Wolves – Chelsea : Preview & Prediction
Wolverhampton Wanderers scored against Nottingham Forest with their only shot on target (E 1-1) so if they are to win any of the “nine finals” that manager Julen Lopetegui says they have ahead of them, they will probably have to create better chances. That fortuitous point lifted them a little further out of the relegation zone, but a three-game winless streak (E1, P2) continues to worry their supporters.
The lack of goals continues to hurt Wolves, especially as none of their last 12 Premier League (PL) home games ended in a draw (G5, P7) and on each occasion the team that scored first won, placing extra emphasis on finding the opener. Perhaps facing a Chelsea side that has just sacked its second manager of the season could be the tonic they need, as they have lost just one of the last four meetings between the sides in which they have been at home (G2, E1).
Chelsea began life without Graham Potter by drawing 0-0 against Liverpool on Tuesday, and the fact that a point was not enough to lift them into the top half of the table shows just how far the Blues have fallen. The team has scored just 29 goals in this PL season, its third lowest tally after 29 league games in the club’s history, so it is painfully obvious where new manager Frank Lampard, who will take over as interim manager until the end of the year, must focus.
Lampard will also have to work on Chelsea’s dismal away form, as their 3-1 win over struggling Leicester in their last PL away game was their first in nine attempts (E4, P4), and in four of which they failed to score. Having drawn a blank here last season (E 0-0), the “Blues” may not relish this visit to the West Midlands, even if the return of N’Golo Kanté has added something to their midfield at the right time of the season.
Players to watch: Chelsea’s Kai Havertz scored his last four goals between the 40th and 80th minutes, and although Daniel Podence scored an 83rd-minute equalizer for Wolves against Nottingham Forest, four of his six PL goals this season came before halftime.
Key Fact: Wolves have received six red cards in the PL this season, the most in the league, four of them at home.
Wolves – Chelsea : Betting Tips
Wolves – Win Odds: 4.50
