Chelsea vs. Swansea – Preview

Chelsea vs. Swansea, 24th September 2011, 15.00

Blues are waiting on goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is expected to be fit despite suffering concussion and being substituted following a head injury against Fulham in the League Cup on Wednesday.

                         

Two people who will be missing are striker Daniel Sturridge, who has a knee injury, and defender Alex who is suspended following his red card in the aforementioned cup victory.

                   

The home team could make ten changes from that team, with John Terry and Frank Lampard expected to start.

                     

Swansea welcome back record signing Danny Graham, but it is unsure whether he will get back into the starting XI after the Swans beat West Brom 3-0 last time out.

                             

                             

Just four years ago, both Andre Villas-Boas and Brendan Rodgers were part of Jose Mourinho’s management team, and now they will go head-to-head at the Bridge.

                         

Rodgers is fondly remembered from his time with the cub, and is likely to get a good reception for the hard and positive work he did, especially with the youngsters.

                       

Scott Sinclair returns to the Bridge, having moved to the Welsh club back in the summer of 2010. The winger come striker, impressed last season with 19 goals in 43 games. The youngster never really got a chance with Chelsea and will be looking to show the fans what they missed out on.

                           

Another youngster returning to the Bridge is Leroy Lita, he was part of the Chelsea youth system but before he could get in the first team he moved to Bristol City.

                         

                             

Tomorrow will see the first top-flight meeting between Chelsea and Swansea. The Swans lost 6-1, when they last came to Stamford Bridge back in December 1983, thanks to a Paul Canoville hat-trick, Pat Nevin,  John Bumstead and legend Kerry Dixon.

                           

For a Swansea victory you have to go all the way back to November 1925, which was the clubs only victory at the Bridge to date.

                             

                         

If Chelsea create half as many chances as they did against Manchester United then this will be a goal fest, for over 3.5 goals you can get 5/4 and if you think there will be more then 4.5 goals is 3s.

                 

The Blues are 7/5 to win by three or more goals, meanwhile you can get 4s to win by four or more.

                     

After last weekend’s goal, Fernando Torres is 5/6 to open the scoring and if you saw enough of the old ‘Torres’ you can get 24s on him scoring a hat-trick.

                               

By Scott Balaam

Twitter @AStamBridge2Far