Chelsea FC Travel To Walsall: Times, TV, Teams, All You Need To Know
Chelsea open their Capital One Cup campaign tonight with a trip to the Midlands
What a difference a week makes. Seven days ago, Chelsea FC were preparing for what was regarded as a must-win crunch Champions League tie. The club had just lost their second consecutive game by falling to Everton 3-1 and a third defeat at the hands of Maccabi Tel-Aviv would have thrown the club into turmoil the likes of which we have not seen at Stamford Bridge in a while.
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The Blues duly went out, thrashed the Israeli club 4-0 and marched on to another crucial tie, this time against Arsenal. All the euphoria of Europe would have been forgotten if a then 17th-placed Chelsea were to fall to their bitter rivals.
That did not happen. Chelsea found their Jose Mourinho grit and with a helping hand of controversy, the Blues prevailed 2-0.
The club now look to continue their resurgence as they open up their defence of the Capital One Cup. Walsall FC are their foe in this third round clash as Chelsea travel to Banks’s Stadium to take on the Saddlers. The League 1 outfit are flying high after a good start that has seen them gain 17 points from 8 games. Their form has left them in 2nd position and set them up for a promotion challenge.
Having said that, Walsall have only won one out of their last four fixtures in all competitions but as if that will make a difference when Chelsea visit. The smaller clubs always get up for clashes with top sides no matter how poor or great they have been previous. Furthermore, there is likely to be a raucous home crowd present to egg their favourite team on.
Jose Mourinho has already confirmed that both John Terry and Radamel Falcao will start. Diego Costa, meanwhile, will sit out after a three-game suspension was handed down by the Football Association (FA) yesterday evening.
With all that in mind, here is all that you need to know.
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Walsall FC v Chelsea FC, 23rd September
Venue: Banks’s Stadium
KO: 19:45 (BST), 14:45 (ET)
TV: Not televised (UK), beIN Sports Connect (US); Highlights on Channel 5 at 11pm (UK)
The previous meeting between the pair took place almost 15 years ago on 15th October 1992 when Chelsea defeated the Saddlers 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. This game was a part of the previous incarnation of the League Cup (Coca-Cola League Cup) and rounded off a 4-0 two-legged win in the second round of the competition.
Chelsea FC Team:
Begovic, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Baba, Ramires, Mikel, Remy , Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Falcao.
Subs: Blackman, Aina, Djilobodji, Matic, Traore, Pedro, Hazard.
Walsall FC Team:
Etheridge, Cook, O’Connor, Downing, Chambers (c), Henry, Demetriou, Morris, Mantom, Sawyers, Lalkovic,
Subs: MacGillivray, Preston, Baxendale, Forde, Taylor, Kinsella, Flanagan.
Leave us your score predictions in the comments below!
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