The Premier blog: Chelsea v Stoke
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Afternoon everybody and welcome to today's live blog, bringing you all of the Premier League action. I'm Alan Smith, you can let me know your thoughts on Twitter @alansmith90, and let's hope we see plenty of goals. -
Our focus will be on Chelsea v Stoke from Stamford Bridge but will keep you posted from around the grounds with up to the minute goal updates.
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Here are the teams from the Bridge:
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Oscar, Ramires, Mata, Hazard, Torres. Subs: Turnbull, Romeu, Lampard, Moses, Terry, Azpilicueta, Bertrand.
Stoke: Begovic, Huth, Shawcross, Cameron, Wilson, Kightly, Adam, Whelan, Nzonzi, Walters, Crouch. Subs: Sorensen, Jones, Owen, Whitehead, Upson, Etherington, Shotton.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland) -
As you'll see at the top of your page, Everton have trounced Swansea in Wales thanks to goals from Anichebe, Mirallas and Fellaini.
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2' - Chelsea attack from the start and two corners are won within a minute but they both come to nothing.
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4' - It takes Stoke over three minutes to get out of their half but they immediately win a corner after a Gary Cahill block. Glenn Whelan's kick is easily cleared though and Chelsea go back on attack through Torres and Hazard.
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8' -As you'd expect, Chelsea are well on top here. Little in the way of clear-cut opportunities so far though.
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12 ' - Charlie Adam handball gives Chelsea a free-kick in a decent position on the left.
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GOALFLASH: West Ham United 0-1 Sunderland - Steven Fletcher after 10 minutes with the goal for the Black Cats.
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19' - Jonathan Walters should really have given Stoke the lead there as a free-kick into the box is knocked on towards goal by the Ireland striker but his effort fails to threaten Petr Cech. Great opportunity wasted and you have to say Stoke might not get another chance like that.
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22' - Torres has a decent chance for Chelsea as a ball is fizzed in towards the back post from the right. Under pressure the Spaniard can't connect well enough with the cross though.
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26' - Torres goes close again following a lovely pass from Oscar over the Stoke defence but Begovic emerges from his line quickly to smother just as Torres is about to pull the trigger.
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It's been a slow afternoon so far. Nothing to report - not even a card - from St Mary's, the Hawthorns or the DW Stadium and it remains scoreless at the Bridge.
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GOALFLASH: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Fulham - Hugo Rodallega has given the visitors a 32nd minute lead.
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Stoke City's Marc Wilson and Chelsea's Fernando Torres (front) battle for the balll.
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38' - Worrying moment for Chelsea as Cech nervously parries away. Chelsea look a shadow of the team they were in the opening three games of the season.
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This Chelsea v Stoke game is a thriller.. .. . . . . . ...................... ..by RobParker_ via twitter 9/22/2012 2:39:55 PM -
GOALFLASH: Southampton 0-1 Aston Villa - Darren Bent gives Villa the lead after 35. Will the Saints remain on the bottom? It looks like it at this early stage.
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41 ' - Without resorting to the terrible clichés about Stoke, they are doing quite well here so far. Strong in defence and creating problems when they do get forward, yet Chelsea have been quite poor.
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42' - In saying that, it's far from pretty but if you are a Stoke fan then it'svery effective.
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44' - Another corner for the home team though thanks to good work from Ivanovic.
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45' - A single minute to be added on, thankfully. This is dull, dull, dull for a neutral.
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Half-time at all five grounds now and we've had just three goals. Not one to set pulses racing then.
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46' - Stoke restart. Let's hope there's an improvement.
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48 ' - Again Chelsea go forward but fail to make it inside the area as Marc Wilson clatters Oscar (oh, and wins the ball).
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50' - Oscar is now booked for a dive by Mike Oliver after he jumps dramatically inside the area when Ryan Shwcross challenges him.
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Fulham's Hugo Rodallega (right) and Wigan Athletic's Ivan Ramis (left) battle for the ball. Photo: Dave Thompson/PA Wire.
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Nothing to report so far from the rest of the grounds, by the way. Match of the Day is sure to be outstanding tonight.
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53' - So wasteful from Chelsea as Ivanovic lays off to Mata and he wastes a great opportunity, curling miles over.
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54' - Stoke corner targetting Crouch (quelle surprise?) but Luiz does enough to put the gangly striker off and the danger is cleared by Chelsea. Game beginning to open up now, hopefully.
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GOALFLASH: Southampton 1-1 Aston Villa - Ricky Lambert has levelled it for the Saints at home to Villa, 58 played.
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Stoke City's Peter Crouch (left) and Chelsea's David Luiz battle for the ball. Photo: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire.
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61 ' - Victor Moses on for Chelsea in place of Eden Hazard.
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64' - If something doesn't happen at the Bridge soon, I'm going to start talking about the EA Sports Cup final - now that should be entertaining!
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65' - Wait for it, there has been a........ substitution. Michael Owen is on for Charlie Adam. Contrasting strike force now with Owen and Crouch forming a little'n'large partnership.
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Chelsea is struggling, I think Moses will make it easier.by Ety_mos via twitter 9/22/2012 3:25:43 PM -
70' - So we've 20 minutes to go and is that a murmur of 'best league in the world', I hear emanating from the stands? No, silly me. It's snoring.
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GOALFLASH: Southampton 2-1 Aston Villa - now this is the game we should be covering, Nathaniel Clyne has given the Saints a lead as they edge towards their first points of the season.
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GOALFLASH: Wigan Athletic 0-2 Fulham - Damien Duff, the FORMER Republic of Ireland international, has doubled Fulham's leads at the Dave Whelan Dome.
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