How will Wolves react to the managerial sacking?
Chelsea have endured a turbulent run this season and have already parted company with a head coach. Now it’s a case of finally really getting on track. This opponent could be just the ticket.
In the run-up to the Chelsea vs Wolverhampton match, the bookmakers are pointing to a clear favourite role for the Blues. The Gasteber are individually better, in better form and have been able to boost their confidence during the week.
These are good omens for coach Graham Potter’s eleven. However, Wolves have also seen changes in the coaching ranks recently, making preparation difficult.
Chelsea – Statistics & current form
During the week Chelsea played Milan at home in the Champions League and Graham Potter, the new coach at the Blues, celebrated the first big win against a big opponent. In the game against the Rossoneri, the defence was not stable at all times, however, the offensive showed a clear improvement compared to the game before and was more determined. That was a good start into a very difficult phase with many saves in a short period of time.
Now Wolves come to Stamford Bridge, an opponent against whom Chelsea have looked good in recent years, at least at home. Nine times in a row the Blues are without defeat here against Wolverhampton. The aim now, of course, is to make it ten games and the team, which is gradually implementing coach Potter’s instructions, has a good chance of doing so.
Of course, the overall statistics this season still suffer somewhat from the difficult weeks at the beginning. For example, Chelsea have only one player in their squad who has scored more than one goal in the domestic league – Raheem Sterling with three goals. But that doesn’t change their role as favourites.
Chelsea slowly finding old strength
Just during the week against Milan, it was noticeable to the Blues that many elements are slowly meshing. The team is anyway geared to play possession-based football with some dominance passing – which is exactly what the new coach is calling for. If this dominance is combined with a very good compactness on the field, Chelsea have a lot to offer.
Because: Defensively, Chelsea still has some catching up to do. Under Tuchel, the Blues were very difficult to overcome, especially in their debut season, and now the team has only played to nil once in the Premier League so far. The team also struggled recently, winning 2-1 against Crystal Palace with some difficulty. More confident performances would help a lot and also open up room for rotation.
However, because things improved against Milan and the visitors are weak offensively, our prediction ahead of the Chelsea v Wolverhampton game is that the hosts won’t lose and both teams won’t score.
Predicted Chelsea line-up:
Kepa – Azpilicueta, Koulibaly, Thiago Silva – James, Kovacic, Jorginho, Cucurella – Mount, Havertz, Sterling
Last matches played by Chelsea:
Champions League Grp. E
06/10/2022 – Chelsea FC 3 – 0 AC Milan
Premier League
01/10/2022 – Crystal Palace 1 – 2 FC Chelsea
Champions League Grp. E
15/09/2022 – Chelsea FC 1 – 1 RB Salzburg
06/09/2022 – Dinamo Zagreb 1 – 0 FC Chelsea
Premier League
03/09/2022 – Chelsea FC 2 – 1 West Ham
Wolverhampton – Statistics & current form
Wolverhampton have already changed coaches too, with Bruno Lage forced to leave as confidence in a turnaround dwindled. The Portuguese’s replacement is yet to arrive, though Julen Lopetegui, ex-Sevilla coach, is considered the hottest candidate. Talks are expected to start soon and he would definitely be trusted to turn things around.
But what is actually going wrong? Especially offensively, Wolves have problems. This has been the case for a long time. Eleven times in a row, the visitors have not scored more than one goal in the Premier League, and so far this season they have scored only three goals in eight games, and they have had one of the fewest shots on target.
Wolverhampton have lost two in a row, and after the game against West Ham (0:2), they pulled the ripcord and parted company with the coach. Now, with an interim solution, the unpleasant game at Chelsea is to be made successful somehow. The defence will be crucial here.
The only plus point: Wolves’ defence
Because that is something to be proud of. Wolverhampton have conceded only nine goals in the Premier League so far. Although many games were not very successful, the opponent often had to invest a lot in order to be successful. That is something to build on. Moreover, Wolverhampton might have the surprise effect on their own side, because Chelsea cannot adjust to the opponent and the new ideas.
The squad was strengthened in the summer, but it is not ideally filled in one position or another, especially in the centre of defence and midfield, when it comes to width. It is not only coach Lage who has made mistakes, but everyone at the club. Nevertheless, there are some positive approaches and there is more in it than has been shown so far. Due to the visitors’ record so far, our value tip before the Chelsea vs Wolverhampton game is that less than 2.5 goals will be scored.
Predicted Wolverhampton line-up:
José Sa – Semedo, Kilman, Mosqueta, Ait-Nouri – Ruben Neves, Moutinho, Matheus Nunes – Pedro Neto, Guedes, Podence
Last matches played by Wolverhampton:
Premier League
01/10/2022 – West Ham 2 – 0 Wolverhampton
17/09/2022 – Wolverhampton 0 – 3 Manchester City
03/09/2022 – Wolverhampton 1 – 0 Southampton
01/09/2022 – Bournemouth 0 – 0 Wolverhampton
28/08/2022 – Wolverhampton 1 – 1 Newcastle
Chelsea – Wolverhampton Direct comparison / H2H record
Chelsea lead the record against Wolves, but only just. The Blues have won 43 direct duels so far, while Wolverhampton have come out on top 40 times. 30 games ended without a winner. In pre-season there were two draws, Chelsea have waited four times in a row for a win against this opponent, but there has also been no defeat at Stamford Bridge for ages.
Chelsea – Wolverhampton Tip
Chelsea have advantages over Wolves in many areas. The Blues are better individually and have shown better form recently. Wolverhampton, on the other hand, have just changed their coach
Open, then, is the question of how Wolves presented themselves. Anyway, ahead of the Chelsea vs Wolverhampton game, our tip is that the hosts don’t lose and both teams don’t score.
