Previews

Chelsea get their 2014-15 season underway at Turf Moor on Monday night, hoping to start with three points against newly promoted Burnley. As the final one of the top sides to kick off in the league this weekend, Chelsea will be looking to lay down a marker to their rivals.

This game could see the debuts of many new stars who have joined the team over the summer. £32million signing Diego Costa could make his debut, along with ex-Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. Filipe Luis, who joined for £15million from Spanish Champions Atletico as well, could also make his debut.

On top of that, keeper Thibult Courtois could make his first Chelsea start, despite signing two years ago. The highly rated keeper has just returned from an extended loan spell at Atletico Madrid, and he looks like he could dislodge the previously ever-present Petr Cech from the number one position.

The goalkeeping position is Mourinho’s big decision heading in to this season. He says he’s already picked his first choice keeper, but choosing between Cech and Courtois won’t be easy. Cech has 10 years of experience at Stamford Bridge, but Courtois is seen as an incredible prospect, and he has just two years left on his contract. If he doesn’t get games soon, he could sign for another club on a pre-contract arrangement in 16 months time.

One man who won’t be making his second debut is Didier Drogba, with the club legend picking up an injury in pre-season which looks set to rule him out of this game. After rejoining the Blues on a free transfer, fans are desperate to see Drogba in a Chelsea shirt again. Drogba is likely to be more of an impact player this season, but his presence in the dressing room will be a welcome help in the title race.

Ramires still has one match of a suspension to serve from last season, so he won’t be making the trip up to Turf Moor. The Brazilian would have been unlikely to start anyway, with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas the likely pairing in midfield.

As for the other midfield spots, it seems to be Eden Hazard and Oscar plus one more. Either Willian or World Cup winner Andre Schurrle will start against Burnley, with Schurrle looking favourite after a solid pre-season.

It’s not apparent what formation Chelsea will line up with in this game, or across the season for that matter. Last term Mourinho used a 4-2-3-1 for most of the campaign, but it is rumoured that Oscar will play in a deeper position, and Chelsea will go back to the 4-3-3 formation that was used in Mourinho’s first spell at the cub.

As for Burnley, they are odds-on to go down and they’ve invested little in the transfer window, keeping hold of their squad from last year plus adding some new faces on frees. On paper they don’t seem a test for Chelsea, but it was results in these kinds of games that cost the Blues the title last season. Three points here could actually be more important than they seem against what will be a stubborn Burnley outfit.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea are looking to wrap up their season with a win against Cardiff, despite having nothing to play for on the final day of the Premier League season.

After Man City’s win over Aston Villa on Wednesday the Blues are now unable to win the Premier League title, but they finish second if Liverpool lose at home to Newcastle. We can’t see that happening, however, so it looks like both sides will be playing for pride in this one now that Cardiff are definitely down.

The Bluebirds’ fate was sealed last week as their defeat at Newcastle, and Sunderland’s win at Old Trafford, ended their one-year stay in the Premier League. The Welsh side have looked like relegation candidates ever since they sacked Malky McKay, but they’ll be hoping to finish the season on a relative high of beating Jose Mourinho’s men.

Chelsea would still be in title contention, had they not slipped up to another relegated side, Norwich City, last week. That draw was symptomatic of Chelsea’s season, failing to break down a resilient but less talented team. Mourinho has said Chelsea need to invest in a striker before next season, but they’ll have to make do with what they have for their trip to South Wales.

Demba Ba led the line against Norwich, but he drew a blank and put in another forgettable performance. Fernando Torres scored in his last start, and Mourinho is likely to pick the Spaniard ahead of Samuel Eto’o for this one. If speculation is correct, this could the final chance any of Chelsea’s three strikers get to line up for the Blues.

Oscar and Ramires are the only players missing in midfield, while Eden hazard could make his first league start in over a month. John Obi Mikel, who Mourinho said could move from Stamford Bridge this summer, could be making his final Chelsea appearance.

We could see a few of Chelsea’s young defenders on show at Cardiff, with Tomas Kalas impressing in his debut at Anfield. With no title to push for, Mourinho may rotate his usual back four. Ashley Cole, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will likely play as it doesn’t look like he has a future at the club. Mark Schwarzer will continue in goal, with Petr Cech still injured.

Despite having little to play for, the Blues should still be looking to add three points to the board. Mourinho, who ruled out Chelsea’s title chances earlier in the season, said his aim was to finish as close to the top as possible, after all.

