Fan Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs Chelsea

Chelsea are hoping to celebrate Halloween in style with a second win in a week against Bolton Wanderers and avoid a third straight away defeat.

After the thrashing the Blues gave Bolton in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, there is every reason to be confident that the same result will happen again. Yet Bolton must not be underestimated especially at home and with Kevin Davies returning from midweek it will probably be a bit more difficult than midweek. Bolton also have their star keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen returning to their starting line-up and with the scoring record that Davies has against Chelsea they should be more of a match for us. 

With Ashley Cole and Yuri Zhirkov doubtful for the game, Belletti or forgotten man Paulo Ferriera are likely to deputise with Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Anelka and Cech all likely to return to the starting line up this weekend. Hilario is definitely out with Mikel doubtful and Bosingwa has still not recovered from the knee injury he has been suffering from for a while.

The main talking point of the game and the main worry for most Blues fans is the possibility of the HP1 VIRUS returning to take its hold on the players on both sides of the pitch. The Bolton squad have been struck down with flu during the past week and this has led to growing fears that this game could be the start of a football swine flu pandemic. But calm as ever, Carlo still firmly believes that the swine flu could be held back with his mother’s patented hot milk and red wine remedy.

For the game itself, Bolton’s strength is set plays with the league’s leading goal tally from the deal ball situations and with our recent track record against Villa and Wigen it is a cause for slight concern for the Blues fans. But Bolton are the only side that have not kept a clean sheet this season in the Premier League and with Drogba and Anelka returning to the side, Lampard and Cole bang in form and the confidence that the side will have following their midweek win all the signs point to a comfortable Chelsea win.

Prediction: Bolton 0 Chelsea 3 

By Daniel Welling

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