Reserve Report: Chelsea 3 - 0 Stoke City

Daniel Sturridge struck twice for Chelsea reserves as we saw off a young Stoke City side at Cobham on Wednesday evening.

The summer signing was lively all evening, and could have had five on another night, but settled for a fortuitous brace, laying on another for Gael Kakuta who was also in fine form.

The Blues dominated from start to finish, taking advantage of the absence of many Stoke regulars due to their first team fixture away at Burnley on the same night, in turn recording a first win in four league games.

Steve Holland had Fabio Borini and Jeffrey Bruma available after illness, but Ross Turnbull, who had been touted to play in goal, missed out meaning a start for Rhys Taylor.

Other notable absentees were Josh McEachran, who is expected to be fit for next week's FA Youth Cup semi-final against Blackburn, and Sam Hutchinson, who will resume full training later this week. Long term injury victims Adam Phillip and Michael Woods remain sidelined.

Bruma began at right-back with Patrick van Aanholt back from a loan at Newcastle on the left, while Borini was joined in attack by Sturridge, an unused sub against Stoke's first team in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Sturridge was the first to get a sight of goal against a Stoke side consisting entirely of Academy scholars, the forward dragging his 20-yard drive wide of goal after creating space for himself four minutes in.

Moments later he forced visiting goalkeeper Dave Parton into a smart low save with a similar effort, as Chelsea were already beginning to assert themselves against younger opposition.

Sturridge was at the centre of everything going forwards, and should have put his side in front in the 12th minute after Gael Kakuta threaded him through. The shot went high, and though he could blame a bobble on the surface, he should still have hit the target.

The 20-year-old thought he had Stoke goalkeeper Dave Parton beaten when another powerful drive flew towards goal, but the stopper stuck out a foot and diverted the ball up and over.

It was to take 25 minutes in the end for Sturridge to finally make his mark, almost inadvertently after Kakuta had crossed from the left and Jacob Mellis had looped the ball onto the crossbar. Stoke could have cleared but instead the ball was kicked at the former Manchester City forward, who diverted it home with his back.

Stoke's best chance fell to forward Warwick Alexander, who could only guide Ryan Connor's free-kick wide from eight yards out, and the miss proved costly, as within minutes Chelsea's lead was doubled.

This time Kakuta finished off the move he started in his own half, releasing Sturridge with a brilliantly struck first-time pass, and finishing calmly after his team-mate's shot rebounded to him from Parton's palms. The Frenchman was left with plenty to do, but took a touch and fired low into the far corner. Question marks might have been raised in the visiting defence as to why Kakuta had so much time.

The same player almost made it three six minutes before the break, but blazed his shot over with his weaker right foot after dancing through half the Stoke defence, before Bruma fired into the side netting after a corner was only cleared to the edge of the area.

Injury to Danny Mills Pappoe meant one change at half-time, Nana Ofori-Twumasi coming on at right-back and Bruma, captain for the night, moving to centre-half.

Five minutes into the second half Borini had an effort chalked out for offside against Mellis, who was proving difficult to track for Stoke's central midfielders.

Sturridge's second goal of the evening arrived as he arced Van Aanholt's cross into the far corner with a controlled half-volley, and the result was settled.

Nemanja Matic, who had been tidy all evening, almost added a fourth but saw his drive turned away, while Sturridge twice shot wide as he pursued a hat-trick.

Liam Bridcutt was booked late on for dissent, but all in all it was a successful evening as the young Blues returned to winning ways.

Rewriting The Record Books

Chelsea Football Club is 105 years old today and to mark Founders' Day, the Official Chelsea Website is publishing the results of extensive research that correct statistical records for players from the first half-century of the club's existence.

One notable finding is a discrepancy in the goalscoring figures for George 'Gatling Gun' Hilsdon, our first star striker whose Chelsea career began in the second season (1906/07) and ended in 1912.

Until now Hilsdon is believed to have scored 107 goals during his Chelsea years. His record is corrected to 108 goals from his 164 games. He remains ninth in the club's all-time scorer list.

In total the records of 50 players are officially amended. That 50 includes George Mills, another of the top 10 scorers, whose changes were announced in January 2009.

Also changing are the numbers of games played by four pre-war players who have made more than 300 appearances for Chelsea.

Jack Harrow, first choice left-back for over a decade, played 334 games rather than the previously recorded 333. Tommy Law, who took over from Harrow at left-back, has his total reduced by one to 318.

Bob McNeil, part of the side that appeared in Chelsea's first FA Cup Final, also loses a game and is down to 306 games while Harold Miller, an inside-forward or wing-half up to the Second World War, gains two to 365 games.

Nils Middelboe, a Dane who was Chelsea's first overseas player, is now credited with one goal. He had not broken his duck in previous records.

The research was initiated by Derek Webster, a Chelsea supporter with a keen interest in the club's statistics, and was verified by club statistician Paul Dutton and club historian Rick Glanvill.

The previously accepted records were cross-referenced with matchday programmes and yearbooks as well as newspaper reports and other sources, including the Football League's records, to iron out discrepancies.

There is also a change to the spelling of William Morison (previously Morrison), who played for Chelsea between 1924 and 1927. This follows research by Glanvill following correspondence with Morison's relatives via the Ask Statman feature on the website.

Pat Nevin: Making Sacrifices

The potentially tricky tie against Stoke was safely dealt with and I suspect JT rather enjoyed the second goal considering the 'light-hearted' banter from a section of the travelling fans. Certainly in the newspapers that was the headline story, boy do they know how to stretch out a drama to breaking point…Get over it and get on with the job of reporting the football please, certainly that is what I want to read about.

Lecture over, there was another subplot I noticed beginning to rear its head in a number of journalistic outlets, why has Nicolas Anelka's influence on games became much less marked over the past little while, specifically since Didier Drogba returned back for the African Cup of Nations?

I suspect it is not because Nic is in a big huff at getting moved into wider areas from being the focal point of the Chelsea attack, though part of the answer is in there. Just consider Wayne Rooney for a while. The Man United and England striker has been, as they say in the trade, on fire this season.

He is scoring regularly, involved in everything and grabbing the headlines for the right reasons. Everyone is wondering whether it is the new found maturity of being a father, his building up for a World Cup or a hundred other things. Actually it is almost certainly little more than the fact that he has been moved into the centre of the pitch from the wide area this season.

From a career of painful knowledge I am aware that you can become a peripheral figure on the wing if nobody passes to you. You could be in the form of your life but if team mates can't get the ball out to you regularly, then the game can go along merrily without you.

I always preferred playing more centrally quite simply because you get the ball more and you also have more options in front of you. Even someone as talented as Rooney can be overlooked in the team, especially if the striker is as high profile as Ronaldo was last season. Now the Portuguese poser has flounced off to Real Madrid, Rooney is allowed to flourish. He hasn't improved immeasurably in just a few months, he was always that good. He is just more involved, more central to the play now.

And so Nicolas Anelka finds himself in a similar position and though it probably pains him to some extent that he has to play second fiddle to Didier now and again, like any other player he probably understands why this is happening. It was ever thus. In my time I wanted to play as second striker to Kerry Dixon and I sometimes did when David Speedie was injured or suspended, usually scoring in the process. But as soon as Speeds was fit again, there was I waiting out on the wings for the odd pass again.

I understood the manager's wisdom, he said I could create and score from wide anyway, but the real point was that sometimes there are personal sacrifices that have to be made for the team, and right now Anelka is doing that.

The very worst thing in this situation is when fans, journos and pundits suggest your form has gone as well or that you don't seem to be trying as hard. Then the stats come out that you aren't getting as many touches, dribbling as much or completing as many passes.Not only are you sacrificing yourself but you are then roundly abused in the meantime. So let me just say that I know you are doing a good job Nic and that some of us applaud you for doing it, no matter what the OPTA stats suggest. He will still have an impact and hopefully it will be appreciated when he does.

So last week was the tough old question of what I put on a sausage sandwich. Now let me underline that as a former athlete I very rarely eat a sausage sandwich, one has to keep an eye on one's waistline. The answer is that although I prefer brown sauce on just about everything else, I actually prefer red sauce on a sausage sandwich. What did shock me was that more than 80% of you plumped for the brown sauce option, some for nothing, a few for mustard, but only 3% thought that red sauce should be the right choice.

Because of this important information I am going to try a brown sauce, sausage sandwich next time…surely all of you must have a point!

There was a surprisingly large number who entered the competition this week, even if there were only a few correct but there can only be one winner and Sofia Yukhneva from Saint-Petersburg, Russia, was chosen by the flighty feline type of the family (my nickname for me daughter is The Cat).

On a much more sensible and intelligent note this week, for a chance to win a copy of the Chelsea Here, Chelsea There book, can you tell me which Chelsea player is most likely to say the phrase 'perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim' to John Terry. Answers as ever to pat.nevin@chelseafc.com and as ever the winner will be picked at random by someone who in no way looks like Peter Bonetti in case you were wondering.

Oh and if anyone wants to listen to me DJing in London, playing some obscure indie music in a scruffy and friendly little club on the 19th March, let me know and I will send you the details.

