Tag: Hull

Chelsea v Hull Betting Tips (FA Cup) – 16th February 2018

Chelsea are back in FA Cup action on Friday night, as Championship side Hull City head to Stamford Bridge. The Premier League champions are obviously heavy favourites to progress, given that they’re meeting a struggling second tier outfit in this clash.

While there have been problems surrounding the Blues in recent weeks, it’s hard to see a situation whereby they end up exiting the cup this weekend. After all, they should have far too much for the Tigers, even taking in heavy rotation into account. With the hosts aiming to go one better than last year in this competition, the stage does seem set for them to book a place in the quarter-finals.

Hull are hoping to lift the gloom after a tough 18 months by going on a cup run. The Tigers were finalists in this competition back in 2014, but can they go that far again? Having slumped in the Championship and after drawing the Premier League champions, you would imagine that the Tigers are cursing their luck. Having seen Chelsea just beat West Brom 3-0, you have to wonder how they’ll get on when they meet a poor side from the Championship this weekend.

Team News: Changes Likely Ahead of Catalan Visit

Antonio Conte doesn’t have a lengthy injury list this weekend, with Marcos Alonso and Ross Barkley both doubts. The Italian could have easily started without the pair anyway. With Barcelona heading for the Bridge in midweek, we expect that Conte will be looking to make changes for this clash. He’s likely to rest most of the back five, while Thibaut Courtois will sit out. Danny Drinkwater could make a start in midfield, while Willian and Pedro are the frontrunners to start behind Olivier Giroud this weekend, as Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata are held back for the clash with the Catalans.

Sadly, Hull man Ryan Mason retired in the lead-up to this game. It’s over a year ago that he fractured his skull at the Bridge in an aerial battle with Gary Cahill, and medical advice has told him not to return to the game. On top of that, the visitors have some selection issues to concern themselves with, as they have three Chelsea loanees. Ola Aina, Fikayo Tomori and Michael Hector are all unavailable for this game, so they all sit out. Without forward Abel Hernandez, the Tigers are significantly weakened going into this clash.

Hull Form

The Tigers have only just dropped down to the second tier, but they are battling against relegation to League One. They’ve found themselves in the relegation mix in recent months, having climbed out with a 2-0 win last weekend. They’ve won just six games in the Championship this term, suffering 14 defeats in 31 matches. Having scored less than a goal per game on the road in the league this term, which doesn’t bode well for a clash with Premier League opposition.

Hull have been particularly poor on the road this season, having lost nine of their 16 away trips. The Tigers have managed just two away wins in the Championship, and the highest placed team they’ve beaten on the road is 17th placed Nottingham Forest. In 12 meetings with the top nine sides, they’ve won none, losing nine. While victories against Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest have taken them in to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, the Tigers are likely to struggle when they meet the Premier League champions.

Chelsea v Hull Head to Head

Chelsea come into this clash having won their last six clashes with Hull. They won to nil home and away to the Tigers last term, as the two sides went in very different directions. The first victory last term – a 2-0 win at Hull – was the first time Conte started out with a back three as Chelsea boss. That win was a shaky one, but it kicked off the winning run which fired the Blues towards last season’s Premier League title.

  • Chelsea 2-0 Hull, Jan 2017
  • Hull 0-2 Chelsea, Oct 2016
  • Hull 2-3 Chelsea, Mar 2015
  • Chelsea 2-0 Hull, Dec 2014
  • Hull 0-2 Chelsea, Jan 2014

Betting Tips

  • Chelsea half-time/full-time – 3/4 with Ladbrokes
  • Chelsea to win 2-0 – 5/1 with BetVictor

The Blues are priced at 1/5 with Betfred to win this game, while they’re 1/14 with Betfair to qualify for the quarter-finals. The draw can be backed at 6/1 with Betfair in this game, while you can back Hull at 16/1 with Coral. The Premier League side are clear favourites for this clash, but can they live up to that favourites tag? We’ve had a look around at the betting on this one, as we look to find a couple of alternative picks with some better value.

While the Blues are likely to make changes, they’re set to include some big money signings in the mix. The likes of Willian, Pedro and Giroud should all make enough of an impact to leave key names out, as Conte looks to balance his side’s chances across multiple competitions. Of course, the Tigers are more significantly weakened than Chelsea – even with rotation taken into account. We struggle to see how the Championship side get anything out of this game given the gulf in class between them.

We’re backing Chelsea to take control of this tie early on, as we’re tipping them to be ahead at the end of each half. They seem like great value at 3/4 with Ladbrokes on the half-time/full-time market, which is our first tip. We’re also backing a comfortable 2-0 win for the Blues, given their excellent winning run against the Tigers. They won both meetings last season 2-0, while the last three encounters at Stamford Bridge have seen the Blues win 2-0, so we’re backing a repeat at 5/1 with BetVictor.

