Gary Lemke looks at the recent managerial comings and goings at Chelsea and how they will affect this side as well as some stats to help inform your weekend Premier League bets.
Lampard’s Second Coming
Potter simply wasn’t the right man to handle a bloated first-team dressing room packed with pampered millionaires and their egos. He was “too nice” and just didn’t have the gravitas. Despite being handed £ 300 million of new players signed in January, the results were poor.
Tactically and in terms of selection, he was out of his depth. Lampard won’t be much better. But…
Lampard will produce better results. Why?
I would say he has been brought in for a few reasons. The American owners, who have more money than common sense, have been startled by the fans’ backlash. I used to live in London and attended plenty of Chelsea home matches. The fans are used to chaos, but they’re also used to winning. They don’t believe in long-term projects where patience is required.
I believe Lampard has been appointed as coach until the end of the season, when another big name takes over, for a few reasons:
- Get the fans back on board. Todd Boehly, I feel, binge-watched Ted Lasso and thinks owning an EPL club like Chelsea is easy. He underestimated the power of the fans. Lampard is a club legend and a fans’ favourite.
- Get the vibe going back in the dressing room. He’s not a threat to the players going forward, but he has their respect having been there and done that and won the big trophies as a player. His blood is blue and he will have them sprinting out of the dressing room and playing with smiles on their faces. That will allow the goals to come and the celebrations will be throaty and animated.
- There’s nothing for Chelsea to achieve this season. They’re 11th and can’t go down, and they can’t make the top 4. They are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League but play Real Madrid home and away and if they fluked that, then the winners of Man City and Bayern even before they reach the final. That dream is over.
- Boehly will want a happy dressingroom and a happy fan base for his next project – building a stadium at Earl’s Court, a couple of miles from Stamford Bridge. That won’t go down well with the fans but it’s easier to sell when they’re on your side.
- I actually think that Chelsea will be the team that no one wants to play in their next 9 League games.
Some thoughts and stats around this week’s Premier League fixtures:
Gary takes a look at some of stats you should keep in mind before taking your weekend Premier League bets.
United Set To Have Toffees For Lunch?
The Saturday lunchtime kick-off this weekend is at Old Trafford where Manchester United play Everton. This early (12.30pm) kick-off often springs an upset result, while some teams develop trends – Liverpool are 0 wins from 6 such kick-offs this season.
Of this Saturday’s two teams, Everton have had three early kick-offs, losing away to Villa, drawing at home to Liverpool and beating Arsenal at home. United meanwhile beat Southampton away, beat Wolves away, and beat Man City at home. That 100% lunchtime kick-off record is strong form.
Away Day Dangers
There have never been more than 6 away wins in any 10-game round of matches this EPL season, highlighting how difficult it is to win away from home. The season averages out at between 3 and 4 away wins out of every 10 games.
The away teams this round are Everton (vs Man United), Nottingham Forest (vs Villa), Newcastle (vs Brentford), West Ham (vs Fulham), Chelsea (vs Wolves), Brighton (vs Tottenham), Bournemouth (vs Leicester), Man City (vs Southampton), Crystal Palace (vs Leeds) and Arsenal (vs Liverpool).
Betting favourites to win away this weekend are: Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham, Man City, and Arsenal. That all to come is 32/1. The stats suggest at least 1 of those sides won’t win.
Miserly Toon Defence To Shut Out Bees?
Newcastle have kept 13 clean sheets, the most of any team. They’ve also only conceded 20 goals in 28 games, 6 fewer than second most stingy, Man City.
Clean Sheets Hard To Come By Outside Of The Top Four
From 5th place down to 20th, only 8th-placed Liverpool (11) and 11th-placed Chelsea (10) have kept 10 clean sheets or more. In Chelsea’s case their log position would be down to their low number of goals scored (29 in 29 games, while conceding 30).
Cherries Take Aim At Not So Fantastic Foxes
Leicester have not kept a clean sheet for all 11 matches since they returned from the World Cup break. Southampton also had 11 games without a clean sheet and then snapped the streak by beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. Managerless Leicester are home to Bournemouth this weekend…
Results Sheets Reading Like Binary Code This Season
There have been 53 1-0 scorelines in the EPL this season, the most common result by as many as 12 matches. There have also been 41 2-1s, 37 2-0s, 31 1-1 draws and 21 0-0 draws.
Gunners Look To Extend Winning Streak Against Liverpool
Arsenal have won 7 matches in a row. That’s already in uncharted territory, with Newcastle having 5 wins in a row before drawing 0-0 with Leeds … Arsenal are attempting to continue that 100% record win streak away to Liverpool this weekend.