Shaun Wright-Phillips And Chelsea Face Questions Over Unlicensed Agent

The Football Association is considering whether Shaun Wright-Phillips and Chelsea could face charges for dealing with an unlicensed agent, Mitchell Thomas, when Wright-Phillips moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City in July 2005. The investigation by the FA follows the outcome of a case brought by the Law Society against a solicitor, Timothy Drukker, who signed off the paperwork in the Wright‑Phillips deal but paid Thomas part of the £1.2m fee which Chelsea paid him.

If the FA does find that Thomas, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town defender, was involved in negotiating the deal, they could bring charges against Wright-Phillips and Chelsea. Penalties range from warnings to fines and even points deductions.

The Wright-Phillips transfer is the 17th deal, previously unidentified, handed over to the FA by Quest, the investigators the Premier League hired to conduct the so-called "bungs inquiry" into transfers by its clubs between 1 January 2004 and 31 January 2006. Quest cleared all the other deals, but said more inquiries should be made into No17. At the time, the Wright-Phillips deal was not identified because the Law Society had begun proceedings.

They only reached their conclusion in January, with a finding by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal that Drukker was guilty of "conduct unbecoming a solicitor" during the transfer and in "misleading" Quest when they made inquiries. He was fined £15,000, the tribunal having decided there was no dishonesty on his part but that Drukker's actions "had resulted in the undermining of the Fifa regulations".

Drukker himself told the tribunal he had been asked by "parties close to Shaun Wright-Phillips" to act as his agent when the details of the move to Chelsea had been agreed. Drukker was paid a fee understood to be £1.2m, did not keep any of it and paid it to others including Thomas.

The FA has been taking a strong stance against unlicensed agents in recent years, because it sees licensing as crucial to its ability to regulate the multimillion-pound flows of money in transfers. Chelsea paid City £21m for Wright-Phillips, a huge sum that summer and vital for City who were struggling financially.

Any FA charges would be brought against Wright-Phillips and Chelsea, not Thomas, since the FA cannot take action against unlicensed agents because they are operating outside football's rules. An FA spokesman said: "We are aware of the outcome of these proceedings and are considering what action, if any, may be appropriate in relation to football rules."

Chelsea and Wright-Phillips both denied that Thomas had been involved in the transfer and said that Drukker himself had conducted the negotiations. "We believe we acted appropriately at all times," a Chelsea spokesman said.

Chelsea Offer Nicolas Anelka & Joe Cole One-Year Contract Extensions On Reduced Wages

Chelsea forwards Nicolas Anelka and Joe Cole look to set to learn about the new, more stringent economic policy at Stamford Bridge very soon, with a report from The Sun claiming that the pair will be offered only one-year extensions to their current contracts by the club hierarchy.

Those one-year extensions, with the option of another year only available if both club and player agree, will also be on substantially reduced wages, according to the report.

The new policy is apparently part of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's plan to cut costs at Stamford Bridge, after players such as Juan Veron and Andriy Shevchenko cost tens of millions of pounds in wages whilst on loan at other clubs.

The two Blues stars are said to have been somewhat surprised by the offer.

However, their pointing to the fact that Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard, all older than Anelka, 30, and Cole, 28, have all recently inked new long-term deals, each worth more than £6 million a year, cut no ice with the Blues' hierarchy as football adjusts to a new economic climate.

Anelka is currently the fourth highest ranked Chelsea player in the Castrol Rankings, at No.27 overall, while Cole is 18th in the Chelsea team and No.1324 overall.

Chelsea Comment: Michael Ballack Ushers In New Era Of Sense And Responsibility

They say you learn more about a man in adversity than you ever can in success.

The jury might still be out on how John Terry has responded to his recent publicity but it cannot be doubted that the general public have a better idea of his character now than they ever did when he was lifting trophies with Chelsea.

In contrast, team-mate Michael Ballack has been offered a new contract extension that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2011, with an option for both club and player to agree to extend that by another year.

Interestingly, and perhaps controversially, the deal will see the German midfielder’s wage more than halved. But even more interestingly, Ballack looks likely to agree to it.

Back in 2006, Ballack signed for the club on a free transfer after a successful career at Bayern Munich, and agreed a £121,000-a-week contract that made him the highest paid player at the club.

The move came at the zenith of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, where the twin factors of insatiable Champions League ambition and the Russian's vast wealth perfectly aligned to net certain lucky players (Andriy Shevchenko being another) huge paydays.

But now, four years on, the increasingly pragmatic Abramovich - via current club chief executive Ron Gourlay - wants the club to attain self-sufficiency and that means a pay-cut for the previously handsomely rewarded 34-year-old midfielder.

The deal on offer will reportedly see Ballack earn £60,000-a-week, with that rising to £80,000 if he plays 20 games in a season (he has played 24 of 28 league matches this term). And Ballack is about to bulk the traditional view that says footballers are all about the money by gladly agreeing to it.

“It’s about what both sides want. We’ll sit down together soon and there’s no pressure,” Ballack revealed to The Times in an interview late last year.

“I like the club and I like London, and it would be perfect if I could stay.”

Reaching the twilight of his career, Ballack no longer ranks earnings as the priority - it is now more about what his family wants, what he still wants to achieve in the game, and how he sees his life developing after football.

If Chelsea give him certain reassurances that they will exercise their option to extend his contract through to 2012 (Ballack wants to retire after that year’s European Championships) then he will have little hesitation about agreeing to the deal.

“You have to use London,” he said. “It’s really good for everything. It’s an amazing possibility to play for such a big club and live in such a city."

And, having failed to win either the Premier League or Champions League since arriving at Stamford Bridge, the German still has a hunger to achieve something great with the club.

“You don’t step back and have less motivation when you get older, the opposite is true," he said.

“You become more focused, more professional in terms of things like looking after your body and more determined because you can see all the younger players coming up, looking for your place.”

Both Nicolas Anelka and Joe Cole - the club’s other players with pressing contract issues - have been offered similar deals, and both have responded to recent offers with a mixture of shock and outrage that (presumably) would have team-mate Ashley Cole nodding his head approvingly.

News broke on Tuesday that the Blues have re-opened constructive negotiations with Anelka over a new deal, and it will be interesting to see whether the notoriously greedy player is pressured by his club to adopt a similar stance to Ballack.

Because, despite his age, the 30-year-old is arguably in a stronger negotiating position than Cole. The club are notably short of world-class strikers (Drogba is the only other, with Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini still developing) and as such the club cannot really afford to let him leave.

Gourlay and Abramovich might want to be fiscally responsible, but both they and everyone else at the club recognise that £10 million over two years for an established squad member (with a respectable goalscoring record) will be more cost-effective than the £20-30m transfer fee needed to ensnare a signing of equal talent.

Cole, on the other hand, is in a tougher quandary. The 28-year-old plays in a position where Chelsea already have an enviable amount of depth (Nemanja Matic and Gael Kakuta, both highly rated by the Chelsea management, have barely played this season) and his performances this campaign really haven’t warranted the rumoured £120,000-a-week (a £40,000 hike) he is demanding.

With rumoured interest from the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City, it is not hard to anticipate the former West Ham United prodigy leaving the club come the season’s end. But the club are keen to retain his services, and as a self-confessed Chelsea fan who has come back from similar set-backs at Stamford Bridge before, the emotional attachment cannot be overlooked.

After the money thrown at Terry, Alex and Salomon Kalou late last year it is tempting for Cole, Anelka and Ballack to view their modest offers as a slight on their ability and importance. But in reality, considering the changing economic landscape around football these days, the club are simply working to a different financial model.

Ballack, to his credit, has recognised and accepted that fact - doing what is best for his family rather than his bank balance. With his first child on the way, Cole now has to evaluate the same factors.

Ballack believes that considering his family’s needs will give Cole greater perspective and help him make a better choice.

“It comes with age. When you’re young it’s football, football, football,” Ballack reflected.

“Then you get a family, kids come into things and you find you have a broader view of life. You get your inspiration from many different places.”

That choice might still be to leave the club. Carlo Ancelotti is showing no signs of entrusting Cole with more first-team responsibility, and with his England career waning the chance to re-establish himself elsewhere - and, in the process, pick up the wage he wants - might indeed be the best thing for him and his young family.

As a player he is a risk-taker, a mercurial talent, and rolling the dice at a crucial stage in his career might prove the most effective course of action.

Ballack is much more of a pragmatist (being German probably helps in that respect), but he believes transferring his playing approach to his off-field decisions has served him well in what has been a stellar career.

“For me, football it this level is about making the right decisions on the pitch,” he notes.

“You can’t do it all the time, of course, but if you make the right decisions nearly every time you will usually win the game. That’s what I’ve found, anyway.”

If Ballack signs his new contract, it will have the feel of yet another right decision. The deal will free up valuable funds for the club that can be redirected towards new signings (or towards achieving that magical self-sufficiency target) and, equally importantly, the deal will establish a precedent for diminishing wages as other aging Chelsea stars reach negotiations (Terry, Lampard, Drogba will all find the precedent affecting negotiations in future seasons).

