Chelsea wants to keep their unbeaten record at home intact when they welcome West Ham at Stamford Bridge for their fifth game of the 2022/23 Premier League Season.
The Blues succumbed to their second defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss to Southampton in midweek while West Ham played out a hopeful 1-1 draw against Tottenham in the London derby.
CHL vs WHU Match Details
Date: Saturday, 3 September 2022
Time: 12:30 (BST) / 17:00 (IST)
Venue: Goodison Park, Everton
CHL vs WHU Match Preview
Manager Thomas Tuchel described Chelsea as soft and a side easy to be bullied by oppositions in the post-match presser following the 2-1 defeat to Southampton at St Mary’s. The Blues take the lead through Raheem Sterling, scoring his third goal after a brace last weekend, but then took their foot off the pedal allowing Romeo Lavia to restore priority for the Saints with a superb strike from a half-cleared corner before Adam Armstrong gave the home side the lead with Chelsea switching off at the wrong time again. The lackluster second half showed the team didn’t possess the mentality to turn things around. Tuchel too stressed the point in his interview that led to another loss in successive away games. Unfortunately, this has been a recurring theme under the German manager with the team simply failing to overturn losing positions in the game. The inconsistency in the results even this early in the season is alarming and needs a fix. Though, the positive part is Chelsea looked to be a different side at home gathering four of their seven points so far at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have also won three of their last five home games against their next opposition, West Ham. Chelsea fans will quickly try to forget the defeat as the squad need some reinforcements which the signings finally accomplished in the window will bring. Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s return to the Premier League after a half-year stay at Barcelona by switching the red and white of rivals Arsenal to the blue shirt of Chelsea on the transfer deadline day has ignited hopes while Wesley Fofana donning the club crest is another pleasing view for the Blues faithful. Denis Zakaria’s loan move, also on the deadline day, maybe not that attractive as the other two but he brings a lot of physicality and dynamism to the midfield giving the Blues more options to choose from. Chelsea believes the change in mood from the star signing will grant them more sustainable runs in the matches ahead.
The Blues won’t be the only one flaunting their new signings as West Ham will have theirs to show. None high profile as Lucas Paqueta signed from Lyon last month. The Brazilian will give more service to West Ham’s attack with striker Gianluca Scammaca waiting for his first league goal for the Hammers since joining them from Sassuolo. David Moyes’s side had a rocky start to the campaign with no wins to show in the first three games of the season but the first three points and the first goal scored of the season in the 1-0 win against Aston Villa last weekend and then a 1-1 draw against an in-form Tottenham at home has changed the atmosphere in the dressing room. West Ham feels they deserved more than sharing of points in the midweek game. Going behind by an own goal from Thilo Kehrer did not dampen the spirits as the hammers put the visitors under pressure and almost won it creating decent chances deep into the second half. Irrespective of the result, Moyes will be happy for his side’s quick revival in the last two matches. The Hammers are obviously aiming for European football after a memorable run to the semifinals of the Europa League last season although they missed out on the place granting them the competition again on the last day of the 2021/22 Premier League. The Hammers are rooting for the Conference League this season along with their priorities in the league. West Ham have caught the wind on the sail at the right time ahead of another London derby at the weekend. Chelsea to face this time around, Thomas Tuchel’s men are not at their best coming into the fixture on the back of a defeat but more than willing to change it at Stamford Bridge. The troubling stat is West Ham have only won two, that too against relegated Norwich last season and struggling Aston Villa this term, of their last eight away games in the league and coupled with their unimpressive record in this meeting at this ground getting the win will be an uphill task.
Recent Form (League)
CHL: LWLDW
WHU: WWLDD
CHL vs WHU Team News
Chelsea won’t be able to field Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the weekend for his first game back in the Premier League due to the jaw injury he suffered in an unfortunate assault on him a day before signing from Barcelona. Armando Broja could get a rare start after impressing off the bench against the Saints. Denis Zakaria, joined from Juventus on loan, will also not feature against West Ham for not receiving his work permit. He will available for the trip to Croatia to face Dynamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Tuesday. However, Wesley Fofana could begin the game in a back three for his Chelsea debut making his move from Leicester City. Manager Thomas Tuchel said Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Reece James are back in training with the midfielder taken out at half-time against Southampton for injury concern while the right-back missed the entire game through illness. N’Golo Kante is the only player out of the squad.
Lucas Paqueta is set to be handed his first full Premier League debut after coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes against Spurs. That is the only change Moyes is willing to make from the 1-1 draw in the midweek game other than Aaron Creswell who picked up a groin injury in the match. Craig Dawson was heavily linked with a move away from West Ham but he decided to stay put. He won’t be available for the game at the weekend carrying a knock as is fellow defenders Ben Johnson and Naif Aguerd. Striker Gianluca Scamacca is a doubt with illness.
CHL vs WHU Predicted Lineups
CHL: Edouard Mendy; Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva, Kalidou Koulibaly; Reece James, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, Marc Cucurella; Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja
WHU: Lukasz Fabianski; Coufal, Kehrer, Zouma, Palmieri; Rice, Soucek; Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Pablo Fornals; Michail Antonio
CHL vs WHU Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Fabianski
DEF: James, Silva, Zouma, Cucurella
MID: Rice, Jorginho, Soucek
FW: Bowen, Antonio, Sterling
Captain: Raheem Sterling
Vice-captain: Reece James
