English Premier
2011-10-15 - Chelsea vs Everton
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : English Premier League
Saturday 15 October 2011 - Kickoff 5:30pm
This game is live on TV
Chelsea
With all the talk in England and Premier League about the Manchester clubs, you could be forgiven it is only going to be a two horse race to decide the destination of the title. However, the team keeping tabs with the leaders are Chelsea, a side that are only a season removed from winning the Premier League and with the nous to do it again.
Chelsea sit in 3rd spot in the Premier League, 3 points behind United and City, but the nature of the front runners results means the Blues are vastly inferior when it comes to goal difference. Chelsea have a 5-1-1 record this season, and have won all 3 games at Stamford Bridge while scoring 9 goals and conceding 3.
Clean sheets have been the biggest thing missing from the performances so far this season, and they have failed to keep one since the opening day 0-0 draw at Stoke City. Chelsea have conceded 1 goal in each of their home wins over West Brom, Norwich and Swansea, although they do have clean sheets in cup wins over Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen.
Fernando Torres is suspended, while Michael Essien is a long term absentee, but Andre Villa-Boas has no other injury concerns ahead of this game.
Everton
David Moyes was rightly disappointed with the refereeing standard in the Merseyside Derby as his side were wrongly reduced to 10 men and went on to lose to Liverpool. Moyes continues to overachieve with a threadbare squad, and this looks like being a tough season for the fans at Goodison Park, one where a top half finish would have to be considered a success.
Everton are 13th in the Premier League with 7 points gained this season, although they do have an extra game to play over the majority after the opening day game at Spurs was cancelled. They are 1-0-1 away from home, scoring 1 goal and conceding 2.
They have lost back to back Premier League games, both 2-0, and have only won 1 of their last 5 games in all competitions within the regulation period. Everton have won just 1 of their last 5 Premier League games away from home, although they have made life tough for Manchester City and Manchester United in that time.
The loss of Mikel Arteta was always going to impact this squad as they did not really have time to replace him. David Moyes will at least be thankful that Jack Rodwell can take his place in the side after his red card was rescinded and the squad is largely injury free coming into the game.
Head to Head
Everton have routinely given Chelsea a hard time at Stamford Bridge, losing just 1 of the last 7 games played here in all competitions.
The last 5 Premier League games played between them here have all ended with the points shared.
Goals have not flowed as much as expected in games here, with only 3 of the last 10 games played at Stamford Bridge seeing 3 or more goals.
Last season the teams met twice here: The League game finished 1-1, while Everton won a penalty shoot-out in the FA Cup after forcing a 0-0 draw before extra time.
Prediction
This should prove to be an interesting game on Saturday afternoon, but I feel it could be one that will not have too many goals scored.
Everton, as they did at Manchester City recently, will be set out to make life extremely difficult for their opponents and will look to defend properly. Chelsea have found it hard to break down teams when they play like this, especially when Everton come calling.
Both Manchester City and Manchester United have found it hard against Everton at home in games over the last 6 months because of the passion and intensity the away side will defend with and I can't see David Moyes changing that philosophy.
Juan Mata could be the key to unlocking the Everton backline, but it looks like it will be a tough test for the home team.
On the other hand, Chelsea have not looked so secure at the back while conceding goals in each of their last 6 Premier League games, but there have been signs of recovery in their home games in the cup competitions.
Everton have also looked a little light going forward at times, and struggled to get too many efforts on goal while losing at City.
It seems to me that the 'Under 2.5 Goals' option has been a little underrated here as it would have been a winner in 5 of the last 7 times these teams have played one another at Stamford Bridge.
Add in the fact Everton have scored just 2 goals in their last 5 away games in the League and I think we could see another 'Unders' come in here.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
