Tag: West Brom

Chelsea have had a week break since their thumping at the hands of Watford, so how will they get on at home to West Brom? Alan Pardew takes his side to the Bridge on Monday night in a game which the champions need to win, but it isn’t going to be easy. Having conceded seven goals to Watford and Bournemouth in recent games, Antonio Conte’s men are really struggling. They need to improve, especially with both Tottenham and Arsenal chasing them for fourth place. While the Italian is currently safe in his position as manager, he needs to show signs of turning things around or else the Blues could turn to an alternative.

Will Conte manage to shake things up at the Bridge this week, or are his side set to drop out of the Champions League spots? West Brom have to be respected, given that they make this trip having recently won at Anfield to put Liverpool out of the cup. The Baggies are starting to turn a corner under Pardew, and taking on the Blues could provide a welcome boost for the strugglers. The champions need to be on their toes heading in to Monday’s meeting, especially given how lethargic and uninterested they looked in the game a week ago.

Team News: Can Giroud Start Lift The Blues?

Chelsea’s hopes of improving on their poor form have taken a blow on the injury front, with a few problems for Conte to deal with. Tiemoue Bakayoko is obviously absent following his red at Watford, while Andreas Christensen is out through injury. On top of that, Alvaro Morata, Ross Barkley and Pedro are all considered to be doubts, while Marcos Alonso faces a late race to get fit in time for this clash. Despite that and the recent results, Conte isn’t expected to make any significant changes to the formation. In brighter news, Olivier Giroud looks set for a first start for his new side and will provide another option.

Former Blue Daniel Sturridge should feature for the Baggies, who are likely to start with him and Jay Rodriguez in attack. West Brom are likely to use a three man defence in this one, as they seem sure to set up in a 3-5-2 system. However, they have significant issues at the back too, with Jonny Evans, Nacer Chadli and Grzegorz Krychowiak all missing out in this trip to the capital.

West Brom Form

The Baggies currently sit bottom of the Premier League table, making them perfect opposition for a side like Chelsea right now. The Blues may be struggling in their last couple of fixtures, but they’ll be expecting to prove themselves against the worst side in the league at the moment. The visitors are in an awful shape on their travels, and they come into this game having suffered eight away defeats already this season.

Only Stoke have fewer away points than West Brom this season, with the Baggies claiming just two points from their last six trips in the Premier League. That form points to them dropping down into the Championship, and you’d imagine that the champions will have more than enough quality to deal with them. Not only have the away side played six of the bottom eight on their travels and lost every game, but they have just one point from five meetings with the top four this term.

Chelsea v West Brom Head to Head

The Blues have won their last three clashes with West Brom, a run which includes their victory in May which sealed the league title. A 4-0 victory back in November was one of the champions’ most impressive results this term. Having won four of the last six meetings between the pair at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will be expected to come out on top once again.

• West Brom 0-4 Chelsea, Nov 2017
• West Brom 0-1 Chelsea, May 2017
• Chelsea 1-0 West Brom, Dec 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 West Brom, Jan 2016
• West Brom 2-3 Chelsea, Aug 2015

Betting Tips

• Chelsea and Over 2.5 Goals – evens with Coral
• Both teams to score – 21/20 with Ladbrokes

Chelsea may be struggling of late, but that hasn’t really affected their odds in this one. The Blues are still as short as 1/3 with BetVictor to take the points on Monday night. Meanwhile, you can back the draw in this game at 4/1 with Betfair, while the Baggies are a long odds 9/1 shot with Betfred to add to Chelsea’s misery. Going by recent form, you’d have to say that the champions are far too short in the betting for this game, and we’ve decided to look elsewhere for our bets on Monday’s encounter.

The champions have struggled of late, although this game does seem to be the perfect time for them to return to form. They are going up against a side with an awful away record, while the Blues have dominated the recent meetings between the pair. We do expect a high scoring game, as we don’t really have a huge amount of faith in the Chelsea defence right now. They look a little shaky without Christensen, while David Luiz is set to start in his place despite some awful recent form. With the Baggies starting with two up front, that’s something they’ll be out to exploit.

We expect to see West Brom making this into an open game, given their likely set-up. We expect both sides to find the net, given how many goals the champions have been conceding, so we’re backing both teams to score at very tempting odds of 21/20 with Ladbrokes. We’re also backing the Blues to edge a high scoring game this weekend, given that West Brom currently sit bottom of the Premier League table. We’re going for a Chelsea victory and over 2.5 goals to be scored, which can be backed at evens with Coral.

