The English season resumes this weekend with the gentle appetiser of the Community Shield before the real cut and thrust begins next weekend. If you think this will be a gentle run out in this disturb akin to those I remember from my childhood then think again. This game has been played at a high intensity for many a season and this year seems set to be no different. Premier League champions Chelsea play FA Cup winners Arsenal so that can mean only one thing, Arsene v Jose.
For those who may think that this will be a gentle low scoring affair with both teams feeling their way into the new season then the stats don't back those thoughts up. The last eleven Community Shields have gone 8-3 to both over 2.5 goals and Yes on BTTS. Do those historical trends in this match follow through to the individual meetings between the two sides?
Not recently as under 2.5 goals has gone 4-1 in the last five games and Arsenal have managed just two goals in the last eight meetings of the sides. When facing Mourinho's Chelsea it has been even harder work for Arsene Wenger. A 7-6-0 lifetime record for Jose against Arsenal makes the Blues worthy favourites as the Portuguese genius seems to have a canny knack of shutting the Gunners down. Many teams try and adopt the Chelsea way of defending against Arsenal but few can successfully carry out that same game plan. Mourinho's men will allow minimal space in behind them and will patiently watch Arsenal pass the ball from side to side until they seize on any inaccurate pass to regain possession.
The pre season schedules of both sides will make this a difficult game for betting purposes. Arsenal utilised their full squad last weekend when they managed to win The Emirates Cup on home soil. The Gunners looked impressive but in truth the opposition they faced was not up to much and it was concerning that ex Gooner Nicklas Bendtner caused them defensive issues. Chelsea have made the long Transatlantic flight having played Barcelona in Washington in the early hours of Wednesday morning UK time. That game saw both Gary Cahill and Diego Costa pick up injuries that when they happened would make you think they would play no part in this meaningless game. We do know though that Jose does love getting one over Wenger and he has confirmed that both are fit to play. I'm not sure how true this is and given his injury history I'd be flabbergasted if we saw Costa take to the Wembley turf.
From a betting perspective this is a game that throws up far more questions than it does answers. The trends in this unique competition suggest a carefree and open game with the potential for goals from both sides. When these two teams meet the historical trends point to Chelsea avoiding defeat and limiting Arsenal's goal scoring chances. In view of that the only bet in this game I could consider is the 4/5 that is generally available for Chelsea to lift the trophy. I would keep your bets in other markets to fun sized stakes as risking any of your betting bankroll in this match is fraught with danger.
No comments:
Post a Comment