Friday, April 22, 2011

| by

0

23.04. (Sat) 18:30 Chelsea - West Ham United




DID YOU KNOW?

* In the 85 league matches between the two sides, Chelsea and West Ham have 34 wins a piece. The other 17 matches have ended in draws.

* Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 matches against the Hammers. The Blues have won 10 of the games and the other two ended in draws.

* Chelsea are on a nine-game unbeaten run in the league and have won their last three games.

* The Blues have won 13 matches this season by two goals.

* Carlo Ancelotti's side are looking for their seventh win in eight Premier League games.

* Much of the excitement in Chelsea's games seems to come in the last five minutes of matches as they have score 10 times and conceded eight goals in the closing stages.

* West Ham have not won at Stamford Bridge since a 3-2 win back in the 2002/2003 season.

* West Ham have lost 25 per cent of their league away games 3-0 this season.

* Avram Grant's side have conceded 58 goals in the league this season with 31 coming on the road.

* If Chelsea score the first goal the stats show it will be an uphill battle for the Hammers. Opposing teams have taken the lead 18 times against Grant's side this season and only once have they managed to turn it around and get a win. They have drawn five times and lost 12 games when the opposing team scores first.

LAST MEETING

September 11, 2010: West Ham 1-3 Chelsea

Chelsea continued their fine start to the season by cruising past West Ham thanks to a Michael Essien brace and Salomon Kalou's strike to stay top of the league and condemn the Hammers to the bottom of the table.


PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, David Luiz, Cole; Essien, Ramires, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

West Ham: Green; Jacobsen, Da Costa, Upson, Bridge; O'Neil, Noble, Parker, Hitzlsperger; Cole, Keane.

Prediction
The form book suggests only one outcome at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have quietly put together a run of form which has seen them re-emerge as outsiders in the title race. They should be far too strong for Avram Grant's side, who are without a win in five games in all competitions.

Chelsea 3-1 West Ham