Date: Saturday 13th
May 2023
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 15:00 BST
After 6 defeats, the win came as a bit of
a surprise last week and the 3 goals, were even more surprising. So, we can finally
put to bed any talk of relegation. Joyous.
Or bittersweet, because the natural reaction
to celebrate and breathe a sigh of relief, or even walk down the ‘it’s been a
long time since we celebrated avoiding relegation’ lane, was tinged with a
reminder that our celebrations have been for markedly different reasons for a
long time until this season.
Today’s game
is a hard one to call. Forest, like us, come into the game off the back of a
win but they’re poor on the road, whilst we’ve failed to win in six at Stamford
Bridge and I’m not sure whether having the pressure off us for our last few
games will be a good or bad thing now. When we needed the points, we weren’t
playing for them and whilst points will make little difference to us now, some
effort to finish slightly higher than 11th would be nice.
We drew away
to Forest and I’d expect them to give us a tougher game today. Let’s see which
version of Chelsea they get to face though.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Chelsea interim manager,
Frank Lampard, says “Form has not been great and it can build up some nervousness
among players and fans. I think in football it can (change the
mood) but we cannot get carried away with a win. Another game comes in the
Premier League against a team fighting for their lives. It’s a big test, we
have to give them (Forest) complete respect. They have an effective way of
playing. They are very threatening in terms of set pieces and fighting for
everything. We play for pride in every game no matter what the consequences for
anybody else. It’s our consequences that we are concerned about.”
Nottingham
Forest manager, Steve Cooper, meanwhile, says “We are playing Chelsea
away so that is always going to be a tough game at any time of the season, you
look at the squad they have, the changes they can make, the team they can start
with, they have players all over the pitch who can make a difference and we
have to be ready for that. I never pay any attention to any context around a
team we play against apart from them being at their best because I always think
you have to prepare for that. That’s what we’ll be doing. We want to go there
with our best intentions of getting a result we really need and want. We have
got to know what it takes from our guys to do well and try and minimise the
strengths they have because there is a lot.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea,
Armando Broja (ACL), Kalidou Koulibaly (hamstring), Mason Mount (pelvic), Reece
James (hamstring) and Marc Cucurella (hamstring), have been joined by Ben
Chilwell (hamstring) on the injury list.
For Nottingham
Forest, Dean Henderson, Chris Wood, Scott McKenna, Giulian Biancone, Omar
Richards, Neco Williams, Jonjo Shelvey, Jack Colback and Emmanuel Dennis are
all out, Gustavo Scarpa is lacking fitness, whilst Serge Aurier (fitness) and
Renan Lodi (knock) are doubts.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Kepa; Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Azpilicueta; Kante, Fernandez,
Kovacic; Madueke, Havertz, Sterling
NOTTINGHAM
FOREST (Possible line-up):
Navas; Worrall, Felipe, Niakhate, Toffolo; Freuler, Mangala, Danilo;
Gibbs-White, Johnson; Awoniyi
LAST SEASON
N/A
FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: DLLLLW
NOTTINGHAM FOREST:
LLLWLW
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea have won six successive home games against
Nottingham Forest in all competitions.
- Forest have won one of the past 12 competitive
meetings.
- Chelsea ended a run of six straight defeats against
Bournemouth last weekend.
- Nottingham Forest have won two of their past three
matches.
- Chelsea are without a win in six home games in all
competitions.
- Nottingham Forest have lost seven successive away
games and have the worst Premier League away record this season.
- Chelsea could suffer three straight Premier League
home defeats for only the second time.
- Nottingham Forest have lost on all five Premier
League visits to London this season.
- Both sides have scored 34 goals in as many Premier
League matches this season.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-1 Nottingham Forest
