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Wigan v Chelsea: Live on SS2 (5.15 Saturday):

Matches played in the Premier League at Wigan:

Number of matches: 5

Wigan wins: 1—-Draws: 0—-Chelsea successes: 4 (goal difference: 5-7)

Since:

Wigan win: 0—Drawn game: N/A—-Chelsea victory: 1

As you might expect, Chelsea have scored at least one goal in all five games to date, whereas Wigan failed to find the net on three occasion.

Wigan achieved their first league victory over Chelsea in ten attempts last year.

Number of ‘doubles’ gained over their opponents:

Wigan: 0—-Chelsea: 2

CHELSEA–OPENING GAME RECORD IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

PLAYED: 18
WON: 11
DRAWN: 4
LOST: 3
GOAL DIFFERENCE: 34/17

Since: Win: 0……Draw: 8……Defeat: 11

Chelsea have scored two or more goals in half of their eighteen matches, only drawing a blank on two occasions.
Opposing teams have scored a maximum of one goal against Chelsea twelve times.

Chelsea play West Brom at Stamford Bridge this year. 

Chelsea’s home results down the Years:

Played 12……Won 8……Drawn: 3……Lost: 1 (25/9)

QUIZ NIGHT QUESTION: Chelsea were last beaten in their opening game in the Premier league in August 1998 by the same team which beat them the previous year in the opening match of the season!  Which team (they now play in the Championship) inflicted the defeats on the London club?

Answer: Coventry

Chelsea v West Brom: Live on ESPN (5.15 Saturday):

Matches played in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge:

Number of matches: 4

Chelsea wins: 4—-Draws: 0—-West Brom: 0 (goal difference: 9-0)

Chelsea were last beaten in a league game at home by West Brom back in September 1978.  Chelsea have won six of the seven league encounters since the defeat.

West Brom have beaten Chelsea 35 times in league games down the years and have been narrowing the gap of late, having been beaten by the only goal of the game in their last encounter at Stamford Bridge in December 2008. 

Number of ‘doubles’ gained over their opponents:

Chelsea: 4—-West Brom: 0

Manchester United v Chelsea (Sky Sports 1—Sunday—15.00)

The last three Community Shield matches have ended in draws:

2007: Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1

2008: Manchester United 0 Portsmouth 0

2009: Chelsea 2 Manchester United 2

Liverpool were the last team to win in ninety minutes when they defeated Cheslea 2-1 in 2006 with Peter Crouch scoring the winner in the 80th minute.

Manchester United have won the Shield seven times since 1993—though only twice within the regulated our and a half of play.

United have beaten Chelsea on penalties on two occasions (1997 & 2007) though Chelsea reversed the scenario last year by winning the shoot-out 4-1.

Manchester United have appeared in thirteen of the Community Shield games since 1993, whilst Chelsea have been involved in four of the last five matches.

Liverpool’s new signing Joe Cole speaks to the media after his free transfer move to Anfield this summer. The 28-year old ended a seven year stay at Stamford Bridge this summer and says he’s delighted he’ll be playing in front of the Anfield faithful for the next four years.

It’s the England man’s first move away from London but he says that isn’t phasing him, with him and his family all excited about the future.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

….been tampered with in any way?

I note that whilst Manchester United and Chelsea have home games against promoted clubs on the opening day of the season, Arsenal travel to Liverpool!

It may well be true that the F.A. Cup has lost some of it’s appeal given the financial edge which the Champions League now holds over football but the F.A. Cup Final itself is still the biggest day in football & one that grabs the attention of the whole nation & indeed millions across the world.

Football is unique for providing scenarios where teams with directly opposite situations can meet & have an equal chance to win prizes & a shot at glory and without doubt the F.A. Cup has been & always will be the best competition for doing just that.

This years Final of Chelsea vs Portsmouth is the perfect example of how two teams with completely different set-ups in terms of finance, scale, quality of players, strength of squad & overall profile can clash for 90 minutes to try to win a trophy & it really is a remarkable story.

Chelsea are owned & funded by a billionaire, they have just won the Premier League, scoring 100+ goals & possess a team & squad full of world class, international players who would get into most teams throughout world football.

Portsmouth are financially right on the brink of going completely bust, having incredible, outrageous debts that seem impossible to manage & come into this F.A. Cup Final having been relegated & with a squad with no real stars & only a smattering of quality.

So compare the two scenarios of both Chelsea & Portsmouth and it seems that the F.A. Cup Final will be a foregone conclusion & that Chelsea can already be declared winners as there looks no viable way for Portsmouth to overpower & beat Chelsea.

The bookies agree with that & quote Chelsea at 1/6 to win in 90 minutes while Portsmouth are 12/1 to do the same & when you consider the recent form of both sides then those odds look fair & in the case of Chelsea it’s one of those cases where long odds-on still represents value.

The two league games that Chelsea & Portsmouth clashed in this season saw Chelsea win both with an aggregate of 7 goals to 1 including the 5-0 victory for Chelsea at Portsmouth & to be fair it could have been a whole lot more than 5 goals that night so it does not look good for Portsmouth.

In fact, Chelsea have scored 30 goals in 8 matches since that night giving them 7 wins from 8 including very impressive wins over Man United & Liverpool, plus amazing goalscoring wins against Aston Villa when they won 7-1, Stoke City whom they beat 7-0 & Wigan whom they beat 8-0.

Chelsea have tremendous quality & strength right through the team with Cech once again in top form in goal, Terry, Alex, Ivanovic, Ashley Cole providing great quality in defence to give a great platform for the likes of Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Kalou, Ballack & Joe Cole to create & score the goals and to be honest, Chelsea look absolutely unbeatable right now.

The quality & confidence within the Chelsea squad is so high right now & with the opportunity to create history for the club & win their first League/F.A. Cup double, we really cannot see Chelsea failing to win this & win it well.

Portsmouth’s season has been an incredible & incredulous story with all desperate situation regarding the owners & of course their out of control financial problems that leave the club hanging by the thread.

Football wise, the season has been obviously greatly affected by the financial situation & Avram Grant’s side simply did not have the quality & quantity in terms of squad depth to have any chance of surviving and relegation looked certain right from the early weeks of the season.

All of that does make the fact Portsmouth have reached another F.A. Cup Final an incredible story with them having won it a couple of years ago, the fact they overcame Tottenham to win the Semi Final & the ironic twist of Avram Grant coming up against the team he used to manage.

Portsmouth do deserve great credit for the effort, commitment & determination they have shown to earn their place in the Final & of course anything is possible on the day but it really would be the biggest shock of all if Portsmouth pulled this win off.

The truth is that Portsmouth simply do not have the quality to match up against Chelsea & while they will be committed & put in great effort, Chelsea are so strong, have so much quality & in such great form that anything other than a comfortable Chelsea win would be a massive shock & Chelsea look absolute bankers to win & complete an historic League/F.A. Cup double.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Chelsea to win

Correct Score options: Chelsea to win 2-0/3-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Lampard/Drogba/Anelka

Scorecast options: Lampard/Drogba/Anelka score 1st & Chelsea win 2-0/3-0

Double Result: Chelsea H/T & F/T

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

Chelsea turned their three victories at Stamford Bridge into

Chelsea will win this game & with it the Premier League title. Clearly that is a very direct statement but exactly how we feel because it seems incredulous to believe that Chelsea will fail to beat Wigan at home & blow the chance to win the Premier League title.
1/12 is the general price for Chelsea to win while you can get 28/1 on Wigan and those odds do indicate the relative chances of each team & the outcome of this match.

Yes the pressure is on Chelsea to perform & win the game and yes Chelsea have to ensure they don’t disrespect Wigan & must maintain their professionalism & focus for this match but any other result than a comfortable win for Chelsea will be a truly massive shock.

Chelsea have been the best side in the Premier League with a phenomenal home record of 16 wins & 1 draw from 18 & they look absolutely nailed on to win this comfortably & bring the Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Result: Chelsea to win

Correct Score options: Chelsea to win 3-0/4-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Drogba/Lampard/Malouda

Scorecast options: Drogba/Lampard/Malouda score 1st & Chelsea win 3-0/4-0

Double Result: Chelsea H/T & F/T

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

Try and erase all the cup ties between these two teams in recent years, whereby you will determine that both teams hold substantial advantages on their home patches, and as you can see, Chelsea have only led at the interval on three occasions. Liverpool have secured sixteen of the potential twenty one points on offer when going into the break on level terms. In contrast, Chelsea have snared just four points and this is the scenario Chelsea must improve upon if containing Liverpool for forty five minutes in this year