Chelsea face Nottingham Forest on Saturday away from house within the Premier League for the early night 5.30pm kick off.
It’s an opportunity for Chelsea’s gamers, Mauricio Pochettino, and now Todd Boehly, to place their cash the place their mouths are and proceed the momentum and extra importantly, the highest performances we now have seen throughout the final two and a half video games. They’ve all talked the speak this week, now it’s time to stroll the stroll.
I feel many are getting carried away and have brief recollections. All of us bear in mind latest video games and durations the place we now have performed effectively for even three video games in a row, however then utterly fold over and drop off once more within the subsequent two. I feel for my very own sanity I’m remaining very cautious and never getting overly excited like others appear to be. However persevering with this good kind and doing it once more on Saturday in opposition to Forest will definitely assist improve my optimism slightly bit extra. However even when we do, I’ll nonetheless be remaining cautiously optimistic. I’ve seen and heard all of it earlier than.
However, we do have an amazing probability now to maintain this going and construct on the positivity of the final couple of weeks, as a result of we now have been unbelievable, particularly within the Tottenham and West Ham wins. Has the tide turned? Have we turned that nook? This recreation on Saturday will go slightly strategy to answering these questions.
Forest away although is a reasonably harmful recreation to go an play proper now, purely as a result of we’re three video games off the top of the season, and they’re nonetheless not protected in any respect from the relegation zone. A degree and much more so three factors, can be big for them and this will probably be handled like a cup ultimate for Nuno Espirito Santo and his gamers.
They received their final recreation 3-1 away from house in opposition to Sheffield United, which was an enormous end result for them. Former Chelsea man Callum Hudson-Odoi bagged a brace. and the way he would like to show just a few folks mistaken on Saturday too.
In latest video games, Forest have solely narrowly misplaced to Liverpool and Brighton, and so they have had hard-earned attracts in opposition to Luton City and Crystal Palace. They’ve additionally crushed Fulham 3-1 and drawn 2-2 in opposition to Wolves. They will setup powerful to beat at house and in opposition to greater sides will play on the counter. They just lately misplaced 2-0 at house to Manchester Metropolis, however they’d extra makes an attempt on purpose (14 vs 11) than Metropolis did, regardless of solely having 33% possession.
Chelsea should be on it defensively and in transition on the counter and if we do lose the ball excessive up the pitch.
We will count on Chelsea to boss possession, however identical to they’ve within the final two and a half video games (I’m really sick of writing that 😂), they might want to profit from stated possession and be as medical as we now have been of late. If we do this, then we should not have any issues in any respect getting previous this potential banana pores and skin recreation.
Mauricio Pochettino could have the ultimate staff information tomorrow, however there must be extra boosts and returns from harm and naturally, Christopher Nkunku must be within the squad once more. There’s no level me predicting the lineup at present as a result of everyone knows that as a rule, we get the shock of extra gamers being added to the harm checklist from nowhere, so I’m not going to jinx something!
I do nonetheless suppose we are going to win this recreation. I don’t suppose will probably be an enormous scoreline like West Ham, as a result of they had been simply so horrible in opposition to us and I don’t count on Forest to be in the identical state as they had been in – however I do suppose we are going to win this 2-0.
I’ve not predicted many wins currently, so hopefully the actual fact I’m now predicting a win doesn’t come again to chunk me!
The one factor that does stick in my thoughts is we misplaced the house fixture in opposition to Forest 1-0 again in September, so that they know they will beat us. Earlier than that defeat, we hadn’t misplaced to Forest since 1997! Forest additionally had their factors deduction upheld after enchantment, in order that has made them much more decided to earn these factors again within the ultimate video games.
Former Blue Ola Aina, who will probably be seeking to lock down their left hand aspect together with Hudson-Odoi, says the rejected factors enchantment doesn’t matter to the squad and they’ll preserve doing their job to earn factors again within the Premier League.
However Chelsea, particularly if we’re utilizing the momentum and actually have turned the nook, must be going there on Saturday and getting all three factors, with none actual doubts. Do we would like Europa League or not? If we do, this can be a excellent probability to strengthen our battle for that. Go forward and show we’re on our approach again!
