English Premier
2012-08-19 - Wigan Athletic vs Chelsea
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 19 August 2012 - Kick Off 1:30pm
This game is live on TV
Wigan Athletic
Roberto Martinez worked some real miracles last season in keeping Wigan Athletic in the Premier League and he has to be given full credit for recognising that they need to change their system to fit the personnel they have. That change saw them record wins over Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Arsenal and helped them to safety when they look doomed.
The Latics actually finished 15th in the Premier League as they managed a great run of form at the end of the season. They finished the season with a 5-7-7 record at the DW Stadium, scoring 22 goals and conceding 27.
It is imperative that Wigan look to make a better start than they did last season as there are only so many times you can put yourself behind the black ball and still manage to escape trouble. Victor Moses was key to their success at the end of the season, but he seems to be unsettled with Chelsea one of his suitors.
Moses is set to start this game despite being linked with a move away as Wigan refuse to do business for a penny under £8.5 million. James McCarthy and Ivan Ramis are both doubts.
Chelsea
Chelsea may have been able to ride their luck to the Champions League last season, but they need to find a lot more consistency in their play if they are to bridge, pardon the pun, the gap between themselves and the top four.
Didier Drogba, the hero of the Champions League, has moved on, but Chelsea opened the chequebook to sign the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar in the off-season as they look to kick on from their successes from last season. A lot will be riding on the form of Fernando Torres unless the Blues invest in another forward before the transfer window closes.
The team actually finished 6th in the Premier League last season, but they did start focusing on the two cup competitions they were involved in and probably dropped a position from where they would have finished. Roberto Di Matteo will want to improve an away record that provided a 6-7-6 record, scoring 24 goals and conceding 22.
Branislav Ivanovic was sent off in the Community Shield last weekend, but he will not be serving a suspension and should start. Marko Marin is the only real doubt in the squad.
Head to Head
Chelsea have recorded some big wins over Wigan Athletic in recent seasons, beating them 0-6 here a couple of years ago and 8-0 at home the year before to confirm the Premier League title.
However, it hasn't always been an easy day in the office for them when they visit the DW Stadium, that 0-6 win an exception rather than the rule, and they have actually failed to win in 2 of their last 3 visits here.
Chelsea have won 5 of their 7 Premier League games at this stadium but, as I mentioned above, those 2 failures have come in the last three seasons.
Prediction
Chelsea look remarkably short price to win this game considering the way Wigan Athletic ended last season, but I am guessing the layers are expecting the home side to have another slow start to the season which has been the norm for them over the last couple of years.
Roberto Martinez hasn't seemed to have got his side going until the Christmas lights are safely put away, but they have made it difficult for the big sides when they visit this ground and I have a feeling they may be able to do the same again.
Chelsea have not scored more than 1 goal in 3 of their last 4 visits to the DW Stadium, and you have to think the heatwave currently being enjoyed by the UK will make it tough for the players, especially if Wigan can play the possession game they were at the end of last season.
As I said, I think Chelsea look short here, but I did find it hard to find an angle in which to oppose them as Wigan are only given a goal on the Asian Handicaps and I am a little concerned with their poor form in the first few months of the season over the last couple of seasons.
However, I don't think Chelsea will blow Wigan away in this one and I like them scoring less than 1.5 team goals, which is priced at odds against.
They have failed to surpass this target in 3 of their last 4 games here while they have failed to score more than 1 goal against Wigan in 5 of their last 9 overall.
At 2.10, that looks a decent way to get on this game for a small interest.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Wigan Athletic 1-1 Chelsea