Both moves will aid the long-term stability of the club, ensuring vital resources can be re-distributed to the future of the club, rather than being hoarded by former star players who are past their peak.

All in all, it should prove an important step towards ensuring Chelsea remain competitive in England and Europe, even as the purse strings continue to be tightened.

Back in the summer of 2006, Ballack’s signing was yet another reinforcement of Roman Abramovich’s ability and willingness to throw around all the money he believed was required to guarantee success.

Five years on, the same player's modest contract renewal should firmly usher Chelsea into a new era of fiscal sense and responsibility.

Three Chelsea Cult Heroes

What does the term ‘cult hero’ mean to you? Perhaps it invokes memories of an honest tryer with wayward shooting but a loveable face. Or that surly bloke from the continent who only stayed for a season but scored the winner against your local rivals that one time. Or even that ridiculously talented bit-part player whose omission from the side you always resented the manager for.

The characteristics that qualify a player as a cult hero are plentiful, diverse and often intangible; and, in recognition of these life-affirming souls, Sport.co.uk picks three Chelsea FC players who once graced Stamford Bridge yet live on in the hearts of the Blues fans, wherever they may be…

Petar Borota – The Serbian goalkeeper was well known for nearly bringing Chelsea FC fans out in panic attacks with his frequent forays up the field to try and dribble past opposing outfield players, not to mention his predilection for throwing the ball against the crossbar when he was about to take a goalkick! Brought in by Danny Blanchflower as a replacement for Peter Bonetti, he was named as Chelsea FC’s player of the season in 1981 but his risky yet crowd-pleasing antics as proved too much for Bonetti’s successor John Neal. Despite his eccentricities, he kept an impressive 36 clean sheets in 114 appearances for the Blues. Borota passed away last month aged just 56.

Erland Johnsen – Chelsea FC bought the Norwegian centre-half from Bayern Munich suspiciously soon after he scored from the half-way line against Scotland for his country – surely they weren’t expecting him to repeat the trick? – but he turned out to be solid performer and was named the club’s player of the season in 1995. As the Ruud Gullit/Gianluca Vialli revolution got going in earnest, Johnsen found himself out of the frame but he excelled during the side’s run to the European Cup Winner’s Cup semi-finals in the 1994-1995 season and remains a popular figure at Stamford Bridge.

Paul Canoville – The left-winger was the first black player to play for Chelsea and did so at a time (the early-to-mid 80s) when racism was still too prominent a feature of football. As such, he was subjected to abuse by elements of Chelsea’s support and, according to the man himself in his autobiography ‘Black and Blue’, even one or two high profile teammates. His book deals with how he overcame these obstacles, as well as cancer (twice), crack addiction and the death of his baby son.

Ashley Cole's Hopes Of Reconciliation Dashed As Cheryl Throws Herself Into Work

Ashley Cole's hopes of a meeting with estranged wife Cheryl seems ever more distant today as the singer instead threw herself into work commitments in London.

As she spent the morning at a rehearsal studio in south-west London, it emerged that Ashley may need a further week rehabilitating an ankle injury at a clinic in the south of France.

Ashley had hoped for an audience with Cheryl in London today to desperately try to explain away his infidelities.

Sources close to Cheryl have however told MailOnline that the best he can hope for is a frank one-to-one with her about how they should divide their assets in a divorce.

However neither seemed likely today as Cheryl left her home before lunch and headed straight to a recording studio in Putney, south-west London to rehearse for upcoming performances to promote her debut solo album.

Miss Cole arrived at Ritz Studios, a venue specialising in rehearsals for band before they begin live tours, at around 11am and left a couple of hours later, headed back home.

A few moments later, her chauffeur-driven Mercedes limousine left, empty, signalling that she was preparing to spend the rest of the day at home.

It has now emerged that Cole may be staying on for a further week for treatment.

Terry Amazed By Alex

Chelsea skipper John Terry has hailed the form of fellow centre-half Alex and admits he has given Carlo Ancelotti a selection headache.

The Brazilian has often been resigned to back-up duties at Stamford Bridge, with Terry and Ricardo Carvalho regarded as the Blues' first-choice pairing at the heart of their defence.

He has, however, proved to be an able deputy when called upon and has rarely let the side down.

The burly defender put in a man of the match showing in Chelsea's comfortable 2-0 victory over Stoke in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, and Terry is among those keen to pile praise on the Samba star.

"He amazes me how he comes in and plays so well," said the England international.

"He is not first choice regularly but when he does come in he is brilliant. He made two great tackles in the game (against Stoke), especially the one against Tuncay."

Terry admits Alex is pushing hard for a regular role in Ancelotti's plans and accepts that he and Carvalho, who is currently struggling with a knock, must raise their game if they are to keep him on the sidelines.

"It is down to myself and Riccy to maintain our place in the team," he added.

"Riccy is out with a slight hamstring strain but hopefully he will be back soon and when players come in and play as well as Alex, it gives the manager a problem which is good for the squad."

Lampard: Kicked Back Into Shape

The players are back training today after a Monday break and as they begin preparations to face West Ham, Frank Lampard hopes FA Cup victory has restarted the push for trophies.

Consecutive defeats have thankfully been rare during Lampard's time at Chelsea and he was pleased to see a run that took in the away match at Inter and the home shock against Manchester City go no further when Stoke paid us a visit.

'Our home record has probably been as good as anyone's over that last few years but bad results can happen and sometimes they can be a kick in the right direction if you react positively enough,' he said as he reflected on the last two matches.

'I think we did that and hopefully it can make us more aware and make sure that we get back on it, especially at home for the rest of the season.

'We have certainly got it in us to go on a good run and every team has faltered at times this season when there has been opportunities to kick on in the league. The team that puts together a consistent run now can go and win the league. A winning habit is very important, and we need to take that forward from Sunday.'

The Chelsea vice-captain is certainly unconcerned that the lead in the Barclays Premier League was lost at the weekend when, having fallen at the first hurdle in this year's FA Cup by losing at home to lower league opposition, Manchester United were able to play a league fixture.

'It is only because we have got a game in hand,' Lampard highlights. 'We have been second a couple of times this season when we have had games in hand and it is important to block that out that. People will make a meal of it. We know we have got the extra game and we just have to concentrate on winning games again like we did on Sunday.'

Lampard's opener against Stoke was added to by John Terry and the midfielder reckons opposition fans are wasting their breath if they think taunts and chants are going to knock his colleague out of his on-pitch stride.

'I have had that at times and John got it on Sunday and sometimes the abuse does overstep the mark, but strong players react in positive ways and that is what John did.

'We just play and move on. That's a good answer to it.'

Frank Lampard spoke to Chelsea's official website on Saturday about closing in on Peter Osgood's total for FA Cup goals. His 18th in the competition scored on Sunday was his 146th overall for Chelsea, placing him four behind Osgood and Roy Bentley's comparative figures.

'I called to John [Terry],' Lampard told Chelsea TV after the game about his goal.

'Some players swivel and put it back in the box but John was very aware to lay it back and I focused on trying to keep the ball down.

'I should be level with Ossie's FA Cup goals. I should have scored in the second half from one I put over the bar but Ossie is always a benchmark for me and I am getting close to him in the all-time goals. It is nice to get near to the heroes of Chelsea history.'

Ajax And PSV Eindhoven Set Sights On Chelsea Youngster Stoch

Dutch giants Ajax and PSV Eindhoven are interested in signing Chelsea's 20 year-old midfielder Miroslav Stoch , according to Dutch news outlet Sportsweek.

Stoch is currently on loan at Steve McLaren's Twente Enschede and is enjoying an excellent season. He has scored 10 goals in 36 appearances and has been a real attacking threat in the Dutch top division, the Eredivisie this season.

Stoch joined Chelsea's youth academy in 2006 and has since progressed through the ranks at Stamford Bridge. He made his first team debut at Chelsea in late 2008 against Arsenal and has since gone on to play 4 times for the Blues. He was loaned to Twente last summer and has impressed during his time in Holland.

Now, according to Sportweek in Holland, both Ajax and PSV Eindhoven are closely following Stoch's progress with his future next season as yet undecided. Twente are keen to keep Stoch, but should Chelsea be willing to part with the Slovakian, both Ajax and PSV Eindhoven are monitoring the situation and would be keen to step in.

Chelsea Re-Open Contract Talks With Nicolas Anelka

Chelsea have re-opened contract negotiations with Nicolas Anelka, Sky Sports News are reporting.

The club have recently seemed reluctant to enter negotiations with the French striker, whose current contract runs out at the end of next season.

But the Blues hierarchy have apparently relented and discussions have now begun regarding a new two-year deal.

Anelka and his club had previously failed to come to an agreement after three rounds of talks, but are hopeful that something will now be agreed before the end of the month.

The 30-year-old was the Premier League's top scorer last season has scored eight goals in 24 league appearances this campaign, although he has failed to score in his last seven games for the Blues.

Chelsea Target Angel Di Maria Plays Down Transfer Talk

Benfica star Angel Di Maria has insisted that he won't think about his future until the end of the season.