Chelsea v Hull Betting Tips (Premier League) – 22nd January 2017

Can Chelsea continue their push for the Premier League title by seeing off Hull this weekend? The Blues are returning to Stamford Bridge for the first time since getting permission to renovate their ground. This is also their first home game since the fall out between Diego Costa and Antonio Conte, so will the forward miss out again here? Or will the striker-less formation continue after featuring last weekend?

Hull come here buoyed by a few good results, with new boss Marco Silva making a good impression. The Tigers have won two of their last three games under their new manager, but this is by far his toughest test yet. They face an EFL Cup semi-final in midweek after this clash, but expect them to prioritise the league as they chase top flight survival. Will that see them claiming a shock result at the Bridge? That would certainly be a blow to the Blues’ hopes of regaining the title.

Team News: Costa likely to be frozen out again

Chelsea come here with no injury worries, they should have a fully fit squad to choose from. However, it’s unlikely that Diego Costa has done enough for selection. His tantrum and links with a move to China threatened to derail the Blues’ push for the title. Losing the Premier League’s top scorer isn’t exactly something that Conte is welcoming, but he’s dealing with the situation well. It wouldn’t be surprising if the boss goes with the exact same 11 who won 3-0 at Leicester last weekend, which included no striker, with Eden Hazard as the false nine. That at least gives Willian some deserved game time, along with Pedro.

Hull started the season with a depleted squad, and that has haunted them all campaign. They’re without at least five players for this game. Dieumerci Mbonkani and Ahmed Elmohamady are away at the African Nations Cup, which hasn’t affected Chelsea this season. The Tigers selection woes are made even worse as Jake Livermore is set for a switch to West Brom, so he won’t be available here. However, the incredible £10million fee that the Baggies are paying should make up for that. The Tigers are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 formation here.

Hull Form

Hull are looking up after a few good results, they won 3-1 at home to Bournemouth last weekend to boost their hopes of survival. They also claimed an FA Cup win over relegation rivals Swansea. That has given Silva a strong start at the KCOM, he’s continuing their impressive record in the cups, as they’ve already earned a spot in the last four of the EFL Cup.

A huge problem for the Tigers here is their awful away form. They’re coming to Stamford Bridge as one of the worst travelling sides in the top flight. Hull have just one away win all season, losing 80% of their trips so far, while they’ve failed to win in any of their last nine league away days. They’ve taken just 0.4 points per game on their travels, giving them the third worst away record in the league. That shouldn’t trouble the Blues, who have won 90% of their home matches so far. The visitors have an awful defensive record home and away, as they’ve conceded a goal in their last 19 Premier League outings.

Chelsea v Hull Head to Head

Chelsea have a strong record against the Tigers of late, winning both matches during their last full season in the top flight. They’ve now won five straight against their next opponents, while they’re yet to taste defeat against Hull in any encounter. The first meeting with Hull this season was the debut of Conte’s 3-4-3 formation with the Blues. They won 2-0 at the KCOM, which kicked off their excellent 13-game winning run. Can a victory here have a similar effect?

  • Hull 0-2 Chelsea, Oct 2016
  • Hull 2-3 Chelsea, Mar 2015
  • Chelsea 2-0 Hull, Dec 2014
  • Hull 0-2 Chelsea, Jan 2014
  • Chelsea 2-0 Hull, Aug 2013

Betting Tips

  • Chelsea to win to nil – 4/5 with BetVictor
  • Eden Hazard to score any time – 21/20 with Coral

Chelsea are heavy favourites to win this one, priced at odds of just 1/5 with Sky Bet. That’s hardly surprising, given Hull’s awful away record. They’re going up against the side with the best points per game record at home in the league. A victory here would see Chelsea move on to 30 points from 11 matches at the Bridge. Given the gulf in class between these two teams, it’s easy to see the hosts recording a big win. However, it’s not worth backing them on the win market, but there are other value bets to consider on this game.

Chelsea come here having conceded just 0.6 goals per game at home, while they’ve kept a clean sheet in 60% of their outings at Stamford Bridge. They’ve also recorded a shutout in five of their last seven in the Premier League, and it’s easy to see them improving that record on Sunday evening. Hull come here averaging just 0.6 goals per game on the road. Half of their away matches have seen them fail to score, so it’s easy to see them struggling at the Bridge. We’re backing a home win to nil, which is big at 4/5 with BetVictor.

Chelsea are set to come here without Costa, given the striker’s recent troubles. That should see Hazard playing as the false nine here, and we think the Belgian will revel in that role. Playing with him up front worked against Leicester, and we see it causing problems for a Hull team who concede 2.4 goals per game on the road. That should see Hazard getting plenty of chances up front, and we’re backing him to make an impact. He’s 21/20 with Coral to score at any time on Sunday.