SOCCERSNIPERS BRINGS YOU TODAYS BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP MATCHES.
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea pair John Terry and Eden Hazard returned from injury in the defeat against Atletico Madrid in midweek and came through that match unscathed.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech is still sidelined after dislocating his shoulder, while midfielder Ramires is suspended.
Norwich's on-loan defender Joseph Yobo returns to the squad but is still doubtful with a calf problem.
Midfielder Anthony Pilkington is unlikely to play after being unable to train all week with a hip injury.
MATCH PREVIEW
Norwich cannot mathematically be relegated this weekend, but a repeat of the defeats they've suffered in their last six visits to Stamford Bridge would leave only the narrowest sliver of hope before the door shuts completely.
Their stand-in manager Neil Adams was dealt an impossible hand and we'll never know if those who take the decisions at Carrow Road erred in the sacking of the previous coach at all, or in not sacking him soon enough. What is certain is that Adams cannot be held responsible if relegation comes.
What Norwich really need is a win, which is asking a lot. Chelsea have lost successive home games to Sunderland and Atletico Madrid, so Norwich are hoping for a third consecutive Bridge loss for the Blues - something which last happened in the autumn of 1993 in a sequence of defeats which was started by Norwich and continued by Oldham and Arsenal.
But Chelsea were a wholly different club in those days; just how different is underlined by the fact that the sequence of three home defeats was ended in a draw with Manchester City watched by a Stamford Bridge crowd of just 10,128 - and that wasn't even their lowest crowd of the season.
Jose Mourinho has spent most of the campaign declaring that his side were not ready to scale the Premier League and win the Champions League and it seems he was right.
Superior goal difference over Arsenal means that they need only a point to ensure they don't need to play a Champions League qualifier, the minimum now expected of any Chelsea team. I doubt if Mourinho would consider this his worst season, a tag he gave his last campaign at real madrid but, despite some outstanding results, it would be a long way short of his best.
Unless, of course, both Manchester City and Liverpool slip up in the league again. If they do Chelsea will be ready to pounce.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League clashes with Norwich, winning six and drawing one.
- The Blues have won their last six meetings with Norwich at Stamford Bridge in all competitions, scoring 21 goals and conceding just two.
Chelsea
- Chelsea have lost three out of their last seven Premier League matches.
- The last time they lost two consecutive home games in the league was in 2011 between 29 October and 20 November, when they lost 5-3 to Arsenal and 2-1 to Liverpool.
- They haven't lost a league game following a midweek Champions League game this season - winning 11 and drawing one.
- Jose Mourinho's side have only failed to win three of their 18 league matches at Stamford Bridge this season, but all those matches were against sides in the bottom half of the table, with draws against West Brom and West Ham, and a defeat by Sunderland.
- Eden Hazard has created more goalscoring chances than any other player in the Premier League this season (87).
Norwich City
- Norwich have lost eight consecutive league games away from home.
- They have the worst away record in the Premier League, with only eight points from their 18 matches (W2, D2).
- The Canaries have scored the fewest goals away from home (11) and conceded the most (44), giving them a goal difference of -33.
- They are yet to pick up a point since Neil Adams took over, losing all three matches.
- Enjoy your weekend folks...soccersnipers.
No comments:
Post a Comment