Martin Wanless predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ballard
This is a really intriguing game, and something of a free hit.
Chelsea are a cracking team on their day, but if it’s not their day, we
could get something – and I’d bite your foot off for a draw.
There are loads of talking points going into the game – will we go five at the back, for starters?
Whoever plays is in for a tough game, but if we play to our potentia,l we’re hard to beat – and I fancy Ballard to get a goal from a corner.
A point? Yes please.
‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: No scorer
A point away from home is always welcome, and after getting all three against Wolves, we can be a bit less flamboyant on this trip to Stamford Bridge and hopefully emerge with something to add to the points tally.
Both Palace and Brentford got a draw at The Bridge, and we are as good as both of them.
Brighton won there, but Liverpool lost.
These early games are not exactly a guide to how this may go based on that little selection of outcomes, but we are playing pretty well, are organised, hard-working and have a great team spirit. That has to count for something.
If we score, we may well win. If they score early, we may well get beaten 2-0 or a little worse, but I can’t see this being a hammering either way.
I say we shut up shop and try to nick one on the break, and keep that record of the most stingy defence other than Arsenal if we can.
But, of course, I would be happy to be proved wrong with a 0-1 away win.
Show these how it is done, Regis.
Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Isidor
Another great win at home is paired up with a tough trip away to Chelsea. These are the sorts of games, similar to our visit to Old Trafford, that I am so pleased we are back for. There’s just something special about matching up against the top sides, and I firmly believe Sunderland are a side who should be.
Both Chelsea and us have an identical record this season, sitting on 14 points separated by goal difference, mainly thanks to Chelsea’s battering of West Ham in August. The fact that we are saying that at this stage is testament to our excellent start.
It’ll be a difficult test, and you wonder if we go for a back five to keep it tight. It made us look a lot better against Man United after a poor first half, and could be a solid way to set up. It’s also worth mentioning that despite some good results, Chelsea struggled in games against Palace and Brentford, so they are far from bulletproof.
I think we need to keep it simple and start from the back. Our new defensive reinforcements in the form of Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele, alongside the continually improving Trai Hume and Dan Ballard, will be the basis of a good result away. We’ll be a threat from set pieces and on the break, and I think we’ll get a goal through those avenues.
Will Jones predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Xhaka
Stamford Bridge used to be a write-off before a ball was kicked; turn up, try not to get battered, and hope for a moment of magic.
But this Sunderland side doesn’t do that anymore. We’re organised, confident, and not afraid to rattle a few cages.
Chelsea have spent silly money and still look like a team that met in the tunnel. They’ve got talent, sure, but they’re fragile.
If we press them early and keep our shape, they’ll wobble. We’ve got lads who can hurt them, and I reckon Xhaka’s the one to do it! A rocket from the edge of the box and limbs in the away end.
They’ll respond, and I think they’ll get one back. But we’ll dig in, ride the storm, and leave London with a hard-earned point.
Not glamorous, not dominant, but exactly the kind of result that keeps the momentum ticking.
Haway the lads.
Matty Foster predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 2 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Isidor
I never thought that by the time this game rolled around in late October, we would be sitting behind Chelsea in the top half on goal difference alone.
That proves just how well we have adjusted to playing in the top tier, and far beyond what I could have wished for.
This is our toughest game to date, no question. But with that comes low risk and very high reward.
Nobody will back us to get anything (myself included), so the pressure is entirely on Chelsea’s shoulders to break us down.
I would be ecstatic with a draw, but I can’t go beyond predicting a narrow defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Anthony Gair predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 2 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Hume
This is a real test.
Chelsea, a side who can be attritional, pacey, skilful and clinical, host us on Saturday. Something I’m not particularly looking forward to, is their ability in the midfield to pass it around and cut holes in defences. My problem is that I’m always optimistic about these things, but I just cannot kick the feeling that Chelsea are going to be too much for us.
Still, I think we’ll give them a good game, so long as we press from the off and keep that intensity up as much as physically possible. This one could go either way, but I also need points so I’m sticking with the home win!
Gary Winter predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 2 Sunderland 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: No scorer
Who’d have thought 8 games in, we’d be on the same points as Chelsea (and not because they’ve been shite). Add to that, the same total as Spurs, one point off Liverpool, and two away from Man City.
Because of the points we’ve put on the board so far, the game feels like somewhat of a free hit. A glimmer of hope lies in the fact that Brighton came to Stamford Bridge and won, but since that fixture a month ago, Chelsea have won the next three at home – two in the Champions League and one against Liverpool. Perhaps our best chance will be if Chelsea pick up yet another red card!
I hope we learn some lessons from Old Trafford in terms of set-up. Whilst I admired the confidence to try and win, we got a rude awakening in those first 30 minutes. We were a lot better when Ballard came on to shore things up defensively. I’d like to see us start with three centre backs, keep the game compact for at least the first half and grow into it, taking a few more chances later on. Unfortunately, I just see Chelsea being too strong for us on this occasion.
Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…
Score prediction: Chelsea 1 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Xhaka
You can look upon this week and ask yourself – do I want scummy predictions points saying Chelsea win and no goal scorer?
Or, do I want to back the lads who have actually allowed us to have some pride in our team, after years of being embarrassed at watching players with little ability and even less passion for playing in red and white stripes?
I think they deserve a hell of a lot of faith and credit.
Ignoring the fact they smashed Ajax 5-1 in midweek, I for one am confident we will go to London and give a team we are equal on points with a tough game.
The lads are coming away from those golden paved streets of old London Town with the 3 points and Granit Xhaka getting a very deserved first goal for us.
Last time out…
The Lads avoided a potential banana skin last weekend with a solid 2-0 win against bottom-of-the-league Wolves, giving “Regis Le Bridge” a suitable opening occasion.
They could well have been a couple or three up in the first half, but the second half was more of a defensive test, though it was a test they passed well.
Another three points, a clean sheet, and a bit of comfort going into this one, which we can hopefully come out of with something.
Last game predictions
Three of the lads predicted a perfect 2-0 score against Wolves, thanks to the weird but welcome own goal forced by the impressive run from Talbi late in the game.
Four more of the lads got a point for the correct outcome. Only our man Gair went for a draw and got nothing.
With the first goal coming from Nordi, no points were taken for the first scorer, though Isidor’s finish may go down as one of the “ruled out goals of the season”, with a marginal offside chalking the fantastic finish off the board, much to the dismay of Matty and Gair.
Predictions Table and Standings
Brett and Jack stay up top, though a point apart.
Malc climbs off the bottom place and joins the peloton on 7 or 8, waiting to pounce if the top two slip up.
Gair is using his impressively broad shoulders to help Martin prop up the table.
How the points are awarded
Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:
- Correct score = Three points
- Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
- Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)
- Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.
