Stoke v Chelsea Prediction 12th January 2013

Stoke v Chelsea Betting Preview
Fascinating match in prospect at the Britannia Stadium as Stoke defend their unbeaten record there this season. Chelsea have been both prolific and wasteful in their recent matches, which has been costing them, suffering defeats against QPR in the league and against Swansea in the League Cup (both at Stamford Bridge). Will the arrival of Demba Ba sure things up for them up front? Stoke had a ten match unbeaten streak in the Premier League smashed by Man City on New Year’s Day. Can they respond at home?

Stoke v Chelsea Betting Odds at online bookmaker Sportingbet
Chelsea 10/11, Draw 5/2, Stoke 14/5

Stoke v Chelsea Recommended Bet:
Some may be surprised that the Potters aren’t a bit shorter in the odds here. It could make them great value. Stoke have been immense at home this season, winning five and drawing five of their previous ten. Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Everton have all failed to pick up a win at the Britannia this term. The Potters have conceded just seven home goals this term at a rate of 0.7 per game and they have scored at exactly double that rate. 70% of all of Stoke’s home games have gone under 2.5 goalsso there may not be a goal fest on Saturday. So they aren’t a terribly prolific goal scoring side but their defence has not conceded a goal from outside of the penalty box this season (the only side in the top flight not to do so).

Tony Pulis’s men have recorded the fewest shots on target of all Premier League sides this season and a massive 57% of their goals scored have come from set pieces. They have struggled against Chelsea to get on the scoresheet in the Premier League. In six of nine previous meetings they have failed to score and the three in which they did score, it was just one each. So they don’t have a great record but there is that strong home form to take into consideration here. Stoke get stuck in, they will play long balls that will trouble the Chelsea back line and as we have seen already this season, they are more than capable of frustrating the big guns. How much confidence will they have lost in a 2-0 drubbing against Man City last time out, a defeat which snapped their 10 match unbeaten streak? The Potters only managed a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup too last weekend.

Positives for Chelsea in this fixture come from the fact that they have won seven and lost none of the nine previous Premier League match ups against the Potters. They have also met twice in the FA Cup with victories going to Chelsea since the last time that Stoke beat Chelsea, which was back in the 1995 League Cup. The last four EPL meetings have produced just four goals in total, so narrow margins look very likely here. With Fernando Torres ineffective against Swansea in the League Cup midweek, it is likely that Demba Ba will get the starting nod from Rafa Benitez, and the Senegalese star has four goals in four Premier League appearances against the Potters. Chelsea have won their last three away games in the Premier League and are full of creative flair. It is just being clinical enough on the day because they have blown hot or cold. Chelsea have taken six wins, two draws and two defeats in their ten away games so far, scoring at a rate at 1.7 goals per game, but conceding at a rate of 1.10 goals per game. They may not get threatened much at the back, but the direct style of Stoke could trouble them. A Draw/Draw Half Time/Full Time bet is trading at 4/1 with online bookmaker Sportingbet.

Form
Stoke DDWDLD, Chelsea WWWLWL

Stat Attack
Stoke haven’t lost a home game in the Premier League since back in 2011
The last four meetings have produced just four goals between the two sides in the EPL
Stoke have had fewer shots on target than anyone else in the top flight this term
Chelsea are unbeaten in the last nine Premier League meetings with the Potters

Online bookmaker Promotion
If you are fancying an accumulator on the weekend, then online bookmaker Sportingbet have a free bet offer running. Place a football treble or greater accumulator on Friday, Saturday or Sunday at Sportingbet and get a free bet if it wins. Depending on the size of your accumulator you could win up to a £100 free bet! Online bookmaker Sportingbet offer a risk free £50 bet for new customers as a welcome bonus.