A third placed finish, and automatic qualification for the Champions League group stages, was secured last week in that draw with Norwich. Chelsea aren’t playing for anything other than pride, although for some this will be a final appearance in Chelsea blue so we would expect at least one or two players to put in a good performance which should be enough to scrape the three points.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 1-0

Chelsea host Norwich on Sunday knowing they have a chance to win the Premier League title, but they need other results to go their way.

The Blues trail Liverpool by two points, and they lead Man City, who have a game in hand, by a point. With the season almost over, Chelsea are big outsiders for the trophy. Jose Mourinho has ruled out their chances of winning the title, but he’ll be expecting his side to finish strongly and win their last two.

Mourinho ruled out their title hopes after the Liverpool game, but said they still had a good season. “We are not in it,” said Mourinho. “The champions will be Liverpool or City. We have nothing to celebrate.”

The question is how much rotation will we see from the side that was in Champions League action in midweek (losing 3-1 to Atletico to exit the Champions League). Mourinho made seven changes for the trip to Liverpool, and we could see some more stars rested after Wednesday’s game, despite the Blues’ elimination from European competition.

Tomas Kalas’ impressive debut has increased their options in midfield, as has the return of Ashley Cole. With the heavily changed side managing a 2-0 win at Anfield last Sunday, Chelsea have the strength in depth to change things and still beat Norwich.

Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel, Nemanja Matic and Mohammed Salah could all return after missing the Atletico game through suspension or ineligibility. This is Chelsea’s final home Premier League game of the season, so there should be a strong line up on show.

With Samuel Eto’o not featuring against Atletico, he could well make a return against Norwich, with Mourinho preferring him to the other strikers over the course of the season. After Wednesday night’s more defensive line up, Chelsea should name a more attacking side against the Canaries as they look to put on a show against doomed-looking Norwich.

Brazilian midfielder Ramires continues his suspension that started last weekend. He won’t feature in the Premier League again this season after his lash out during the defeat to Sunderland landed him a four game suspension. The return of John Terry in midweek was a massive boost, but he’s unlikely to be risked against Norwich.

Norwich come in to this game in desperate need of points, having dropped in to the relegation zone. They lost 4-0 at Old Trafford and offered up very little against Ryan Giggs’ side. They face Arsenal on the final day of the season, so their survival chances are looking slim to say the least.

Chelsea won this fixture 4-1 last season, and they’ll expect a similarly resounding win to wrap up the season, even with changes. Chelsea have been in great defensive form in the league, conceding the fewest goals in the division, and that should continue here with another clean sheet.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-0

Chelsea take on Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening knowing that a win will see them through to the Champions League final. The Blues drew the first leg 0-0 in Spain, so a win on the night sends them to the showpiece in Portugal on 24th May.

That task is easier said than done, with Atletico leading La Liga, and Chelsea could be without a number of key stars. Goalkeeper Petr Cech is out with injury, captain John Terry will likely miss out as well while Eden Hazard is still a doubt. Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel are suspended, so the back five and midfield almost picks itself.

Mark Schwarzer will replace Cech in goal, just as he did after 18 minutes in the first leg. Cesar Azpilicueta and Ashley Cole will keep their spots at right and left back respectively, while Gary Cahill will be joined at centre half by the returning Branislav Ivanovic.

John Terry has been rumoured to be in line for a surprise return from injury quicker than expected, but since Mourinho ruled him out for the season just last week it is unlikely he’ll be back in time.

David Luiz could come in handy at the back for this one, but there are more pressing concerns in midfield that mean he’ll be needed there. Lampard and Mikel are out through suspension, while Nemanja Matic is ineligible. With Marco Van Ginkel and Ramires the only natural midfielders available, Luiz and his fellow Brazilian are likely to start on Wednesday.

Further up in midfield, Eden Hazard is still a worry. A calf muscle strain has sidelined him since the quarter final win over PSG, and it’s unknown if he’ll be fit for the second leg of this tie. Mohammed Salah is out, he’s cup tied in the Champions League, so if Hazard doesn’t make it, Andre Schurrle, Oscar and Willian will start, with the latter a yellow card away from missing the final, should Chelsea make it.

David Luiz is also in that boat, and with his habit of over enthusiastic tackling, and in a defensive midfield position, he’s at massive risk of ruling himself out of a potential final.

Up front, Samuel Eto’o is out with a knee injury, meaning former Atletico striker Fernando Torres is set to start against his boyhood club once again. Demba Ba looks to be back on the subs bench, despite his good showings against PSG and Swansea earlier this month.

Chelsea are heavy depleted, especially at the back, which makes things harder to ensure Atletico don’t find that elusive away goal. Chelsea’s blank in the 1st leg means they will have a mountain to climb if they concede at Stamford Bridge. Hopefully the makeshift back four can repeat the heroics of the ones that finished the 2-2 draw with Barcelona two years ago, and who then went on to win the final.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-1

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has threatened to field a heavily rotated side for their trip to Liverpool ahead of their Champions League semi final second leg three days later.

