Date: Monday 21st
December 2020
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Our last game before Christmas sees us taking
on West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
Despite a 17-game unbeaten run, losing our last
2 has left a bah humbug feel around Chelsea ahead of the festive season and I
suspect the nappy liners are already being patched together for the predictable
‘Lampard Out’ banners.
We’ve been leap-frogged by half a dozen sides
in the league, (although most won’t have the Champions League to be distracting
them) and new signings are carrying the weight of that particular can. I remember Michael Ballack saying how hard it was to
move from the Bundesliga to the pace and physicality of Premier League football.
I also remember his impact once he’d done it but memories are as short as
tempers at Chelsea these days.
On to West Ham, and they’ve had just one
defeat in their last six games and did the double over us last season. This
season, we’re separated by just one point and one place in the Premier League, and
it doesn’t get much tighter than that.
Bit too
close to call really.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, says “I think he’s [Moyes]
doing a great job. They have good players, but the way they’re playing and the
consistency they’ve got, the levels they’ve got to this season, have been
really impressive. They’ve got an experienced, very good manager, who’s
obviously got his message across to them and they’re playing really well. The
organisation of their team, the style they play, is difficult to play against.
They have threats on the counter-attack, they’re very good at set-pieces. So
they’re just playing very well.”
West Ham manager
David Moyes meanwhile, says “They
[Chelsea] have got a lot of young players, they are trying to get them right
back to where we are used to seeing them, winning the league and in cup finals.
I think Frank [Lampard] is doing a really good job. He’s got some really exciting
young footballers who are going to have long and prosperous careers.
He [Lampard]
is at a big club, big expectations and you are expected to win all your games. The
media do as well and they hunt you when you don’t win. I think the big thing
with Chelsea is they have a good group of young players, English too, lots of
internationals and the media are always keen on backing those players, that’s
good to see. They have always had a good
academy over the years. Frank has done a good job but with big jobs comes
pressure. People are very quick to talk about you.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, the
good news is Callum Hudson-Odoi and Hakim Ziyech (both
hamstring) will face late fitness tests, the bad news is Reece James
will be rested for a few games after concerns over a knee injury.
For West Ham, Arthur Masuaku is
out following knee surgery and Michail Antonio and Fabian
Balbuena face tests.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Mendy; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Silva, Chilwell; Kovacic, Kante, Mount; Pulisic,
Giroud, Werner
WEST HAM (Possible
line-up): Fabianski; Coufal, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Bowen,
Benrahma, Fornals; Haller.
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
(30th November 2019)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: WWDWLL
WEST HAM: WWWLWD
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last 14 Premier League home
games against West Ham
- Chelsea lost this fixture last season (0-1).
- West Ham won home and away against Chelsea in the Premier League
last season,
- Chelsea have lost their final league match before Christmas in two
of their last 30 seasons.
- West Ham’s final league match before Christmas last season was a
1-0 win over Southampton.
- Chelsea have lost their last two Premier League games
- West Ham have won their last two Premier League away games
PREDICTION
Sky Sports: Chelsea 2-0 West Ham
90mins: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham
Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham
