West Ham United vs Chelsea FC: Thoughts And Prediction
By Lou Flavius
With Premier League Action Set To Resume Midweek, The Blues Will Have To Forget Their Cup Victory And Set Sights On West Ham
After winning the Capital One Cup in a hard-fought match vs Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, it’s back to business for Jose Mourinho and Chelsea FC.
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The Portuguese manager should be busy preparing for what could be a tough battle at Upton Park against West Ham on Wednesday.
The Hammers had a flying start to the season, but they have dropped down to the ninth spot on the Premier League table, which by their standards, isn’t so bad.
They have been playing good football this term, and are really tough to break down, but they have not been able to record a win from their last five league matches. They lost 3-1 to Crystal Palace in their most recent outing.
Manager Sam Allardyce will not have strikers Andy Caroll and Carlton Cole available, but he still has the luxury of fielding Enner Valencia and Diafra Sahko, two forwards who pose a huge threat to any team on a good day.
He will also be without the suspended Morgan Amalfitano, who was dismissed during the FA Cup clash with West Brom.
The Blues will have to refocus, after snatching the first piece of silverware available. They will now continue in their hunt for a potential treble, with Paris Saint-Germain down for a visit to Stamford Bridge a week later.
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Nemanja Matic will be serving the last of his two-game suspension. Kurt Zouma showed that he could be an able replacement for the Serbian — defensively at least — after putting in a wonderful performance vs Spurs in Sunday’s final.
Mourinho now has the option of starting him in a defensive midfield role for the second successive game, with John Obi Mikel still unavailable.
Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas seem to be back in the groove. The pair combined to give Chelsea a 2-0 lead over Tottenham at Wembley — although the goal was later stolen and given to Kyle Walker, not that he wanted it.
The Blues will be going to this match in high spirits, but they should be wary of Hammers’ goalkeeper Adrian, who has been a thorn in Mourinho’s side, dating back to his Real Betis days in Spain.
The keeper was also instrumental in holding Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge last season, prompting Mourinho to accuse West Ham of playing ’19th century football’.
Match Facts
-Jose Mourinho has yet to be beaten in seven Barclays Premier League matches against West Ham (W6 D1), while Chelsea have won 13 and lost one of their last 17 BPL matches against the Hammers.
-West Ham have failed to score in five of their last six Barclays Premier League matches against Chelsea, including the last four in a row.
-Only one team has prevented Chelsea from scoring in their last 27 Barclays Premier League matches (Sunderland).
-The Hammers have won only one of their last 10 Barclays Premier League matches (W1 D5 L4).
Prediction
Looking to the form guide, the Blues clearly have the better run. The cup victory should serve to motivate them, giving them a taste for more silverware.
They will be presented with a challenge, as teams always seem to play at their best when facing Chelsea, but they will be determined to nick all three points, and gain further advantage over Manchester City.
Final Score: West Ham – 0, Chelsea – 2