Aston Villa host Chelsea this weekend in what could be, a very good game. Jose Mourinho’s mind games appear as though they are working, first in the League and have a 7 point lead from second placed Liverpool. However, historically Chelsea under Jose Mourinho has struggled to beat Villa at Villa Park. I still remember Villa’s 2-0 win back in 2007, interesingly enough some believe Mourinho was sacked because of that defeat. Even more recently, Aston Villa did beat 2-1 back in 2009 when Ancelotti was boss.
Aston Villa aren’t short of confidence either, Villa have had a two week break due to Man. Cities involvement in the FA Cup and Ason Villa did beat Norwich prior to this game. Chelsea on the other hand have a very important Champions League game against Galatasaray so it’ll be interesting to see whether or not Mourinho will rest some key players.
Additionally, Paul Lambert will have to alter his side. Left-back Ryan Bertrand who is ineligible against his parent side. So Lambert will either call on Luna or Bennett, but it appears more likely that Lambert will play with a back 5 with Clark returning to the side. Meanwhile, Gary Cahill could play against his former side. Cahill made 28 appearances for Aston Villa from 2004-2008 scoring 2 goals, he was solid to Bolton Wanderers.
Team News:
Apart from Bertrand being unavailable, Paul Lambert will have no fresh injury concerns. Okore and N’Zogbia remain long-term causalities
Fernando Torres’s groin injury isn’t as serious as first expected and could feature against Aston Villa. Defenders David Luiz (groin) and Ashley Cole (knee) remain out.
Match Facts:
Aston Villa have not won back to back Barclays Premier League home matches since August 2011.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last six Barclays Premier League away games, keeping four clean sheets and conceding just two goals (W4 D2).
Aston Villa have won just one of the last eight Premier League matches against Chelsea, losing the last four in a row.
Frank Lampard has scored more goals versus Aston Villa than against any other opponent in Premier League history (13).Chelsea have come from behind to win 14 points this season, more than any other Premier League team.
Aston Villa have come from behind to win 13 points this season, second only to Chelsea.
Predicted Lineups:
Guzan
Bacuna-Vlaar-Baker-Clark-Bennett
El Ahmadi-Westwood-Delph
Agbonlahor-Benteke
Eto’o
Schurrle-Oscar-Hazard
Matic-Lampard
Azpilicueta-Cahill-Terry-Ivanovic
Cech
Match Prediction:
Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea
As many are predicting, this will be a very close and difficult game for Chelsea. Aston Villa have usually turned up against the big teams, it’s the against the small teams where we see Aston Villa under-performing. Still, I think the Chelsea squad is slowly tiring and will find it very difficult to break through our defence. Still I know that Lampard will score against us again… meanwhile I expect Agbonlahor to get on the score sheet.
I think Hazard will cause no end of problems. 0-3. Happy to write this one off as long as the goal difference isn’t ridiculous!!
Got a feeling that we may well frustrate Chelsea today, and I think that it could be a great opportunity for Benteke to show off in front of Mourinhou and the cameras.
Mourinho never won at vp either think we will get a draw at least they arnt that great a team tbh
really don’t know how to predict this one today?!
We have a good record against chelsea and Mourinho.
Scnario 1. They need to open up a gap at the top and could play offensively from the off leaving them short on the counter, espicially on their right with the way Ivanovic overlaps, so gabby could be key. If it pans out like this I can honestly see us nicking it. Hazard is the main man to watch though, delph is going to have to have a blinder today to keep anything near quiet.
