Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Wednesday, 28 January
Kick-off: 19.45 GMT
There’s always an added edge for me when we play Boro, largely because I don’t like them. Old grudges die hard and I’ve never forgiven them for the 1987-8 season play-offs. Needless to say then, I enjoyed thumping them 5-0 at The Riverside earlier this season.
That was then though and this is now, we’re third in the table and so are they – except they’re third from bottom. With 42 goals from 22 games in the Premier League, we’re the most prolific scorers and with just 18 from their 22 games, Boro are the Premier League’s worst in attack. They’re also on the longest winless run in the league right now, going 10 games without a win, scoring just one goal and conceding nine. However, we haven’t managed a clean sheet in our last six games (league and cup), so we’ll have to avoid giving away too many set-pieces.
Prior to the game, an upbeat Ray Wilkins says “It’s a great month, a fantastic month. If you are a footballer, these are the games you want to play in. This month is extremely important for us. It’s always crucial you pick up maximum points. We are at home and we expect to do well in this match.”
Gareth Southgate meanwhile, having added loan signing Marlon King to his squad, says “I am hopeful that Marlon’s arrival will work very well for us. He knows what we are looking for from him and the importance of our situation and he is keen to try to make a difference. I believe that we have enough quality in the squad. We’ve had some awful luck with decisions lately but we can continue to give a good account of ourselves if our luck holds.”
On the injury front for Chelsea, both Michael Essien and Joe Cole are the long-term absentees and although John Terry should be back following his back injury, Ricardo Carvalho now misses out with a hamstring injury.
For Boro, Defender Andrew Taylor misses out, although Alves, Arca and Pogatetz all return. Marlon King is also expected to go straight into the squad for this one.
KEY PLAYERS
CHELSEA
Frank Lampard – the Chelsea midfielder has been in fighting form in our last couple of games whilst standing in as skipper. If he continues the same way with the captain back, he could figure highly in this game.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Emanuel Pogatetz – the Boro defender could well be a key player for the Teesiders, if only for the amount of injuries he subjects our players to.
CLUB FORM
CHELSEA
We’ve won our last three games in all competitions and of our last seven in the Premier League, the only defeat has come at Old Trafford. We haven’t lost to a North-East club since 2006, although typically that was against tonight’s opponents. We go into this game two points down on this stage last season and fourth in the table.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Boro have picked up just four points from the last 30 available, scoring just one goal in five league games. They haven’t beaten any of the top four away since December 2004, so fingers crossed we can extend that a bit. Boro go into this game no different to this stage last year with 21 points from 22 games and they currently sit 18th in the table.
HEAD TO HEAD
We go into this game looking for our fifth consecutive win over Boro in the Premier League, having won the last four with an aggregate score of 11-0, whilst Boro will be looking for their first ever win at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. Chelsea, on the other hand, will be defending a 34 year run unbeaten by Boro at home. We haven’t conceded a goal to Boro since August 2006 and have kept clean sheets in 17 of our 27 Premier League games against them.
Home and Away
League (inc PL): Chelsea 46 wins, Middlesbrough 28 wins, Draws 29
Prem: Chelsea 16 wins, Middlesbrough 5 wins, Draws 6
At Chelsea Only
League (inc PL): Chelsea 33 wins, Middlesbrough 5 wins, Draws 13
Prem: Chelsea 10 wins, Middlesbrough 0, Draws 3
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 1-0 Middlesbrough
Chelsea scorer: Carvalho, 6
30 March 2008 – Ref: Phil Dowd
THIS SEASON’S REVERSE
Middlesbrough 0-5 Chelsea
Chelsea scorers: Kalou 14,53, Belletti 51, Lampard 63, Malouda 67
18 October 2008 – Ref: Phil Dowd
PREDICTION
On paper, this would usually be regarded as a bit of a stroll and that’s certainly the way it was at The Riverside earlier this season. Things don’t always go our way at the Bridge these days though and it’d be just like us to cock up against a side who couldn’t buy a goal this season. We’ve had a bit more fight about us lately, so if we carry that on tonight, we should be ok for a home win. However, there’s still a chance that a combination of Boro’s loan signing and our set-piece phobia could make it a lot less comfortable.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (from): Cech, Hilario, Taylor, A Cole, Ferreira, Bosingwa, Belletti, Terry, Ivanovic, Mancienne, Alex, Lampard, Ballack, Deco, Mikel, Kalou, Malouda, Stoch, Anelka, Drogba, Kakuta
MIDDLESBROUGH (from): Turnball, Jones, Hoyte, McMahon, Pogatetz, Riggott, Wheater, Huth, Bates, Bennett, O’Neil, Arca, Shawky, Johnson, Downing, Porritt, King, Alves
REFEREE
Lee Probert (Gloucestershire)
Blue is the colour