The Blues travel to the league leaders on Sunday, with their return game with Atletico on Wednesday night. With Petr Cech and John Terry out through injury, and John Obi Mikel and Frank Lampard out of the Atletico game through suspension, Mourinho is restricted in terms of selection in both games.

Mourinho had wanted the game moved to Saturday to give his side a longer breather between the two games, but that was rejected by Liverpool. Mourinho can’t afford to lose another player, especially in defence, so it’s likely that big changes will be made for Sunday’s game.

Of course, the side that Mourinho picks will still be strong, due to the depth of Chelsea’s squad, but there may be problems in defence. Hilario will likely start in goal as they can’t afford an injury to Mark Schwarzer given Cech is out injured. Daivd Luiz will be needed in midfield on Wednesday, so Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic and Cole are the only available, experienced defenders.

That could see the likes of Christensen and Kalas feature on Sunday. Of course, the situation is close to the one that occurred during Chelsea’s Champions League run in 2012. In between the two legs of the semi-final Roberto Di Matteo made eight changes to the side that went to Arsenal, with that team securing a 0-0 draw.

They also fielded a weakened side at Anfield later in the season, which they went on to lose 4-1. This team should have enough experience in it to keep things tight, with the midfield of Matic, Lampard and Mikel costing the club close to £60million in transfer fees.

While the league is no longer a priority for Mourinho and Chelsea, they’ll still be hopeful of a result at Anfield, as a win would close the gap between the teams to just two points. The team selection would likely have been a lot closer to the first 11 if they hadn’t thrown away their title hopes with a 2-1 loss against Sunderland last weekend.

With all eyes now focused on beating Atletico on Wednesday, this game seems little more than a distraction to many. But, it is worth noting that Mourinho made similar threats earlier in the season, when they were forced to play Manchester City at home, before travelling to Arsenal in the Capital One Cup two days later.

The Chelsea manager said he’d be playing the club’s youth players, but ultimately decided to play a strong side and won the game 2-0. While Liverpool are a tougher opponent and Wednesday’s game is massive, don’t rule out seeing a few senior players on the pitch on Sunday.

Likely 11: Hilario; Ivanovic, Kalas, Christensen, Cole; Lampard, Mikel, Matic, Schurrle, Salah; Ba

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to grind out a 0-0 draw

Chelsea go in to this Champions League semi-final first leg knowing their main priority is to stifle La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.

The Blues are playing in their seventh Champions League semi in 11 years, and with the second leg at Stamford Bridge their aim will be to keep things at least level going in to the return fixture. Jose Mourinho will be looking to frustrate Atletico, especially since they’re such a tough side to play at the Vincente Claderon.

Mourinho has lost at this stage with Chelsea before, but both of those ties were against Liverpool, and both had Chelsea away from home in the second leg. The Blues showed against PSG that they can beat one of Europe’s best at home, and they’ll be extremely confident of going through if they could get a draw in Spain.

In terms of team news, Chelsea will be without their two January signings Nemanja Matic and Mohammed Salah, who are both cup tied in this competition. Mourinho is likely to go for the more defensive pairing of Ramires and David Luiz in holding midfield positions, to break up play and frustrate the opposition.

Aside from that the only player that Chelsea have any worries over is Eden Hazard, who went off injured in their last Champions League game. Hazard is likely to return, but he may not be fit enough to start the game.

The only real selection question over Chelsea’s team, should Hazard make it, is in the forward position. Demba Ba’s good form could see him start, especially since Mourinho doesn’t like playing Eto’o away from home. Former Atletico man Fernando Torres could make a return against his former club, but his recent form doesn’t really justify a start.

For Atletico, they can select on loan Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, after UEFA ruled that Chelsea couldn’t have any say in the Spaniard’s team selection. There are rumours, however, that Atletico will still not play the Belgian stopper, to ensure they can retain his services on loan next season.

They could also be without Chelsea target Diego Costa, who suffered a nasty injury in their league win over Getafe last week. Costa slid in to the post just after scoring his side’s second, leaving a large cut on his leg. The club have said he should return for this game, but the concern over him suggests this one might be more serious than they admit.

Chelsea are likely to go here with the spirit of 2012’s Champions League winning side. Atletico aren’t the most difficult team left in the draw, but they can be dangerous going forward. There is likely to be a backs-to-the-wall display here, with a counter attacking edge shown in the 1-0 win over City at the Etihad. That kind of defensive display would be great – if it works – and an away goal would be a huge boost. Keeping the Spanish side quiet is still going to be the main aim, and certainly no easy task.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to grind out a 0-0

Chelsea face Sunderland on Saturday evening knowing that a win would put them on top of the Premier League table.

