We’re rattling in the direction of Chelsea’s second recreation of the season, and already the strain is rising on the Blues.
After a great finish to the season was adopted by a Convention League and a Membership World Cup win, and after the Blues spent huge and did effectively within the switch market, hopes and expectations on Enzo Maresca’s crew rose dramatically.
They have been significantly included in discussions about who might win the title – let’s not overlook that they had title-winning kind for the primary third of final season. If they might lengthen that just a little longer this yr, they might definitely be within the combine.
However soccer hardly ever performs out as you anticipate it to, and after two months of hype (and two nice wins in pleasant video games the week earlier than to boost expectations even greater) the Blues performed out a painfully dry 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace of their house opener.
It was fairly the damp squib after a number of pre-match pomp and ceremony unveiling varied “World Champions” murals. This crew solely had 10 days of coaching within the construct as much as the sport and it confirmed.
The assault particularly was sluggish and lifeless, missing all of the incisive and decisive strikes we noticed only a week earlier than towards AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen.
Nicely, their probability to make up for it comes fairly quickly. After Sunday’s draw, they’re again in motion for his or her second recreation on Friday night time after they face West Ham.
In case you take a look at the chances at your native 1 greenback deposit on line casino nz, or wherever you wish to wager, you’ll see the Blues are heavy favourites.
That’s not simply because the bookies are shopping for into the hype about us being good – it’s additionally as a result of West Ham look unhealthy.
They have been struggling for many of final season, and don’t actually look to have taken on Graham Potter’s message in any respect. In actual fact
They went into this summer season needing to get significantly better – and as an alternative have misplaced Mohammed Kudus and customarily acquired weaker. They misplaced their opening recreation 3-0 to promoted Sunderland per week in the past, which is about as ominous a gap day outcome as you would hope for.
We doubt Potter lasts past September, and Chelsea must hasten that exit by getting their season into gear with a snug win over the Hammers on Friday night time.
Fail to win for a second recreation in a row and issues will go from a false begin to a misfire.