Scenario 2. We don’t even score a goal, they sit deep, knock the ball around, control the game and win confortably 2-0
If justice was to be served correctly then, based on the events of the game in August last year at Stamford Bridge, Villa would run out winners today. You may recall that Villa played really well, having a few days earlier beaten Arsenal at The Emirates stadium. However the referee Kevin Friend, enter in brackets (Friend of Mourinho), saw Branislav Ivanovic elbow Benteke in the face. If this was deemed to be an accident then no further action need be taken.If it was considered to be deliberate then it is regarded as violent conduct so a Red Card is the only option. Friend gave a yellow card and I am still confused as to why. Of course it was Ivanovic who, minutes later, went on to score the winning goal in a 2-1 defeat for Villa. Also, right at the end, John Terry blocked the ball with his hand, having raised both arms in an unnatural position. Nothing given. I recall Terry doing more or less the same a couple of years ago against Villa and at the same end, yet no penalty was given.
Despite all this, Chelsea are bound to coast to victory with Lampard and Ivanovic scoring against us as they always do and Mourinho spouting his bull**** afterwards saying that although his team has a nine point lead, Manchester United or Cardiff or Fulham or Ross County are still favourites for the title. He regards himself as “The special one”, “The deluded egotistical one” more like.
Im going 0-2 chelsea carn’t see us getting anything against a team i feel has better players.i can’t see me being proved wrong either.utv
I’m going for a villa win fuck em come on you lions VTID
I think we can nick a draw here, they won’t commit too many forward as they know we can only score on the counter and they know how to stop that as nearly every team plays this way against them. Goin for 1-1 with villa scoring 1st.
I gotta go with a comfortable Chelsea win. unless we can score early Chelsea will go one upand boss the game, they tend to shut up shop a bit once they take the lead and much as I don’t like mourinho Chelsea look really good to me this season.
id be very pleasantly surprised if we got anything today.
id really like to see a decent performance from us what ever to help the teams confidence and build on the last home result against Norwich, we really need to do something about our home record and performances.
villa will get revenge today unless the referee comes in to rescue chelsea.
2.1 win for villa will shut up the little manager, whos trying to play mind games like ferguson,only hes so bad at it.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Ramires, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Torres.
Subs: Schwarzer, Kalas, Mikel, Lampard, Schurrle, Salah, Ba.
Aston Villa: Guzan, Bacuna, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Delph, El Ahmadi, Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor.
Subs: Steer, Sylla, Holt, Clark, Albrighton, Lowton, Robinson.
How the hell does Bennett get in before Luna?
1-3 for me.
Or maybe a 1-1 draw????
2-2 draw for me. Feel we’ll go 2-0 up in the first half and they’ll make a dominating comeback in the 2nd.
Luna not being on the bench is odd. Unless injured.
No Helenius again. If hes not injured Lambert’s a fucking nobhead. Chelsea will also have 12 men again today.
Way his comments went after we brought Holt in, I’m kind of glad he’s not playing. Lambert wants to change him from a technical striker to a Holt type striker and I’d hate to see such a talent wasted like that. Yes he should be playing, but using him incorrectly is what Lambert would be doing.
Bennett in that means we’ll be solid at the back.ffs give me fucking strength.
Obviously not going to be one of Gabby’s 5 good games a season.
Gabby’s not been too bad.
Bennett’s been the biggest surprise, hope he can continue like he has. Bar the foul for his yellow, his tackles have been spot on, a few interceptions and very rarely beaten.
Agree about bennet though can see him fucking up at some point. Can see him or baker being sent of.
It’s possible but then every defender we have can have that one “fuck up moment”, but overall with how he’s played, he’ll at least push Bertrand hopefully to do better still.
We look comfortable but Chelsea haven’t turned up yet I expect a very different second half. It’s not like us to defend well for 90 mins either so I expect a few more mistakes as well. That said if we keep the ball down and get it wide nice and quick we could nick a goal.
It’ll be like the Spurs game v Chelsea. Chelsea didn’t show up much during the first half, but destroyed them in the 2nd.
He’s not been too good either. More bad
I can’t bear it it’s like waiting to be run over by a train UTV
Lol mate how true.
Westwood’s non existent now too. Fresh legs needed
Sylla’s the only midfielder we have on the bench unless Lambert takes a chance with Albrighton coming on. Or could change it up and bring Lowton on and Bacuna goes into midfield for more creativity.