Pressured by recent bad results, Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 21. Opens the schedule of the day of the ninth round of the English Championship version 2017/2018. From 9:30 am (Brasília time) it faces the surprising Watford.
Chelsea’s recent performance
The blues had a turbulent week. On Wednesday, October 18, they only drew home with Roma, 3 to 3, in a match for the third round of the group stage of the Champions League, the last of the first round.
Equality in their fields was neither the target of the biggest criticism of Chelsea, but the way the club played. The English were dominated by the Italians most of the time. Roma had most of the ball, with 58 percent of possession. With 16 minutes having been played, the ball went down. In short, a performance much lower than expected from the London team.
However, having won two victories in the opening matches, his situation in the European competition is still very good. Chelsea lead Group C with seven points. They are two more than the Italians and five ahead in the comparison as Atletico Madrid, third placed. This shows that the classification for the round of 16 is well under way.
The situation is much less comfortable in the English Championship. Especially after the vexation played by the blues in the oitiva round. Against Crystal Palace, who until then had lost all their games without scoring a goal, took 2 to 1 reducing their chances of defending the title won in the 2016/2017 season. It was not first major stumble against a team at the bottom of the table. On their debut, the Blues, at home, were defeated by Burnley (3-2).
Thus, with 13 points (four wins, one draw and three defeats) occupy only the fifth place in the table of classification of the Premier League. The difference for Manchester City, leader, has risen to nine points.
One of the few good news for fans in the match against Roma was the return of striker Alvaro Morata (seven games in the 2017/2018 season of the English Premier League, six goals). The Spaniard stayed just over two weeks away due to muscle damage. He has been able to play the entire game against the Italians and should be among the starters this Saturday. He did not participate in the loss to the Crystal Palace and was needed.
There remains doubt about the situation of defender Victor Moses (six games, no goal), Daniel Drinkwater (reinforcement who has not yet made it) and N’Golo Kanté (seven games, one goal). All are delivered to the medical department and according to the English press news they should not be released for the departure of this Saturday.
The current form of Watford
The Watford is the little one that managed to get into the block of English giants in the beginning of season. With 15 points (four wins, three draws and a loss), he is in fourth place, which would give him the right to play in the qualifiers for the 2017/2018 European Champions League.
The good situation of the club is not due to a favorable table at the beginning of the dispute. In eight rounds, the Watford had on its way three giants. He overcame Arsenal by 2-1; tied with Liverpool 3 to 3 and lost to Manchester City 6-0, a result certainly out of the curve with good work presented by Portuguese coach Marco da Silva.
To face Chelsea, the coach will have to deal with some limitations in the lineup that must be imposed by the medical department. Craig Cathcart (a Premier League season game without a goal), Younes Kabou (two games without a goal) and Sebastian Prodl (two games without a goal) are in injury treatment; midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah (five games, no goal); and striker Isaac Success (without performance).
History of the bouts between Chelsea and Watford
The teams crossed paths 13 times, the first of which in 1999 when Watford got their only win. Then there were nine Chelsea successes and three equal ones.
PREDICTION: Watford win @ 3.00
