We’ve had a needed week of no Chelsea games, but it’s time to think once again about our next match.
The Blues welcome Sheffield United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday for the 3pm kick off in the Premier League.
United are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table right now and have only won two games all season. They’ve drawn 2 and lost 12. They are well and truly in a relegation battle.
But, they actually won their last league game beating Brentford 1-0, which will have provided them with a needed boost and motivation to keep on fighting.
Before that game though, they have lost 10 of their last 11 games played including an 8-0 defeat to Newcastle, and a 5-0 defeat to Burnley and Arsenal.
Chris Wilder has been in a bit of trouble with his team this season trying to keep them battling in a league that has been too much of a jump up for them.
All of the above means that despite Chelsea’s terrible last couple of games, they are fully expected to win this one with a 78% win probability, which is going to be the largest win probability that we will have this season.
If there is ever a MUST win game for Chelsea to have, this is the one they would pick. And it most certainly is a MUST win game.
United will make it very tough for us and will try and be organised and hard to break down. I don’t foresee any easy game at all – there are no easy games in this league.
Chelsea have only won one game in their last five matches and our overall form this season so far can be described as inconsistent at the very least.
We need to lineup in a way where we take the game to them and have an extra man in attack, whilst also putting Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Cole Palmer in their absolute best positions to give all three a chance to really shine for us and be at their best.
We have to see about Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez, but if they are deemed not fit enough, then this is what I want to see from Pochettino.
This is using proper full backs, and also giving Enzo and Caicedo the best chance to play at their best in a pivot.
Cole Palmer is always better centrally for me, and having both Sterling and Mudryk on the pitch gives us more attackers and more threat against a team who have been leaking goals this season and are bottom of the table.
For me, there are no excuses here, this is a MUST win game. As I’ve said, I do not foresee Pochettino being sacked if we lose this, but it will severely ramp up fan pressure and many more will end up turning on him and things will become super toxic. They cannot let that happen.
On paper, with the above lineup, there is no reason why we should not be winning this game at home on Saturday. For me the second selection gives us the best chance.
I’m not going to predict that we win simply because as I have said, I am keeping my expectations at zero so that the only way is level, or up. I’m fed up with trying to be optimistic.
But having said that, we should win this game. Whether we will or not is another matter.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Sheffield United
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