Does Blackburn plunge the Blues even deeper into crisis?

Chelsea is still in free fall and failed miserably also on the last matchday of the Premier League. With the defeat against city rivals Brentford, Chelsea lost a league game for the fourth time in the still young season. Now the Blues from London face the next hurdle this week, this time in the 2023/24 EFL Cup.

The Londoners will face Blackburn Rovers in front of their home crowd. As expected, CFC will be favored against the second-division club, but the guests should not be underestimated. The last time the two clubs met in a cup tie, a bet on the Riversiders to progress paid off in Chelsea vs. Blackburn – a good omen ahead of Wednesday’s clash?

Just like Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers are also playing a mixed season. However, the Riversiders are in the second-tier Championship, which is why their role as underdogs is understandable for the best bookmakers. Nevertheless, bets on it have value, because rotation can not be ruled out on the part of CFC.

In recent years, Premier League clubs have increasingly spared key performers in the first rounds of the League Cup, relying instead on reserves. In the Blues’ current league situation, it is therefore not out of the question that CFC coach Mauricio Pochettino will also spare some regular players for the next league match in the English top flight.

If the Riversiders can take advantage and win against a possible B-squad of the Londoners, betting odds of up to 12.00 are paid out for a Chelsea vs. Blackburn prediction on the guests.

Chelsea – statistics & current form

By no means back to their old strength under Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues are also experiencing a relapse into old times under the new head coach and have so far disappointed beyond measure. In the Premier League, Chelsea is only eleventh in the table after ten matchdays. Last weekend, they suffered another setback with a 2-0 loss to Brentford.

Pochettino’s team has won only three of its ten league games. It therefore remains to be seen with what attitude the Blues approach the League Cup match against Blackburn. In the previous round, Chelsea beat Brighton in the 2023/24 EFL Cup, eliminating a league rival from the cup competition.

Compared to the first round of the League Cup, in which only reserves and youngsters were used to a greater extent, Mauricio Pochettino dispensed with rotation for the match against Brighton. How the Blues will now approach the home match against Blackburn, on the other hand, is not yet foreseeable, especially since Chelsea will face the in-form Spurs on the next matchday of the Premier League.

Do CFC have to bow out of the League Cup?

Since the 2018/19 season, Chelsea have only been to the quarterfinals of the EFL Cup once. It is quite possible that the League Cup will be neglected this time as well. Therefore, it is also daring to make a prediction on the host from London in Wednesday’s match between Chelsea vs. Blackburn, especially since only quotes in the 1.20 range are offered for it.

Across competitions, Chelsea have won just one of their last five competitive matches in front of a home crowd. The Blues have actually lost three of those five matches. In these three encounters, in which a point win for the CFC at home failed to materialize, there was also not a single goal to cheer for the Londoners.

This was also the case last weekend against Brentford (0:2). It is possible that the goal drought will continue against second division side Blackburn. Since October 2009, CFC has not scored more than two goals in any match against Blackburn. An offensive spectacle can therefore be ruled out this time as well.

Predicted lineup of Chelsea:
Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella; Ugochukwu, Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Jackson, Maatsen

Blackburn – statistics & current form

Blackburn have nothing to lose in the cup match against the Blues from London. The Riversiders will go into Wednesday’s game with an attitude to match and are therefore unpredictable. In the current league competition, Blackburn have yet to find their winning ways after 14 matchdays. The second division club is only in twelfth place.

In the 14 league games Blackburn have played so far, they have already suffered seven defeats. Head coach Tomasson’s team, on the other hand, has won six of these 14 matches. Blackburn Rovers have won three of those six on foreign soil – most recently two in a row. A 4-0 win at QPR was followed by a 2-1 win at Millwall.

If the winning streak is extended away from home, there are odds of up to 12.00 for a Chelsea vs. Blackburn tip on the Riversiders. For Blackburn, it would be the second cup coup in a row against Chelsea. Back in 2009/10, Blackburn Rovers eliminated CFC from the League Cup and even reached the semi-finals that season.

Next Riversiders shootout in EFL Cup?

This season Blackburn started the league cup with a match against Walsall. Blackburn won the match against the underclassed opponent with 4:3 and thus solved the second round ticket. The Riversiders scored eight goals in an emphatic win over Harrogate in that round.

League rivals Cardiff also felt the attacking power of Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Cup. In the third round of the League Cup, Blackburn beat the Welsh side 5-2. If Tomasson’s team carries the momentum into the cup clash against Chelsea, the second division club can be expected to score at least one goal in London.

The visitors do not have any serious personnel worries ahead of the upcoming cup match. There will be no major changes to the starting eleven that played in the Championship last week.

Predicted lineup of Blackburn:
Wahlstedt; Rankin-Costello, Hill, Carter, Pickering; Tronstad, Garrett, Moran; Markanday, Dolan, Szmodics

Chelsea – Blackburn Direct comparison / H2H record

For the 110th time, the two clubs will meet. Chelsea leads the H2h against Blackburn Rovers with a record of 46-29-34. Since March 2010, the Blues have won each of their last four must-win games against the Riversiders. The last time the two clubs met was in the 2011/12 Premier League.

Chelsea won the first- and second-round duels against Blackburn at that time. They won 1-0 away from home. At home, on the other hand, it was a narrow 2-1 win against Blackburn. Chelsea are now aiming for their fifth win in a row and are also seeking revenge for the cup defeat in December 2009. Blackburn beat Chelsea in the League Cup to advance to the semifinals.

Chelsea – Blackburn tip

Chelsea, meanwhile, is bobbing around in no-man’s land in the Premier League. The Blues have yet to find their winning ways in the league and are lagging behind the high expectations. After the bitter derby defeat against Brentford, CFC is looking to make amends and is already focusing on the next league game: the city derby against the in-form Spurs.

In view of this, the League Cup match against Blackburn is not at all convenient. It therefore remains to be seen with which team the Londoners will tackle Wednesday’s game. Rotation cannot be ruled out. Opponents Blackburn caused a sensation in the rounds before and have especially flexed their muscles in the offense.

We trust the second-division team to score at least one goal in London. Risk-affine bettors can even dare an outsider tip on the Riversiders, for which there are sometimes quotes in the double-digit range. Our Chelsea vs. Blackburn tip targets “Blackburn scores in the 1st HZ” at betting odds of 3.40. We use three units for this.