Chelsea look to bounce back at Stoke

Blues’ poor home form worrying for the players.

LONDON: Rafael Benitez might not normally relish a trip to face Stoke City but recent form suggests his Chelsea side’s best hope of reigniting their season lies away from Stamford Bridge.

The Londoners have looked formidable on the road, in stark contrast to the European champions’ form at home where successive defeats have severely dented their bid for honours this season. While Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill has struggled to explain the pattern, it is clear Benitez’s side risk further criticism if they return from the Britannia Stadium empty handed.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with our home form,” said Cahill. “Normally, we are unbelievably hard to beat at Stamford Bridge and we’ve been getting results. We just have to be consistent in what we are doing. We’re finding it difficult at the moment when teams camp in and put up two blocks of four to break down. We’re having all the possession but it counts for nothing unless you create a lot.”

Benitez must decide whether Fernando Torres or Demba Ba offers the more effective cutting edge. Ba scored twice on his debut against Southampton and had an effort ruled out for offside against Swansea after appearing as a late substitute, suggesting he is the striker in form.

The former Liverpool manager will at least find some support at the Britannia Stadium after Stoke manager Tony Pulis called for Chelsea to make him their permanent, as opposed to ‘interim’ boss.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2013.