Chelsea host Manchester City at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, in a game which is being touted as the marquee match of the weekend. The Blues vs Blues tie also throws up an absorbing tactical contest among Jose Mourinho & Manuel Pellegrini, who have contrasting styles of setting up their teams.
So lets take a look at the fixture, shall we?
DATE & TIME: October 27, 2013 at 12:00 EDT; October 27, 2013 at 16:00 GMT; October 27, 2013 at 17:00 BST; October 27, 2013 at 17:00 WAT; October 27, 2013 at 18:00 CAT; October 27, 2013 at 19:00 EAT; October 27, 2013 at 21:30 IST.
VENUE: Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom.
TV/STREAMING NEWS: Chelsea TV will stream the game live. The match will be telecast live on Fox Sports 1 in Australia, Sky Sport 1/HD in Austria, SuperSport3 Africa in African sub-continent, Sportsnet Ontario/East/West/Pacific in Canada, Al Jazeera Sport HD1/HD6 in Egypt, Canal+ Sport in France, Sky Sport 1/HD in Germany, ESPN HD & Star Cricket in India, Canal +1/HD/30 in Spain, Al Jazeera Sport HD1 in UAE, Sky Sports 1/HD in UK and NBC Sports Network in USA.
CHELSEA FC SQUAD NEWS: Ashley Cole is fit to be included in match-day squad after recovering from his rib injury. Marco van Ginkel & Tomas Kalas are the only absentees.
Predicted Starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Schuerrle, Oscar, Hazard, Torres.
MANCHESTER CITY FC SQUAD NEWS: City captain & talismanic defender, Vincent Kompany will miss out Sunday’s game. Martin Demichelis is also doubtful.
Predicted Starting XI: Hart, Zabaleta, Nastasic, Garcia, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Touré, Navas, Aguero, Silva, Negredo.
REFEREE: Howard Webb.
TACTICAL OVERVIEW: Manchester City play a 4-2-3-1 formation, but not the one similar to Chelsea’s as Pellegrini prefers to have Aguero & Negredo interchanging the lone frontman’s position with two attacking mideos wide. Lets take a look at the average position of the City players in their 3-1 win against West Ham.
City’s two most influential players have to be David Silva and Yaya Toure, as most of City’s attack are directed through them. If we take a look at a graphic of the passes played by both against West Ham, we’ll see how these two are the magicians behind the threatening runs of Aguero & Negredo and the goal scoring opportunities created by the team.
Chelsea will definitely be boosted by the absence of Vincent Kompany in the heart of the City back-line, but the duo of Garcia-Nastatic did an excellent job at West Ham, and are expected to start tomorrow.
Chelsea will look to play on the counter against City, a tactic they have almost perfected over the last few weeks. Chelsea’s two wide men, most probably Hazard & Schuerrle will be instrumental to implement this ploy as their pace could be an advantage against Clichy & Richards, who have a tendency to get caught on counters.
Fernando Torres has looked the best among all three Chelsea strikers & his off-the ball movement(if he starts) will prove to be critical if Chelsea has to unlock the City defense.
If we focus our attention to the action heat-map of Manchester City, we’d notice how the battle in the middle of the park will play a “pivotal” role in determining the course of the game.
Ramires & Lampard, the most used deep midfielders of Chelsea this season, in addition to Oscar(who tends to drop deep), have to effectively deny the trio of Touré, Fernandinho & Silva(who often drifts towards the centre – as suggested by his passing graphic) from taking control of the match.
FORM INDEX: Chelsea – DLWDWW ; Manchester City – WDWLWW
FUN TRIVIA:
- Chelsea have won 11 of their last 12 home matches in Premier League.
- Jose Mourinho is unbeaten in 64 PL matches at Stamford Bridge, winning 50 of them.
- Chelsea & Manchester City are the only clubs still to have 100% home league record this term.
- Petr Cech will equal Deninis Wise’s 445th appearance, becoming the sixth-highest appearance maker for the club.
- Branislav Ivanovic, if selected, will make his 150th PL appearance.
- City have scored more goals(20) than any other Premier League team this season.
- Chelsea have conceded the second least goals in Premier League this term.
IN A NUTSHELL: This match between the title favorites for the 2013/14 season has the promise of an engrossing football battle, on the pitch & in the technical area. Three points for either team will play a role in the league standing come May. With Manchester City recording just one away win this season, Chelsea have an opportunity to gain one up on an important title rival.
City plays through central midfield which gives tough test to our defenders as there players like silva,nasri and aguero can penetrate through gaps with fluidic passes, so we can expect more possession from city and must create our opportunities through counter attacks and set pieces, i expect oscar will score an important goal for us and for them aguero plays vital role.
Predicted Starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Luiz, Schuerrle, Hazard, Torres. A 4-3-3 will be perfect.
Nice preview. I think we have a slight edge going into this game (given our recent form), and the three points would be v.important for us. 2-0 Chelsea
We are winning today, mou has never lost at home. And its definately not today.
Yes he has to Basel at home
mou has never lost at home and he lost to basel in the ucl!we’re playing against a team with a well organised midfield so expect an easy game in any form and this is not a game for ageing lampard.we need to play mikel today becos yaya toure cos hes the only one who can mark him out!
So it means he has then hasn’t he? He lost to Basel so he lost at home
Wonderful exlaanption of facts available here.
Great common sense here. Wish I’d thought of that.
CHELSEA 😀 😀 😀 😀