On Saturday Conte takes his Blues’ side back to the ground where they won the Premier League title just six months ago. Plenty has changed for the Blues since that dramatic victory at the Hawthorns, which wrapped up a fantastic debut season in English football for the Italian manager. Things aren’t going quite as well this time around, as they trail leaders Manchester City, with United and Tottenham between them and top spot. Retaining the title is going to be a tall order for the Blues, and it’ll be even more difficult if they can’t at least repeat their 1-0 victory here in May.

The international break came at the worst time for Chelsea, as there’s been a two week break between their win over United and this clash with West Brom. That result was a huge boost for Conte and his side, before they all departed with their national sides. Can they pick up where they left off when they travel to the Hawthorns on Saturday? The champions need to build on that last victory, especially with the race for the Champions League spots heating up.

Team News: Can Luiz Make a Return?

Antonio Conte’s biggest move last time out was to drop David Luiz from the side, claiming after that he’d finally picked his first choice trio in central defence. He claimed it was a tactical move, but reports of a clash between the manager and the Brazilian defender suggests he’s likely to miss out here. The Blues boss did welcome back N’Golo Kante for the United game, which saw him switch to a 3-5-2 formation. He’s likely to return to the 3-4-3 set-up for this weekend’s match, which should see Pedro step back into the team. Danny Drinkwater – who turned down an England call up due to fitness concerns – isn’t likely to make the starting line-up here.

James Morrison and Craig Dawson are both missing out for the Baggies ahead of this clash. Tony Pulis may make big changes as he desperately tries to end their awful slump in form, which makes it hard to call his starting line-up this weekend. However, he has been utilising a three-man defence of late, and we expect the Welshman to stick with that approach in order to match up with Conte’s tactics. They have named Jay Rodriguez and Salomon Rondon up front in recent weeks, and they should lead the way in a 3-5-2 formation.

West Brom Form

The Baggies are going through a real rough patch ahead of the visit of the champions. They’ve hit nine matches without a win, after taking six points from their opening two Premier League matches of the season. That’s a pretty big tail off, and it’s left many fans calling for Pulis to get the sack. When you play results football and fail to get results, you can’t really expect much else.

A 1-0 loss to Huddersfield last time out has left them a point above the drop zone, leaving West Brom in trouble. The Baggies have to be concerned by their recent form, especially losing out to newly promoted sides. Having managed to win one and lose 13 of their last 16 meetings with the top seven, it’s difficult to hold out much hope for the hosts ahead of this clash.

West Brom v Chelsea Head to Head

It’s hard to not think about Chelsea’s latest title triumph when you consider their recent encounters with the Baggies. The Blues picked up two 1-0 wins over West Brom last term, both vital in their push for the trophy. The first came via a late Diego Costa winner, and the second was an even more dramatic victory via Michy Batshuayi’s title winning goal.

• West Brom 0-1 Chelsea, May 2017
• Chelsea 1-0 West Brom, Dec 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 West Brom, Jan 2016
• West Brom 2-3 Chelsea, Aug 2015
• West Brom 3-0 Chelsea, May 2015

Betting Tips

• Morata to score any time – evens with BetVictor
• Chelsea to win 1-0 – 13/2 with Bet365

Chelsea come into this clash as 4/7 favourites with Coral to claim the three points. The Baggies may have failed to win any of their last nine league outings, but they can be backed at 5/1 with Betfred to win on Saturday. Meanwhile, the draw is priced up at 27/10 with Ladbrokes, which might tempt some.

The champions aren’t bad value considering the form of these two going in, but we believe you can find some better value on this game. The champions are worth backing for the points, but having looked at the stats and the form of each we believe we have some better options when it comes to pro-Chelsea bets on Saturday.

One thing that has to worry Tony Pulis is that his side just aren’t doing the things they tend to specialise in. The Baggies are a side who keep clean sheets, are hard to beat and tend to dominate in the air. Usually that wouldn’t be a good match for Blues’ forward Alvaro Morata, but this season is a different story.

This season West Brom have been poor at the back, conceding their fair share of headers. That’s not a huge surprise, given that no team has won fewer aerial duels than the Baggies this term. Morata has scored the majority of his goals in the air, so we’re backing him to score any time against West Brom. He’s priced at evens with BetVictor to score any time on Saturday.

West Brom come into this game having lost their last three games by a single goal. Having gone down 1-0 home and away to Chelsea last season, we can see the Baggies making things difficult for the Blues here. We’re backing another 1-0 win for the champions at the Hawthorns, which is great value at 13/2 with Bet365.