The Argentine international has regularly been linked with a move away from the Portuguese side, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all heavily tipped to make a bid.

But the 22-year-old, who joined Benfica from Rosario Central for £6m in 2007, wants to focus on helping his club attempt to win their first league title since 2005.

"I am very happy and perhaps I am having the best moments I have had as a player," Di Maria said after helping his side to a 3-1 win over Pacos de Ferreira at the weekend

"My work with Benfica is good and my family are settled in Lisbon, and I am dreaming of titles and hopefully that is what will happen in the next few months.

"My head is with Benfica and I will not speak about my possible exit until the end of the season."

John Terry: I Was Entitled To React After Fans’ Abuse

John terry has no regrets over the exuberant way he celebrated his FA Cup clincher against Stoke – and insists the abuse of opposing fans will not affect his form for Chelsea.

The Blues skipper is still being taunted for the lurid headlines that followed his relationship with Vanessa Perroncel – the former girlfriend of his one-time Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge – an affair which cost him the England captaincy.

Terry responded to sustained abuse from Stoke fans by setting up the opening goal for Frank Lampard in the 2-0 FA Cup sixth-round victory.

He then heading the clincher in the second half to secure a Wembley semi-final against Aston Villa and celebrated by running to the corner flag after rolling up his sleeve and pointing at his armband.

The 29-year-old admitted: ‘I was just giving the Stoke fans a bit of banter. That was all.

‘They were giving me a bit of stick and I was just giving a bit back and that is what football is about.

‘They are entitled to do what they do and so am I on the pitch as long as they take it in the right manner. I am sure they did.’

And Lampard admits Terry thrives on rival fans’ chanting, claiming it only makes him more determined.

‘Sometimes the abuse oversteps the mark,’ added Lampard.

‘Strong players react in positive ways and that’s what John did.’

Bayern Desperate To Keep Ribey

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted the club will pull out all the stops to convince Franck Ribery to extend his current deal at the Allianz Arena.

The Frenchman is out of contract in 2011, but if he doesn't commit himself to a new deal before the summer he is likely to be sold, as Bayern would risk losing him on a free transfer 12 months later.

"Extending Franck's contract is our absolute priority," Rummenigge told the Welt newspaper. "If we had wanted to sell him, we would have had to do that last summer.

"We had some really big offers then, particularly from England. But we all agreed to keep him.

"We want to have the best players at FC Bayern and Franck is currently one of the best in the world.

"We won't throw everything into the mixer, but we will throw in a lot to convince Franck to stay in Munich."

Rummenigge has also told the French winger that his future at Bayern is as much in his own hands as it is the club's.

"We need him because then I think we have a good chance to compete on a par with Europe's top clubs," added Rummenigge.

"Franck is hungry for success and I don't think a contract extension is purely dependent on the financial side of things.

"It is up to him. We recently told him: 'Franck, it is hard to stop you on the field. You can do things alone and decide things in our favour'.

"We want to keep hold of him because he is so extraordinary and that would be good for us and the Bundesliga."

Julio Cesar: Inter Will Eliminate Chelsea By Playing It Safe

Julio Cesar is hoping to avoid accidents against Chelsea when Inter travel to Stamford Bridge next week.

The Nerazzurri aim to finish the job and reach the Champions League quarter-finals after their 2-1 first leg win. And the keeper is there to ensure chances are not dented following on from his road accident in Milan two weeks ago.

While his handy work on the pitch has been good, it was less so behind the wheel. Nevertheless, he is looking to steer Inter in the right direction against Chelsea, and he is confident they will avoid a tailspin in London.

"I was driving my car and a friend of mine was with me. I revved up so we could here the engine, but I hit a puddle of water and lost control of the car," he told 'Esporte Espectacular', as reported by Il Corriere Dello Sport.

"I have learned plenty from this accident because I understand I risked my life and the life of another person. I could have thrown everything away by doing stupid things.

"A few days ago I was with Lucio, and I asked him to slow down because I was scared of the speed."

A lesson learned is a lesson earned then as he looks forward to leaving Chelsea with the Blues.

"I conceded a strange goal in the first leg, but I will save everything in London, and we will qualify," he concluded.

FA Cup Draw: Aston Villa To Face Chelsea

The draw for the semi-finals of the FA Cup kept several plot-lines alive with Aston Villa facing Chelsea and Portsmouth up against either Fulham or Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.

It means that Harry Redknapp – should his team negotiate their way past Fulham at White Hart Lane on March 24 – will be up against the club he left, and who he won this trophy with, just two years ago.

If Fulham prevail it sets up the possibility of a west London derby in the final – while if Portsmouth win it will pit their manager Avram Grant against the club that sacked him after the 2008 Champions League Final should, again, Villa be defeated.

The other semi-final pitted Chelsea, the holders, against Aston Villa, which will be a re-match of the 2000 final, the last to be played at the old Wembley, which Chelsea won 1-0.

Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins, after the quarter-final victory over Stoke City, said: “They beat us earlier on (in the season) at Villa Park but that was quite a while ago.

"The problems they gave us were from set plays but today we must commend our guys on how they dealt with that situation against a very strong side.”

Villa manager Martin O’Neill said: “Chelsea are one of the best sides in Europe but we will take them on. And we certainly don’t fear them.”

Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar said he would have preferred to have avoided Portsmouth, should Fulham be defeated, “because of the emotions and everything”. It will, he said, “be a hard game to play”.

"Obviously nearly all of the players who won the Cup two years ago have left the club but they all have a special emotional feeling for the club and the fans.

"We as players really enjoyed our time there. We had some great results and we are not happy with what is happening with the club."

Ribery Says Chelsea Want Him

Franck Ribery has confirmed that Chelsea are competing with Real Madrid and Barcelona for his signature.

However, the French superstar insists that he is not definitely going to be leaving Bayern Munich this summer.

The 26-year-old is out of contract at the Allianz Arena next year and Bayern are looking for him to sign an extension.

Ribery has now confirmed that his future is likely to be resolved by the end of this month.

"When will I decide my future? In two or three weeks," he told French television show Telefoot.

"I am not 100 per cent sure I am going to go to Real Madrid.

"Barca is also attracted, and there is Chelsea. But that doesn't necessarily mean I will leave Bayern."

Manchester United were strongly linked with Ribery last summer following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, but they now appear to be exploring other options.

Chelsea Special: Blues Finally Put In A Performance As Award Season Begins

It wasn't a perfect portrayal, but it was close enough. The Oscars may be later tonight, but with today's display Chelsea gave encouraging signs to suggest they are working back to top form at just the right time — as the season reaches the stage where football's biggest prizes are decided.

The 2-0 victory against Stoke City ensures the Blues will go to Wembley to continue their bid to retain the FA Cup, with a semi-final tie against Aston Villa the only obstacle between them and the final. The victory came courtesy of the club's long-time leading men, Frank Lampard and John Terry, but it was a solid team performance that rendered toothless an opponent that always have the potential to cause problems.

Parallels this season can perhaps be drawn between Chelsea and the movie Avatar, with both blue behemoths having enjoyed similar seasons. Both saw seemingly unstoppable early success bring them plaudits and points in equal measure, but now they find themselves in award season — where everything is brought into sharper focus — and both seem to be struggling to convert their early success into prizes.

To continue the film metaphor, then, the Cristiano Ronaldo-less Manchester United must be The Hurt Locker; struggling initially without a world-renowned star but emerging as a well-crafted unit to gain real momentum when it matters. Both have grabbed the season's early silverware (The Carling Cup/BAFTAs) and are quickly building up an ominous head of steam in the race for the biggest prizes.

If all that can be accepted as accurate (a stretch, I know), then that must leave today's opponents, Stoke City, somewhere between a Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude van Damme film. You know what you are going to get with Tony Pulis's side, and invariably it isn't pretty.

But Stoke's direct approach is stuck with because it is effective, whatever the critics say about it, and invariably brings tangible results. But today they were not even given a look-in, as Chelsea showed why they are true A-listers.

Central defender Alex in particular gave an education in how to defend against Rory Delap's long throws, a display that went a long way to ensuring Chelsea were never in real danger of a cup shock. With their unashamedly direct approach nullified, Stoke never looked like having the wherewithal to catch the Blues on the blind side with an intricate passing move.

Lampard's long range strike was deflected past the unlucky Thomas Sorensen for the first-half opener, and then Terry met a corner to beat Sorensen with a precious second, thanks to another late Stoke touch. In between the Potters failed to cause Hilario any real problems, and at the end the home side had done as much as they could to dispel the bitter taste of last week's 4-2 league defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

"It's never easy after a defeat like we had last week. We've come back determined to put it right and I think we handled it well," Lampard said.

"We hold the trophy at the minute and we want to get back there [Wembley], simple as that."

The destination of the league title might still be up in the air, but today Chelsea showed why they are favourites among the remaining nominees to take FA Cup glory.

More importantly, with crucial games against Inter Milan and United on the horizon, they gave the sort of professional display that suggests their recent bloopers might finally be behind them.

And not a moment too soon.

