms – Anelka’s pin-point cross finding the head of Drogba, as the Ivory Coast striker stooped to steer his header beyond Begovic and into the far corner of the net.
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Stoke briefly threatened at the start of the second half, Pennant’s low shot was turned away by Cech before Drogba’s prodded shot rolled to safety off the foot of the post. The game lurched from one frenzied period of action to another, as first Chelsea threatened before Stoke rose up again to find new life and with it hope and purpose.
The introduction of Torres on the hour did little to inspire Chelsea. Indeed it was Stoke who appeared to benefit, forcing Cech into a series of saves that kept Chelsea in the match. His fingertip touch to turn Marc Wilson’s thunderous free-kick onto the bar was pure instinct; as was the strong right hand to claw a Shawcross header from under his crossbar, while his reactions were tested to their limits as he flicked away a Matthew Etherington header as Stoke pushed for a winner.
Kenwyne Jones headed a Rory Delap throw a foot wide before Pennant fired a half-volley wide of the right-hand upright. But Chelsea were far from finished. Drogba thumped a left-volley against the bar on the half-turn before Essien brought out the best in Begovic. Chelsea pushed again in the final minutes, but Stoke stood firm.
Stoke (4-4-2): A Begovic; M Wilson, R Shawcross, R Huth, D Higginbotham; J Pennant (sub: R Fuller, 90) , G Whelan (sub: D Whitehead, 85), R Delap, M Etherington; J Walters, K Jones.
Booked: Walters
Chelsea (4-4-2): P Cech; J Bosingwa (sub: B Ivanovic, 80); D Luiz, J Terry, A Cole; Ramires (sub: S Kalou, 61) M Essien, F Lampard, F Malouda; N Anelka (sub: F Torres, 61min) , D Drogba
Booked: Bosingwa, Cole
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Referee: Peter Walton.
Attendance: 27,508
For the teams and all the statistics, click on the Match Stats tab above