Despite the international break, football folk are still talking about Chelsea’s 5-0 demolition of Everton. A parting shot from domestic football before country took precedent that for quality, nothing comes close.
John Motson, the esteemed, woolly BBC commentator got rather over-excited with his use of m words and called it “mercurial, monumental”. We’re not sure about the former but certainly it could prove to be the latter.
This was Chelsea’s statement of intent. It was beautiful, free-flowing, fast and lethal. And when the Blues play like that, it is hard to see how any team can live with them.
Not so long ago we suggested Chelsea should be a wager at around the 7 mark to win the Premier League. They are now 4 with at Green Listed Bookmakers such as Bet365, BetVictor, and William Hill. This is still value.
Manchester City are 3.3 (Paddy Power) and Liverpool 3.75 (Betfred, Boylesports, Paddy Power, Netbet, Bwin). Of course City are fair favourites but we don’t believe Liverpool have the swagger or nous as this Chelsea team. The Reds look and play like pretenders on occasion (see the goals conceded at Crystal Palace).
Their five-game winning sequence aside, what we like about Chelsea is the formation they play. Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 is being hailed as a tactical masterstroke. It is good because he has the players who can play it. Look at the teams who try to replicate it. Everton? Nope – thumped. Tottenham against Arsenal – well, they got a draw but it is not such a natural fit and they did it only because of injuries.
The simplest way of stopping an opposition is to set up in exactly the same way. Now Everton have been hammered out of sight, what will the rest of the also-rans try? Without the personnel to outwit in these mid-table and lower-table teams, Conte’s path to the title is laid out in front of him.
Middlesbrough are one such side. They have not beaten the Blues in their last six and they are surely not going to start on Sunday. Yes, they have taken points off Manchester City and Arsenal but that’s not a trend we have much faith in.
Their home record is one of the poorest in the division. Only Sunderland and Swansea have collected fewer points than Boro’s four.
Unsurprisingly they are 7.3 (Marathon) for the win with the draw 4.3 (Unibet, 32Red, 888Sport). Chelsea are 1.57 (Bet365, Skybet, Boylesports, BetVictor, William Hill, Coral, Ladbrokes, Betway). That’s pretty skinny so if you reckon their run of not conceding in the last five will go on, they are 2.45 (Bwin) to win to nil.
Another wager we like is Eden Hazard to score at any time. He is eyeing a fifth-straight game with a goal largely because he is the chief beneficiary of Conte’s system. He actually plays ahead of Costa. He is 2.67 (Unibet, 32Red, 888Sport). That’s a terrific price when you consider Costa is odds-on.
Calculators