Chelsea Comment: In Defence Of Henrique Hilario

Not every footballer can be anointed as the best thing since sliced bread. But as far as praise goes, it is safe to say few footballers ever hope to hear themselves described as “not as bad as people think he is”.

Something along the lines of “criminally underrated” or “competently completes his duties with the minimum of fuss” would be marginally more preferable.

But unfortunately for Chelsea goalkeeper Henrique Hilario, those two latter descriptions are not quite accurate. The first one, all things considered, probably is.

Ahead of, during, and indeed even in the aftermath of yesterday’s 2-0 FA Cup victory against Stoke City, the goalkeeper was routinely described as “Chelsea’s weak link”, “a worry” and “a liability” by the various 'experts' asked to comment on the game.

All this despite seeing the 34-year-old keep a clean sheet — with only a few minor scares — against a team that constantly examines opposition goalkeepers with long balls into the box.

Yes, we get the fact that his surname lends itself to ridicule. You wonder whether, if Hilario had a different name — Kuszczak, for example, or even Cudicini — he wouldn’t get half the stick he does. Because there seems to be a genuine disparity between what he has done on the pitch and the response he has got off it.

Admittedly he was poor against Manchester City in the ignominous 4-2 defeat at the end of last month, particularly for Carlos Tevez’s first-half equaliser that changed the course of the game. But that goal cannot be blamed entirely on the goalkeeper — no matter how slow he was to get down to a mishit shot — when even assistant manager Ray Wilkins acknowledged there had been “five or six” mistakes from other Chelsea players in the build-up.

Nevertheless, it wasn't a reassuring display from the No. 40 — although few of his team-mates emerged from the game with any credit.

"Unfortunately things didn't go quite right for him last Saturday,” Wilkins admitted in the week after the game.

"Supporters nowadays will always have a pop at the errors and as a keeper you make a ricket and you've lost a goal.

“Hilario is experienced enough to come through it. He’s substituted for Petr [Cech] many times very well and it was just one of those games when it didn’t go as he wanted."

But in other areas, Hilario is actually entering something of an Indian summer in his professional career. He earned his first international cap last week, playing the second half of his country’s 2-0 win against China. He now looks set to go to the World Cup in South Africa as Portugal’s second choice shot-stopper.

Carlos Queiroz might not be blessed with a range of world-class ‘keepers, but clearly Hilario has been doing something right in recent times.

Indeed, it is hard to identify exactly what it is about him that has attracted such condemnation. The main criticism (other than his unfortunate name) seems to stem from his height. He’s officially listed at 6ft 2in on Chelsea’s official website, but that seems optimistic in the extreme when you see him lined up alongside some of his team-mates.

And even if that is accurate, he is still giving away three inches to Petr Cech — a huge difference in a position which seems, now more than ever, to covet prodigious elevation.

But goalkeeping is not all about height, with Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas being perhaps the ultimate example. Comparing Hilario to the Spanish No. 1 might be something of a stretch, but he does share some similarities.

Like Casillas, Hilario is a very good shot-stopper (in this respect he is genuinely — but not criminally — underrated), and yesterday he showed good athleticism to punch clear a number of throw-ins and corners despite his diminuitive stature.

Communication with his back-line has been a problem in recent games, causing a few worrying moments, but that shouldn't really be a great surprise. It cannot be easy for a goalkeeper, used to sitting on the bench week-in and week-out, to suddenly come into the team and command his box like he has never been away.

Nearly five months after recovering from a long-term injury, Joe Cole is still being excused for his poor performances, many keen to suggest he is still getting back to 'match fitness'. Hilario has gone weeks and months without ever actually playing — so if he is judged by the same rules it’s more than understandable that it is going to take some time to adjust when he is finally called into action.

He is not the same 'keeper as Petr Cech, who has developed a great understanding with his defenders only after years playing together, and will not always come for the same crosses as his team-mate. He shouldn’t be blamed if it takes a few games for him and what is (given the injures to Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, etc.) an unfamiliar Blues back-line to forge a solid appreciation of what to expect from one another.

The encouraging news for Chelsea fans is that it seems Hilario does not suffer under pressure. He may have been poor against Manchester City, but when he was called upon earlier in the season against Liverpool in a crucial game at Stamford Bridge he was exemplary, making a number of smart saves in an important 2-0 win.

There are further examples in his Chelsea career. His first game for the club was in a 1-0 win against FC Barcelona, and his Chelsea career has had many games like the one at Blackburn a few years ago — where he kept a clean sheet after 11 months without a competitive appearance.

That Manchester City aberration was only the second time he has been on the losing side in nearly 30 Chelsea starts.

It is his understated consistency which seems to have gained him the support and faith of his team-mates:

“Hilario has never let us down at all. He has been brilliant every time he has come in, whether it is for one game or a run of them,” Frank Lampard said recently.

"That is something we are not worried about. You have to have faith in him, and Ross Turnbull behind him, and we certainly have that."

Chelsea can still win every trophy they are going for with Hilario between the sticks — which is perhaps the single most important point. Petr Cech's injury, sustained in the first leg of the Champions League tie against Inter Milan (Hilario came on and kept a 30-minute clean sheet) is a blow, but his understudy can keep things ticking over until his return.

The Czech international's injury will probably keep him out of the second leg of the clash with Jose Mourinho (who brought Hilario to Stamford Bridge) but he should be back for the campaign's final run-in. In the meantime, the understudy will take all the advice and tips he can get from his team-mate.

“He is my friend and it has been an absolute pleasure to work every day with Petr,” Hilario told Chelsea’s official website last year.

“I feel proud that when I am playing, I have his support and it helps me a lot, not only when I am playing but because every single training we are together and we challenge ourselves.

“He is an absolutely fantastic goalkeeper and I learn a lot with him.”

The absence of Cech (who himself has had some wobbles this term), especially at such an important stage of the season, is an undeniable blow to Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea. But pundits and, by proxy, fans immediately identifying his understudy as a weak link in the side are guilty of making a lazy and inaccurate assessment.

His record and past performances for the Blues don't merit such a conclusion, not yet at least. Watch his next game with an open mind — chances are you will be surprised.

He's not as bad as people think he is.

John Terry Dedicates Goal Celebration To Chelsea Fans

Chelsea captain John Terry says his goal celebration in Sunday's FA Cup victory over Stoke was a tribute to Blues fans for their support.

Terry has endured a turbulent few weeks following allegations about his private life and lost the England captaincy.

After heading Chelsea's second goal in a 2-0 quarter-final win, he celebrated by pointing to his captain's armband.

"The armband means a lot. Chelsea have been supportive. We wanted to show the fans what it meant to us," said Terry.

Terry was booed throughout Sunday's tie at Stamford Bridge by the visiting Stoke supporters, who lambasted the 29-year-old over his alleged affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the ex-girlfriend of former Chelsea team-mate and current Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge.

Terry, who was stripped of the England captaincy by national coach Fabio Capello last month after the allegations came to light, was also barracked by a small minority of home fans during the international friendly win over Egypt at Wembley on Wednesday.

Terry's form has undoubtedly dipped during the fall-out from the recent newspaper revelations, but his performance against Stoke - capped by his powerful 67th-minute header - represented a marked improvement.

The Blues grew in stature and confidence throughout the match to record a deserved victory over a powerful Stoke side to set up a semi-final clash with Aston Villa.

The win was Chelsea's first in three matches following a 2-1 defeat by Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on 24 February and the 4-2 Premier League home loss to Manchester City three days later.

Wilkins Wants John Terry Abuse To Stop

Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins is hoping the abuse of captain John Terry will now stop and feels the booing has 'served its course'.

Terry has become a target for opposing supporters in recent weeks following allegations of an affair with the ex-girlfriend of his former team-mate Wayne Bridge.

He was stripped of the England captaincy and was jeered by a small section of fans for the national team's 3-1 win over Egypt last week.

The defender was booed again on Sunday by Stoke City supporters as Chelsea won 2-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals, but Wilkins has called for an end to the abuse.

"I would like to think the abuse would stop," said Wilkins. "It's served its course. But it's happening and John's just getting on with the situation.

"I'm not too happy about the abuse, but there's nothing I can do about it.

"He's dealing with the situation in the only way he can - committing himself to the cause.

"He's an exceptional captain and we're delighted to have him on board. He leads these players on the pitch in fantastic fashion and scored the second goal which was a great goal.

"This was another superb performance from him."

Lampard: Taunts Make Terry Stronger

England midfielder Frank Lampard insists John Terry thrives on the kind of vile abuse dished out by Stoke fans during Chelsea's 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Lampard warned fans throughout the Barclays Premier League that taunting Terry will only make him even more determined to fight back.

Terry responded to the abuse by setting up the opening goal for Lampard and then heading the clincher in the second half to set up a Wembley semi-final against Aston Villa next month.

Terry, 29, is still being taunted for the lurid headlines that accompanied his alleged affair with Vanessa Perroncel - the former girlfriend of his one-time Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.

The revelations were bad enough for England coach Fabio Capello to strip the centre-half of the national captaincy. But Lampard insists fans who barrack Terry do so at their peril.

