Championship side, Blackburn Rovers, travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday evening, where they will challenge Chelsea for a spot in the next round of the EFL Cup. The two sides have not faced each other since 2012, when the Blues won 2-1.
Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lacked consistency this season and that is highlighted by their underwhelming performances so far at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have only won one of their six home matches, which clearly comes down to their lack of clinical edge in the final third. This has been an issue throughout the first ten matches and it has put them in 11th place. The Blues score an average of 1.3 goals per game this season, but that statistic is boosted by the 3-0 win over Luton and the 4-1 away victory against Burnley.
An aspect of Chelsea’s game that Pochettino seems to have nailed is how strong they are defensively, conceding just 1.1 goals per game on average. We saw this in the last round of the EFL Cup, when they beat Brighton 1-0 thanks to a Nicolas Jackson finish.
Blackburn
Blackburn Rovers have been very unpredictable this season, which has led to them owning a record of six wins, seven defeats and one draw. John Dahl Tommason’s team boast an average goals scored and goals conceded of 1.43 and 1.64. However, the Rovers do have the fourth best goal-scoring record on the road, which should give the side belief ahead of Wednesday’s game.
Last time out in the EFL Cup, Blackburn put on a convincing display, as they beat Cardiff 5-2 at home. The hosts created 8 big chances in the tie and should have added to their tally. Andrew Moran stole the show, scoring twice and registering two assists.
Verdict?
Chelsea should look to give individuals an opportunity to prove themselves on Wednesday. If the Premier League side do score first, they should be able to see out the game with ease. Blackburn are currently priced at 11/1 to win the tie.
The final prediction is Chelsea 3-0 Blackburn.
