Chelsea vs Everton

Chelsea V Everton

Saturday 12th December – 15:00 GMT

Chelsea

League Position: 1st

Recent League Form: WWWWL

It will be interesting to see how Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea will respond from not only their disappointing result in midweek against APOEL, a team from Cyprus, not just the defeat last Saturday to Man City but more with the fact that their clear lead at the top has been cut down to just a slender one. The Blues’ are now just two points ahead of their nearest pursuers, Man Utd, and the pressure will be on the players to make an instant return to winning ways.

Chelsea were chugging along like a steam train before they met City, running down everyone in their wake. However, perhaps the 2-1 defeat in Manchester will have dented the confidence around the camp as Chelsea become just one of two sides this season to lose to the league newly crowned – Richest Club. Chelsea’s ego will have taken a big knock with the bitter blow but will that factor make them an even more dangerous side as Chelsea are now a club on the prowl, desperate to do anything they can to get back to winning ways.

Even with the confidence knock last weekend, Chelsea should be very confident of securing all three points at the expense of an Everton side who’ve been playing well below par all season and who do have to content with several injuries. Chelsea’s defence has been a very solid basis for their raw success in recent seasons and that has been the case, in parts, this season, with Chelsea boasting the best home defence by a huge distance. Petr Cech, who has had his fair amount of critics this season, none more so than last week, has conceding just the one goal at Stamford Bridge all season, seven fixtures, whilst Chelsea W-D-L ratio is breathtaking at 7-0-0. Even the likes of Liverpool (2-0) and Man Utd (1-0) have come unstuck at the Bridge this season, a venue where both the teams mentioned took points away from last season, so the improvements in player mentality is evident since Ancelotti’s arrival at the Chelsea helm.

Stamford Bridge was once the settings for four year unbeaten run for Chelsea and they look very good to go on another run. They’ve yet to taste defeat on home soil, or even come close for that matter, winning all seven home fixtures thus far. However, get ready to faint as their Goal Tally will leave you in awe; 20-1. Hull City are the only team this season to score at the Bridge and that came on the opening day of the season, perhaps when Chelsea were still rusty. However, Chelsea have whacked on the gloss and have been sublime ever since, failing to concede at home in over 540 minutes of play – Outstanding!

We would love to find any excuse as to oppose Chelsea but they look untouchable at present, even with the City defeat lurking over them. At home, Chelsea have been sublime and clinical, whilst their defence has been impenetrable. Everything points towards a comfortable Chelsea win and we won’t consider backing anything else on Saturday then another Chelsea cruise.

Everton

League Position: 15th

                                                    Recent League Form: WLLLD

Everton put their terrible away record to the test on Saturday in game they appear to have very little chance of getting much out of. Their form has been dreadful, they’ve struggled since the league kicked off and they still have to contend with fresh injuries on a weekly basis. Any other club in their situation would have crumbled by now and would be glaring at relegation. For now, at least, Everton are in safe water but that might not be the case if they fail to get anything out of this game and they could find themselves getting acquainted to life in the bottom three for at least another week with a pointless afternoon in London.

David Moyes really does have his work cut out with a depleted Everton squad at present. He has injuries to key players all over the shot and his injury hit squad were struck with yet more of the plague last week when news that both Dan Gosling and Sylvain Distin would be ruled out for a few weeks with hamstring problems. The pair will now miss a busy festive period for the club and now David Moyes, as if he wasn’t already, is down to the bare bones with his squad.

The show must go on, though, Everton haven’t been able to hide their injury flaws of late and are without a win the league for four games, with their very last success coming five games ago in a 2-1 win at West Ham. However, although it maybe the festive period, Everton haven’t had a lot to cheer about all season, with wins coming at a premium. The Toffee’s have managed just four wins in fifteen outings this season, with Everton falling to a mammoth seven defeats already. They’ve had some tough fixtures, with this game with Chelsea completing the set of top four fixtures, but they’ve faltered in the winnable games and, with half the squad missing, Everton must be dodged not only this weekend but in the near future so long as the injury list keeps growing.

Everton’s away record this season currently stands at 2-0-5, with the Toffee’s yet to draw an away fixture this season. However, they’ve fallen to defeat in two consecutive away outings, one being a formality at Old Trafford, losing 3-0 to Man Utd, but the other was an embarrassing 3-2 defeat at Hull City, a side they smashed 4-0 in the Carling Cup earlier on in the season. They’ve played OK at times, although they were extremely poor on Sunday despite picking up an undeserving point against Tottenham Hotspur (2-2). However, even that fine fight back, after previously going 2-0 down, doesn’t hide the fact that Everton are a club in crisis and, without the home crowd urging them forward that afternoon, we have no doubt that Everton wouldn’t have taken a point and they will only have a few thousand at Stamford Bridge, a far cry from the 20 odd they had at Goodison last Sunday.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Chelsea W: 5    Everton W: 0    Draw: 5

Chelsea do look in control on the h2h counter but don’t read too much into the figures. Chelsea may have won five of the last ten meetings but four of the previous five have all finished in a share of the spoils. What’s even more intriguing is that Chelsea have failed to beat Everton at Stamford Bridge in their last three attempts. With Everton frustrating the Blue side of London on their previous three visits.

Goals backers beware – The last five encounters between the two have all finished Under 2.5, while just one of the previous seven meetings at the Bridge have finished with three or more goals.

Match Verdict: Chelsea to WIN – 1.25 Bet365

Everton have fared extremely well in recent visits to London when tackling Chelsea but we expect their three match unbeaten run at the Bridge to crumble on Saturday as their injury hit squad prepare themselves for a probable beating. Everton fans can, however, take heart from their valiant record at Stamford Bridge in recent years but you have to judge this game on face value and Chelsea look far too strong in just about every department – quality of players, form, decent season, confidence, player of the season in Didier Drogba. Carlo Ancelotti’s team look irresistible at present and we would be surprised if they didn’t dish out a rout let alone not win.

Match Odds:

Chelsea – 1.25 Bet365

Draw – 5.50 PaddyPower

Everton – 15.00 Boylesports

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Chelsea/Chelsea (Half-Time/Full-Time) – 1.73 PaddyPower