Chelsea Fan view: Lucky number 13 for Chelsea

Stoke came to Stamford Bridge as one of the most talented and balanced sides in the Premier League and made a surprisingly challenging test for Conte’s men, but the Blues overcame in the end to notch their staggering 13th consecutive win.

With the likes of Peter Crouch, Xherdan Shaqiri, Joe Allen, and others in their ranks, Stoke City have a bizarrely complete squad with dynamic abilities on all parts of the pitch. For large portions of the match it was tit-for-tat as the league leaders were staving off the attacks of the Potters, and hitting them on the counter as is the Chelsea way.

The first goal scored by Cahill was a thunderous header among a crowd of distracted Stoke City players, and put Stamford Bridge at ease as it looked like another stroll to a win. With so few goals conceded in the past 12 matches, it was scarcely believable that Stoke equalized and as quickly as they did. Right after the restart barely a minute was on the clock when Bruno Martins Indi bundled home an equalizer, and Chelsea had to step their game up to get back into the match.

Immediately there was a shift in dynamism in the Chelsea attack as we bombed numbers forward and crowded the opposition box. It took a lightning cross from Moses into Hazard to set up the newly-reintroduced Willian to put us 2-1 up. But again, Stoke made merry with a chance created by the towering Peter Crouch and interplay with only three of their players made the match 2-2. They were ready to play against Chelsea without fear, and their underrated skills got them equal with the league leaders twice.

It was a bit hairy at moments of the match as it wasn’t a typical opponent performance as of late as Stoke didn’t sit back and defend but sought to get on the scoresheet whenever possible. Another large part of their team was missing in Marko Arnautovic, and had he been there this game would’ve been twice as difficult.

But Chelsea have a proven track record of being a second-half team and took the game by the scruff of the neck with Willian getting a double and Diego Costa reenacting his goal against West Brom, only with his left peg this time. His power and control over Martins Indi in the box has given more credence to the idea that he is the best striker in world football at the moment.

Chelsea are rampant but not as savage as they could be. Victor Moses, Eden Hazard, and Marcos Alonso weren’t exactly top notch today, but the other members of the squad more than compensated with star-showings of their own. The depth of the Chelsea squad is deep in the starting eleven, but not so much on the bench. Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic have a good duel going on for a starting position, as he seems to be winning back the favor of Conte as his long-range passing and calm vision are suiting Chelsea’s needs much better this season.

With Oscar on the brink of being cashed out for 60 million, it’s time for Conte to think of how to expand the side. There are a plethora of loanees to return at the end of the season, and a few members of the squad currently in the shadows still waiting for their run-outs, Michy Batshuayi coming first to mind.

If Conte does make a purchase this transfer window he will make sure that the player is adaptable and hard-working so that he will fit into this Chelsea side. Working their socks off is the name of the game, with moments of brilliance being the variable that has gotten Chelsea so far. He will be reluctant to change a winning side, and barring any injuries, there isn’t much reason to.