Premier League: Penny For The Thoughts Of An Absent Friend

Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion

There will be an elephant in the room, or more accurately, in the stadium at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

He won’t be in attendance at this Premier League match, certainly I very much doubt it, but thoughts will inevitably turn to him before his two recent employers battle it out.

Talking Points

Graham Potter started the season in charge of Brighton with a growing reputation and an ever-improving pedigree.

The former Ostersunds FK and Swansea City manager had led the Seagulls to a ninth-place finish last season, the club’s highest ever in the top flight.

And he picked up where he left off, winning at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the campaign and guiding them to fourth in the table after winning four and drawing one of their opening six Premier League games.

Then came a call which was too good to turn down.

Chelsea needed a new boss after the harsh sacking of Thomas Tuchel and Potter’s progress had been noted.

In fact, within a few days his assistant Billy Reid, first-team coaches Bjorn Hamberg and Bruno, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and assistant head of recruitment, Kyle Macaulay, all joined him in West London as Chelsea paid Brighton in excess of £21 million in compensation.

Fast forward little over six months and Potter (and Reid) have gone and Chelsea have a caretaker manager in Frank Lampard and are sitting in 11^th place in the Premier League, four places and seven points behind Brighton who have continued to thrive, if not, improve under Roberto de Zerbi, who has also guided them to the FA Cup semi-finals.

So, despite probably spending more in one transfer window than Brighton have spent in their entire history, it is the visitors who appear in much better shape ahead of this clash which has the potential for Premier League highlights.

What next for Chelsea is a question that will be asked plenty of times between now and the end of the season.

Whatever the answer is, if Lampard doesn’t guide his team to victory this weekend, there will be more murmurs of discontent amongst the home faithful.

For Brighton, their attempt to close the gap on Spurs in the race for Europe may have ended in defeat last weekend but anyone who saw the game will know that the visitors were the better side.

Indeed, De Zerbi’s team exhibited a real verve rarely seen in the N17 postcode of late and were victims of poor decisions on at least one occasion – most notably when Kaoru Mitoma was tripped in the box but referee Stuart Attwell failed to spot the infringement. The error was compounded when the video assistant referee (VAR) failed to overturn the decision.

The PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, has since made contact with Brighton to apologise for the officials’ failure, although they would have rather a point or three than an apology!

Will their luck change on Saturday or are lavish Chelsea due a change in fortune?

History

Brighton have only tasted victory twice in this fixture – in their very first game in the third round of the 1933 FA Cup, and earlier this season when they were terrific, racing into a half-time 3-0 lead enroute to a 4-1 success which was the return Potter and Marc Cucurella (who had left Brighton a month before Potter) must have dreaded.

As well as own goals from Cucurella and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Leandro Trossard and Pascal Gross were on target with Kai Havertz netting what was a mere consolation for the aristocrats from west London.

To show the rise of Brighton, the previous three meetings had also been draws, including the corresponding fixture last season when Danny Wellbeck netted a 90^th minute equaliser to cancel out Romelu Lukaku’s opener.

Overall, Chelsea have 12 wins and there have been five draws out of their 19 games.

Betting Tip

Brighton should have no fear taking on the big boys of west London and that is reflected in the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds which show Chelsea as only marginal favourites.

They can be backed 1X2 @ 2.50 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.23.

Brighton are available 1X2 @ 2.61 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.38.

I have been so tempted to go for a Brighton win, while a repeat of their 1-1 Draw last term – on offer @ 5.40 with Correct Score – also appealed. I so nearly plumped for Double Chance Draw Away @ 6.40 too but I am going to sit on the fence on this one.

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.