Stoke City Preview: Sideshow Bob Wins Player of the Month

Two important goals against both Manchester clubs has helped Chelsea's £25m man, David Luiz to win Barclays Player of the Month award for March. Not bad for an individual, signed on transfer deadline, amid the torrid Torres signing from Liverpool for £50m. Carlo Ancelotti won Manager of the Month for the third time, completing an exciting month for Chelsea, after the desperation of the previous couple of months. 

Annoyingly the talk of Chelsea's game against Stoke at The Britannia surrounds the 'long-throw' expertise of Stoke's Rory Delap, a feature since Stoke City were promoted back into the big time.

Let the records show. Stoke have scored twice against Chelsea since their return and neither of their goals have come from a Rory Delap long throw - Delap scored with his boot at The Bridge in 2009 when Chelsea won 2-1.

Later on in the same year at The Britannia, Faye opened the scoring with a header and ironically from a Juliano Belletti 'long throw,' Chelsea won the game 2-1 after a Florent Malouda injury-time hit a low shot into the bottom corner.

(Now I have tempted fate - I expect Stoke to score from a Delap long-throw LOL LOL)

Not for the first time, the sports writers are already challenging Chelsea, John Terry and David Luiz to prepare themselves for the Delap 'long-throws.'

What they forget to mention is that Chelsea had the pioneer of the long-throw back in the 70s in Ian Hutchinson.

His throw-in on a good day, could reach an opponents far post.

On a successful day his throw-in won Chelsea the FA Cup in 1970 at Old Trafford in the first ever FA Cup Final replay, against Leeds United, when David Webb headed in at the far post.


COME ON CHELSEA


An Ian Hutchinson Tribute - RIP


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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODoz28OeFxk