The Blues are just two points off league leaders Liverpool, and with a meting with the Reds scheduled for the end of the month, a win here to keep them in the title race is needed. Liverpool are away to Norwich the following day, and even though the Canaries are desperate for points they can’t be relied upon to help Chelsea’s challenge.

Chelsea’s opponents on Saturday are also desperate for points, but the league’s bottom side don’t look to be much of a threat. They seem destined for the drop, a fate that their manager, former Blue Gus Poyet, accepted after their latest defeat.

Home form gives good omens for Chelsea, with a great defensive record at the Bridge of late. Indeed it is there numerous home wins which have kept them in the title hunt up to now, and another one here would put them top.

Of course, this isn’t the only big game Chelsea face. They travel to Madrid to face La Liga leaders Atletico in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Atleti may be having a great season, but Mourinho’s men will fancy their chances of getting to a second Champions League final in two years. The question is, can the squad handle two huge games in four days at this stage in the season?

There is likely to be a lot of squad rotation over those few days, with the recovering Eden Hazard unlikely to be risked. Chelsea’s back five will stay the same as it has done for months now, but there should be a few midfield changes. Nemanja Matic will keep his place in the team from last week’s win at Swansea, since he’s ineligible for Tuesday’s game.

We may see Frank Lampard join him, as Mourinho is likely to be planning on a Ramires and David Luiz partnership for Madrid to keep things tight. Mohammed Salah is likely to play as well, since he’s in the same situation as Matic.

Up front Samuel Eto’o will be pushing for a start, and we know Mourinho likes playing him in home games. Demba Ba will be hoping to hold on to his place, following his decisive goals at Swansea and at home to PSG and the former Newcastle man would surely relish the chance to push Sunderland closer to the drop.

With the Premier League title now within Chelsea’s reach an eighth straight home win is a must. A Premier League and Champions League double is far from impossible, but it will take two good results in two very difficult games this week to get close. With a backs-to-the-wall job likely on Tuesday, Chelsea need a straightforward win at home to basement boys Sunderland.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea aim to get their Premier League challenge back on track when they face Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. Having suffered their third straight defeat away from home against PSG in midweek, a return home should be good for The Blues.

They were knocked off the top of the Premier League table last week after suffering a defeat to Crystal Palace, with Liverpool jumping ahead of them after a 4-0 win over Spurs. City and Liverpool now look the frontrunners for the title, with Jose Mourinho even ruling out their chances last weekend.

Chelsea have a lot of work to do, possibly too much according to Mourinho, but one win has changed the landscape of the title race in recent weeks. Liverpool and City both face quite difficult games, so with the title pressure off Chelsea could they haul themselves back in the race this weekend?

They’ll have to do it without a couple of important players. Ramires is currently suspended in both the Premier League and Champions League, after his red card at Aston Villa and booking against PSG in midweek. Samuel Eto’o is also unavailable, with the striker facing a race to get fit for next Tuesday’s return leg against the French side.

With that game following so closely after the clash with Stoke, we may see some players rested for this one. There are likely to be changes in Mourinho’s side anyway, as he has criticised the recent performances of both his attackers and defenders in the last week.

Lack of options in defence means the regular back four will probably feature again, unless John Terry or Gary Cahill are rested and replaced with David Luiz. Nemanja Matic, who is ineligible for the Champions League, will likely return to the side. After their striker-less line up on Wednesday Fernando Torres will probably come in for Andre Schurrle, while Mo Salah could be in line for his first Chelsea start if one of the attackers are rested.

Chelsea suffered a defeat when they met Stoke earlier in the season, going down 3-2 after a late goal from Ousama Assaidi. They have already beaten Stoke at Stamford Bridge this season though, with Oscar scoring in a 1-0 win in the FA Cup.

1-0 has been the final score in Stoke’s last three visits to Stamford Bridge, and with the Potters in good form that wouldn’t be a bad result for the Pensioners on Sunday. Stoke hit four past Aston Villa just a week after Chelsea went there and lost 2-0, so they’re now a side capable of scoring a few away from home.

Chelsea need a defensive performance after their poor showing in midweek, and while Stoke’s two Peters, Odemwingie and Crouch, aren’t exactly Ibrahimovic and Cavani, they’re still a threat. A good defensive performance and result would build momentum ahead of a crucial tie with PSG on Tuesday night and that’s what we predict.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 1-0

Chelsea head in to their Champions League quarter final against PSG looking to erase memories of their defeat at the weekend. Their 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace delivered a possible knock-out blow to their title hopes, and could leave morale low before their trip to France.

