Stoke City v Chelsea Betting Tip & Odds: A tricky looking away trip for Chelsea, who go to Stoke who have not lost at home in the Premier League during 2011. However, the Blues are playing much better football than they were, they have new cult hero David Luiz offering something extra at the back, and while they aren’t in top form up front, they should have enough to get something out of this match. Will it be a draw or will it be a victory which keeps up the pressure near the top of the league. There is a big Champions League fixture against Manchester United next week, and Chelsea will want to get through this without any fuss, bother or injuries. Stoke are capable of pulling off a draw here, but would still go with the better, in form team and plump for a Chelsea win. Would look for a Chelsea/Chelsea Half Time/Full Time punt for value of 7/4 at Boylesports
Stoke City to win: 9/2 at Bet365
Draw: 11/4 at Stan James
Chelsea to win: 8/11 at Victor Chandler
EPL Match Preview: Chelsea are clearly in more desperate need of these points, but will they be distracted by next week’s Champions League quarter final match? This is the point of the season where the best teams really start picking up their points, showing their class over the course of the season. This is not an easy game for Chelsea, as Stoke have the gritty ability to throw them off their stride. Still, you would picture Chelsea enjoying a lot of possession and they have so many options up front that something should pay off for them. There are big points at stake at the top and bottom of the table this week, and a defeat for Stoke, could drag them bag down closer to the danger zone again. Chelsea are the better team, but a Stoke battling draw is not out of the question given their good home form.
Stoke City Form: Stoke’s lack of form saw them rapidly slipping into the relegation fight, but a 4-0 win over Newcastle on their last outing has given them something of a reprieve. Prior to that, Stoke had not won in four league matches, and even as it stands, they are just five points clear of relegation, even though they are up in 10th place, which is quite remarkable. Stoke should be OK, because they have more of a battling, direct style which can bully teams out of points, and that is where their strengths are. They aren’t the prettiest side to watch in the Premier League, but being about survival, they do what needs to be done. Until they broke out with their hammering of Newcastle, Stoke had been a bit devoid of goals, but in the grand scheme of things, they don’t have too bad of a home record. Truthfully it is the thing which is propping their season up, because their away form in the league all season has been terrible. Stoke have won eight of their fifteen home matches, which is not a bad return really, and they are undefeated in five matches there, so they will make Chelsea work hard for any points. However, there could be a pattern to this match which you may want to look out for in your football betting. Stoke have managed only 22% of their total goals this season in the first half of matches, so if Chelsea get their noses in front, which they will be expected to do, it could be too much for Stoke to come back from. Stoke haven’t been great at keeping things tight in the first half, with 55% of goals conceded this season coming in the first half. So a Chelsea goal would open the game up and give Stoke a long way back into trying to rescue a point. Still, you look at the qualities which Stoke have, like their unbeaten home record in 2011 for example, and their reaching the semi finals of the FA Cup, you would still initially lean towards the visitors in taking maximum points from this one, while Stoke themselves would be happy to walk away with a draw, no doubt. Ironically, their top scorer is former Chelsea defender Robert Huth.
Chelsea Form: Chelsea look as if they are finally starting to play with a bit more confidence. There is still a little something lacking up front, a sharpness, a decisiveness maybe, but they are the most in form team in the Premier League right now, over the last eight matches. That poor slump they suffered looks behind them now, and there is something of a breath of fresh air about them, if they can sort out where the goals are coming from up front, then they will be alright. They have quietly taken command of a top four spot now, thanks to their victory over an unadventurous Manchester City. Talk of them winning the Premier League really can be dismissed as it is unlikely to happen from this point out. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have probably left themselves too much to do in tat respect. However, they are on a run of three straight victories in the league, beating Manchester Untied, Blackpool and Manchester City, so you would expect them to go on and take down Stoke who have slipped down the league table. Chelsea’s away form is not too bad at the moment, winning three of their last four (and drawing the other one), but they are playing better football than they were during their slump. They have been able to raise up heads of steam against opposition, and they are carrying more threat going forward from the midfield area. They could all be coming into form at just the right time, but catching United at the top and overhauling them may be out of the question. So, when looking at Chelsea football betting, you really can take them on a match to match basis more than anything. The Blues beat Stoke 2-0 at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, and you should expect them to come through this match. They have picked up some decent away wins this season, beating Bolton and Sunderland away from home, which were pretty good results for the Londoners. They do have a lot going for them at the moment, they look stronger than three months ago, and would back them comfortably for a win. Could be a battle, but they have what it takes to get through this.
Head to Head: The head to head record at Stoke City is pretty evenly matched. The home side have won 18 matches there, while Chelsea have won 16 of their trips to visit. There have been eight draws between them, so there is little to chose between the two in this fixture. So, you turn around and look at recent form, and there you see Chelsea dominating the meetings between the two sides. Chelsea have won all five Premier League meetings between the two sides, including that 7-0 hammering last season at Stamford Bridge. This fixture last season ended in a 2-1 victory for Chelsea, and that scoreline sounds about right as well. Slight advantage in the average goals scored in this home fixture for Stoke, but Chelsea should carry this one through.
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Stoke City v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics
Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 2, Stoke 0
Chelsea 7, Stoke 0
Stoke 1, Chelsea 2
Chelsea 2, Stoke 1
Stoke 0, Chelsea 2
Stoke City have an 53% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 40% win percentage away from home in the league this season
Stoke City are on a streak of 5 home games unbeaten
Chelsea are on a streak of 4 away matches with no defeat
Stoke City have scored 24 goals, and conceded 15 at home
Chelsea have scored 25 and conceded 15 goals in their away matches
Stoke City average 1.6 goals per match at home this season
Chelsea average 1.6 goals per match away from home this season
Stoke City have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Chelsea have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Stoke City have opened the scoring in 33% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 52% of their matches
Stoke City 2010/11 top scorer: Huth, 6
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 10
Stoke City 2010/11 Season Form: P30 W11 D4 L15 GF36 GA38 Pts 37 (10th)
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P29 W16 D6 L7 GF53 GA24 Pts 54 (3rd)