"Sometimes the abuse oversteps the mark," said Lampard. "Strong players react in positive ways and that's what John did. These things happen but we'll just move on. That's a good answer to it really."

Lifting the FA Cup on May 15 would be the perfect answer to Terry's critics, but Lampard knows Villa will be no pushovers.

"Winning the FA Cup this year will mean the same as it always has done for John," the midfielder continued. "You want to look back on your career having won trophies.

"Villa are a good team, we all know that now. They have a few players in the England squad and have great spirit and quality.

"After the disappointment of losing the League Cup final, they will want to go back to Wembley and win something, so it will be tough for us."

Chelsea's involvement in the FA Cup meant Manchester United went back to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Wolves.

United are two points clear, with Arsenal, victors over Burnley, now behind Chelsea on goal difference only.

But Lampard added: "It's important to block that out. People will make a meal out of it but we have a game in hand and just have to focus on winning games."

Terry celebrated his goal by making it clear to everyone he still wears the Chelsea captain's armband - Stoke fans included. He ran to the corner flag after pointing at his armband, then declared afterwards: "I was just giving the Stoke fans a bit of banter. That was all.

"They were giving me a bit of stick and I was just giving a bit back and that is what football is about. They are entitled to do what they do and so am I on the pitch as long as they take it in the right manner. I am sure they did.

"You just get on with it as a player. One way to get through it is to play well and to score was the icing on the cake.

"It has been a good week. It was good to get away with England, play 90 minutes and then come back here and show the fans how disappointed we were by how we played in the 4-2 defeat by Manchester City last week."

Stoke boss Tony Pulis wants his team to bounce back from their FA Cup setback by eclipsing their previous points tally of 45 in the Barclays Premier League.

City have amassed 34 points so far but Pulis wants his squad to make the most of their remaining 11 matches.

"We've got to make sure we get back on track in the league and really drive on in the last 11 games to try to make the most of the back end of the season," said Pulis.

"Can we get more points than we did last year? That's something good for the players to set their sights on.

"I think only one team in the history of the Premier League have accumulated more points in their second season than their first, Blackburn, but the lads have got to get to 40 points first.

"We mustn't take our foot off the pedal."

John Terry Silences Boo-Boys

Chelsea captain John Terry provided the perfect response to an afternoon of abuse as the Blues claimed a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Stoke at Stamford Bridge.

Terry's second-half strike confirmed Chelsea's place in the last four where they will meet Aston Villa at Wembley.

Frank Lampard had given Chelsea a first-half lead with a deflected drive in the 35th minute and Terry sealed victory with a thumping header.

Terry had been booed and abused all afternoon by Stoke fans who lambasted the defender for his alleged affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the former girlfriend of his one-time Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.

Terry, stripped of the England captaincy by Fabio Capello because of the lurid headlines concerning his private life, celebrated his goal by running to the corner flag and pointing at his captain's armband.

"The armband means a lot, of course," said Terry. "Chelsea have been very supportive, the players as well, but we wanted to show the fans how much it meant to us.

"We had a couple of days to work on their set plays but they can play as well. On a dodgy pitch I thought we played well and bounced back from last week."

When asked about the abuse, Chelsea's assistant coach Ray Wilkins replied: "It's happening and John's just getting on with the situation.

"I'm not too happy about it, but there's nothing I can do. He's dealing with the situation in the only way he can - committing himself to the cause. That was another superb performance from him."

When quizzed about Terry's celebration involving the use of the armband, Wilkins added: "He was taking a bit too much stick from the Stoke fans and wanted to demonstrate that.

"He's an exceptional captain and we're delighted to have him on board. He leads these players on the pitch in fantastic fashion and scored a great second goal."

Wilkins was delighted with the response following their 4-2 home league defeat by Manchester City last weekend.

"Stoke put you under a lot of pressure, especially from dead balls and long throws but our concentration was fantastic," added Wilkins.

"Stoke work extremely hard, are superbly organised, and make it difficult for you. Defensively we were very strong indeed.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis defended his supporters over their treatment of Terry and claimed that the Chelsea captain will come home a hero if England win the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

"Our fans are brilliant, different class," said Pulis. "John will have to accept he'll take stick. He took stick from England supporters the other night.

"If John does well in the World Cup and wins it, he'll come back a hero.

"We've knocked Arsenal and Man City out. To pull Chelsea out of the hat at Stamford Bridge was a difficult tie.

"The players were first class, we gave everything and had a right go."

Match Report: Chelsea 2 - 0 Stoke City

Two deflected strikes helped Chelsea as they cruised past Stoke City and into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Stoke put Chelsea 'keeper Henrique Hilario under pressure early on with their trademark long-throws but were unable to break down the Blues' defence.

Early fire from Stoke was extinguished by Frank Lampard whose fierce drive took the slightest of deflections as it flew past Thomas Sorenson.

It was Lampard who supplied the delivery for John Terry to head home in the second half and dispell any lingering threat of a Stoke fightback.

Chelsea had an early shout for a penalty waved away by the referee. Didier Drogba stooped under Pauolo Ferreira’s cross and the ball appeared to hit Stoke defender Glenn Whelan on his left hand, but the referee was unmoved by the protests.

Much of the pre-match build up focused on the ability of Chelsea ‘keeper Henrique Hilario and how he would deal with Stoke midfielder Rory Delap’s infamous long throws.

It didn’t take long to find out with Delap launching his first aerial assault on the Chelsea penalty area in just the sixth minute. Former Chelsea defender Robert Huth rose highest at the near post and his flicked on left Hilario flapping wildly as Ricardo Fuller headed over the bar.

In the 15th minute Stoke came within inches of taking the lead when John Obi Mikel made a goal line clearance from Dean Whitehead. The danger again came from a Delap long throw that Hilario again failed to deal with confidently. He pawed the ball away but could only clear as far as Whitehead, whose first time shot looked destined for the net before Mikel’s vital intervention.

Chelsea started to show some attacking threat in the 25th minute as good work from Florent Malouda on the left side brought about some mild panic in the Stoke defence before Thomas Sorenson flapped at a Chelsea corner.

However it was Nikolas Anelka who had the best chance of the lot when he nicked the ball off Whitehead on the edge of the penalty area before advancing on the ‘keeper and pulling his shot wide of the far post when he should’ve scored.

Whitehead was involved in goal mouth action again when he headed a rasping volley from Didier Drogba out of play for a corner. However it was the resulting corner that set up the breakthrough for Chelsea.

Stoke failed to clear the corner and the ball eventually found it’s way to Chelsea captain John Terry who laid the ball of to the edge of the area for the arriving Frank Lampard to strike. His first time shot took the slightest of deflections off Abdoulaye Faye as it flew into the back of Sorenson’s goal.

The match seemed to fly to half-time without so much as a meaningful effort after Lampard’s opener. Didier Drogba would’ve doubled his side’s lead just before the interval but for a smart stop by Sorenson to push the Ivorian striker’s volley around the post.

Early in the second half Chelsea showed of their own long throw specialist when Branislav Ivanovic landed a throw on the edge of the six-yard box. Stoke failed to clear and the ball fell to Lampard who hit the ball uncharacteristically high and wide of the goal.

The pace of the game slowed from the first half and Anelka attempted to wake the game up just before the hour mark when he unleashed a twenty-five yard strike at goal but he skewed his shot wide of the goal.

It was the Frenchman who looked likeliest to extend the homeside’s lead when he headed Didier Drogba’s cross towards the goal only for Andy Wilkinson to clear for a corner. Wilkinson cleared again from the resulting corner but it proved to be third time unlucky for the Stoke defender when he attempted to stop a third effort.

Frank Lampard repaid the favour to John Terry, who had set up his earlier goal, by delivering an inch perfect cross for the Chelsea skipper to head powerfully at goal. Wilkinson attempted to clear but managed only to deflect the ball off his shoulder and passed Sorenson who may have made the save.

Stoke failed to show any attacking malice from open play throughout the game as was duly illustrated in the 75th minute. Lampard lost possession on the half-way line allowing Stoke to break but Ricardo Fuller strayed lazily offside and a good chance to strike back went begging for the visitors.

However from set-pieces Stoke continued to pose a threat and it was that man Delap who once again supplied the danger in the 82nd minute. Hilario again attempted to reach the long-throw and was left flapping hopelessly as Faye headed over the empty net.

Nikolas Anelka had the chance to wrap up the game for Chelsea in the final minutes of the game but had clearly put on the wrong boots as he once again put his shot wide of the goal.

Ribery Set To Decide Future In March; Will Go To Real Madrid, Barcelona Or Chelsea

The long running saga over where Franck Ribery will play next season appears to be coming to a close with a decision on his future now imminent.

Ribery admitted in an interview with Telefoot that "it will be decided within two to three weeks."

The French winger has long been thought to be heading to Real Madrid but Ribery added: "I’m not 100% going to Real, Barcelona and Chelsea are also interested. We will see."

