Monday, January 24, 2011

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24-01-2011 21:00 Athletic Bilbao - Hercules

Comfortable At La Catedral

Athletic Bilbao will aim to keep their aspirations of European football alive on Monday night, when they tackle a Hercules side who have done a solid job of fending off the threat of relegation in the first half of the campaign.

Unlike their guests, los Leones are ever presents in the Primera Division, and having already accrued 29 points, there is little prospect of the Basque giants having to fret over their perfect attendance record come May. Instead, the Bilbao club will be looking to spread their wings into continental competition once more.

Though Joaquin Caparros’ side have picked up nine wins this term, they have struggled to gain any kind of consistency about their results. Indeed, they stand on the cusp of going undefeated in three league matches for the first time this season. Wins at home have often been contrasted quickly by road losses, and this has prevented Athletic making any real progress.

With seven victories from their 10 matches at San Mames to date, Caparros will be confident of leading his side to another victory at La Catedral, where only Deportivo La Coruna have tasted success in La Liga since September.

Need Another Gear

Hercules’ return to Primera Division action in August began with a 1-0 defeat at home against Athletic Bilbao, though thankfully for the Alicante side, better has followed. Barcelona were beaten 2-0 at the Camp Nou just a couple of weeks later and Esteban Vigo’s side have barely looked back since.

Like los Leones, Hercules have failed to piece together any kind of coherent sequence of results. They’ve neither gone unbeaten for three matches not lost more than a couple in a row; commendable for a side fresh out of the Segunda, even one boasting talent such as David Trezeguet and Nelson Valdez.

Fallibilities have been persistently shown on the road, with that famous win against Barca a notable exception. Last weekend, for example, Sporting de Gijon proved too good for the southerners, recording a 2-0 success at El Molinon.

“We need another gear when we play away from home,” Vigo honestly admitted after the defeat – Hercules’ sixth in 10 road games, and their ninth without a win. “Things will change in the second half of the season.”

With uncertainty still surrounding the payment of the club’s players, all is not necessarily well off the field, but on the park Hercules continue to do a reasonable job.

TEAM NEWS

Athletic

Aitor Ocio is a new absentee for the Basque side. He has picked up a foot injury and can’t feature. Fernando Amorebieta, Iban Perez and Jon Aurtenetxe all miss out again.

On the other hand, Inigo Diaz de Cerio comes back into the squad after a loan spell with Cordoba.

Hercules

Abraham Paz and Tiago Gomez come into the team after recent problems. Olivier Thomert is the Alicante side’s major absentee.

Prediction
While the challenge of Hercules shouldn’t be completely dismissed, a home win is very much on the cards. Athletic are powerful beasts in front of their own fans, and los Herculanos have rarely shone on their travels.
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Hercules

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24-01-2011 21:00 Bolton Wanderers - Chelsea

Emotional Evening In Prospect At The Reebok

Owen Coyle has called on his side to put in a “big performance” on what will be an emotional Monday night at the Reebok as the club pay their respects to the late, great Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse before kick-off with floral tributes and a minute’s silence.

Certainly an improvement is needed as the Trotters have now gone four games without a win in the Premier League, although such has been their success this season they remain in an impressive seventh place in the table.

Wanderers also tend to find Chelsea a tough nut to crack, having failed to beat the Blues since 2003; even then it needed a last-gasp John Terry own goal to seal victory.

Shaking Off The Blues?

Chelsea, meanwhile, will hope they are headed for a brighter future after their recent dismal run came to an end with a much-needed victory against Blackburn Rovers last weekend.

However, the Blues haven’t won away since October and such has been their decline that striker Didier Drogba has admitted there is no point in discussing their title prospects until they manage two or three consecutive victories.

Carlo Ancelotti will surely be delighted, therefore, to be travelling to the Reebok as Chelsea have not lost to Bolton in their last 14 meetings, and indeed haven’t even conceded a goal against the Trotters in their last seven encounters.

TEAM NEWS

Bolton Wanderers

Owen Coyle may decide to hand defender David Wheater a debut after he joined the club from Middlesbrough. However, the Trotters are likely to be without Ivan Klasnic and Gretar Steinsson who are both injury doubts.

Definite absentees include Chung-Yong Lee, who is on Asian Cup duty, and injury victims Sean Davis, Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner and Jlloyd Samuel.

Possible starting XI: Jaaskelainen; Robinson, Cahill, Wheater, Ricketts; Muamba, Taylor, Holden, Davies (M); Elmander; Davies (K).

Chelsea

The visitors have doubts over Frank Lampard, with Carlo Ancelotti admitting he has no idea if the midfielder will be fit for Monday.

There are also question marks over the fitness of John Terry after he picked up a rib injury in training, but the skipper has since insisted he will be available for slelection.

Chelsea are also without Alex, Yossi Benayoun and Yury Zhirkov, but otherwise have no new injury problems.

Possible starting XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Lampard, Ramires; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

Prediction
Two sides short on form go head-to-head at the Reebok both in need of victory to regain lost momentum.

While the Blues will hope to build on victory against Blackburn Rovers, Bolton will want to avenge last weekend’s defeat to Stoke and on an emotionally-charged night for the club may find the inspiration needed to end a poor recent record against Chelsea.

Bolton 0-0 Chelsea