AFTER Chelsea’s crucial defeat at Arsenal earlier in the week, where there improved performance at Tottenham seemed a very distant memory, there is no sense in getting involved in any markets for their game against Bolton tonight.
Chelsea have now failed to win in six successive Premier League games, a run that has included a 3-0 home defeat against Sunderland and a 1-1 home draw against Everton. The Blues have fallen down to 5th place in the table, and a the aim of making a genuine title charge could soon be replaced by an increased urgency to secure a top-three spot at the end of the season unless their form quickly improves.
Nicolas Anelka may again be missing for Chelsea tonight, and while the Frenchman has been in no great run of form himself recently, his absence leads to the selection of either, or both of, Kalou and Malouda – and after their performance at the Emirates that should not excite even the most loyal of Chelsea supporters.
Defeat against Bolton would push Chelsea even further down the table and into an almost unimaginable 6th position. Bolton themselves are having almost an equally surprising run of form, but theirs is of a far more pleasant variety. Owen Coyle has led Bolton to 5th in the table, and they were successful on Boxing Day with a 2-0 home win verses West Brom. However, when successfully tipping Sunderland to beat Bolton on the 18th of this month, I noted that Bolton’s great run showed signs of slowing down, and little has changed since that point. The 2-0 win over the Baggies looks less impressive in the light of West Brom’s poor effort at home to Blackburn yesterday, and Bolton’s away form does not match their excellent home record. In their lost two away games they suffered defeat at Sunderland and a 1-0 loss at Manchester City (a scoreline that flattered the visitors).
Bolton also lack the required strength in depth to see them through this busy spell of games. Lee has joined up with teammates at the Asia Cup, Cohen will be absent for personal reasons and they add to an increasingly long injury list. Bolton’s recent record against Chelsea is also fairly dismal, they have not won since a 2-1 victory at the Bridge back in 2003. Bolton also have only 3 victories in 26 London away games – all of those being gained against West Ham.
Despite the worries over Bolton, they have enough talent still available, not to mention enough gumption under Owen Coyle, to cause the struggling Chelsea some problems. No question here over which team still ought to prevail tonight – Chelsea’s slumbering cannot go indefinitely – but with Bolton’s confidence on a high, this contest is left best alone.
SUGGESTION:
No Bet
No comments:
Post a Comment