Chelsea vs Cardiff City
After the opening rounds of the UEFA Nations League, we’re back with Premier League action at Stamford Bridge where Cardiff City are the visitors.
It’s Chelsea vs Cardiff in a game the hosts will expect to win, as they continue an early-season assault on the top spot. For the visitors, it’s a chance to show they can live with the best teams in England, and a tiny chance to get their first league win of the season.
Maurizio Sarri has made a perfect start at Chelsea, with four wins from four, and his team is already playing with a swagger which went missing last season.
The Bluebirds are back in the top flight after a four-year absence and they are under no illusion that survival will be a minor miracle. And according to the Premier League 2018 betting odds, it won’t look any brighter after this weekend.
But Neil Warnock’s teams always play with spirit and no little pragmatism, so Chelsea won’t expect the visitors to roll over.
Talking Points
How long will Sarri stick around at the Bridge?
After a stunning season with Napoli, the new Chelsea boss decided to have his first taste of English football, and it’s so far so good. But I’m sure he must know what he’s got himself into. He’s the 13th head coach at Stamford Bridge since Roma Abramovich took over at Chelsea.
He has the tools to do the job at the Bridge, with the record signing of goalkeeper Kepa, the excellent Cesar Azpilicueta in defence, and N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in midfield. The Blues have scored ten goals in their opening four wins, with Eden Hazard and Pedro scoring a couple each.
Premier League 2018 results elsewhere have put Chelsea second, a goal behind Liverpool and already ahead of Manchester City.
This was a side Antonio Conte couldn’t get to the Champions League last season, but the additions of Kepa and Jorginho make them title contenders once again.
Can Neil Warnock finally keep a team in the Premier League?
He has overseen a record eight promotions in a managerial career spanning 38 years and 16 clubs, but Warnock is seen as a Championship specialist rather than a Premier league survivor.
His beloved Sheffield United was relegated under his watch in 2007, and he has subsequently been sacked by both Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace as each club languished at the wrong end of the table.
Warnock’s team went out of the Carabao Cup after a 1-3 home defeat to Championship club Norwich City but they put up a better show against Arsenal, losing 2-3. Cardiff plays no-nonsense football, getting the ball forward quickly and playing with their greater strength at the back. Skipper Sean Morrison is the heartbeat of the team, and he has power alongside him in the form of Sol Bamba and Bruno Ecuele Manga.
Going forward, Harry Arter is the standout player, with the former Bournemouth star adding some quality.
History
The newcomers may look like relegation fodder, but Cardiff are more stable than the last time they were in the Premier League, with managers in and out and the team playing in red at the behest of owner Vincent Tan. He thought red would appeal more to global supporters, which is not much good if you get relegated.
The fans hated it and Tan saw sense so they are now back in blue, a good thing for the Bluebirds!
Cardiff have two points after goalless draws with relegation rivals Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United, but they have yet to get a win or taste success against Chelsea. In their last season in the top flight, they suffered a double defeat at the hands of Chelsea, 1-2 in South Wales and then a 4-1 drubbing at Stamford Bridge.
The only other clash in the Premier League era resulted in an FA Cup win for Chelsea, back in 2010, again by a 4-1 scoreline.
Betting Tip
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Chelsea vs Cardiff City | Chelsea Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 1.99 |
| September 15, 22:00(GMT+8) |
I really can’t see anything other than a comfortable Chelsea win here; anything else would be a serious shock. The SBOBET odds at 1.20 for a home win, 6.00 for a draw and 14.00 for a Cardiff triumph tell the story. It’s going to be a long afternoon for Warnock’s side.
We expect goals, with Over 3 available at 1.83, but what will the final result be?
Well, 2-0 is at 5.80 and 3-0 is 6.80. AOS is 6.40, which basically means Chelsea to score five or more; or Cardiff to score five or more!
If you fancy Chelsea to continue the habit of thumping Cardiff 4-1, then you can get odds of 14.00. And that’s just as likely as a Cardiff win by any score.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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