Premiership: Bolton Wanderers V Chelsea – Monday, 24th January (LIVE on SKY SPORTS HD1)

Bolton Wanderers V Chelsea

Monday, 24th January – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Reebok Stadium
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

Bolton Wanderers

It is set to be an emotional evening on Monday night as Bolton Wanderers unite to mourn the passing of a legend, Nat Lofthouse. The Bolton-born forward spent his entire footballing career as a Trotter and averaged better than a goal every-other-game, scoring 255 times as he made 452 appearance for the Greater Manchester club.

Not to make light of the situation, but if the great man himself were still with us then I wouldn’t have written off his chances of doning a Bolton shirt at The Reebok on Monday, as I’m sure Owen Coyle could do with a forward of his pedigree against the Barclay’s Premier League champions. The Trotters have failed to score in all of their previous seven home encounters with the Blues, 2003 the year Bolton last recorded a win over the London outfit – though their last triumph over the Blues on home soil was way back in 1997.

Owen Coyle, though, firmly believes his side are capable of ending their dismal run against the Londoner’s on Monday despite the fact his team will tackle one of the strongest teams in Europe, albeit on a bit of a downer themselves, on the back of a disappointing run of form. The Trotters have won just two of their last eight league contests since the beginning of December, not to mention suffering three defeats in their last four league games.

It should be a charged atmosphere inside what is likely to be a capacity Reebok stadium, fans and players alike doing their very best to give Lofthouse the send off he fully deserves. Just one defeat at home all season – An undeserved 1-0 loss against Liverpool on 31st October, and unbeaten in their six home matches in the Premier League, seven in all competitions, means all the basic ingredients are there for a spectacular evening.

The hectic festive period proved a nightmare for Owen Coyle, the Bolton manager barely filling the bench on several occasions such was the extensive list of absentee’s at Bolton. Unfortunately, Coyle still finds himself scorn of several key players; Ivan Klasnic and Gretar Steinsson both doubts with injuries while South Korean midfielder Chung-Yong Lee is still away in Asia at the Qatar Asian Cup. However, on the plus side, fans are set to see their first glimpse of new signing David Wheater, the combative center-back in line to make his debut as Bolton not only go in search of a drought-busting win over Chelsea but also just their third clean sheet of the league campaign.

Bolton Fact: The Trotters have scored the opening goal of the game in seven of eleven home league games this season.

Chelsea

There has been a lot of doom and and gloom around West London for some time now, the best part of two months in fact, Stamford Bridge suffering with a case of depression it would seem. The fans haven’t took kindly to a dreary period of form which has seen their team record just two wins in their last ten league matches, while the players have responded negatively to their disgruntled supporters. So nothing like a visit to Bolton to remedy the situation then, a fixture Chelsea have bossed in recent years.

Carlo Ancelotti, however, believes everyone at the club has turned a corner this week courtesy of their second win in the Premier League within the space of three weeks. If Ancelotti genuienly believes a routine win over Blackburn Rovers at home, a game in which Chelsea still displayed the characterisitcs of a team in a gragile frame of mind, then he must finally be losing the plot. I’m afraid one win over mid-table Blackburn doesn’t constitute a revival, particularly when both their goals in their 2-0 triumph came courtesy of two corners. From open play, Chelsea still strive to waste as many opportunities as humanely possible within 90 minutes, Didier Drogba the main culprit as the club’s big hitters continue to misfire.

Wins do, however, breathe confidence into a side and victory over Blackburn eight days ago was at least a platform upon which the Blues can rebuild their crumbling season, particularly as their very next fixture has treated them well in the past.

The Trotters have been cannon fodder for Chelsea down the years, the Londoner’s unbeaten in their last fifteen competitive matches with Bolton – winners of the last six contests without even conceding. Furthermore, Ancelotti’s charges ran riot at The Reebok last term, Didider Drogba and Frank Lampard helping themselves to a goal each as Chelsea ran out 4-0 winners.

