Nottingham to throw up a surprise
After a heavy Premier League schedule it's time for the FA Cup again. This weekend the reigning champions Chelsea will take on Nottingham Forest at home. But will it really be a walk in the park for the the Blues? I don't think so.
Chelsea
Chelsea won the FA Cup last May after beating Man Utd 1-0 in the final. It seems everyone is expecting Chelsea to be quick out of the blocks in this year's competition under the stewardship of their new manager Sarri - I mean surely they couldn't lose to Championship side Nottingham Forest? Well... I don't think we should be so certain that this will be an easy ride for Chelsea.
Do you remember how last season's eventual triumph began?
The FA Cup is, for many of us, a prestigious tournament and it's definitely a cup you take seriously enough to try and win. But do you remember how last season's eventual triumph began? Yes? A 0-0 against Norwich in their first match, and then a replay which ended 1-1, with the Blues finally winning on penalties.
Chelsea have, like many other teams, had a heavy schedule. Last night they played out a 0-0 draw with Southampton. So they will have very little rest before the Nottingham match. After that they will only have 3 more days before they meet Tottenham in the Carabao Cup, in a game where I think they will want to have their full starting XI.
This will result in Sarri rotating some of his squad, with his main men Kanté and Hazard missing from the team. Then add to this the fact that Sarri's men have been conceding a few more goals of late and I think Nottingham Forest have a real chance of banging in a few goals at Stamford Bridge.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham are in the top half of the Championship and head into the match fresh from a 4-2 win over league leaders Leeds. It has to be said that their form otherwise has been a bit up and down, for example, the 3-3 draw away to Norwich and the 0-0 draw against Derby.
When they do lose, they almost never lose by more than one goal. This weekend you should see a Championship team pumped up and full of energy against a second string Chelsea. I predict away goals.
Betting Tip
I think Chelsea are far to overrated in the market for this match. Nottingham should have the ability to really hurt Chelsea. I will bet on Nottingham to win with an Asian handicap +2 at odds of 10/13 with Unibet. Both teams to score could also carry some value.