The hosts are slight favourites going in to this one, but despite Chelsea’s poor away record of late they’re not to be ruled out. The Blues have performed better in the big games, and with Jose Mourinho at the helm they’ve got a manager capable of changing a game with a well-worked game plan.

There is already guaranteed to be an edge to this game, due to off the pitch incidents. PSG are reportedly making moves for Oscar and Eden Hazard among other Blues stars. Mourinho has already slapped a £300million asking price on the two playmakers, while PSG seem to be trying to turn the players’ heads with players coming out and talking up the transfers. This is sure to add a fascinating subplot to the game and it will be interesting to see how the pair perform.

Despite that, both players remain committed to the club and Hazard has been talking about just how they need to go about their meeting with the Parisians. The Belgian compared them to Arsenal, saying, “PSG are a bit like Arsenal – they like to dictate the play and if we’re ready, if we close them down and go for their throats straight away, things will become a bit more difficult for them.”

A 6-0 mauling along the lines of the Arsenal game may be unlikely, but Hazard is clearly up for this match, arguably his biggest since he joined the club. Mourinho may not want to attack PSG quite like the Belgian does, but this should be a good contest between two well matched sides.

PSG come in to this game having won nine games on the trot, and they’re likely to go out and try to make a statement against Chelsea on Wednesday. Having beaten Bayer Leverkusen 6-1 on aggregate, and pushing Barcelona all the way in last season’s quarter finals, PSG are showing a lot in Europe but they need one big result to show they’ve really arrived.

With both sides having an array of talent, you feel that the difference could well come from the touchline. Mourinho will be up against former France boss Laurent Blanc, a man who was well down PSG’s wish list after ex Blue Carlo Ancelotti left last summer.

Mourinho will enjoy a battle like this, especially as he looks to win the one trophy that escaped him in his first spell at the Bridge. Blanc’s last role saw his side fail to make their mark on Euro 2012, and with Mourinho’s big game pedigree the tactical battle could just win this tie.

LCN Verdict: 2-2 draw

Chelsea take on Crystal Palace this weekend looking to consolidate their place at the top of the Premier League table. After their outstanding 6-0 win over Arsenal last week, the Blues come in to this game full of confidence as they look for their first league title since 2010.

That hammering of the Gunners was Jose Mourinho’s biggest ever win as Chelsea boss, and it was Chelsea’s fourth win in five games. If they can keep up that sort of winning form they’ll be confident of lifting the title, but they know it’s out of their hands at the minute with Manchester City’s games in hand.

Chelsea are currently on a poor run of form on the road, having won just one of their last five away trips. That one win did come in London, in a 3-1 win just down the road at Fulham. The Blues have lost two (at Aston Villa and Manchester City) and drawn two (Galatasaray and West Brom) of their last five away games in all competitions, and they really need to turn that form around in the title run in.

With a good run of eminently winnable matches coming up in the Premier League for Chelsea, starting with Palace, this could be a great chance for Mourinho’s men to stamp their authority on the title race. They beat Palace 2-1 in the meeting at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season; Fernando Torres opened the scoring before Marouane Chamakh equalised, before Ramires scored the winner.

Ramires won’t be available to score the winner at Selhurst Park, with the Brazilian serving the second game of his suspension after his sending off at Villa Park two weeks ago. Aside from that Chelsea’s only potential absentees are injury concerns Ashley Cole, who has been displaced at left back after the great form of Cesar Azplicueta, and Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroon forward scored against Arsenal, but he limped off after 10 minutes.

Willian, who was also sent off at Villa Park, returns from his suspension and is in contention for a return to the side. It’s hard to see Mourinho changing much following the 6-0 win over Arsenal though. Eden Hazard, Andre Schurrle and Oscar all scored, so it might seem a little harsh for any of them to make way for Willian. Torres will likely replace Eto’o as he did on Saturday.

The only reason that there may be changes would be rotation ahead of the trip to Paris on Wednesday night for the Champions League clash with PSG. With that game in mind Mourinho may look to rest a few players. Mohammed Salah could replace one of the attacking midfielders if they are rested, as he impressed after coming off the bench against the Gunners and even managed to find his first Chelsea goal.

This game will have fond memories for Mourinho, with his first ever away match with Chelsea coming at Selhurst Park back in 2004. That was the Portuguese’s second game in charge of Chelsea, after a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge just a few days before, and his side won 2-0. We fancy the same again this time around.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0