Speaking of Frank Lampard, the Chelsea schemer has a prolific record against the Trotters. After missing most of the season through various injuries, Lampard has struggled to find his feet on his return, though may find some solace in the fact he has scored seven times in eleven appearances against Bolton. However, the England midfielder is a major doubt for Monday night’s contest, along with fellow Chelsea stalwart John Terry. So the Blues may well be without half of their usually rock-solid and dependable core, and that has to have an adverse effect on their chances in Bolton. Though the Blues are searching for their ninth successive league victory at The Reebok – though on the back of shoddy away form, Chelsea having failed to win any of their last six away league matches, four of which were defeats.

Chelsea Fact: Last scored the first goal of an away contest in the Premier League on 11th September, when beating basement boys West Ham 3-1 at Upton Park.
 

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Last 5 Results

Bolton Wanderers

Premiership: Stoke City 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
FA Cup: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 York City
Premiership: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: Liverpool 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
Premiership: Chelsea 1-0 Bolton Wanderers

Chelsea

Premiership: Chelsea 2-0 Blackburn Rovers
FA Cup: Chelsea 7-0 Ipswich Town
Premiership: Wolves 1-0 Chelsea
Premiership: Chelsea 3-3 Aston Villa
Premiership: Chelsea 1-0 Bolton Wanderers

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Chelsea 1-0 Bolton Wanderers

2009/2010: Chelsea 1-0 Bolton Wanderers
2009/2010: Bolton Wanderers 0-4 Chelsea

2008/2009: Chelsea 4-3 Bolton Wanderers
2008/2009: Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Chelsea

2007/2008: Chelsea 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
2007/2008: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Chelsea

2006/2007: Chelsea 2-2 Bolton Wanderers
2006/2007: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Chelsea

2005/2006: Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Chelsea
2005/2006: Chelsea 5-1 Bolton Wanderers

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 7th
Win-Draw-Lose: 7-9-7 (Home: 5-5-1)
Goal Difference: 34-31 (Home: 22-13)
Form: WLLDL (Home: WDWWD)
Top Scorer: Johan Elmander (9)

Chelsea

League Position: 4th
Win-Draw-Lose: 11-5-6 (Away: 3-3-5)
Goal Difference: 38-19 (Away: 14-12)
Form: LWDLW (Away: LDDLL)
Top Scorer: Didier Drogba (9)

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Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.80 SkyBet

On current form, and with their confidence still wavering, I cannot see how Chelsea at anything resembling odds-on is value. With that said, their record against Bolton Wanderers in the league is nothing short of outstanding – victorious in their last six contests with the Trotters without evening conceding a goal. So do we base our selection on the past or the present?

Every team has a bogey opponent, Bolton’s is Chelsea. But this isn’t the same Chelsea side as in previous years. Their confidence is at an all-time low. Ancelotti may be without John Terry and Frank Lampard, though we fully expect the former to make an appearance. Away from home, Chelsea haven’t won any of their last six matches on top of just two wins from their last ten in the league overall. The worst thing of all? I haven’t seen anywhere near enough passion, desire, that hunger required for a turnaround in fortunes, from the Chelsea ranks to dig the team out of the giant hole they find themselves in, which is in stark contrast to a Bolton side who work their socks off in every game and have yet to disappoint in the crunch encounters with the big boys.

Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander can be a real handful and will cause a Chelsea defence which has been fragile for some time all sorts of problems providing the midfield doesn’t get overrun. That’s our main concern, the likes of Essien, Ramires and Lampard, if he starts, getting on top and dictating the tempo of the game early on. Bolton need to get hold of possession and maintain the flow through to their two nuisance strikers if they are to get anything from what has been a nightmare fixture for the Trotters.

Value Bet: Bolton to Score the First Goal – 3.25 Coral

Match Odds:

Bolton Wanderers – 5.50 Bet365(General)
Draw – 3.80 SkyBet
Chelsea – 1.70 StanJames