A look back at a Saturday spent in Staffordshire.

It's not often that news of an injury ruling out our opponents' biggest threat ahead of a Chelsea game leaves After The Whistle feeling a little disappointed, but after all the pre-match build-up focusing on the ballistics of Rory Delap, that's how we felt when the team news was announced on Saturday.

Not least because we were looking forward to seeing what Petr Cech's plan to deal with the long throws was, our keeper having spoken about it on chelseafc.com on Friday. One thing for certain, it will have been given plenty of thought. We'll have to until January now.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis revealed after the game that Delap suffered a hamstring strain at the very end of the final training session, leaving the way clear for Chelsea's much-heralded weapon this season, our forward-charging full backs to be the one to make the big difference.

José Bosingwa took his attacking prowess one stage further than before by finding the net which had After The Whistle wondering how prolific our right-back has been in the past.

A quick look at the record books shows the challenge is on for José to make this his best scoring season yet - for previously he has been a goal-a-season man at the most.

His success last season came in February, that too an opener in Porto's 4-0 home win over relegation-bound União de Leiria, the club where José Mourinho began to build his reputation.

That was a left-footed shot from 25 yards following a run from his own half. A two-season blank preceded it but in February 2005, José had scored away to Estoril, this time following a mazy dribble that started out on the left.

Both those goals are definitely worth looking out on You Tube.

The first of his three league goals for Porto came in April of their league championship and Champions League-winning season of 2003/04. It was a far-post header from a corner, the only goal against Alverca.

That day will be more remembered by Porto fans as the one when they won back-to-back domestic titles than for a Bosingwa set-piece success. Sporting Lisbon had handed the title to Mourinho's men by losing in an earlier kick-off, but his goal kept the party on the banks of the Douro rocking into the night.

There has yet to be a José Bosingwa goal in the Champions League. Could he break the two goals-a-season barrier as early as this week?

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Stoke paraded Alan Hudson, and more surprisingly, American former world boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard, before kick off on Saturday. But After the Whistle was far more interested in talking to Coventry-born former Chelsea assistant manager Bobby Gould (pictured below right), who was also at the game.

Gould's spell, as Geoff Hurst's right-hand man, dates back to an era when Stoke could laud top-flight status over Chelsea as the Blues sweated away in Division Two, unsuccessfully trying to join The Potters.

'I remember we just missed out on promotion in 79/80, 80/81,' Gould recalled.

'It would have been lovely to take Chelsea to the First Division. We played good football but when the bad pitches came in winter, we couldn't get the ball forward quickly enough.

'Hursty went into a board meeting and he said back us or sack us and they sacked us alright!' he laughs.

'He came out of the meeting and I said it is alright for you, you can live on your World Cup hat-trick. Me, I've got to find my own way.

'I did find my way to Wimbledon after that and I went to join Dave Bassett and played a few games as an old statesman. Then I went down to Aldershot as assistant and found my own position at Bristol Rovers after that.'

The man who went on to become the national team manager of Wales told us what caught his eye from Saturday's game.

'There was some fabulous football down the left-hand side in the second-half, with Malouda, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard. It was simply stunning.

'I just thought Ballack was brilliant today. I really think this is the best Chelsea team we have seen. Deco was not available but I think they can still open doors.

'I think the difference between this and Stoke's draw with Liverpool is someone had done their homework.

'You have to take your hat off to Scolari because he has set about the job in a great way. He has been saying he can win all four trophies, and when you look at Scolari, you believe him.

'I saw him walking off the pitch and he Ballack got together and I could see he has a united squad.

'Ray [Wilkins] is now there in a love and tender care role. If people are upset, he's there to try to resolve the problems and players need that nurturing. As you become anelder statesmen, you can understand what they need.

'I hope Ray makes a good job of it and I hope Mr Scolari wins all four trophies.'

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After the Whistle has seen some obscure club mascots before - not least Arsenal's Gunnersaurus and Blackburn's club badge with arms - but we were seriously struggling to work out the relevance of Stoke's red and white shirted hippo - until someone with a bit of local knowledge helpfully explained.

Pottermus, is the new addition to the Premier League ranks, and a rapid one too having once won the annual football mascot race.

Whether it was down to the hippo, a good old-fashioned 3pm Saturday kick-off or others reason, for those who didn't make it to the Britannia Stadium, we can report a cracking atmosphere from both sets of supporters, as there had been from the away end at a more subdued Fratton Park.

A following of around 600 Chelsea supporters is setting off for Romania this week, with the task of making themselves heard in a 23,200 capacity stadium.

CFR Cluj's win over Roma announced the Romanian side on the Champions League stage but anyone wishing to carry out further research into our Wednesday opposition could investigate their extensive English language website.

afterthewhistle@chelseafc.com