Ribery has been subject to constant speculation over his future, with a host of clubs including Juventus, Manchester United, Chelsea and in particular Real Madrid linked with the 26 year-old. Both the player and Bayern Munich have made it clear for some time that his future will be decided in the near future, perhaps even this month.

Ribery has been plagued by injuries this season, but recently made a return to first team action. Last week he scored the winner for Bayern in a 1-0 victory over Hamburg but he only played 34 minutes of the recent 1-1 draw with Cologne.

Bayern Munich are desperate to sort out Ribery's future before the summer, when he will enter the final year of his contract and be available at a knock-down price.

Chelsea Planning Summer Raid For Barcelona Full-Back Dani Alves

glish Premier League side Chelsea are keeping tabs on the availability of Barcelona full-back Daniel Alves, and could be set to make a summer swoop for the defender.

The Brazilian is generally regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, and was an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s Treble-winning side last season, having joined from Sevilla for £29m.

However, The Sunday Times reports that the Blues are ready to offer Alves a substantial wage increase to lure him to Stamford Bridge, and will test Barcelona’s resolve with a bid in the region of what they paid for the 26-year old in 2008.

The London club has suffered defensive injuries this season, in particular Jose Bosingwa, who has missed the majority of the season, and Carlo Ancelotti sees Alves as a more consistent replacement.

Alves has yet to open negotiations with Barcelona with regards to extending his current contract, which expires in the summer of 2012, which could open the door to a Chelsea offer.

Alves is expected to be part of the Brazil squad that will travel to South Africa for this summer’s World Cup.

Chelsea Chase Landon Donovan As Manchester United Eye Summer Swoop For Joe Cole

Manchester United are reportedly set to make a shock summer move for Chelsea's midfield maestro Joe Cole, with the Blues set to replace him with American midfielder Landon Donovan.

According to the Sunday People, the Premier League champions are in negotiations with the Blues over a move for Cole who is out of contract in the summer, and has seen recent contract negotiations at Stamford Bridge stall.

The tabloid claims Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to follow last summer’s free transfer swoop for Michael Owen with a similar move for the England international.

The United boss is believed to be an admirer of the 28-year-old and may finally get his man, with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich reportedly unwilling to sanction a new deal for Cole having watched him struggle to regain his best form after a long injury lay-off.

One man who could arrive to fill the void left by Cole is Los Angeles Galaxy’s Landon Donovan, who is currently enjoying a loan spell in the Premier League with Everton.

The People claims that Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has been impressed with the American’s displays on Merseyside and wants to begin talks over a possible transfer.

Everton manager David Moyes has already admitted he would like to extend Donovan’s Everton deal, although Galaxy’s head coach Bruce Arena has insisted the club are not interested and claimed Donovan will return stateside by March 15.

Manchester City Full-Back Wayne Bridge Will Not Make England Return Unless John Terry Situation Changes

Manchester City full-back Wayne Bridge will not return to the England fold, unless centre-back John Terry is unavailable for selection, The Mirror has speculated.

The duo were embroiled in controversy earlier in the season, when the Chelsea captain allegedly had an extra-marital affair with a former partner of the Citizen.

The revelations in the media that followed led to Terry being stripped of the Three Lions captaincy by Fabio Capello, while Bridge decided to prematurely call time on his international career.

An unnamed source, supposedly close to Bridge, is quoted as saying: "Nothing has changed or will change as far as Wayne [Bridge] is concerned.

"He thought long and hard about it and feels he was making the right decision for him and England.

"He cannot and will not play in the same side as John Terry, so unless that changes, England have to respect his decision and move on."

Chelsea And Manchester City Could Be Banned Under New Rules

Roman Abramovich and Sheik Mansour may still be able to fund their teams under UEFA's new financial rules but will have to do so in the future by sponsoring their own clubs.

European football chiefs have vowed to ban clubs who consistently make a loss, as Chelsea and Manchester City do, only surviving because of subsidies from their billionaire owners.

UEFA's new rules, due to take effect in 2012, are likely to still allow owners to put money into clubs, albeit only through an official deal.

'This is being looked into,' said UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino. 'It would be difficult to monitor this, but a sponsorship agreement is still better than a club being funded by a benefactor, because it has clear payment schedules and a contract.

'It is better than a loan because then if someone gets tired of paying, the club are left with the debt. At least this way you have a contract in your hand.'

Their Game Was Awful!' Ruud Gullit Lays Into Chelsea For Champions League Approach

Chelsea legend Ruud Gullit has criticised his former club following their defeat by Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League last 16, claiming they are boring to watch and inferior to Manchester United.

Gullit, who guided Chelsea to their first trophy for 26 years as player-manager when they won the FA Cup in 1997, is unimpressed by recent performances, in which they have lost three out of four games.

Gullit said: ‘I really hope Chelsea win the Champions League this season as I want the club to do so well. But they must start to play better than what they did in Italy in the first game with Inter.

'My God, their game was awful! They bored me to death. If I compare that to Manchester United, then United have impressed me so much more.’

Gullit is unlikely to be impressed by their tactics today in the FA Cup quarter-final against Stoke, with assistant manager Ray Wilkins admitting they could copy Rory Delap’s long throw.

Branislav Ivanovic replicated Delap’s long throws in Chelsea’s defensive practice last week and has proved so accurate and effective that Wilkins said: ‘We’ve found a weapon of our own because Ivanovic can possibly throw it even further (than Delap).

‘He’s certainly as good as Rory and with a similar style. It’s a great temptation to use it.’

I Am Playing Well For Chelsea And England - John Terry

Chelsea captain John Terry has hit back at criticism over his current form and insisted he is playing well for both club and country.

Following allegations over his private life, Terry’s form on the pitch has come under intense scrutiny with high-profile mistakes against both Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers coming under the microscope.

Yet the former England captain admits that those games aside, he has played well this season and he is content with his form.

“There are not many players who come out publicly and hold their hands up like I did after the Everton game," Terry told the People.

"I also had an air-kick at Wolves [Wolverhampton Wanderers] but, apart from that, I am pleased with my form this year.

"In the first-half of the season I was in really good form but after a couple of bad results, and what has gone on in recent weeks, the spotlight has been on me. But I feel as though I am playing well."

The centre-back also praised his own performance in England's 3-1 international friendly win over Egypt in midweek, insisting his leadership skills were important to his country, although he was no longer wearing the armband.

“I played well against Egypt," he added.

"It was important for me to come through that with a good performance.

"I think I did carry on as a leader against Egypt. I think anyone who was watching the game could see that."

Match Preview: Chelsea vs. Stoke City

Both sides will be looking to recover from highly-publicized defeats last weekend to book a place in the FA Cup semi-finals when they meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Chelsea are of course the FA Cup holders and have enjoyed a fairly straightforward passage in the competition so far and have had the luxury of being able to rest players in previous rounds. However, they will hardly be able to afford to rest on their laurels against a Stoke City side whose defeat against Arsenal last weekend was their first since the turn of the year. The Potters are displaying a steely determination which will likely be strengthened by a desire to reach the club's first FA Cup semi-final since 1972.

Chelsea will look to recover from their worst home defeat of the Roman Abramovich era last weekend, having lost 4-2 at home to Manchester City. They will of course still be without goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is suffering from a freak calf injury and so the Blues will have to place their faith in the suspect looking Hilario once more. Coach Carlo Ancelotti will also have to make do without Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack, both of whom received red cards during last week's defeat to City. However, Jose Bosingwa and Yuri Zhirkov should have recovered from knee and calf injuries respectively to be in contention. Chelsea will still be without long-term absentees Ashley Cole and Michael Essien.

Stoke were involved in their own well-publicized clash last weekend. Losing 3-1 at home to Arsenal, the game will be long remembered for a horrific leg break suffered by Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey. Ryan Shawcross, whose challenge led to the injury, will miss the trip to Stamford Bridge having been sent off as a result. Welsh defender Danny Collins is likely to come in as a replacement and will have the dubious honour of trying to keep the likes of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka quiet.

Given that Chelsea conceded four goals last week, Stoke City boss Tony Pulis will be smelling blood. Having already defeated Arsenal and Manchester City in the FA Cup already this season, Pulis will at least fancy his chances of securing a replay at the Britannia Stadium. He will likely look to expose Chelsea's uncharacteristic defensive frailties by providing the Premier League leaders with a stern physical test. The likes of Mamady Sidibe and Ricardo Fuller in attack will be crucial to this. Of course, Chelsea will be well aware of Rory Delap's long throws, but whether they will be able to stop the aerial bombardment is another matter.

Although Stoke go into the game as underdogs, the Potters defeated Chelsea in the League Cup at Stamford Bridge in the early 1990s. The winning goalscorer on that occasion, Paul Peschisolido believes that the current Stoke side, with its sense of togetherness, has a chance to emulate his achievement.

Peschisolido said, “Stoke have beaten some of the top Premier League sides since promotion and there’s no reason why they can’t do the same at Chelsea,

“Tony Pulis has got a group of players whose team spirit is second to none. They are up for any battle put in front of them."

Alex Ready For Cup Clash

Brazilian centre-half Alex is confident Chelsea can repel the aerial bombardment of Rory Delap's long throws to overcome Stoke and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

Alex is likely to partner captain John Terry in defence as Ricardo Carvalho is nursing a hamstring injury suffered on international duty with Portugal.

The defender will have to deal with the physical presence of City striker Ricardo Fuller, plus the threat of Delap's long throw.

But the 27-year-old insists he is ready for the challenge as the FA Cup holders look to reach the last four.

"We have to pay attention to the second ball," Alex said. "Sometimes it is difficult to win the first one, but you have to win the second.

"You have to play very concentrated and stay compact. Fuller has quality with the ball and he is a strong, strong man, so we have to play strong also and don't leave any space. We conceded four goals in the last game (to Manchester City), which is no good at home."

Midfielder Joe Cole will be given another chance against Stoke to prove that he can win a place in Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.

Cole's contract expires at the end of the season but he has yet to agree new terms, fuelling speculation that his relationship with the club's owner Roman Abramovich has broken down over his wage demands.

But assistant coach Ray Wilkins insists that Cole will remain at Chelsea.

"We are desperate to keep Joe," said Wilkins. "I know the club are and we as a management group feel the same. He is a very valuable asset to us.

"It is a contractual situation that he and the club I am sure will sort out at a later stage.

"I would not have thought his form has been affected by the contract situation. I just think he has had a long lay off, something like 10 months, and it is never easy to come back.

"I have spoken to Joe on numerous occasions. He is upbeat about his future here. He loves Chelsea. He wants to stay at Chelsea and I am sure that the club and his people will sort the situation out."

Wilkins also remains convinced that Cole can find a way back into Capello's plans.

"We are quite confident that Joe can get his form back and get into that 23 for South Africa," added Wilkins. "I am sure if he performs to the ability we know Joe has, then Fabio will take him.

"But as Fabio said, he has not been too impressed with Joe's form over the last couple of months, that's why he did not make the final 23 for the Egypt game.

"He will give England something slightly different. He can play on both sides of the pitch and in different formations."

Chelsea will also have to cope for the rest of the season without the services of right-back Jose Bosingwa.

He requires a further operation on his damaged knee and will miss the remainder of the season and the World Cup finals with Portugal.

Bosingwa, 27, underwent surgery after initially sustaining the injury against Aston Villa in October.

Kalou Targets The Treble

Salomon Kalou sees no reason why Chelsea cannot go on and secure the Treble this season.

The Blues do battle with Stoke City in the FA Cup on Sunday while they are also in the Premier League hunt, although they have to overturn a 2-1 first-leg defeat to Inter Milan to progress in the UEFA Champions League.

While Kalou knows it will be difficult to challenge on all fronts, the Ivory Coast star insists his team-mates are fully focused on securing all three trophies in Carlo Ancelotti's debut season.

Kalou has already won the FA Cup twice during his time at Stamford Bridge, but knows Stoke, who shocked Manchester City in the last round, will provide a stern test.

Although the odds are against Chelsea in their battle for the Treble the 24-year-old is not writing off their hopes and believes landing all three trophies would cap off the 'perfect' season.

"It is possible," he told the Daily Express. "Everyone is motivated to play the three competitions. If we can win all three, it is perfect.

"You always go for all of them and always do your best to try to achieve that. We all want to win something this year.

"We have won the FA Cup twice [2007 and 2009], so we are looking forward to winning the Premier League and the Champions League.

"That would be the most amazing season since I have been at Chelsea. It would be perfect to win all three. We are in the mood to lift the FA Cup.

"We have played and beaten them this season. We know how they play and we are really confident about that game. We know they are a difficult team to play but we can do it, this is an important game.

"We have a good chance to go to the semi-finals and we won the FA Cup last season, so we are in the mood to do the same thing again this season."

Lampard In Cup Goal Hunt

Frank Lampard is hoping he is saving his FA Cup goals this season for the latter stages of the competition.

Chelsea are well placed to defend their cup crown this year, having eased into the last eight, and face Premier League rivals Stoke in the quarter-finals on Sunday.

Lampard boasts an impressive record in the FA Cup over the course of his distinguished career, and is just nine goals short of becoming the Blues' record scorer in the competition.

The England international has, however, managed just one this season, in the 5-0 third round demolition of Watford.

He admits to being disappointed at his return this term but insists there is still plenty of opportunity for him to make his mark.

"Normally I have managed to score a few in the earlier rounds," said Lampard.

"But I would rather score them in the later rounds when they can be really important.

"The FA Cup has been really good for me. I have scored in semi-finals and of course the final (last year against Everton), and I have had a hat-trick against Macclesfield and a few twos.

"I have always enjoyed the FA Cup games. I grew up on FA Cup football so there is always a little edge to it, for us English boys particularly. Scoring goals, especially important ones, is special. And the cup final goal is very special to me."

Chelsea know they face a stern test of their credentials against Stoke in the next round, with the Potters having already dumped out Arsenal and Manchester City.

The Blues are expecting a physical approach from Tony Pulis' side at Stamford Bridge, but burly centre-half Alex is adamant that Carlo Ancelotti's men are up for the challenge.

"We have to pay attention to the second ball," said the Brazilian.

"Sometimes it is difficult to win the first one, but you have to win the second.

"You have to play very concentrated and stay compact. (Ricardo) Fuller has quality with the ball and he is a strong, strong man, so we have to play strong also and don't leave any space.

"We conceded four goals in the last game (to Manchester City), which is no good at home."

Wilkins Shows Support For Hilario

Assistant manager Ray Wilkins insists Chelsea are standing by Hilario following his role in their recent defeat to Manchester City.

The experienced Portuguese keeper was blamed for Carlos Tevez's equaliser and there were reports he could be dropped.

But while Wilkins has acknowledged Petr Cech's deputy did not have the best of games, he believes he will respond positively.

Hilario is expected to keep his place ahead of Ross Turnbull for the visit of Stoke in the FA Cup on Sunday with Cech still on the sidelines.

"He is an experienced player and he won't have a problem," said Wilkins.

"Unfortunately things didn't go quite right for him last Saturday.

"Supporters nowadays will always have a pop at the errors and as a keeper you make a ricket and you've lost a goal."

He added: "We'll play a lot worse than we did against Manchester City and win.

"We are top of the table in the first week in March - 19 other Premiership sides would sooner be in our position than their own.

"We're top of the league, playing in the quarter-finals of the cup and still in the Champions League."

John Terry Asked To Say ‘Sorry, Wayne’ In Autograph Prank

Former England captain John Terry was the victim of a prank played by autograph hunters during International week when one plucky fan asked him to sign ‘To Wayne, I’m sorry’ in an autograph book.

Terry was recently stripped of the England captaincy following revelations of an alleged affair with the ex-partner of former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge; a scandal that also resulted in Bridge declaring himself unavailable for the national team.

Having taken the man’s notepad, Terry asked who he wanted it made out to, the man replied “Wayne” before adding, “can you just put ‘I’m sorry.’”

Sensing he was the victim of a gag, Terry responded by asking if he was being wound up.

However, the Chelsea defender showed his wllingness to communicate with fans - even in extremis - by finishing the autograph, reportedly writing "Best Wishes".

Ray Wilkins Optimistic Despite Michael Essien Setback

Michael Essien has suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee problem but Chelsea have contradicted reports suggesting the midfielder could miss the remainder of the season.

Essien underwent surgery on January 29 after picking up a knee injury during training with Ghana at the African Nations Cup and has not featured for Chelsea in 2010.

It is reported on Saturday morning that the injury could prevent Essien from featuring for Chelsea in the final three months of the season, putting his participation at the World Cup in real doubt.

However, Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins is happy with Essien's progress and appears confident the player will be seen in a Chelsea shirt again soon.

"Michael Essien is doing well, there has been a slight complication which means it needs a couple of weeks longer but he's out [in France] with Ashley [Cole] now and they're both doing extremely well, so from that point of view we're delighted with their recovery," Wilkins said. "It's difficult to give a timescale but hopefully he'll be fit as soon as possible because when we lose players of that quality it is damning on any side."

Essien told the Accra Daily Mail: "I will be back as soon as I can. I hate being on the sidelines but at the same time I need to be patient and heal properly. Once the medical team give me the all clear you will see me doing my thing on the pitch."

Chelsea confirmed on Friday that Jose Bosingwa will miss the remainder of the season due to a knee problem while Ashley Cole is also sidelined with a broken foot and could miss the World Cup with England.

Essien Injury - Shocking News

Our midfield powerhouse - someone we've badly missed in my opinion - is set to miss the rest of the season after a serious setback in his recovery from knee surgery.

Michael remains on crutches a month after the operation and is recovering in France. Some people may say 'don't worry, our squad is big enough', but I reckon Essien has been badly missed and is one of our best players. Therefore, this update isn't good news.

A club source said: 'The news on Michael's not good. We all thought he'd be back playing again in four to six weeks.

'The second leg of the Champions League match with Inter Milan was talked about as the ideal comeback game.

'But he has no chance of making that now. We're not even sure he'll play again this season. If he does it won't be any time soon.'