Chelsea travel to West Brom on Friday night knowing that three points will seal the Premier League title. Their 3-0 win over Middlesbrough on Monday moved them seven points clear of Tottenham once again, meaning that victory over the Baggies will secure the trophy for the second time in two years. There’s little left for the Blues to do, and they have plenty of insurance with two more home matches to come after Friday’s clash. However, Antonio Conte won’t want to wait any longer to win his first trophy as Chelsea boss, he’ll want his men to get over the line with two games to spare.

Their meeting with West Brom comes at exactly the right time, with the hosts in awful form at the minute. Baggies boss Tony Pulis was in the crowd for the Boro game, but he’d struggle to find a way to stop this relentless Blues side. They looked brilliant in that win over the second bottom side, and now they’re on the verge of wrapping up their fifth Premier League title.

Team News: Status quo to remain in defining game

Once again Conte comes into this game with a fully fit squad to pick from. While N’Golo Kante missed out on Monday with a slight knock, he’s expected to return this weekend. However, it’s hard to see who drops out for him. Is it Nemanja Matic, who scored against Middlesbrough, or Cesc Fabregas, man of the match on Monday night? That’s a tough choice for the boss, it’s probably going to be Pedro who drops out, with Fabregas stepping forward into a more attacking role behind Diego Costa. Aside from that, the side should remain unchanged.

West Brom have a pretty big absence ahead of this game, as they’re without former QPR man Matt Phillips. He’s added a different element to West Brom’s attack, and they look a little short up top without the winger in the team. Welsh forward Hal Robson-Kanu is another absentee for the Baggies, as they look to improve their awful recent form. Their last home game saw them operate a slightly more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, but it’s hard to see Tony Pulis going with the same set up for a game with the league leaders.

West Brom Form

West Brom are currently searching for their first win since March 18th, following their late drama on Saturday. The Baggies led 2-1 at Turf Moor on Saturday, before Sam Vokes hit a leveller for Burnley. That 2-2 draw kept them eighth in the league, but they’re 13 points behind seventh placed Everton. Their European dream has faded, just as their form fell apart.

West Brom have lost 1-0 in their last three home games, including a meeting with Liverpool. Their last victory here came against Arsenal almost two months ago, a game which saw an abysmal display from the Gunners. The Baggies have just one point from four home meetings with the current top five, but can they add to that tally this weekend?

West Brom v Chelsea Head to Head

West Brom put up a fight at Stamford Bridge in the latest meeting between the sides. The Baggies were in the game until Diego Costa’s strike gave the Blues all three points, continuing their winning run. The Blues lost 3-0 at the Hawthorns shortly after winning the title in 2015, but they returned four months later to win 3-2, which is their most recent visit to this ground.

• Chelsea 1-0 West Brom, Dec 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 West Brom, Jan 2016
• West Brom 2-3 Chelsea, Aug 2015
• West Brom 3-0 Chelsea, May 2015
• Chelsea 2-0 West Brom, Nov 2014

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 21/20 with Coral
• Eden hazard to score any time – 5/4 with Sky Bet

Chelsea are priced at 4/11 with BetVictor to take the three points they need at the Hawthorns. Given how poor the hosts have been here of late, it’s no wonder that the champions elect are priced at odds so short. The draw this weekend is priced at 17/4 with Bet365. The Baggies are priced at 8/1 with Betfred to take the points, which would be a huge shock in the title race. Can the Blues make the most of this opportunity and seal the title, or will Tony Pulis spoil the party? We all remember how his Crystal Palace side struck down Liverpool’s title hopes in 2014, could the same thing happen here? We think not.

Luckily, West Brom are in no kind of form to stop the leaders. They’ve been far from their best, tailing off just as they looked on course to book a place in Europe. They’ve now lost 1-0 in three straight home matches, and they look far too short up front. The Baggies have failed to score in five of their last six matches in the Premier League, while the Blues finally look solid at the back. After back to back 3-0 wins, they should be in strong enough shape to keep a clean sheet on Friday night against the goal shy hosts. We’re backing Conte’s side to see out their title push with a clean sheet, so we’re backing the Blues to win to nil at 21/20 with Coral.

Our second tip is Eden Hazard to score any time on Friday night, despite him failing to hit the target on Monday. Not only has the Belgian scored key goals against Southampton and Tottenham recently, but he’s got form in massive matches like this. His goal settled the 2014/15 season, winning the title for Chelsea. Last term Hazard scored the goal which handed Leicester the title. Can the Belgian score the title deciding goal for the third season running? That would be some accomplishment, and we’re expecting him to find the net at the Hawthorns. We’re backing Hazard to score any time, which is priced at 5/4 with Sky Bet.

