In the last club action for a fortnight Chelsea face a West Brom side against whom we have a 100 per cent home record in the Premier League. No team has a better record on their own patch than Chelseas five wins in five this season. Less impressive away form is the reason the Blues are looking to avoid successive Premier League defeats for the first time since May 2012. Back then we lost at home to Newcastle and away to Liverpool. The Magpies first goal on Saturday lunchtime was the first we have conceded this season in the league from a set-piece. After such a setback it was reassuring to remain Arsenals closest challengers. However, just one point separates second from seventh. It is crucial all three are taken this weekend - our neighbours Fulham are hardly in the best form for an upset at Anfield and Spurs host the Magpies. Wednesdays 3-0 win over Schalke was another brick in the rebuilding of a fortress at Stamford Bridge. Returning manager Jose Mourinho is unbeaten in all his 80 home domestic games in open play. Jose Mourinho manages Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the 100th time on Saturday. The Special One has a 75.8 per cent win record in his 99 home matches in all competitions up to now, comprising 75 wins, 22 draws and two defeats - against Barcelona in 2005 and Basel this season. Chelsea can qualify for next years Round of 16 by avoiding defeat in the next Champions League match at Basel on 26 November. The Schalke result was the first 3-0 in which all goals were scored by strikers since 3 December 2011 at St James Park when Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge took Newcastle apart. Up until 19 October no centre-forward had netted for the Blues in the Premier League or Champions League. Now six of our last eight in those competitions have come from strikers. In last nights any other business section former Blue Gus Poyets Sunderland beat Southampton, setting up a quarter-final trip to the north-east on Tuesday 17 December. That will be our first meeting with the Mackems in this competition since the semi-final debacle of 1985. Chelseas fine record against the Baggies in London contrasts with the two consecutive defeats by them at the Hawthorns, the most recent of which helped secure them an eighth place finish last season. Of course, on-loan Chelsea youngster Romelu Lukaku played a big role in that too. All at Chelsea will extend a warm welcome to Blues champions Steve Clarke and Nicolas Anelka and youth team graduate Scott Sinclair. This will be the first time Clarke has faced Mourinho across the technical area since he was his assistant from 2004 to 2007. In the Barclays Premier League, we have won 37 points from the last 39 available at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have not dropped any points from winning positions this season. We have won all five league games when we have scored the opening goal. Chelsea have won 12 and drawn two of our last 14 home Premier League games since QPR won at Stamford Bridge on 2 January. #Crosschase
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 03:53:38 +0000
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