TheSportsRush brings Chelsea vs Cardiff City prediction, as Chelsea aims to displace Liverpool at the top of the table.
Chelsea have made an excellent start to their Premier League season so far. They picked comfortable three points in all their matches in the campaign so far, and the players are adapting well to the much-acclaimed ‘Sarri-ball.’ The Blues have so far scored 10 goals in their first four games in the league.
Chelsea’s problems, however, lie in their defence. A high-press and high-line leaves the Chelsea defence vulnerable to pace and counters, which has been significant in their game-play as well. Maurizio Sarri, however, has refused to be complacent and insisted that the side can still improve in certain aspects.
Cardiff City, on the other hand, have so far endured a struggling comeback to England’s top-flight. They are yet to win a game so far, and with only two points in four matches, Neil Warnock’s side finds themselves at 16th position in the league. After a set of goalless matches, Cardiff City showed signs of improvement against Arsenal. They conceded a late goal to Alexandre Lacazette after a spirited performance, in which they came from behind twice to level the match.
Prediction:
Chelsea last played Cardiff City in the 2013/14 season, which was also the last time when the Welsh club appeared in the Premier League. Chelsea have won all of their last three encounters against Cardiff, and look easy favourites on paper for the weekend clash as well.
Also read: PL 2018/19: Chelsea’s expected lineup vs Cardiff City
The Blues have a possession-based, attacking approach to their game, which is a significant change from Antonio Conte’s style. Under Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea’s game-play is built around short, quick passing, and a ‘vertical’ tiki-taka, which is hard to break down for the opposition. Against Newcastle United, Chelsea maintained a staggering 81% possession, with more than 1,000 completed passes.
The odds heavily favour a Chelsea’s win, with a staggering 16/1 on their loss. Bet365 have 1/6 odds for Chelsea’s win, while MarathonBet have 21/100 on the same, which is amongst the lowest. Betfair offer 19/1 on Cardiff City’s victory, while most odds on draw are about 11/2.
