Last night saw Chelsea FC blow a golden opportunity to book their passage into the UEFA Champions League knockout round. Having to settle for a 2-2 draw at Valencia, it was a match that left both managers rueing what might have been, but also in a position to secure a place in the round of 16, if they take care of business in their final group stage game.
“We nearly won it, nearly lost it. It was end to end, not that we wanted it to be,” Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said. “It’s a positive that it is now in our hands. We both had incredible chances. We had numerous ones in the first half. I don’t feel fortunate.”
“I didn’t love the match. It can happen in football. It is about if you can get through the game.”
Said his counter part at Valencia, Albert Celades: “The sensation in our dressing room is that we have missed a very good chance to qualify for the next round. But to get to the last game with our fate in our hands is not bad.”
Meanwhile, the draw came at a cost for the Blues, as young striker Tammy Abraham injured his hip. The good news, according to Lampard, is that the injury “might not be as severe as we first thought.” It was indeed a scary incident, that alarmed many, but Lampard simply called it a “bang on the hip.”
Abraham told Chelsea TV that although he feared the worst at the time that he took a knee to his hip area, he hopes it’s just bruised. Nevertheless, he’s very likely out for Saturday’s London derby versus West Ham United. Another young stellar forward, Callum Hudson-Odoi, could feature though as he’s recovered from a thigh injury.
However, Ross Barkley and Antonio Rudiger are doubts while Ruben Loftus-Cheek remains a long term absentee.
Turning to the visitors, Michail Antonio could make his first start in more than three months here after playing a half versus Tottenham. Jack Wilshere and Winston Reid are both doubts while Issa Diop is suspended.
Meanwhile Manuel Lanzini and Lukasz Fabianski remain long term injury absentees.
Chelsea FC vs West Ham United FYIs
Kickoff: Stamford Bridge, Saturday November 30, 3pm
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea FC West Ham United
Google Result Probability: Chelsea win 74%, Draw 16%, West Ham win 10%
Form Guide- Chelsea LWWWW West Ham United LLLDL
Odds via BetFair Exchange: Chelsea win 2/7, Draw 5/1, Valencia win 19/2
Prediction: Chelsea 3, West Ham 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.