Champions League
2010-11-03 - Chelsea vs Spartak Moscow
A Sports Betting Pick by Addicted
Football : UEFA Champions League
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010 - Kickoff 7:45PM GMT
CHELSEA
Chelsea lead their group with 3 wins from 3, comfortably beating todays opponents Moscow 2-0 in Russia 2 weeks ago. I expect this one to be even easier, seeing as how Moscow are likely to hand this game to Chelsea on a platter.
Chelsea are rock solid at Stamford Bridge, so home advantage is a huge deal here. Plus, Chelsea have had some tough matches recently, some they really could have lost, but they've plugged away and won ugly, despite what happens.
What Chelsea have now is a team that will not be happy to come and park the team bus and hope for an opportunity, like many domestic teams tend to do. Moscow will come here to try and get a result due to their own position and so Chelsea will be given a chance to unleash that devastating counter attack that has seen them mount teams in unforgiving fashion.
Chelsea have a game against Liverpool coming up this weekend, but I can't see the Blues taking it easy. Away, perhaps. But not at Stamford Bridge. Malouda is reportedly out for this match, but Drogba is available for selection again. Ancelotti also has the likes of Anelka to rely on for goals. The Frenchman got on the scoresheet this past weekend, when finishing off the teams comeback against Blackburn by scoring the winner in that 2-1 win.
SPARTAK MOSCOW
Moscow should have done a whole lot better than they did 2 weeks ago when hosting Chelsea in their own back yard. With Villa managing to hold the English champions to a draw, and Wolves giving them a serious scare, one would have thought the Russians would have been able to give them a tough assignment, but Chelsea merely rolled into town, thumped their hosts and left.
Revenge? Not bloody likely. You see, if Moscow even try to play Chelsea here they're going to get spanked. Time and again we've seen Arsenal suffer for trying to score against Chelsea. When Moscow, who will come here to score to open up the gap between themselves and Marseille, who are chasing their 2nd spot in the group, try and attack, they will leave themselves open to some very pacy and precise counter-attacks that will end with them picking ball out of their own net. Try to get back in the game, and bang, you're 2-0 down.
Spartak are reported to be without their striker Ari, and the absence of defender Stranzi is worrying.
BETTING VERDICT
Chelsea are going to rout them, that's the feeling I get. With away games to Zilna and Marseille looming, Chelsea will want to book themselves into the next round tonight, meaning they can afford to leave important players at home for the next two.
I think the best bet is to take Chelsea to cover the 1.5 goal handicap and win by at least 2.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Chelsea to win easily