After a fantastic victory at Manchester City, Chelsea are now three points clear at the top of the Premier League. They look to have a favourable schedule over Christmas, and that starts with the visit of West Brom this weekend. Can they continue their amazing winning run when Tony Pulis’ side visit Stamford Bridge at midday on Sunday?

After eight consecutive wins, the Blues are obviously heavy favourites to take the points here. Chelsea are looking more and more like title contenders each week, and that was shown by the manner of their win at City. Now they need to build on that, and ensure they aren’t caught out by the recent upturn in form of their next few opponents. This may also be the time for Antonio Conte to think about a little rotation.

Team News: Has Fabregas tied up starting spot?

Last weekend saw Nemanja Matic drop out of the team, with Cesc Fabregas replacing him. That was a surprising inclusion, the Spaniard didn’t seem suited to a holding role in a trip to the Etihad. He was impressive, and he supplied the assist for the equaliser. Could that have earned the former Barcelona man a place in the side for this Sunday’s game? You’d imagine he’s going to get more freedom to create in a game like this, and that could help Eden Hazard and Pedro kick on even more.

John Terry missed the game at the Etihad, he’s still a doubt for this game, although he’d likely be limited to the bench anyway. While Gary Cahill scored an own goal last weekend, it’s hard to see Conte making any changes to his back five. Kurt Zouma and Marco van Ginkel are still searching for fitness, so they’re unlikely to be involved. It’s hard to see too many changes for this game, the settled side that the manager has been using is paying off. Although, they can’t play every game in December. At some stage, changes are needed.

West Brom are set to be without Saido Berahino, although he’s barely kicked a ball for them all season. Aside from that, the Baggies have a fully fit squad for this weekend’s game. They’ve hit a good spell of form themselves, so it’s hard to see too many changes to a winning side.

West Brom Form

West Brom’s win last weekend lifted them to seventh in the table, they’re just starting to hit form ahead of the Christmas period. They’ve won three and drawn one of their last four, which has restored faith in Pulis. They’ve gone from the verge of a relegation fight to the edge of the European spots, but can that rise continue? If they could claim three points here, it would a hugely impressive victory for the Baggies.

West Brom’s strong record doesn’t include their recent away from, which is really poor. They’ve won just one of their last seven on the road, which includes a League Cup elimination to Northampton. They drew 1-1 with Hull last time out, and the Tigers are one of the worst sides in the league. While West Brom are in good form, they are yet to repeat that on their travels.

Chelsea v West Brom Head to Head

The Baggies really troubled Chelsea last season, although most sides did. The Blues conceded twice in both games, but they took four points from those meetings. While they don’t have the best record up against West Brom, that’s mostly in their trips to the Hawthorns. In their last 11 trips to the Bridge, WBA have taken just a single point. That isn’t the kind of record which will fill their fans with confidence ahead of this one.

• Chelsea 2-2 West Brom Jan 2016
• West Brom 2-3 Chelsea, Aug 2015
• West Brom 3-0 Chelsea, May 2015
• Chelsea 2-0 West Brom, Nov 2014
• West Brom 1-1 Chelsea, Feb 2014

Betting Tips

• Eden Hazard to score anytime – 19/20 with BetVictor
• Chelsea to win and both teams to score – 21/10 with Coral

It’s hardly a surprise that Chelsea come into this game as big favourites. They’re usually expected to beat West Brom, but now they have an eight game winning streak to continue. There’s a lot of talk about the fixture calendar, with Chelsea facing five very winnable games between now and the end of the year. Their next big challenge will be a trip to White Hart Lane in the New Year, but can they continue their form going into that one? Given their record over West Brom, it’s easy to see them continuing their strong run on Sunday.

Eden Hazard has revealed a joke agreement he has with Diego Costa over the big individual awards. The Belgian said he’ll give the striker the Golden Boot, as long as he can win back the Player of the Year trophy he took in 2015. He’s certainly in with a chance, and he could well threaten Costa’s hopes of finishing as top scorer. Hazard is joint fourth on the scoring charts, three off the Spain international. His highest tally across a season is 14 goals but now he has eight in just 14 games. Given his form, we think the Belgian is worth backing to score again this weekend. He has nine in his last 12 for club and country, and he’s 19/20 with BetVictor to add to that this weekend.

While we see a home win, it might not be as straight forward as Conte would like. The defence is now looking a little more open, having conceded in their last two. There were a few worrying moments in the game at City. West Brom have scored in all but one of their last nine away league games. We can see them scoring in a defeat here, which is why we’re backing Chelsea and both teams to score at 21/10 with Coral.